Hand-torqueable fastening tool

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hand-tightening tool for fastening, comprising a screwing body, an engaging body and a knob, the screwing body having a threaded portion, such as the external thread of a screw, defining a threaded axis, the engaging body being engaged with the screwing body at one axial end in a non-rotatable manner, the knob being connected to the engaging body and being capable of being displaced as a whole between a central position and a skewed position based on the operation of an operator, and when the knob is in the central position, the central portion of the knob is located on the threaded axis, and when the knob is in the skewed position, the central portion of the knob is located at a distance from the threaded axis, so that the maximum distance between the peripheral portion of the knob and the threaded axis is greater than the radius of the knob, equal to the moment arm of the increased tightening action.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to fastening tools, and more particularly to a fastening tool that can be turned by hand. Background Technology

[0002] For fastening tools such as bolts and nuts, operators usually need to use hand tools such as hex wrenches or power tools such as electric socket wrenches to tighten or loosen them. On the other hand, in daily life and various fields, fastening tools that can be turned directly by hand are also frequently seen, such as Torx screws and flathead screws, which are usually used for applications that require frequent and easy tightening and loosening.

[0003] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a fastening tool 900 that can be turned by hand in the prior art. In terms of its basic structure, the fastening tool 900 mainly includes a threaded body 910, a connecting body 920, and a knob 930. The threaded body 910 has a screw 911, and its outer peripheral surface forms a threaded portion 912. The connecting body 920 is engaged with one axial end of the threaded body 910 in a manner that prevents relative rotation. The knob 930 is integrally connected to the connecting body 920 and is used for the operator to grasp its outer peripheral part and turn it, so that the connecting body 920 forces the threaded body 910 to rotate together around the axis of the screw 911 (i.e., the thread axis A1).

[0004] Looking at it further, Figure 1 The fastening tool 900 shown is a type of "spring pin". Specifically, the engaging body 920 engages with a locking seat 914 at the inner end of the threaded body 910 through a locking hole 921, so that the engaging body 920 can slide axially relative to the threaded body 910, but cannot rotate around the thread axis A1. In other words, when the engaging body 920 rotates, it forces the threaded body 910 to rotate synchronously. In addition, the threaded body 910 has an axially penetrating shaft hole 913, and a pin 940 is slidably inserted through the shaft hole 913. The inner end of the pin 940 is connected to the engaging body 920 and is pushed outward by a compression spring 950, so that when no external force is applied, the outer end of the pin 940 extends a certain length beyond the end face of the screw 911. The operator can pull the knob 930 to temporarily retract the pin 940 inward against the pushing force of the compression spring 950.

[0005] The fastening tool 900 has a wide range of applications, such as for locking the length of a telescopic rod (like the chair post of an exercise bike) consisting of an outer tube and an inner tube. In a typical application, the outer tube of the telescopic rod has a threaded hole, and the inner tube has multiple positioning holes evenly distributed along its length. The screw 911 of the fastening tool 900 is screwed through the threaded hole of the outer tube, and the pin 940 can be inserted into one of the positioning holes of the inner tube, preventing the inner tube from shifting relative to the outer tube along its length. Furthermore, the end face of the screw 911 can be pressed tightly against the surface around the positioning holes of the inner tube, completely clamping the inner tube relative to the outer tube and preventing loosening or wobbling. Adjustments to the telescopic rod are also possible. When adjusting the length, the operator must first turn the knob 930 counterclockwise until the end face of the screw 911 is moderately removed from the surface of the inner tube. Then, pull the knob 930 to completely remove the pin 940 from the positioning hole of the inner tube. While in this state, move the inner tube along the length direction to the vicinity of the desired position, put the knob 930 back (move the inner tube slightly if necessary) to insert the pin 940 into another positioning hole, and finally turn the knob 930 clockwise until the end face of the screw 911 is tightly against the surface of the inner tube.

[0006] In previous technologies, hand-tightening tools, whether basic Torx screws or more advanced spring-loaded pins, required users to thoroughly tighten the knob after adjusting the position when used for locking telescopic rods or various composite components to prevent slippage or loosening. However, most users typically require some effort to tighten the knob properly, while those with weaker hands (such as the elderly) may find it more difficult to achieve the desired tightening torque. Sometimes, a stronger user can tighten the knob, while a subsequent user may need more effort to loosen it.

[0007] Of course, if the outer diameter of the knob of the fastening tool is increased during manufacturing, the moment arm when turning the knob can be increased, so that the operator can tighten or loosen it with less effort. However, this approach will increase the size and volume of the product and detract from its appearance. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the aforementioned problems, the main objective of this invention is to provide a fastening tool that can be screwed on by hand, allowing the operator to tighten or loosen it with less effort when it is screwed onto a mating object.

[0009] Another objective of this invention is to provide a fastening tool that can be turned by hand, which can be easily tightened or loosened without increasing the radial dimension of the knob, while taking into account both product appearance and ease of use.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastening tool that can be turned by hand, which can change from a normal form to a form that is easy to tighten or loosen depending on the direction of rotation and the magnitude of the torque.

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a fastening tool that can be turned by hand, comprising: a threaded body having a threaded portion defining a threaded axis; a connecting body engaged with one axial end of the threaded axis of the threaded body, which cannot rotate relative to the threaded body around the threaded axis; and a knob connected to the connecting body, having a central portion and an outer peripheral portion surrounding the central portion, the maximum distance between the outer peripheral portion and the central portion being defined as the knob radius; the knob is used for an operator to grip the outer peripheral portion and turn it to rotate the knob around the threaded axis, and the connecting body forces the threaded body to rotate together around the threaded axis; characterized in that: the knob The knob can be displaced from a central position to at least a deflected position relative to the engagement body based on the operator's operation, and can return to the central position from the deflected position; viewed axially from the thread axis, when the knob is in the central position, the center of the knob is located on the thread axis, and when the knob is in the deflected position, the center of the knob is away from the thread axis by a distance, such that the maximum distance between the outer periphery of the knob and the thread axis is greater than the knob radius; whether the knob is in the central position or the deflected position, the operator can grasp the outer periphery to turn it, and the engagement body can be forced to rotate together around the thread axis via the engagement body.

[0012] Therefore, when the fastening tool of the present invention is screwed onto the mating object, the length of the torque arm (the distance from the point of force application on the outer periphery of the knob to the thread axis) when the operator turns the knob can be increased as needed, thus allowing it to be tightened from a loose state or loosened from a tight state with less effort. Moreover, the present invention does not increase the torque arm by increasing the radial dimension of the knob itself, thus taking into account both product appearance and ease of use.

[0013] In the above-described technical solution of the present invention, an elastic element is provided between the knob and the coupling body. The elastic element elastically deforms when the knob is displaced from the central position to the skewed position, and its restoring force causes the knob to return to the central position. Therefore, the fastening tool can maintain a compact size when not in operation.

[0014] The knob is displaced between the centered position and the offset position along a displacement trajectory on a radial plane located on the thread axis. This improves operability when turning.

[0015] The knob is pivotally connected to the coupling body via an eccentric axis parallel to the thread axis; the knob, when rotated clockwise by a first angle of less than 180 degrees relative to the coupling body around the eccentric axis from the central position, will stop at a misaligned position, which can be used for clockwise tightening; the knob, when rotated counterclockwise by a second angle of less than 180 degrees relative to the coupling body around the eccentric axis from the central position, will stop at another misaligned position, which can be used for counterclockwise loosening.

[0016] One of the knob and the connecting body is provided with a limiting groove, and the other is provided with a locking part that extends into the limiting groove. When the knob rotates relative to the connecting body around the eccentric axis, the locking part will be relatively displaced in the limiting groove until the locking part locks against the edge of one end of the limiting groove, and the knob is then located in one of the skewed positions.

[0017] The limiting groove has an arc-shaped channel with the eccentric axis as the arc center, and a notch connecting the center of the arc-shaped channel; a sliding member is provided on the knob or the coupling body in a manner that allows it to slide radially along the thread axis; the locking part is provided on the sliding member and can move radially in and out of the notch along the thread axis; when the locking part is locked inside the notch, the knob is located in the central position; when the locking part is locked at one end of the arc-shaped channel, the knob is located in one of the skewed positions.

[0018] The sliding member is subjected to the elastic force of an elastic element, which causes the locking part to tend to displace into the recess relative to the limiting groove.

[0019] The limiting groove forms a rounded corner at the edge of the portion where the recess connects to the arc-shaped channel. When the locking part is engaged inside the recess, it abuts against the rounded edge. This allows the limiting groove to push the locking part out of the recess if the operator applies excessive torque when turning the knob in the centered position. This allows the knob to rotate relative to the coupling body around the eccentric axis to a misaligned position. Thus, the fastening tool can be easily changed from its normal form to a form that is easy to tighten or loosen, depending on the direction of rotation and the magnitude of the torque.

[0020] The slider is located on the knob and is connected to a pressing member. The pressing member is partially exposed on the outer periphery of the knob, allowing the operator to press it to push the slider and disengage the locking part from the recess.

[0021] The knob is linearly displaced radially along the thread axis between the central position and the offset position; when the knob is in the offset position, it cannot rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around the thread axis relative to the engagement body. It can be used for both clockwise tightening and counterclockwise loosening. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 It is a cross-sectional view of a fastening tool in the prior art;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention with its knob in the centered position;

[0024] Figure 3 The first preferred embodiment of the present invention corresponds to Figure 2 Top view of the state shown;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention with its knob in a skewed position;

[0026] Figure 5 The first preferred embodiment of the present invention corresponds to Figure 4 Top view of the state shown;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a partial exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a top view of the knob base plate in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 The first preferred embodiment of the present invention corresponds to Figure 2 A three-dimensional sectional view showing the state;

[0030] Figure 9 The first preferred embodiment of the present invention corresponds to Figure 2 A side view of the state shown;

[0031] Figure 10 It is along Figure 9 A sectional view along section line I-I in the diagram;

[0032] Figure 11 The first preferred embodiment of the present invention corresponds to Figure 4 A side view of the state shown;

[0033] Figure 12 It is along Figure 11 A sectional view along section line II-II in the diagram;

[0034] Figure 13 similar Figure 12 However, the knob is located in another misaligned position;

[0035] Figure 14 It is along Figure 9 A sectional view along section line III-III;

[0036] Figure 15 This is a partial perspective sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the knob is located in the center and is locked;

[0037] Figure 16 This is a top view of the joint top plate in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 17 The second preferred embodiment of the present invention corresponds to Figure 15 Top view of the state shown;

[0039] Figure 18 similar Figure 17 However, the knobs inside were unlocked;

[0040] Figure 19 similar Figure 18 However, the knob is in a skewed position;

[0041] Figure 20 This is a partial perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the knob is located in a skewed position;

[0042] Figure 21 The third preferred embodiment of the present invention corresponds to Figure 20 A partial stereoscopic view of the state shown, but viewed from another perspective. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of the present invention are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3The fastening tool 100 of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention mainly includes a screw-in body 110, a coupling body 120, and a knob 130. The screw-in body 110 has a shaft 111, and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 111 forms a threaded portion 112 (the helical pattern is not shown in the figure). The threaded portion 112 defines a threaded axis A1. The screw-in body 110 can be screwed into a mating object with mating threads through its threaded portion 112, thus forming a screw pair, so that while the screw-in body 110 rotates relative to the mating object around the threaded axis A1, it will also be displaced axially along the threaded axis A1. In this embodiment, the threaded portion 112 of the screw-fit body 110 is an external thread formed on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft, thus it can form a helical pair with a nut or similar object having a corresponding internal thread. Conversely, in other possible embodiments of the present invention (not shown), the threaded portion of the screw-fit body may be an internal thread formed on the inner circumferential surface of the shaft hole, so that it can form a helical pair with a screw or similar object having a corresponding external thread. Similar to the threads of general bolts, nuts, etc., the threaded portion 112 in this embodiment is also a right-hand thread, that is, when viewed axially, clockwise rotation of the screw-fit body 110 will advance to the far end (corresponding to tightening action), and counterclockwise rotation will retract to the near end (corresponding to loosening action); however, the threaded portion in the present invention may also be made into a left-hand thread to accommodate the special operating settings of the application environment. In addition, the threaded portion in the present invention may also be a tapered thread.

[0045] The engaging body 120 engages with one axial end of the threaded body 110 and cannot rotate relative to the threaded body 110 around the threaded axis A1. In other words, when the engaging body 120 rotates, it forces the threaded body 110 to rotate synchronously. The knob 130 is connected to the engaging body 120 and has a central portion 131 and an outer peripheral portion 132 surrounding the central portion 131. The operator grips the outer peripheral portion 132 to turn it, causing the threaded body 110 to rotate together around the threaded axis A1 via the engaging body 120. For example… Figure 2 , 3 The screw can be rotated in the tightening direction T (clockwise) or in the loosening direction (counterclockwise), as indicated in the diagram. In this embodiment, the engagement body 120 is shaped like a conical cylinder, with a larger outer diameter at the end near the knob 130 and a smaller outer diameter at the end away from the knob 130, and is coaxial with the shaft 111 of the screw body 110; the knob 130 is shaped like a block, with the outer periphery 132 roughly forming a circle centered on the center portion 131, but with uneven steps along the circumference to increase friction when gripping; the maximum distance between the outer periphery 132 and the center portion 131 of the knob 130 (e.g., Figure 3 The first radial length R1) is defined as the knob radius; the maximum outer diameter of the knob 130 is slightly larger than the maximum outer diameter of the coupling body 120, so that it can be firmly gripped when held.

[0046] The biggest difference between this invention and prior art fastening tools is that the knob 130 can be displaced entirely relative to the mating body 120 from a central position to at least an off-center position based on the operator's operation, and can return from the off-center position to the central position. For example, in this preferred embodiment, the knob 130 is based on an eccentric axis A2 parallel to the thread axis A1 (see...). Figure 6 or Figure 8 It is pivotally connected to the coupling body 120; the knob 130 is located in the center position (e.g., Figure 2 , 3 As shown, rotating the joint 120 around the eccentric axis A2 in a clockwise direction by a first angle of less than 180 degrees will cause it to stop at a misaligned position (e.g., Figure 4 , 5 As shown), it can be used for clockwise tightening; when the knob 130 is rotated counterclockwise by a second angle of less than 180 degrees relative to the coupling body 120 around the eccentric axis A2 from the center position, it will stop at another skewed position, which can be used for counterclockwise loosening.

[0047] Specifically, such as Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the aforementioned knob 130 is partially hollow, forming a chamber 133; a knob base plate 134 is locked to the side of the knob 130 facing the coupling body 120 (referred to herein as the bottom surface), the knob base plate 134 has a shaft tube 135 extending into the chamber 133, the axis A2 of the shaft tube 135 being spaced apart from the center portion 131 of the knob 130 by a distance; correspondingly, a coupling body top plate 125 is locked to the side of the coupling body 120 facing the knob 130 (referred to herein as the top surface), the coupling body top plate 125 being locked away from the screw A circular hole 127 is drilled through a predetermined position at a distance from the threaded axis A1, and the circular hole 127 aligns with the upper shaft tube 135. A pivot bolt 160 simultaneously pivots through the shaft tube 135 of the knob 130 and the circular hole 127 of the connecting body 120. The bolt head is located above the shaft tube 135, and the bolt tail is located below the top plate 125 of the connecting body and is screwed with a nut 161, so that the knob 130 can rotate relative to the connecting body 120 around the axis of the pivot bolt 160 or the shaft tube 135 (forming an eccentric axis) A2. The bottom surface of the knob 130 and the top surface of the connecting body 120 are both radial planes of the threaded axis A1 or the eccentric axis A2, and the two are parallel and close to each other.

[0048] The knob base plate 134 has a limiting groove 136 cut out next to the shaft tube 135. The limiting groove 136 has an arc-shaped channel 137 with the eccentric axis A2 as the arc center, and a notch 138 connecting to the center of the arc-shaped channel 137. In this example, the arc of the arc-shaped channel 137 extends approximately half a circumference (180 degrees). The notch 138 is located on the outer side of the arc-shaped channel 137, farther from the arc center, and is recessed from the center of the arc-shaped channel 137 toward the center 131 of the knob 130. Figure 7As shown, the limiting groove 136 forms a rounded corner at the edge of the part where the recess 138 and the arc-shaped channel 137 connect; the knob base plate 134 also has a protrusion 139 extending into the cavity 133, and the position of the protrusion 139 is opposite to the shaft tube 135 across the recess 138. On the other hand, the coupling body 120 has a sliding groove 124 under the coupling body top plate 125, the sliding groove 124 accommodates a sliding member 170 that can slide radially along the thread axis A1, the top of the sliding member 170 has a cylinder 171, the cylinder 171 passes through an elongated hole 126 in the coupling body top plate 125 to exit the top surface of the coupling body 120, and then passes through the limiting groove 136 of the knob base plate 134 and extends into the cavity 133. The chamber 133 contains a tension spring 180. One end of the tension spring 180 hooks onto the protrusion 139, and the other end hooks onto the cylinder 171. The cylinder 171 is pulled away from the eccentric axis A2 with a predetermined tension. In other words, the sliding member 170 is continuously subjected to the contraction force of the tension spring 180, which makes the cylinder 171 tend to move into the recess 138 relative to the limiting groove 136.

[0049] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, when the knob 130 is in the centered position, the tension spring 180 is in a contracted state, and the cylinder 171 of the slider 170 (forming a locking portion of the engaging body 120) is engaged inside the recess 138 of the limiting groove 136, abutting against the rounded edge. If the threaded body 110 of the fastening tool 100 is loosely threaded onto the mating object, when the operator turns the knob 130 in the centered position, the mutual engagement between the side of the recess 138 of the limiting groove 136 and the cylinder 171 forces the turned knob 130 to rotate around the threaded axis A1 via the engaging body 120. Figure 10 The diagram shows the direction of rotation, T.

[0050] However, if the operator applies a certain amount of torque when turning the knob 130 in the centered position (which usually indicates that the engagement between the screw body 110 and the mating object is tight), the edge of the limiting groove 136 will push the cylinder 171 out of the recess 138 and into the arc-shaped channel 137, so that the knob 130 can rotate relative to the mating body 120 around the eccentric axis A2 to a biased position until the cylinder 171 is stuck at one end of the arc-shaped channel 137, and the knob 130 is in one of the biased positions.

[0051] For example, if the operator... Figure 10 When the knob 130 is turned in the tightening direction T and the torque exceeds a certain level, the knob 130 will rotate approximately 90 degrees clockwise around the eccentric axis A2, reaching the desired position. Figure 11 , Figure 12In the skewed position shown, the cylinder 171 is engaged at one end of the arc-shaped groove 137. Furthermore, because the protrusion 139 rotates approximately 90 degrees clockwise along the first arc-shaped trajectory C1 centered on the eccentric axis A2, moving away from the cylinder 171, the tension spring 180 is in a stretched state. In this relative position, if the operator continues to apply force to turn the knob 130 in the tightening direction T, since the knob 130 can no longer rotate clockwise relative to the coupling body 120, the knob 130 will force the threaded body 110 to rotate clockwise around the threaded axis A1 via the coupling body 120 until fully tightened. After the operator releases the knob 130, due to the restoring force of the tension spring 180, the knob 130 will automatically rotate counterclockwise back to the centered position, and the cylinder 171 will again engage inside the recess 138.

[0052] If the situation is reversed, the operator turns knob 130 in the loosening direction (counter-clockwise) and the torque exceeds a certain level. Knob 130 will then rotate approximately 90 degrees counter-clockwise around the eccentric axis A2, reaching the desired position. Figure 13 As shown in the skewed position, the cylinder 171 is abutting against the other end of the arc-shaped channel 137. Furthermore, because the protrusion 139 rotates approximately 90 degrees counterclockwise along the second arc-shaped trajectory C2 centered on the eccentric axis A2, moving away from the cylinder 171, the tension spring 180 is in a stretched state. In this relative relationship, if the operator continues to apply force to turn the knob 130 in the loosening direction L, since the knob 130 can no longer rotate counterclockwise relative to the engaging body 120, the knob 130 will force the threaded body 110 to rotate counterclockwise around the threaded axis A1 via the engaging body 120, thus loosening it. Similarly, after the operator releases the knob 130, it will automatically return to its original position. Figure 10 The state shown.

[0053] like Figure 3 As shown, viewed axially from the thread axis A1, when the knob 130 is in the centered position, the center part 131 of the knob 130 is located on the thread axis A1; as Figure 5 As shown, when viewed axially from the thread axis A1, when the knob 130 is in the misaligned position, the center part 131 of the knob 130 is a certain distance away from the thread axis A1, so that the maximum distance between the outer peripheral part 132 of the knob 130 and the thread axis A1 (e.g.) Figure 5 The second radial length R2 in the knob is greater than the knob radius (e.g., Figure 3 The first radial length R1 in the comparison. Figure 3 and Figure 5It can be seen that if the operator grips the knob 130 in the centered position and turns it, the length of the torque arm (the distance from the point of force application on the outer periphery 132 of the knob to the thread axis A1) is approximately the knob radius. In contrast, if the operator grips the knob 130 in an off-center position and turns it, the length of the torque arm can be significantly greater than the knob radius, for example, up to [missing information - likely a number]. Figure 5 The second radial length R2 is approximately 1.9 times the radius of the knob (the first radial length R1).

[0054] Therefore, when the fastening tool 100 of the present invention is screwed onto the mating object, the length of the torque arm when the operator turns the knob 130 can be increased as needed, thus allowing for easier tightening from a loose state or loosening from a tight state. Furthermore, the present invention does not increase the torque arm by increasing the radial dimension of the knob 130 itself, thus balancing product appearance and ease of use. In this preferred embodiment, the fastening tool 100 can be easily changed from a normal state to a state that is easy to tighten or loosen, depending on the direction of rotation and the magnitude of the torque, which is convenient and reasonable. The knob 130 as a whole is displaced from a central position to a deflected position on the radial plane of the thread axis A1, improving operability. Moreover, the tension spring 180 provided between the knob 130 and the mating body 120 can return the knob 130 from the deflected position to the central position, allowing the fastening tool 100 to maintain a compact size when not in operation. In other possible embodiments of the invention (not shown), the knob may be reset using other types of elastic elements such as torsion springs.

[0055] as Figure 1 The fastening tool 900 in the prior art shown, and the fastening tool 100 in this preferred embodiment, are also a type of spring pin. The relevant structure is described below: Please refer to... Figure 8 One of the threaded body 110 and the coupling body 120 (in this example, the threaded body 110) has a fitting seat 114 extending axially along the thread axis A1, and the other (in this example, the coupling body 120) has a fitting hole 121 extending axially. The fitting seat 114 and the fitting hole 121 fit together. The cross-sections of the fitting seat 114 and the fitting hole 121 in the axial direction are regular polygonal or radial, so that the threaded body 110 and the coupling body 120 cannot rotate relative to each other around the thread axis A1, but can be displaced relative to each other in the axial direction. More specifically, as shown in... Figure 14 As shown, in this embodiment, the interlocking seat 114 is similar to a cylinder and has a plurality of axial grooves 115 on its outer circumferential surface, and the interlocking hole 121 is similar to a cylindrical hole and has a plurality of axial protrusions 122 on its inner circumferential surface. Each axial groove 115 and each axial protrusion 122 are interlocked, thereby restricting the relative rotation of the threaded body 110 and the connecting body 120, but allowing the threaded body 110 and the connecting body 120 to slide relative to each other along the axial direction.

[0056] like Figure 8As shown, a nut 123 is embedded in the center of the coupling body 120 using a shot-on technique; the threaded body 110 has an axially penetrating shaft hole 113, and a pin 140 is slidably inserted into the shaft hole 113. The inner end of the pin 140 is screwed into the nut 123 and connected to the coupling body 120. A compression spring 150 is also provided in the shaft hole 113 of the threaded body 110. The compression spring 150 is ringed around the pin 140, with one end (the top end in the figure) abutting against an inner annular shoulder surface 116 of the threaded body 110, and the other end (the bottom end in the figure) abutting against an annular shoulder surface 141 of the pin 140. Its stretching elasticity pushes the pin 140, together with the coupling body 120 and the knob 130, towards the outer end of the threaded body 110 until the bottom surface of the coupling body 120 engages with an outer annular shoulder surface 117 of the threaded body 110. When not subjected to external force, the outer end of the pin 140 extends a certain length beyond the end face of the shaft 111 of the screw body 110; the operator can pull the knob 130 to make the pin 140 temporarily retract inward against the thrust of the compression spring 150, and at most completely submerge into the end face of the shaft 111.

[0057] The purpose and usage of pin 140 are basically the same as those described in the previous text. Figure 1 The description of the prior art fastening tool 900 shown will not be repeated here. It must also be stated that this invention primarily focuses on how a fastening tool that can be turned by hand facilitates the operator in tightening and loosening it. Its basic structure consists of a threaded body, a connecting body engaged at one axial end of the threaded body, and a knob that can be misaligned and reset relative to the connecting body. The aforementioned spring-pin structure is merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and not a limitation; that is, the fastening tool of this invention may not have the aforementioned pin and compression spring. Furthermore, the aforementioned connecting body can be directly fixed to one axial end of the threaded body, serving as the base of the knob.

[0058] Figure 15 This figure shows a portion of the fastening tool 200 according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Since the main difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment is the structure of the knob 230 and the coupling body 220, the part of the threaded body (which can be implemented in accordance with the relevant content in the previous text) is omitted in the figure, and only the location of the thread axis A1 is shown.

[0059] In this embodiment, a top plate 222 is locked to the top surface of the coupling body 220, and a chamber 221 is formed beneath the top plate 222. Please refer to the accompanying documentation. Figure 16The top plate 222 of the coupling body has a perforated limiting groove 224. The limiting groove 224 has an arc-shaped channel 225 and a notch 226 connected to the center of the length of the arc-shaped channel 225. In addition, the top plate 222 of the coupling body has a round hole 223 drilled through at the center of the arc-shaped channel 225. The knob 230 has a pair of cylindrical holes 235 that match the round holes 223. A pivot bolt 260 pivotally passes through both the cylindrical hole 235 of the knob 230 and the round hole 223 of the coupling body 220. The tail of the bolt is located under the top plate 222 of the coupling body and is screwed with a nut 261, so that the knob 230 can rotate relative to the coupling body 220 around the axis of the pivot bolt 260 (forming an eccentric axis) A2.

[0060] The knob 230 is partially hollow to form a chamber 231. A groove 232 is located within the chamber 231, accommodating a radially sliding member 270. A screw 271, serving as a locking part, is provided on the sliding member 270. The screw 271 passes through an elongated hole 233, exits the bottom surface of the knob 230, passes through the limiting groove 225 of the top plate 222 of the connecting body, and extends into the chamber 221 of the connecting body 220. A tension spring 280 is located within the chamber 221 of the connecting body 220. One end of the tension spring 280 hooks onto a small bolt 227 locked to the top plate 222 of the connecting body, and the other end hooks onto the screw 271 from the knob 230, pulling the screw 271 away from the eccentric axis A2 with a predetermined tension. On the other hand, the chamber 231 of the knob 230 has a pressing member 290 that is connected to the sliding member. The pressing member 290 has a button portion 291, which can protrude from the outer periphery of the knob 230 through a hole 234 on one side of the knob 230.

[0061] When knob 230 is in the centered position, such as Figure 17 As shown, based on the contraction force of the tension spring 280, the locking part (screw 271) of the slider 270 is locked inside the recess 226 of the limiting groove 224, and the button part 291 of the pressing member 290 protrudes from the outer periphery of the knob 230. When the operator turns the knob 230 in the center position, the mutual locking between the side of the recess 226 of the limiting groove 224 and the aforementioned locking part (screw 271) forces the turned knob 230 to rotate around the thread axis A1 via the engaging body 220.

[0062] If necessary, the operator can use their thumb or other fingers to press the button portion 291 of the aforementioned pressing member 290 to resist the contraction force of the aforementioned tension spring 280 and push the sliding member 270, causing the aforementioned locking portion (screw 271) to disengage from the aforementioned recess 226 and enter the arc-shaped groove 225, such as... Figure 18As shown, the knob 230 can rotate relative to the coupling body 220 around the eccentric axis A2 until the aforementioned locking part (screw 271) engages with one end of the arc-shaped groove 225, at which point the knob 230 is in one of the misaligned positions. For example, when it is necessary to tighten the knob 230, the operator can first rotate the knob approximately 90 degrees clockwise relative to the coupling body 220 until it reaches the desired position. Figure 19 The knob is positioned as shown in the diagram. In this state, the knob is turned in the tightening direction T. Since the knob 230 can no longer rotate clockwise relative to the coupling body 220, the knob 230 will force the threaded body (not shown in the diagram) to rotate clockwise around the thread axis A1 via the coupling body 220 until it is fully tightened. The situation where the knob 230 needs to be loosened can be deduced by analogy and will not be described again.

[0063] Please see last. Figure 20 , Figure 21 In the fastening tool 300 of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention (Note: the threaded part is also omitted in the figure, only the position of the thread axis A1 is shown), the top of the coupling body 320 is formed with a radially extending dovetail groove 321, and the bottom of the knob 330 is formed with a radially extending dovetail block 331. The dovetail block 331 is embedded in the dovetail groove 321, so that the knob 330 can slide radially on the coupling body 320. The bottom of the dovetail groove 321 is provided with a first protrusion 322 and a second protrusion 323, and the bottom of the dovetail block 331 is provided with a first limiting groove 332 and a second limiting groove 333 that extend radially by a predetermined length, respectively. The two limiting grooves 332 and 333 each have an open end and a closed end, but are arranged in opposite directions. When the knob 330 slides a certain distance radially to one side, the first protrusion 322 will engage with the closed end of the first limiting groove 332, preventing the knob 330 from continuing to slide to that side. At this time, the knob 330 is in a misaligned position. Conversely, when the knob 330 slides a certain distance radially to the other side, the second protrusion 323 will engage with the closed end of the second limiting groove 332, preventing the knob 330 from continuing to slide to that side. At this time, the knob 330 is in another misaligned position. Figure 20 , Figure 21 As shown. When the knob 330 is in the skewed position, it can neither rotate clockwise nor counterclockwise around the thread axis A1 relative to the coupling body 320, and can be used for clockwise tightening and counterclockwise loosening.

[0064] The top surface of the coupling body 320 is provided with several N-pole magnets 324 and S-pole magnets 325, and the bottom surface of the knob 330 is also provided with several N-pole magnets 334 and S-pole magnets 335. When the knob 330 is in the centered position, each N-pole magnet 334 of the knob 330 will engage with one S-pole magnet 325 of the coupling body 320, and each S-pole magnet 335 of the knob 330 will engage with one N-pole magnet 324 of the coupling body 320, thereby positioning the knob 330 appropriately in the centered position through magnetic attraction. When the knob 330 is in the skewed position, specific N-pole magnets 334 and S-pole magnets 335 of the knob 330 will also engage with specific S-pole magnets 325 and N-pole magnets 324 of the coupling body 320 respectively, thereby positioning the knob 330 appropriately in the skewed position through magnetic attraction.

[0065] A common feature of this embodiment and the first and second embodiments is that the knobs are all displaced along a displacement trajectory on a radial plane located on the thread axis between the central position and the skewed position, which can improve the operability when turning.

[0066] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fastening tool that can be turned by hand, comprising: A screw assembly having a threaded portion that defines a threaded axis; A coupling body, which engages at one axial end of the threaded axis of the coupling body, and cannot rotate relative to the coupling body about the threaded axis; A knob, connected to the engagement body, has a central portion and an outer peripheral portion surrounding the central portion, the maximum distance between the outer peripheral portion and the central portion being defined as the knob radius; the knob is used for an operator to grip the outer peripheral portion and turn it so that the knob rotates around the thread axis, and the engagement body forces the engagement body to rotate together around the thread axis. Its features are: The knob can be displaced from a central position to at least a deflected position relative to the engagement body based on the operator's operation, and can return from the deflected position to the central position; viewed axially from the thread axis, when the knob is in the central position, the center of the knob is located on the thread axis, while when the knob is in the deflected position, the center of the knob is away from the thread axis by a distance, such that the maximum distance between the outer periphery of the knob and the thread axis is greater than the knob radius; whether the knob is in the central position or the deflected position, the operator can grasp the outer periphery to turn it, and in both positions, the engagement body can be forced to rotate together around the thread axis.

2. The fastening tool that can be turned by hand as described in claim 1, characterized in that: An elastic element is provided between the knob and the coupling body. The elastic element will elastically deform as the knob moves from the center position to the skewed position, and its restoring force will cause the knob to return to the center position.

3. The fastening tool that can be turned by hand as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The knob is displaced between the central position and the skewed position along a displacement trajectory on a radial plane located on the thread axis.

4. The fastening tool that can be turned by hand as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The knob is pivotally connected to the coupling body via an eccentric axis parallel to the thread axis; the knob will stop at a first angle of less than 180 degrees when rotated clockwise relative to the coupling body around the eccentric axis from the central position; the knob will stop at another eccentric position when rotated counterclockwise relative to the coupling body around the eccentric axis from the central position by a second angle of less than 180 degrees.

5. The fastening tool that can be turned by hand as described in claim 4, characterized in that: One of the knob and the connecting body is provided with a limiting groove, and the other is provided with a locking part that extends into the limiting groove. When the knob rotates relative to the connecting body around the eccentric axis, the locking part will be relatively displaced in the limiting groove until the locking part locks against the edge of one end of the limiting groove, and the knob is then located in one of the skewed positions.

6. The fastening tool that can be turned by hand as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The limiting groove has an arc-shaped channel with the eccentric axis as the arc center, and a notch connecting the center of the arc-shaped channel; a sliding member is provided on the knob or the coupling body in a manner that allows it to slide radially along the thread axis; the locking part is provided on the sliding member and can move radially in and out of the notch along the thread axis; when the locking part is locked inside the notch, the knob is located in the central position; when the locking part is locked at one end of the arc-shaped channel, the knob is located in one of the skewed positions.

7. The fastening tool that can be turned by hand as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The sliding member is subjected to the elastic force of an elastic element, which causes the locking part to tend to displace into the recess relative to the limiting groove.

8. The fastening tool that can be turned by hand as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The limiting groove forms a rounded corner at the edge of the part where the recess connects with the arc-shaped channel. When the locking part is locked inside the recess, it is adjacent to the rounded edge, so that if the torque of the operator turns the knob located in the central position exceeds a certain level, the edge of the limiting groove will push the locking part out of the recess, so that the knob can rotate relative to the connecting body around the eccentric axis to a skewed position.

9. The fastening tool that can be turned by hand as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The slider is located on the knob and is connected to a pressing member. The pressing member is partially exposed on the outer periphery of the knob, allowing the operator to press it to push the slider and disengage the locking part from the recess.

10. The fastening tool that can be turned by hand as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The knob is linearly displaced radially along the thread axis between the central position and the offset position; when the knob is in the offset position, it cannot rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around the thread axis relative to the engagement body.

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