Compact Powered Wrench Structure for Torque and Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery-powered tools, such as wrenches, lack an improved construction that balances compactness with high torque and structural rigidity, as well as efficient heat dissipation and electrical protection for components.
Innovation Solution
A compact ratcheting wrench design featuring a hollow cylindrical steel support tube surrounding a motor and battery assembly, a semi-rigid plastic handle, and a plastic skeleton with fins for heat dissipation, along with a brushless DC motor and a hall effect sensor for activation, ensuring high torque and compactness while maintaining structural integrity and efficient heat management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a battery-powered wrench is made compact, then the volume is reduced, but the torque and structural rigidity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The support tube is constructed from phosphate steel, a composite material that provides high strength and rigidity in a compact form. This allows the wrench to maintain structural integrity while keeping the overall volume reduced. The handle combines plastic material with an integrated support tube structure to achieve both compactness and necessary mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrench is divided into distinct functional segments: a support tube containing the motor and battery assembly, a handle for manual operation, and a crown for actuation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the support tube provides structural rigidity while the handle and crown provide operational functionality, resolving the contradiction between compactness and strength.
2Strength
If the support tube is made thicker to increase structural rigidity, then the strength is improved, but the volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
Phosphate steel is used for the support tube, providing high strength-to-weight ratio and high yield strength. This allows the tube to maintain adequate thickness for structural rigidity while minimizing the overall volume of the wrench. The material properties enable a thinner wall design that still provides the necessary mechanical strength.
3Reliability
If the motor and battery assembly are surrounded by a protective tube, then the protection of electrical components is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support tube serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for the motor and battery assembly, acts as a protective enclosure for electrical components, provides a mounting structure for the skeleton and heat dissipation fins, and serves as part of the overall wrench framework. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby maintaining compactness while improving protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The support tube is integrated with the handle structure, combining the protective enclosure function with the operational handle function. This merging of functions reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies the overall device structure while still providing adequate protection for the electrical components housed within the tube.
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 provides significant torque and power while maintaining a compact shape, with enhanced structural rigidity, heat dissipation, and protection for electrical components, allowing both manual and motor-powered operation.
Implementation Method 1
a brushless DC motor
Implementation Method 2
a hall effect sensor for activation
Implementation Method 3
a plastic skeleton with fins for heat dissipation
Data Source
AI summary
A wrench including a tool head including a tool output member. The wrench also includes a motor configured to selectively drive the output member and a battery assembly. The battery assembly includes a battery cell and the battery cell provides power to the motor. A support tube surrounds at least a portion of the motor and a portion of the battery assembly. A handle surrounds the support tube.