Adjustable Wrench Movable Jaw 120-Degree Angle Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjustable wrenches struggle to efficiently engage and rotate hex head fasteners of varying sizes due to limitations in jaw angle and movement mechanisms, leading to inadequate grip and torque distribution.
Innovation Solution
A wrench design featuring a movable jaw with a 120-degree angle relative to the fixed jaw, a threaded shaft, and a guide system allowing the jaw to move at a 40.9-degree angle, enabling the wrench to accommodate different hex head sizes by maintaining a parallel surface contact and providing an open end style for easy fastener access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the jaw angle is changed to improve engagement with hex head fasteners, then the grip security is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable jaw is designed with two different jaw faces having different angles (first jaw face and second jaw face at approximately 120 degrees), allowing each face to be optimized for specific engagement requirements with hex head fasteners, thereby improving grip security without requiring complete redesign of the entire jaw structure
Solution Approach 2:
The movable jaw can be adjusted to different positions along the guide, changing the effective jaw angle and configuration dynamically to accommodate different fastener sizes and types, maintaining optimal engagement without increasing permanent structural complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If the movable jaw is designed to accommodate varying fastener sizes, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movable jaw is designed to move along a guide that maintains parallelism between the first and second jaw faces throughout the range of motion, allowing accommodation of various fastener sizes while preserving consistent engagement geometry through dynamic adjustment rather than multiple precision-machined positions
Solution Approach 2:
The guide constrains the movable jaw to move along a specific angular path (approximately 40.9 degrees), transforming a two-dimensional parallelism requirement into a one-dimensional motion constraint that is easier to manufacture and maintain precision for
3Force
If the threaded shaft is extended for larger fasteners, then the leverage is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded shaft can be rotated to extend or retract, dynamically adjusting the leverage length based on the fastener size being worked on, providing increased mechanical advantage for larger fasteners while maintaining a compact form when smaller fasteners are engaged
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded shaft mechanism serves dual functions: it provides both the adjustment mechanism for movable jaw position and the leverage extension for torque application, eliminating the need for separate adjustment and torque mechanisms
4Ease of operation
If the open end style is implemented for easy fastener access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the structural stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The wrench is divided into distinct components (frame, movable jaw, fixed jaw, threaded shaft) that can independently function, allowing the open end configuration to provide easy access while the segmented structure maintains overall stability through proper load distribution across components
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design ensures a secure grip and efficient torque transfer across a range of hex head sizes, preventing stripping and providing progressive leverage for larger fasteners, while maintaining a compact form for easy handling.
Implementation Method 1
a shaft threadably engaged with the frame and connected to the movable jaw to control movement of the movable jaw
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~9
Figure 10~13A
AI summary
A wrench for rotating a hex head fastener has a frame with a fixed jaw face, and a movable jaw which has first and second jaw faces forming an angle of about 120 degrees relative to each other. A guide, which includes a threaded shaft, is connected to the frame and the movable jaw to control movement of the movable jaw along a line forming an angle of one of about 19.1 and about 40.9 degrees with respect to an intersection of the line and a plane of the fixed jaw face. The plane of the first jaw face remains parallel to the plane of the fixed jaw face as the movable jaw is moved. For an open or flare style wrench, the frame is open adjacent to the first jaw face, between the first jaw face and the fixed face or a face adjacent to the fixed face.