IP Library Granted Patent US 11,911,880
Granted Patent B2
US 11,911,880 · App. 17/972,615 · Granted Feb 27, 2024

Pipe wrench with improved design for side bite

Inventors: Noah Thomas Steen (Apex, NC); Kelsey David Gilmore (Fuquay-Varina, NC)
Assignee: APEX BRANDS, INC.
B25B13/5058B25B7/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,911,880
App. No.
17/972,615
Granted
Feb 27, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hand tool includes a handle section, a working end operably coupled to the handle section, and a jaw assembly disposed at the working end. The jaw assembly includes a movable jaw and a fixed jaw. A span defined between the movable jaw and the fixed jaw is adjustable. Each of the movable jaw and the fixed jaw includes an array of teeth defined by ridges that extend substantially parallel to each other. The array of teeth on each of the fixed jaw and the movable jaw includes a first set of teeth having a first width and a first depth, and a second set of teeth having a second width and a second depth. The first depth is less than the second depth and the first width is less than the second width.

Claims (49)

1. A hand tool comprising:

a handle section;

a working end operably coupled to the handle section; and

a jaw assembly disposed at the working end, the jaw assembly comprising a first jaw and a second jaw,

wherein a span defined between the first jaw and the second jaw is adjustable,

wherein each of the first jaw and the second jaw includes an array of teeth defined by ridges that extend substantially parallel to each other,

wherein the array of teeth on each of the first jaw and the second jaw includes a narrower set of teeth having a first width and a first depth, and a wider set of teeth having a second width and a second depth,

wherein the first depth is less than the second depth and the first width is less than the second width, and

wherein a plurality of teeth of the narrower set of teeth are disposed between a first tooth of the wider set of teeth and a second tooth of the wider set of teeth.

2. The hand tool of claim 1 , further comprising:

an intermediate-width set of teeth having a third width and a third depth, wherein the third width is between the first width and the second width.

3. The hand tool of claim 2 , wherein the third depth is the same depth as the first depth.

4. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein apexes of the first tooth of the wider set and the second tooth of the wider set lie in the same plane as apexes of the plurality of teeth of the narrower set of teeth that are disposed between the first tooth and the second tooth of the wider set of teeth.

5. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the wider set of teeth and the narrower set of teeth are centered on the jaw such that a halfway point on each of the ridges of the wider set of teeth lie in the same plane as a halfway point on each of the ridges of the narrower set of teeth, and such that the wider set of teeth extend equally beyond both extreme ends of the narrower set of teeth.

6. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the jaws are configured to grip a cylindrical media extending through the jaws perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hand tool by at least the ridges of two teeth of the narrower set of teeth of each jaw contacting the cylindrical media with a first bite span, and

wherein the jaws are configured to grip a cylindrical media extending through the jaws at an angular difference from perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hand tool by at least extreme ends of two teeth of the wider set of teeth of each jaw contacting the cylindrical media with a second bite span wider than the first bite span.

7. The hand tool of claim 6 , wherein the angular difference is at least 30 degrees.

8. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein apexes of each tooth of the array of teeth on the first jaw lie in a first plane and apexes of each tooth of the array of teeth on the second jaw lie in a second plane.

9. The hand tool of claim 8 , wherein the first and second planes are substantially parallel to each other over a range of distances defining the span.

10. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the hand tool comprises a pipe wrench, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw slide relative to each other to adjust the span.

11. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the hand tool comprises pliers, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw pivot relative to each other to adjust the span.

12. The hand tool of claim 11 , wherein the hand tool comprises adjustable pliers wherein the first jaw and the second jaw can slide and pivot relative to each other to adjust the span.

13. The hand tool of claim 12 , wherein the jaws are V-shaped.

14. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein at least three teeth of the narrower set of teeth are disposed between the first tooth of the wider set of teeth and the second tooth of the wider set of teeth.

15. A hand tool comprising:

a handle section having a longitudinal axis;

a working end operably coupled to the handle section; and

a jaw assembly disposed at the working end, the jaw assembly comprising a first jaw and a second jaw,

wherein a span defined between the first jaw and the second jaw is adjustable,

wherein each of the first jaw and the second jaw includes an array of teeth defined by ridges that extend substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle, and

wherein the array of teeth on each of the first jaw and the second jaw includes a set of teeth that are both wider and deeper than a majority of the teeth that form the array of teeth of each respective one of the first jaw and the second jaw; and

wherein at least one tooth of the majority of teeth is located between two of the wider teeth.

16. The hand tool of claim 15 , wherein the hand tool is a pipe wrench.

17. The hand tool of claim 15 , wherein the hand tool is an adjustable plier.

18. A hand tool comprising:

a handle section comprising a longitudinal axis;

a working end operably coupled to the handle section; and

a jaw assembly disposed at the working end, the jaw assembly comprising a first jaw and a second jaw,

wherein a span defined between the first jaw and the second jaw is adjustable,

wherein each of the first jaw and the second jaw includes an array of teeth defined by ridges that extend substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle,

wherein the array of teeth on each of the first jaw and the second jaw includes:

a first set of teeth having a first width and a first depth, and

a second set of teeth that extend beyond the first width of the first set of teeth and have a second depth deeper than the first depth, and

wherein at least two teeth of the first set of teeth are disposed between two teeth of the second set of teeth.

19. The hand tool of claim 18 , wherein the array of teeth on the first and second jaws are configured such that:

the first set of teeth grip a cylindrical object perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle with a first bite span, and

the second set of teeth grip the cylindrical object with a second bite span larger than the first bite span when the cylindrical object is angled away from perpendicular.

20. The hand tool of claim 18 , further comprising:

a third set of teeth disposed outside the two teeth of the second set of teeth, wherein the third set of teeth has a width that is wider than the first set of teeth and narrower than the second set of teeth.

Assignments (7)
NEW SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Oct 28, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073377/0567 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NOS. 7444851 AND 11203070 WHICH WERE INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073078/0477 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068791/0141 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT. NO. 11191173 WAS INCORRCTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 66631 FRAME: 791. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT. Recorded Jun 25, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 067884/0469 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 3, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067310/0054 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Feb 20, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 066631/0791 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2022
From: STEEN, NOAH THOMAS; GILMORE, KELSEY DAVID
To: APEX BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061920/0299 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17417275
Provisional Application 62785848 · Dec 28, 2018
Related Publication 20230041475A1 · Feb 9, 2023