Ratchet mechanism

1. A ratchet wrench comprising:

a handle portion;

a head portion operably connected to the handle portion;

a drive body comprising at least one pawl and at least one spring aperture positioned in the head portion;

a yoke comprising a plurality of teeth positioned within the head portion capable of reciprocating between a first direction with the at least one pawl operatively engaging one or more teeth and a second direction with the at least one pawl disengaged from the teeth;

a spring assembly positioned in at least one spring aperture capable of retaining the drive body relative to the head portion when the yoke reciprocates in the second direction with the at least one pawl disengaged from the teeth, the spring assembly comprising:

a spring; and

an elastic stabilizer cooperatively positioned with the spring.

2. The ratchet wrench of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is a coil spring.

3. The ratchet wrench of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is an elastomeric pin.

4. The ratchet wrench of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is a polyurethane pin having a durometer between about 85 and 102 Shore A.

5. The ratchet wrench of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is positioned within the spring.

6. The ratchet wrench of claim 1 , wherein the spring assembly further comprises a cap cooperatively positioned with the spring.

7. The ratchet wrench of claim 6 , wherein the cap has a flat surface on one end and the flat surface is adjacent to an exterior surface of the drive body when the spring assembly is compressed.

8. A ratchet mechanism for use in a ratchet wrench comprising:

a drive body having an axis of rotation;

one or more axially extending apertures positioned in the drive body;

a spring positioned in at least one aperture; and

an elastic stabilizer cooperatively positioned with the spring.

9. The ratchet mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the stabilizer is a coil spring.

10. The ratchet mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the stabilizer is an elastomeric pin.

11. The ratchet mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the stabilizer is a polyurethane pin having a durometer between about 85 and 102 Shore A.

12. The ratchet mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the spring assembly further comprises a cap cooperatively positioned with the spring.

13. The ratchet mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the cap has a flat surface on one end and the flat surface is adjacent to an exterior surface of the drive body when the spring assembly is compressed.

14. A ratcheting mechanism for use in a ratchet wrench comprising:

a yoke comprising a plurality of teeth, the yoke capable of ratcheting about an axis;

a drive body comprising:

at least one pawl operatively engaging one or more of the yoke teeth to rotate the drive body about the axis;

one or more apertures;

a first spring positioned in at least one aperture;

a second spring cooperatively positioned with the first spring, and

a cap located at one end of the first spring.

15. The ratcheting mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the second spring is an elastomeric pin.

16. The ratcheting mechanism of claim 15 , wherein the elastomeric pin has a shape corresponding to the shape of the first spring.

17. The ratchet mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the second spring is a polyurethane pin having a durometer between about 85 and 102 Shore A.

18. The ratcheting mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the cap engages the first spring.

19. The ratcheting mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the cap has a flat surface on one end and the flat surface is adjacent to an exterior surface of the drive body when the spring assembly is compressed.

20. The ratcheting mechanism of claim 14 , wherein the aperture extends substantially through the drive body.