U.S. patents available from 1976 to present.
U.S. patent applications available from 2005 to present.

Icon_funbox Quotables

"We are probably nearing the limit of all we can know about astronomy."

Simon Newcomb, astronomer ; 1888

Newsletter  PatentStorm News

Make the Most of Our Site

See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.

Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.

Registered users: Manage your profile.

 

Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated


Location: Kenosha, WI
No. of patents: 52

1    
NumberTitleIssue Date
7954557Tool apparatus system and method of use
A system, and a method of using a system, for controlled tool operation. The method includes providing a tool used in a force application such as a such torque application. The tool communicates with a controller which can communicate with the tool, and to a display...
06/07/2011
7937844Vehicle wheel alignment system and methodology
A hybrid wheel alignment system and methodology use passive targets for a first pair of wheels (e.g. front wheels) and active sensing heads for another pair of wheels (e.g. rear wheels). The active sensing heads combine image sensors for capturing images of the targ...
05/10/2011
7895723Joint press set
A joint press including a yoke including a first end and a second end. A first adapter attachment member is positioned on the first end. A second adapter attachment member is positioned on the second end. The first adapter attachment member and the second adapter at...
03/01/2011
7890305Method for optimizing joint press set for use with a plurality of ball joints
A method and article for designing dual-mode adapters in a joint press kit. A plurality of ball joints for use with the adapters are selected. An adapter design is created by defining a first variable representative of a physical characteristic of the adapter design...
02/15/2011
7870677Lightweight wheel clamp for vehicle wheel alignment system
A lightweight wheel clamp assembly is provided for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. Examples include a wheel clamp having an upper sliding bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel, a lower sliding bracket for engaging the v...
01/18/2011
7794355Planetary gear set centering ring
A planetary gear set centering ring for use is a planetary gear train. The planetary gear centering ring is adapted to be positioned within a gear train to center a planetary gear carrier and a set of planetary gears within a ring gear of the gear train. ...
09/14/2010
7775141Extended low-torque ratchet wrench
A reversible ratchet device is provided as a low-torque application wrench in the form of an elongated body carrying a ratchet mechanism thereon, the ratchet mechanism being operable under low-torque conditions such as are present with initial driving or final loose...
08/17/2010
7770277Universal pulling tool
A pulling tool having a support member, a first surface and a second surface. The first surface including a slot positioned thereon and the second surface include a recess in communication with the slot. A ledge is formed where the recess and the slot intersect. At ...
08/10/2010
7769508Vehicle diagnostic tool with packet and voice over packet communications and systems incorporating such a tool
In an exemplary vehicle service facility that provides vehicle related sales, maintenance services or the like, a diagnostic tool has wireless packet data communication capabilities. To support voice communication, the tool also has one or more audible input/output ...
08/03/2010
RE41466Fuse saving tester for fused circuit
In one form, tester for an electrical system, such as for a vehicle, develops repetitively applied, short duration, control current pulses for reducing load current pulses through the electrical system. An operator connects a pair of input contacts across a fuse hol...
08/03/2010
7739007Vehicle diagnostic method and system with intelligent data collection
Vehicle diagnostic devices and methods that detect the occurrence of a maintenance process performed on a vehicle, and responsive to the detected occurrence of the maintenance process, initiate a data collection process to collect data related to the performed maint...
06/15/2010
7722141Suspendable locker
The suspendable locker has a plurality of side walls and a top wall interconnected to define an interior space. The suspendable locker has an open bottom leaving the interior space exposed from below. A door is hingedly connected to a side wall to provide an access ...
05/25/2010
7719230Kit of power tools
A kit comprising a plurality of power tools configured to operate on different operating voltages and a plurality of receivers configured to provide different output charging voltages for charging the power tools. Each receiver is configured to engage and charge onl...
05/18/2010
7706936Method and system for adaptively modifying diagnostic vehicle information
A method and system for adaptively modifying diagnostic vehicle information is provided. A system can automatically optimize default OEM diagnostic vehicle information by recognizing when to make text and non-text modifications within the information. Manual changes...
04/27/2010
7703213Vehicle wheel alignment system and methodology
A hybrid wheel alignment system and methodology use passive targets for a first pair of wheels (e.g. front wheels) and active sensing heads for another pair of wheels (e.g. rear wheels). The active sensing heads combine image sensors for capturing images of the targ...
04/27/2010
7684026Fault tolerant wheel alignment head and system
A sensing head and system utilizes fault tolerant design and self-diagnosis. Alternative operation modes are provided when one or more functional modules or components fail. Unique designs provide redundant system resources. Self-diagnoses and tests are provided to ...
03/23/2010
7681322Steering wheel level verification with alignment sensors attached
A vehicle wheel alignment system may include wheel alignment sensors configured to measure toe angles of steerable wheels on the vehicle, a user interface configured to communicate information to a user, and a processing system. The processing system may be configur...
03/23/2010
7669305Method for optimizing joint press set for use with a plurality of ball joints
A method and article for designing dual-mode adapters in a joint press kit. A plurality of ball joints for use with the adapters are selected. An adapter design is created by defining a first variable representative of a physical characteristic of the adapter design...
03/02/2010
7659694Self-aligning terminal block for battery pack
A self-aligning terminal block in a tool terminal assembly having electrical contacts for connecting to a removable battery pack to be used in conjunction with hand-held power tools having a rechargeable battery. The electrical contacts of the terminal block are pre...
02/09/2010
7643915Diagnosing malfunctioning wheel alignment system
A diagnostic system allows a service technician to diagnose a malfunction that occurs during operation of a wheel alignment system after the malfunction has occurred and is no longer apparent. The system, which includes one or more cameras for gathering images of th...
01/05/2010
7640673Calibration and operation of wheel alignment systems
A method is provided for calibrating a sensor pod of a wheel alignment system, the sensor pod including a housing rotatably mounted on a spindle, and an image sensor in the housing having a viewing axis oriented in a direction substantially normal to an axis of rota...
01/05/2010
7610664Joint press set
A joint press including a yoke including a first end and a second end. A first adapter attachment member is positioned on the first end. A second adapter attachment member is positioned on the second end. The first adapter attachment member and the second adapter at...
11/03/2009
7609025Kit of power tools
A kit comprising a plurality of power tools configured to operate at different voltages, a plurality of receivers configured to provide different output charging voltages and means for selectively engaging each receiver with only one or more power tools having an op...
10/27/2009
7589619Apparatus and method to transfer data from a tire pressure monitor tool to a remote output device such as a printer
A tire pressure monitoring tool transmits a triggering signal to a tire sensor; receives a reporting signal from the tire sensor; extracts data from the reporting signal; stores the extracted data; and transmits the stored data to an external device. The transmitted...
09/15/2009
7584827Manually actuated brake system for manually towable vehicle
A brake system for a vehicle having a plurality of wheels and a frame comprising a mechanically actuated braking assembly operably coupled with at least one of the wheels and being operable between braking and non-braking conditions, a handle coupled to the braking ...
09/08/2009
7581324Wheel alignment system using smart MEMS
A wheel alignment system may include a wheel alignment sensor configured to provide information relevant to the inclination of the wheel. The wheel alignment sensor may contain an encapsulated package. The encapsulated package may contain a micro electromechanical s...
09/01/2009
7565844Torque-angle instrument
An electronic torque-angle instrument including a generally tubular body having a gripping section and a pivoting head for engaging a workpiece, such as a nut or bolt, and a housing associated with the body and containing electronics, including a microprocessor, whi...
07/28/2009
7552950Full width overlay drawer latch
A latching overlay for a tool storage unit drawer includes a drawer pull with a substantially horizontal flange portion perpendicular to a front face of the drawer and extending across at least a portion of the drawer width. In a preferred embodiment, the latching o...
06/30/2009
7551993Diagnostic tree substitution system and method
A system and method for identifying and substituting procedures in an OEM diagnostic tree with alternate procedures analyzed by highly experienced technicians to eliminate the use of potentially unavailable equipment and make the diagnostic tree more accessible to a...
06/23/2009
7540576Drawer fronts
A drawer panel includes an elongated wall, a projection on the wall having a first portion extending rearwardly from the rear side of the wall and a second portion extending along the rear side of the wall for cooperation therewith to define a channel therebetween, ...
06/02/2009
7523688Retention socket
A tool for torquing threaded fasteners includes a socket body having formed therein a fastener-receiving receptacle with an axis of rotation, the receptacle having a plurality of interior faces arranged in a generally polygonal configuration and substantially parall...
04/28/2009
7519458Vehicle diagnostics
A system, apparatus and method for analyzing a condition of a vehicle is provided. The system, apparatus and method are directed to obtaining vehicle information used for analyzing select vehicle data obtained from a vehicle, wherein after obtaining this information...
04/14/2009
D590279Alignment head
04/14/2009
7516000Test procedures using pictures
A system for test procedures using pictures for a vehicle diagnostic system that includes a processor, a storage device in communication with the processor, a diagnostic routine that is executed by the processor, and a display device also coupled to the processor. T...
04/07/2009
7481135Hand tool with adjustable head
A hand tool includes a head that is adjustable to a plurality of positions. The head is pivotally mounted to a tool body at a pivot axis. A bearing structure is attached at the pivot axis by a hub or fastener, about which the head may be adjusted. An actuator is pos...
01/27/2009
7458165Vehicle wheel alignment system and methodology
A hybrid wheel alignment system and methodology use passive targets for a first pair of wheels (e.g. front wheels) and active sensing heads for another pair of wheels (e.g. rear wheels). The active sensing heads combine image sensors for capturing images of the targ...
12/02/2008
7445055Trigger-actuated tip-type air valve with integrated wear surface
A tip valve assembly for a pneumatic tool with an integrated wear surface. The tool has a portion with an air channel bore housing. The tip valve assembly includes a first valve member having a bore and defining a valve seat about the bore and a second valve member ...
11/04/2008
7424387Method for use with an optical aligner system for positioning a fixture relative to a vehicle
A method is provided for positioning a free-standing fixture relative to a vehicle, using a visual aligner system for imaging vehicle-mounted targets with reference image sensors and processing the resultant images. Embodiments include calculating locations of the v...
09/09/2008
7409856Starting motor tester that measures power
A starting motor tester that may apply electricity to the starting motor while the starting motor is loaded by an engine, measure the power that is consumed by the starting motor while the starting motor is loaded by the engine, determine the condition of the starti...
08/12/2008
7350159Integrated diagnostic system
An integrated diagnostic system includes interface connectors to connect to a plurality of instruments/instrument modules, including engine analyzers, gas analyzers, oscilloscopes, scanners, network connections, and/or other desired peripheral modules. These modules...
03/25/2008
1    
 
Sign InRegister
Username  
Password   
forgot password?