Granted Patent B2

US 12,247,410 · App. 17/876,765 · Granted Mar 11, 2025

Inventor: Cheng-Wei Su (Taichung, TW)

Assignee: Hong Ann Tool Industries Co., Ltd.

E04G23/08B25G3/38E04G2023/085

Abstract

Claims (33)

1. A prying tool with a prying end which has a changeable width, comprising:

a main body; the prying end including a first prying member and a second prying member pivotally engaged with the main body, wherein the first and the second prying members are pivotal toward and away from each other, wherein the prying end has a first configuration in which the first and the second prying members are locked and disposed adjacent to each other and include inner lateral sides thereof facing each other, a second configuration in which the first and the second prying members are unlocked and adapted to be moved away from each other, and a third configuration in which the first and the second prying members are locked and disposed away from each other and include the inner lateral sides thereof not facing each other, and wherein the prying end increases its width when the first and the second prying members pivot from the first configuration to the third configuration; and

a locking mechanism configured to selectively lock and unlock the first and the second prying members, wherein the locking mechanism includes a position restrainer movably disposed on the main body and movable between a lock position and a release position, wherein the position restrainer forms a restraining end selectively engaging with and disengaging from the first and the second prying members for selectively locking and preventing pivotal movement of the first and the second prying members with respect to the main body, and wherein the position restrainer is in the lock position when the prying end is in the first configuration and the third configuration and in the release position when the prying end is in the second configuration;

wherein the first prying member has a plurality of first engaging portions with which the position restrainer is adapted to selectively engage, wherein the position restrainer abuts one of the plurality of the first engaging portions when the prying end is in the first configuration and abuts another of the plurality of the first engaging portions when the prying end is in the third configuration, wherein the second prying member has a plurality of second engaging portions with which the position restrainer is adapted to selectively engage, wherein the position restrainer abuts one of the plurality of the second engaging portions when the prying end is in the first configuration and abuts another of the plurality of the second engaging portions when the prying end is in the third configuration, wherein one of the plurality of the first engaging portions and one of the plurality of the second engaging portions are adjacent to the inner lateral sides of the first and the second prying members, and wherein another of the plurality of the first engaging portions and another of the plurality of the second engaging portions are adjacent to outer lateral sides of the first and the second prying members.

2. The prying tool as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the restraining end has a first restraining portion selectively abutting the plurality of the first engaging portions of the first prying member, and wherein the restraining end has a second restraining portion selectively abutting the plurality of the second engaging portions of the second prying member.

3. The prying tool as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first restraining portion is in a form of a curved surface and each of the plurality of the first engaging portions of the first prying member is in a form of a surface corresponding to the surface of first restraining portion, and wherein the second restraining portion is in a form of a curved surface and each of the plurality of the second engaging portions of the second prying member is in a form of a surface corresponding to the surface of second restraining portion.

4. The prying tool as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the restraining end further has a third restraining portion adapted to lock the first and the second prying members, wherein the first restraining portion has an end adjacent to one of two opposite sides of the third restraining portion and the second restraining portion has an end adjacent to another of two opposite sides of the third restraining portion respectively, wherein the restraining end has an increasing width as it extends along a length direction thereof from the third restraining portion to the first and the second restraining portions, wherein the third restraining portion is inserted into a space between the first and the second prying members and has one of two opposite sides abutting the inner lateral side of the first prying member and another of the two opposite sides abutting the inner lateral side of the second prying member when the prying end is in the first configuration, and wherein the third restraining portion is inserted into the space between the first and the second prying members and includes one of the two opposite sides abutting an end side of the first prying member and another of the two opposite sides abutting an end side of the second prying member when the prying end is in the third configuration.

5. The prying tool as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the main body has a first joining side and a second joining side disposed separately and has a slot delimited therebetween, wherein the slot has an open end and a closed end and extends from the open end to the closed end along a length direction of the main body, wherein the slot also has two open sides and extends from one open side to another open side along a width direction of the main body, wherein when the prying end is in the first configuration, the end sides of the first and the second prying members do not abut an end surface of the closed end of the slot, and wherein when the prying end is in the third configuration, the outer lateral sides of the first and the second prying members abut the end surface of the closed end of the slot.

6. A prying tool with a prying end which has a changeable width, comprising:

a main body; the prying end including a first prying member and a second prying member pivotally engaged with the main body, wherein the first and the second prying members are pivotal toward and away from each other, wherein the prying end has a first configuration in which the first and the second prying members are locked and disposed adjacent to each other and include inner lateral sides thereof facing each other, a second configuration in which the first and the second prying members are unlocked and adapted to be moved away from each other, and a third configuration in which the first and the second prying members are locked and disposed away from each other and include the inner lateral sides thereof not facing each other, and wherein the prying end increases its width when the first and the second prying members pivot from the first configuration to the third configuration; and

a locking mechanism configured to selectively lock and unlock the first and the second prying members, wherein the locking mechanism includes a position restrainer movably disposed on the main body and movable between a lock position and a release position, wherein the position restrainer forms a restraining end selectively engaging with and disengaging from the first and the second prying members for selectively locking and preventing pivotal movement of the first and the second prying members with respect to the main body, and wherein the position restrainer is in the lock position when the prying end is in the first configuration and the third configuration and in the release position when the prying end is in the second configuration;

wherein the main body has a first joining side and a second joining side disposed separately and has a slot delimited therebetween, wherein the slot has an open end and a closed end and extends from the open end to the closed end along a length direction of the main body, and wherein the slot also has two open sides and extends from one open side to another open side along a width direction of the main body; and

wherein the first and the second prying members are pivotally engaged with the first and the second joining sides and inserted into the slot, wherein the first prying member has an end forming a pivot end and is pivotal about a first pivot, wherein the second prying member has an end forming a pivot end and is pivotal about a second pivot, and wherein the first and the second pivots each has an end connected to the first joining side and another end connected to the second joining side.

7. The prying tool as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first and the second prying members include a position limiter disposed therebetween, and wherein the position limiter has an end connected to the first joining side and another end connected to the second joining side.

8. The prying tool as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the main body has a hole and the position restrainer is movably disposed in the hole.

9. A prying tool with a prying end which has a changeable width, comprising:

a main body; the prying end including a first prying member and a second prying member pivotally engaged with the main body, wherein the first and the second prying members are pivotal toward and away from each other, wherein the prying end has a first configuration in which the first and the second prying members are locked and disposed adjacent to each other and include inner lateral sides thereof facing each other, a second configuration in which the first and the second prying members are unlocked and adapted to be moved away from each other, and a third configuration in which the first and the second prying members are locked and disposed away from each other and include the inner lateral sides thereof not facing each other, and wherein the prying end increases its width when the first and the second prying members pivot from the first configuration to the third configuration; and

a locking mechanism configured to selectively lock and unlock the first and the second prying members, wherein the locking mechanism includes a position restrainer movably disposed on the main body and movable between a lock position and a release position, wherein the position restrainer forms a restraining end selectively engaging with and disengaging from the first and the second prying members for selectively locking and preventing pivotal movement of the first and the second prying members with respect to the main body, and wherein the position restrainer is in the lock position when the prying end is in the first configuration and the third configuration and in the release position when the prying end is in the second configuration;

wherein the main body has a first joining side and a second joining side disposed separately and has a slot delimited therebetween, wherein the slot has an open end and a closed end and extends from the open end to the closed end along a length direction of the main body, and wherein the slot also has two open sides and extends from one open side to another open side along a width direction of the main body; and

wherein the main body has a hole and the position restrainer is movably disposed in the hole; and

wherein the position restrainer is movably disposed and moves linearly in the hole, wherein the hole extends along the length direction of the main body from the slot, and wherein the hole has an open end opening to the slot and a closed end opposite the open end and extends from the open end to the closed end along the length direction of the main body.

10. The prying tool as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the position restrainer is biased by a resilient member, wherein the resilient member has one of two opposite ends abutting the closed end of the hole and another of the two opposite ends abutting the position restrainer.

11. A prying tool with a prying end which has a changeable width, comprising:

a main body; the prying end including a first prying member and a second prying member pivotally engaged with the main body, wherein the first and the second prying members are pivotal toward and away from each other, wherein the prying end has a first configuration in which the first and the second prying members are locked and disposed adjacent to each other and include inner lateral sides thereof facing each other, a second configuration in which the first and the second prying members are unlocked and adapted to be moved away from each other, and a third configuration in which the first and the second prying members are locked and disposed away from each other and include the inner lateral sides thereof not facing each other, and wherein the prying end increases its width when the first and the second prying members pivot from the first configuration to the third configuration; and

a locking mechanism configured to selectively lock and unlock the first and the second prying members, wherein the locking mechanism includes a position restrainer movably disposed on the main body and movable between a lock position and a release position, wherein the position restrainer forms a restraining end selectively engaging with and disengaging from the first and the second prying members for selectively locking and preventing pivotal movement of the first and the second prying members with respect to the main body, and wherein the position restrainer is in the lock position when the prying end is in the first configuration and the third configuration and in the release position when the prying end is in the second configuration;

wherein the main body has a first joining side and a second joining side disposed separately and has a slot delimited therebetween, wherein the slot has an open end and a closed end and extends from the open end to the closed end along a length direction of the main body, and wherein the slot also has two open sides and extends from one open side to another open side along a width direction of the main body; and

wherein the main body has a hole and the position restrainer is movably disposed in the hole; and

wherein the position restrainer has an end disposed outside the hole and protruding in the slot, and wherein the end of the position restrainer forms the restraining end.

12. A prying tool with a prying end which has a changeable width, comprising:

a main body; the prying end including a first prying member and a second prying member pivotally engaged with the main body, wherein the first and the second prying members are pivotal toward and away from each other, wherein the prying end has a first configuration in which the first and the second prying members are locked and disposed adjacent to each other and include inner lateral sides thereof facing each other, a second configuration in which the first and the second prying members are unlocked and adapted to be moved away from each other, and a third configuration in which the first and the second prying members are locked and disposed away from each other and include the inner lateral sides thereof not facing each other, and wherein the prying end increases its width when the first and the second prying members pivot from the first configuration to the third configuration; and

a locking mechanism configured to selectively lock and unlock the first and the second prying members, wherein the locking mechanism includes a position restrainer movably disposed on the main body and movable between a lock position and a release position, wherein the position restrainer forms a restraining end selectively engaging with and disengaging from the first and the second prying members for selectively locking and preventing pivotal movement of the first and the second prying members with respect to the main body, and wherein the position restrainer is in the lock position when the prying end is in the first configuration and the third configuration and in the release position when the prying end is in the second configuration;

wherein the position restrainer is adapted to be operably moved between the lock position and the release position by a controller, and wherein the controller is coupled to the position restrainer; and

wherein the position restrainer has an aperture to which an end of the controller is connected, wherein the controller has another end disposed outside a hole of the main body, thereby allowing a user to input to control movement of the position restrainer, and wherein the controller extends in a cavity which extends from the hole of the main body to an outer periphery of the main body.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (50)