Screwing device with rotatable tools

Abstract

The invention relates to a screwing device (1) with two tools (2, 3) for producing or releasing a screw connection between two fastening elements (10, 11). For a simple and compact structure of the screwing device (1), the invention provides that the tools (2, 3) are during the operation of the screwing device (1) connected to one another for rotation about common rotation axes (D1, D2).

Claims

1. A screwing device comprising at least two tools, each having a receptacle for a screwable fastening element, wherein during operation of the screwing device each receptacle is arranged with mutually aligned axes of rotation and spaced apart along the mutually aligned axes of rotation, wherein the at least two tools are connected to one another during the operation of the screwing device for rotation about the mutually aligned axes of rotation, further comprising a gear which rotatably connects the at least two tools to one another, wherein the gear is a toothed gear, wherein a respective gear wheel of the gear is associated with each of the at least two tools.

2. The screwing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two tools are separable from one another along the mutually aligned axes of rotation.

3. A screwing device comprising at least two tools, each having a receptacle for a screwable fastening element, wherein during operation of the screwing device each receptacle is arranged with mutually aligned axes of rotation and spaced apart along the mutually aligned axes of rotation, wherein the at least two tools are connected to one another during the operation of the screwing device for rotation about the mutually aligned axes of rotation, further comprising a gear which rotatably connects the at least two tools to one another, wherein the gear comprises a drive gear wheel and an driven gear wheel which are motion-coupled with one another, wherein the drive gear wheel is rotatably mounted on one of the at least two tools and the driven gear wheel is attached to another one of the at least two tools.

4. The screwing device according to claim 3, wherein a rotation axis of the drive gear wheel is aligned parallel to and spaced from the mutually aligned axes of rotation.

5. The screwing device according to claim 3, wherein an axis of rotation of the driven gear wheel is in alignment with the mutually aligned axes of rotation.

6. The screwing device according to claim 3, wherein the driven gear wheel is a ring gear.

7. The screwing device according to claim 3, wherein the drive gear wheel comprises a coupling member for coupling with an operating element.

8. The screwing device according to claim 3, wherein the at least two tools are separable from one another along the mutually aligned axes of rotation.

9. A screwing device comprising at least two tools, each having a receptacle for a screwable fastening element, wherein during operation of the screwing device each receptacle is arranged with mutually aligned axes of rotation and spaced apart along the mutually aligned axes of rotation, wherein the at least two tools are connected to one another during the operation of the screwing device for rotation about the mutually aligned axes of rotation, wherein the screwing device further comprises at least two connecting elements, which are each connectable to one of the receptacles and which, when attached on the receptacle, are held so as to be prevented from rotating about the mutually aligned axes of rotation relative to a base body of the respective tool.

10. The screwing device according to claim 9, wherein the at least two tools are separable from one another along the mutually aligned axes of rotation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The drawings show in:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic exploded view of a first exemplary embodiment of the screwing device according to the invention;

(3) FIGS. 2 to 5 schematic perspective views of the screwing device of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 6 a schematic plan view of the screwing device of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5; and

(5) FIG. 7 another exemplary embodiment of the screwing device according to the invention in a schematic plan view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows schematically the screwing device 1 according to the invention in a perspective exploded view. The screwing device 1 has two tools 2, 3, which are shown with a mutual spacing along a height direction H of the screwing device 1.

(7) Each of the tools 2, 3 is designed with a receptacle 4, 5 for a fastening element 10, 11 and/or for a connecting element, which is exemplified as a tool component 6, 7. In the following, the connecting elements are also exemplified as tool components, wherein other connecting elements that are each capable of rotating, for example, one of the frictionally held fastening elements 10, 11 can be used instead of the tool components. The tool components 6, 7 can each be inserted and fastened in one of the receptacles 4, and 5. The receptacles 4, 5 may open, for example, in an insertion direction extending transversely to the height direction H, so that tool components 6, 7 can be inserted along the insertion direction E into a respective one of the receptacles 4, 5. The receptacles 4, 5 may hence be designed essentially U-shaped. Likewise, one of the fastening elements 10, 11 may be rotatable when positively and/or frictionally held by a respective one of the receptacles 4, 5.

(8) To prevent rotation of the tool components 6, 7 about the height direction H in the receptacles 4, 5, the receptacle 4, 5 may have a polygonal cross section transversely to the height direction H while the tool components 6, 7 may be formed on their outer sides complementary to the polygonal cross-section. The cross-section of the receptacles 4, 5 is preferably adapted to a drive profile of one type of the fastening elements.

(9) Inner sides 8, 9 of the receptacles 4, 5 and/or of the tool components 6, 7 are provided with tool surfaces having a cross-section transverse to the height direction H that is substantially complementary to a drive profile of fastening elements 10, 11 that can be screwed together with the screwing device 1. The fastening elements 10, 11 are provided, for example, with nut-shaped drive profiles and can be screwed together using the screwing device 1. Alternatively or additionally, a screw connection between the fastening elements 10, 11 and the screwing device 1 can be releasable.

(10) The screwing device 1 can be used to screw together suitably shaped fastening elements even without the illustrated tool components 6, 7. The tool components 6, 7 can be used as needed and can be exchanged for tool components of different sizes in order to flexibly use the screwing device 1 with fastening elements having different dimensions and in particular different drive profiles.

(11) The screwing device 1 is illustrated in one example with two safety elements 12, 13, which secure the relative position in an assembled state of the tools 2, 3. The safety elements 12, 13 are formed, for example, as safety pins that can be inserted through one of the tools 2, 3 into respective other tools 2, 3. The tools 2, 3 can for this purpose have suitably dimensioned and arranged openings.

(12) For example, the openings can be formed transversely to the height direction H or along the height direction H in order to prevent the tools 2, 3 from shifting relative to one another in the height direction H or transversely to the height direction H.

(13) In addition, FIG. 1 shows an operating element 14 for operating the screwing device 1. The operating element 14 in this example is shown as a torque wrench.

(14) Each of the tools 2, 3 is formed with a base body 15, 16. The base bodies 15, 16 may be formed as a housing of the tools 2, 3 and/or may have positioning or guide elements that can facilitate assembly of the tools 2, 3 or guide their rotational movement relative to each other. The receptacles 4, 5 may be formed through or molded into the base body 15, 16. Preferably, the base bodies 15, 16 can be handled as one piece or are even produced from one piece.

(15) The screwing device 1 of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 has a gear 20 that motion-couples the tools 2, 3 with one another during the operation of the screwing device 1. In particular, the gear moves the tools 2, 3 in opposition to each other about the vertical direction H in order to rotate the fastening elements 10, 11 relative to one another and thereby efficiently tightening and/or releasing them.

(16) The gear 20 is preferably a toothed gear and in particular a planetary gear, with a drive gear wheel 21 and a driven gear wheel 22. The drive gear wheel 21 is in the embodiment of FIG. 1 associated with the height direction H of the tool 2 that is arranged in front of the tool 3. In particular, the drive gear wheel 21 is mounted for rotation eccentrically and on an edge of the tool 2, with an axis of rotation of the drive gear wheel 21 extending parallel to the height direction H.

(17) The driven gear wheel 22 is, for example, associated with the tool 3, wherein an axis of rotation of the driven gear wheel 22 is also parallel to the height direction H. In particular, the gear may be composed of the drive gear wheel 21 and the driven gear wheel 22.

(18) The base bodies 15, 16 cover the gear 20 in the assembled state of the tools 2, 3 in order to improve the operational safety of the screw connection and prevent foreign objects from entering the gear 20. The gear wheels 21, 22 can be rotatably mounted in or immovably attached to the base body 15, 16 of the respective tool 2, 3.

(19) When the tools 2, 3 are moved along the height direction H towards each other and brought together at the screwing device 1, the drive gear wheel 21 and the driven gear wheel 22 engage with each other and thus transmit movements between the tools 2, 3.

(20) For example, the drive gear wheel 21 may have a coupling member 23 coupling of the drive gear wheel 21 with the operating element 14. For this purpose, the operating element 14 may be formed, for example, as a socket wrench while the coupling member 23 may be formed with a receptacle for the socket wrench which is at least partially shaped complementarily to the socket wrench.

(21) The drive gear wheel 21 can be rotated with the operating element 14. The drive gear wheel 21 transmits to the driven gear wheel 22 and thus to the tool 3 an operating force introduced into the drive gear wheel 21. The operating force causes the tools 2, 3 to be rotated relative to one another about the vertical direction H. When the axes of rotation of the tools 2, 3 or receptacles 4, 5 are in mutual alignment and run parallel to the height direction H in the assembled state of the screwing device 1, the fastening elements 10, 11 can be readily screwed together or unscrewed by introducing the operating force into the coupling member 23.

(22) The screwing device 1 of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 is illustrated with a driven gear wheel 22 exemplified as a ring gear. The driven gear wheel 22 depicted as a ring gear is shaped as a ring and has teeth on its inside.

(23) FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a perspective view. The same reference numerals are used for elements that correspond in function and/or structure to the elements of FIG. 1.

(24) The screwing device 1 is shown assembled in FIG. 2, wherein the tools 2, 3 are moved toward each other along the height direction H until the drive gear wheel 21 and the driven gear wheels 22 are in mutual engagement. Several safety elements 12, 13 prevent the tools 2, 3 from coming apart. The tool components 6, 7 are inserted into the receptacles 4, 5 in the insertion direction E. The receptacles 4, 5 and the tool components 6, 7 are spaced apart from each other along the height direction H to ensure that only one of the fastening elements 10, 11 is gripped by a respective one of the tool components 6, 7.

(25) In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the operating element 14 is coupled with the coupling member 23, so that the drive gear wheel 21 can be rotated with the operating element 14. However, the coupling member 23 as well as the drive gear wheel 21 and the driven gear wheel 22 are obscured in the Figure by the base body 15, 16 and therefore not visible.

(26) FIG. 3 shows the screwing device 1 of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a schematic perspective view and with two screwed-together fastening elements 10, 11. The same reference numerals are used for elements that correspond in function and/or structure to the elements of FIGS. 1 and 2.

(27) In FIG. 3, the screwing device 1 is placed on the screwed-together fastening elements 10, 11 in opposition to the insertion direction E. The inner sides 8, 9 of the tool members 6, 7 having tool faces at least partially positively encompass the safety elements 10, 11 transversely to the direction of height H, so that rotation of the tools 2, 3 causes the fastening elements 10, 11 to also rotate.

(28) FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the screwing device 1 of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 in another perspective view. The same reference numerals are used for elements that correspond in function and/or structure to the elements of FIGS. 1 to 3.

(29) In the FIG. 4, the operating element 14 is not shown. Furthermore, the tool components 6, 7 and the screwed-together fastening elements 10, 11 are moved out of the tools 2, 3, in opposition to the insertion direction E. The tool components 6, 7 and/or the screwed-together fastening elements 10, 11 can be inserted into the receptacles 4, 5 in the insertion direction E.

(30) FIG. 5 schematically illustrates the screwing device 1 of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4 in a perspective partial exploded view with the operating element 14 and the screwed-together fastening elements 10, 11. The same reference numerals are used for elements that correspond in function and/or structure to the elements of FIGS. 1 to 4. The tool 3 is moved away from the tool 2 in the height direction H, so that the drive gear wheel 21 and the driven gear wheel 22 are visible. The safety elements 12, 13 are pulled out from the tools 2, 3 at least far enough so that the tool 3 can be detached from the tool 2.

(31) FIG. 6 schematically illustrates the screwing device 1 of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5 in a plan view, wherein the screwing device 1 is shown essentially reduced to the gear 20. The same reference numerals are used for elements that correspond in function and/or structure to the elements of FIGS. 1 to 5.

(32) The gear 20 is shown with the drive gear wheel 21 and the driven gear wheel 22 formed as a ring gear. An axis of rotation R1 of the drive gear wheel 21 and an axis of rotation R2 of the driven gear wheel 22 point out of the drawing plane and extend parallel to the height direction H. The axis of rotation R2 is hereby aligned with mutually overlapping axes of rotation D1, D2 of the tools 2, 3 and/or the receptacles 4, 5, respectively.

(33) When an operating force is introduced into the drive gear wheel 21, thereby rotating the drive gear wheel 21, for example, in a clockwise rotation direction U1, then the driven gear wheel 22 is rotated in another direction of rotation U2 due to the tooth engagement of the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22, with the directions of rotation U1, U2 being opposite directions.

(34) The driven gear wheel 22 formed as a ring gear is attached to the base body 16 of the tool 3 formed as a gear wheel carrier and rotates with the base body 16 about the axis of rotation D2. The drive gear wheel 21 rotates in the base body 15 of the tool 2, in which it is rotatably mounted.

(35) FIG. 7 illustrates schematically another exemplary embodiment of the screwing device 1 according to the invention in a plan view opposite to the height direction H, wherein the screwing device 1 is shown essentially reduced to the gear 20. The same reference numerals are used for elements that correspond in function and/or structure to the elements of FIGS. 1 to 6. For brevity, only the differences to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 6 are described below.

(36) The gear 20 includes the drive gear wheel 21, which substantially corresponds to the drive gear wheel 21 of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6. However, the driven gear wheel 22 of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 7 is formed not as a ring gear, but rather as a regular toot