Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Anti-slip Fastener Remover Tool
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to tools designed for tightening or
loosening fasteners, in particular bolts and nuts. More specifically, the
present invention
is an anti-slip fastener remover tool that designed to engaged bolts, nuts,
and other similar
fasteners with little chance of slippage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hex bolts, nuts, screws, and other similar threaded devices are used to secure
and
hold multiple components together by being engaged to a complimentary thread,
known
as a female thread. The general structure of these types of fasteners is a
cylindrical shaft
with an external thread and a head portion that is connected at one end of the
cylindrical
shaft. The external thread engages a complimentary female thread tapped into a
hole or a
nut and secures the fastener in place, fastening the associated components
together. The
head portion receives an external torque force and is the means by which the
fastener is
turned, or driven, into the female threading. The head portion is shaped
specifically to
allow an external tool like a wrench to apply a torque to the fastener in
order to rotate the
fastener and engage the complimentary female threading to a certain degree.
This type of
fastener is simple, extremely effective, cheap, and highly popular in modern
construction.
One of the most common problems in using these types of fasteners, whether
male or
female, is the tool slipping in the head portion, or slipping on the head
portion. This is
generally caused by either a worn fastener or tool, corrosion, overtightening,
or damage
to the head portion of the fastener. Various methods may be used to remove a
fastener,
some more aggressive than others. Once a fastener head is damaged, a more
aggressive
method must be implemented to remove a seized fastener. Drilling out the
fastener is a
common method used by some users to dislodge the fastener. While this method
can
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-14
prove to be effective in some scenarios there is a high risk of damaging the
internal
threads of the hole.
SUMMARY
The present invention is an anti-slip fastener remover tool that virtually
eliminates
the chance of slippage. The present invention uses a series of integrated
engagement
segments that bite into the head portion of the fastener and allow for
efficient torque
transfer between the extractor bit and the head portion of the fastener.
Resultantly, the
present invention may be used to tighten or loosen fasteners without worrying
about
stripping the corners of the fastener.
In another aspect, there is provided an anti-slip fastener remover tool
comprising:
a torque-tool body; a plurality of paired engagement features; each of the
plurality of
paired engagement features comprising a first engagement feature and a second
engagement feature; a cross section for the first engagement feature and the
second
engagement feature each comprising a bracing section and a cavity section; the
plurality
of paired engagement features being radially distributed about a rotational
axis of the
torque-tool body; the bracing section and the cavity section being adjacently
connected to
each other so as to form a sharp tooth in between the bracing section and the
cavity
section; the sharp tooth being configured to engage, cut or bite a surface of
a fastener
head; the cavity section of the first engagement feature being adjacently
connected to the
cavity section of the second engagement feature; the cavity section of the
first
engagement feature and the cavity section of the second engagement feature
being
oriented towards the rotational axis; and the bracing section of the first
engagement
feature and the bracing section of the second engagement feature being
oppositely
positioned of each other about the cavity section of the first engagement
feature and the
cavity section of the second engagement feature; wherein a first geometric
plane
positioned parallel to the bracing section of the first engagement feature and
a second
geometric plane positioned parallel to the bracing section of the second
engagement
feature are not co-planar, such that the bracing section of the first
engagement feature and
the bracing section of the second engagement feature are not aligned with each
other.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-14
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, wherein the torque-tool
body is
outwardly extended from the rotational axis to the plurality of paired
engagement
features.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention, wherein the torque-tool body
is outwardly
extended from the rotational axis to the plurality of paired engagement
features.
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the present invention, wherein the torque-tool body
is
outwardly extended from the rotational axis to the plurality of paired
engagement
features.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the present invention, wherein the torque-tool body is
outwardly
extended from the rotational axis to the plurality of paired engagement
features.
FIG. 5 is a top view of the present invention, wherein the torque-tool body is
outwardly
extended from the rotational axis to the plurality of paired engagement
features and
showing the bisecting line, the first bisecting angle, and the second
bisecting angle.
DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected
versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of
the present
invention.
The present invention is an anti-slip tool used to tighten or loosen a
damaged/stripped fastener such as a nut or bolt. Traditional wrench designs
transfer the
majority of the torque to the damaged/stripped fastener through the lateral
corners of the
fastener head. Over time, the degradation of the lateral corners reduces the
efficiency of
transferring torque from the wrench to the fastener head and, as a result,
causes slippage.
The present invention overcomes this problem by moving the contact point to
the lateral
sides of the fastener head. This is accomplished through the use of a
multitude of teeth.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-14
Each of the teeth is positioned to engage or "bite" the lateral surface of the
fastener head
instead of the lateral comer. This ensures an adequate amount of torque is
transferred to
the fastener head to initiate rotation and, resultantly, extraction or tighten
the
damaged/stripped fastener. However, the present invention is also designed to
be used
with an undamaged or new fastener without causing damage to the fastener when
torque
is applied in accordance with maximum specified and industry approved torque
levels for
the particular fastener size or diameter.
The present invention utilizes a multitude of teeth to engage the sides of the
fastener head, damaged or otherwise, in order to efficiently apply torque onto
the
.. damaged/stripped fastener. The present invention may be integrated into or
utilized by a
variety of general tools to increase the torque force applied to a fastener.
General tools
include, but are not limited to, open-end wrenches, adjustable wrenches, pipe
wrenches,
socket wrenches, plumber wrench, and other similar fastener engaging tools.
The present
invention is compatible with female-member based head designs of fasteners.
Fasteners
which utilize a female-member head design, also known as female fasteners, use
the
internal lateral surface or the internal cavity of the fastener head to engage
a tool for
tightening or loosening. In addition, the present invention is compatible with
fasteners of
a right-hand thread and fasteners of a left-hand thread. Furthermore, the
present invention
may be altered and configured to fit different types and different sizes of
fasteners.
Referring to FIG. 1-5, the present invention comprises a torque-tool body 1
and a
plurality of paired engagement features 3. The torque-tool body 1 is used as
the physical
structure to apply the corresponding force by the plurality of paired
engagement features
3 on the fastener head. For some fasteners, the torque-tool body 1 functions
similar to a
driver-bit that is sized to fit into an opening of the fastener head in an
interlocking
manner. The length, width, and diameter of the torque-tool body 1 may vary to
fit
different sized male/female fasteners. The plurality of paired engagement
features 3
prevents slippage during the damaged/stripped fastener extraction and is
radially
positioned around a rotational axis 2 of the torque-tool body 1 as seen in
FIG. 1-4. As a
result, the plurality of paired engagement features 3 facilitates the transfer
of torque to the
male/female fastener by preventing slippage between the torque-tool body 1 and
the
fastener head.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-14
The plurality of paired engagement features 3 is distributed into a polygon
shape
within the torque-tool body 1 and preferably symmetric along the rotational
axis 2,
wherein the rotational axis 2 centrally traverses through the torque-tool body
1. A
symmetrical design is ensured within the present invention to performs equally
when
rotating the fastener in a clockwise direction or in a counterclockwise
direction.
In reference to FIG. 1, the torque-tool body 1 is outwardly extended from the
rotational axis 2 to the plurality of paired engagement features 3. This
yields the driver-
bit structure for the present invention as the plurality of paired engagement
features 3 is
distributed about the rotational axis 2 on an external surface of the torque-
tool body 1.
.. The driver-bit structure of the torque-tool body 1 associates with the
opening of the
fastener head so that the plurality of paired engagement features 3 can
internally engaged
with the fastener head.
The present invention also incorporates an attachment feature which allows an
external torque applying tool to attach to the torque-tool body 1 and increase
the torque
.. force applied to the fastener head. In reference to FIG. 2-3, the present
invention further
comprises an attachment body 10 and an engagement bore 11 that allow an
external
torque applying tool such as an open ended wrench, a box ended wrench, a
combination
wrench, an adjustable wrench, and a socket wrench to be attached to the torque-
tool body
1. The attachment body 10 is centrally positioned around and along the
rotational axis 2
in order to align with the axis of rotation of the external torque applying
tool.
Furthermore, the attachment body 10 is connected adjacent to the torque-tool
body 1. The
attachment body 10 is preferably of a hexagonal shaped body with a diameter
preferably
and slightly larger than the diameter for the torque-tool body 1. However, the
attachment
body 10 may incorporate a smaller diameter than the torque-tool body 1
depending upon
the preferred manufacturing method or design. The engagement bore 11 traverses
into the
attachment body 10 along the rotational axis 2. The engagement bore 11 is
shaped to
receive a male attachment member of a socket wrench, wherein the preferred
shape of the
engagement bore 11 is a square as the majority of socket wrenches utilize a
square male
attachment member. In alternative embodiments, the shape and design of the
engagement
bore 11 and the attachment body 10 may vary to be adaptable to different
torque applying
tools and different attachment means including, but not limited to, square or
cylindrical.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-14
In an alternative embodiment, an outer surface of the attachment body 10 may
have
surface griping treatment applied such as knurling or other alternative
methods to
increase the friction between torque-tool body 1 and the user's hand.
A bottom surface of the attachment body 10 is tapered away from the engagement
bore 11 so that the plurality of paired engagement features 3 can be driven
into the
damaged/stripped fastener head by a hammer, without hitting or damaging the
engagement bore 11. In other words, a diameter of the attachment body 10 about
the
engagement bore 11 is slightly larger than a diameter of the attachment body
10 about the
torque-tool body 1 so that the bottom surface of the attachment body 10 can be
tapered
away from the engagement bore 11. In some embodiments of the present
invention, the
attachment body 10 may not comprises the engagement bore 11 as the attachment
body
10 itself functions as the engagement feature between the present invention
and the
external torque force.
Additionally, a wrench handle can be peripherally connected to the torque-tool
body 1, wherein the wrench handle functions as the external torque applying
tool. With
respect to the wrench handle, each of the plurality of paired engagement
features 3 is
extended along a specific length of the torque-tool body 1 thus delineating an
empty
space within the torque-tool body 1. The aforementioned empty space functions
as a
receptive cavity for the fastener head so that the plurality of paired
engagement features 3
can grip the lateral surface of the fastener head. The present invention
further comprises a
fastener-receiving hole that traverses through the torque-tool body 1. The
fastener-
receiving hole, perpendicular to the rotational axis 2, is positioned opposite
the wrench
handle and across the torque-tool body 1 thus providing a lateral opening to
engage the
plurality of paired engagement features 3.
The attachment body 10 can also incorporate a quick connect feature that is
typically used in drills, impact drivers, and screw attachment.
The plurality of paired engagement features 3 is equally spaced about the
torque-
tool body 1 to create an enclosed profile as seen in FIG. 4. In order to
configure the
enclosed profile, the plurality of paired engagement features 3 comprises a
first
engagement feature 7, a second engagement feature 8, and a bisecting line 6.
The first
engagement feature 7 and the second engagement feature 8 alternate within the
enclosed
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-14
profile to become intermittent depending on the rotation direction of the
tool. The
bisecting line 6 separates the first engagement feature 7 and the second
engagement
feature 8 into equal sections within each of the plurality of paired
engagement features 3.
Furthermore, a cross section for the first engagement feature 7 and a second
engagement feature 8 each comprises a bracing section 4 and a cavity section 5
as shown
in FIG. 4. More specifically, the bracing section 4 and the cavity section 5
are adjacently
connected to each other thus delineating a single engagement feature that cuts
into the
fastener head during the removal of the damaged/stripped fastener. A top
surface of the
torque-tool body 1 and the bottom surface of the attachment body 10 are
positioned
opposite of each other across the plurality of paired engagement features 3,
wherein the
top surface and the bottom surface are configured as flat surfaces.
The length of the bracing section 4 and the cavity section 5 and the
corresponding
angles between the bracing section 4 and the cavity section 5 may vary to
create a sharper
tooth-like shape for the engagement feature. The first engagement feature 7 is
any feature
.. within the plurality of paired engagement features 3 in such a way that the
second
engagement feature 8 is the feature directly next to the first engagement
feature 7 within
corresponding the plurality of paired engagement features 3. More
specifically, the cavity
section 5 of the first engagement feature 7 is adjacently connected to the
cavity section 5
of the second engagement feature 8. The cavity section 5 of the first
engagement feature
7 and the cavity section 5 of the second engagement feature 8 are oriented
towards the
rotational axis 2 thus collectively delineating a circular shaped profile. The
bracing
section 4 of the first engagement feature 7 and the bracing section 4 of the
second
engagement feature 8 are oppositely positioned of each other about the cavity
section 5 of
the first engagement feature 7 and the cavity section 5 of the second
engagement feature
.. 8. In other words, the cavity section 5 of the first engagement feature 7
and the cavity
section 5 of the second engagement feature 8 are adjacently positioned in
between the
bracing section 4 of the first engagement feature 7 and the bracing section 4
of the second
engagement feature 8.
A first length ratio between the bracing section 4 of the first engagement
feature 7
and the cavity section 5 of the first engagement feature 7 is 1: 1.5 to 3.5. A
second length
ratio between the bracing section 4 of the second engagement feature 8 and the
cavity
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-14
section 5 of the second engagement feature 8 is 1: 1.5 to 3.5. More
specifically, in some
embodiment, the first length ratio and the second length ratio can be 1:2. In
some
embodiment, the first length ratio and the second length ratio can be 1:3.
The present invention further comprises a first connection point and a second
.. connection point, More specifically, the first connection point is
delineated as the
meeting point of the cavity section 5 and the bracing section 4 of the first
engagement
feature 7, and the second connection point is delineated as the meeting point
of the cavity
section 5 and the bracing section 4 of the second engagement feature 8.
Furthermore, a first bisecting angle 17 of the present invention is delineated
.. between the first connection point and the bisecting line 6 as shown in
FIG. 5. Depending
upon different embodiment of the present invention, the first bisecting angle
can be an
acute angle, a right angle, and an obtuse angle.
Furthermore, a second bisecting angle 18 of the present invention is
delineated
between the second connection point and the bisecting line 6 as shown in FIG.
5.
Depending upon different embodiment of the present invention, the second
bisecting
angle can be an acute angle, a right angle, and an obtuse angle.
Furthermore, the first bisecting angle 17 and the second bisecting angle 18
are
collectively combined into a 180 degree angle when an imaginary straight line
is draw in
between the first connection point and the second connection point.
Furthermore, the first bisecting angle 17 and the second bisecting angle 18
are
collectively combined into an angle less than 180 degrees when a first
imaginary line is
draw parallel to the bracing section 4 of the first engagement feature 7 and
intersected
through the first connection point, and a second imaginary line is draw
parallel to the
bracing section 4 of the second engagement feature 8 and intersected through
the second
connection point.
Furthermore, the bracing section 4 of the first engagement feature 7 and the
bracing section 4 of the second engagement feature 8 are positioned offset of
each other.
More specifically, the present invention further comprises a first geometric
plane and a
second geometric plane. The first geometric plane is positioned parallel to
the bracing
section 4 of the first engagement feature 7, and the second geometric plane
that is
positioned parallel to the bracing section 4 of the second engagement feature
8 as the first
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-14
geometric plane and the second geometric plane are positioned offset of each
other. In
other words, the first geometric plane and the second geometric plane are not
co-planer
within the present invention.
Preferably, the number of the plurality of paired engagement features 3 in
contact
with the fastener head is six as the six paired engagement features 3 is equal
to 12 single
engagement features. In reference to FIG. 4, a first angle 14 between the
first engagement
feature 7 is 30 degrees and a second angle 15 between the second engagement
feature 8 is
30 degrees. Furthermore, a third angle 16 between each of the plurality of
paired
engagement features 3 ranges between 121-179 degrees. As a result, an angular
orientation between each of the plurality of paired engagement features 3 can
be changed
according to different embodiments of the present invention. More
specifically, some
embodiment of the present invention, the third angle 16 can be 130 degrees.
Some
embodiment of the present invention, the third angle 16 can be 135 degrees.
Some
embodiment of the present invention, the third angle 16 can be 145 degrees.
Some
embodiment of the present invention, the third angle 16 can be 150 degrees.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of paired
engagement
features 3 can be tapered away from the rotational axis 2. In other words, an
outer
diameter of the plurality of paired engagement features 3 about the top
surface of the
torque-tool body 1 is smaller than an outer diameter of the plurality of
paired engagement
features 3 about the attachment body 10. Additionally, the cavity section 5 of
the first
engagement feature 7 and the cavity section 5 of the second engagement feature
8
become narrower and shallower from the top surface of the torque-tool body 1
to the
attachment body 10.Even though the cavity section 5 of the first engagement
feature 7
and the cavity section 5 of the second engagement feature 8 collectively
delineate a
circular shaped profile, the present invention is not limited to the circular
shaped profile
and can be other type of geometric shapes. For example, the cavity section 5
of the first
engagement feature 7 and the cavity section 5 of the second engagement feature
8 can
delineate a triangular shaped profile within the corresponding bracing
sections 4.
To remove the damaged/snipped fastener with the present invention, the torque-
tool body 1 is positioned within the damaged/stripped fastener so that a
significant
portion of the plurality of paired engagement features 3 is positioned within
the fastener
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-14
head. The user then simply applies a counter-clockwise torque force to the
torque-tool
body 1 in order to rotate and remove the damaged/stripped fastener. When a
torque force
is applied to the torque-tool body 1, the plurality of paired engagement
features 3 "bite"
into the lateral sides of fastener head which in turn rotates the
damaged/stripped fastener.
The present invention is designed to engage partially or fully stripped
fastener heads. The
present invention overcomes slippage of the fastener head through the use of
the plurality
of paired engagement features 3.
The present invention is able to drive a fastener on cavity section 5 of the
first
engagement feature 7 and the cavity section 5 of the second engagement feature
8 in a
corresponding lobular fastener design such as Torx, as well as drive a
fastener on the
outer bracing surface of a socket fastener through the bracing sections 4 of
the first
engagement feature 7 and bracing sections 4 of the second engagement feature
8.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred
embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and
variations
can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
hereinafter
claimed.
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-03-14
