Abstract: A central connector for a universal joint and a universal joint utilizing said central connector. The central connector includes a substantially cylindrical body. The connector further includes a first and second pair of arms positioned orthogonal to one another. The body of the central connector also includes a male spherically concave surface between the first pair of arms, a female spherically concave surface between the second pair of arms. The body further defines an opening allowing communication between the male and female spherically concave surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ergonomic plier tool. More specifically, the invention relates to a piston actuated ergonomic plier tool having a 360-degree rotative and exchangeable head. The tool includes a body, lever, head cylinder, piston and jaw assembly. The disclosed tool allows an operator to work in tight spaces with her hand in one plane, while cutting/manipulating an object in an infinite number of planes different from that of her hand.

Abstract: An oil filter wrench having a base, a main gear, a plurality of claws each having a gear portion and an arm configured to engage an oil filter. The gear portions are rotatably disposed within the base and configured to engage the main gear such that when the main gear rotates; the arms correspondingly extend or contract relative to the base. The oil filter wrench also includes a main spring. The main spring is disposed within a cavity defined by the main gear. The main spring is configured to selectively bias the main gear toward rotation in either a first direction or a second direction opposite to the first direction. The oil filter wrench is characterised in that it also includes a switching mechanism a switching mechanism. The switching mechanism is configured to selectively toggle between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the switching mechanism engages a first tine of the main spring such that the main gear is biased to rotate in the first direction.

Abstract: In a system or device for identifying or tracking tools, the device comprising: a metallic wall delimiting an area wherein a first tool including an RFID tag can be placed, an antenna for communicating with the RFID tag whenever the first tool is in the first area, wherein the antenna is a slot antenna cut out in the metallic wall.

Abstract: A ratchet wrench comprising a ratchet head with a cylindrical bore having a central axis; a handle; a drive member (26) with a rotation axis (W-W) retained within the cylindrical bore for rotation about the central axis; and a toothed ratchet pawl (42); a cylindrical array of straight ratchet teeth arranged about one of the cylindrical bore or the drive member; and a pawl recess (36) arranged to support the pawl. The pawl may mesh with the ratchet teeth for transmission of rotation of the handle in a first direction to the drive member about the rotation axis or disengage from the ratchet teeth to decouple rotation of the handle in a second direction from the drive member. Support (37a, 37b, 46, 48, 50) for the pawl in the recess is shaped to accommodate divergence between the central axis and the rotation axis.

Abstract: A slogging wrench (10) comprising: a ring socket (36) for receiving a nut or a bolt head (NBH, NBH?); an elongate body (20) for receiving blows from a mass to transmit torque to the ring socket; and a tool-free locking mechanism (22,24,26,26?,28,30) for retaining a nut or a bolt head in the ring socket. The locking mechanism comprises a slider (22) operable to engage a nut or a bolt head in the ring socket; a channel (24) for guiding movement of the slider towards and away from the ring socket; and an actuator (30,74) manually operable to move the slider with respect to the ring socket. The channel (24) opens into the ring socket (36) via an internal periphery (40) of the ring socket. The locking mechanism comprises a resilient member (34) biasing the slider (22) towards a nut or a bolt head (NBH, NBH?) in the ring socket (36).

Abstract: A portable container for one or more articles each tagged with a respective Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponder, the container comprising a detector device for detecting removal and/or placement of RFID-tagged articles in the container; a power supply for supplying electrical power to the detector device; an activation means operable to cause the detector device to detect a reference list of RFID-tagged articles located in the container; a verification means operable by movement of the container to cause the detector device to detect RFID-tagged articles located in the container and to signal deviation from the reference list; and a signal means for transmitting signals from the detector device to a user. The detector device may transmit an article absent signal and/or an unknown article signal. The detector device may comprise an external antenna configured to detect RFID-tagged articles outside the container.