Torque-angle instrument

• US 20070144270A1
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Becker, Thomas, Hacki, Richard, Crass, Matthew, Marquette, Matthew, Beyerl, Paul, Thorell, Marvin
• Granted Patent: US 7,565,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/862.210
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/1425 by electrical means

Abstract

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, which permit individual or simultaneous measurement of torque and angle applied to the workpiece. The microprocessor includes stored programs which interpret a signal from an input, such as a gyroscopic sensor, and sends the interpreted signal to an output means. The signal is finally displayed as an accurate torque measure and/or angle measure from the output means

Claims

1. A method for measuring applied torque and applied angle to a workpiece either individually or simultaneously comprising the steps of:

providing a wrench having a gripping section, a drive head, and internal circuitry coupled to the drive head, wherein the circuitry comprises a microprocessor having stored programming, input means, output means, and a power supply for powering the microprocessor, the input means and the output means;

engaging the drive head of the wrench to a workpiece;

applying torque to the workpiece around the drive head;

operating the input means to create a first signal related to the torque and angle being applied to the workpiece;

receiving the first signal into the microprocessor from the input means;

interpreting the signal by the stored programming;

sending the interpreted signal to the output means;

displaying the interpreted signal as an accurate torque measure and/or angle measure from the output means.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the circuitry input means comprises a gyroscopic sensor for measuring the rate of rotation around the drive head.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the interpreted signal comprises the step of simultaneously displaying an accurate torque measure and angle measure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the interpreted signal comprises the step of alternating between display of the torque measure and the angle measure.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling an alert signal by the microprocessor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the alert signal indicates coincidence with a preset condition.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the alert signal indicates an over-torque condition.

8. An electronic torque-angle instrument comprising:

a generally tubular body including 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, which permit individual or simultaneous measurement of torque and angle applied to the workpiece.

9. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor comprises stored programs.

10. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 9, wherein the stored programs comprise microprocessor further comprises

11. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 9, wherein the electronics comprise input means for measuring a rate of rotation around the pivoting head.

12. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 11, wherein the input means comprises a gyroscopic sensor.

13. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 12, wherein the input means is electronically coupled to the microprocessor for sending an input signal.

14. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor comprises a stored program which interprets the input signal.

15. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 14, further comprising display means for displaying the interpreted input signal.

16. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 8, further comprising display means for simultaneously displaying an accurate torque measure and angle measure.

17. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 8, wherein the display means is capable of alternating between display of the torque measure and the angle measure.

18. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor comprises a control means for activating an alert signal.

19. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 18, wherein the alert signal indicates coincidence with a preset condition.

20. The electronic torque-angle instrument of claim 18, wherein the alert signal indicates an over-torque condition.

21. A torque-angle instrument comprising:

a handle for applying torque through a tightening angle at a rotational angular velocity; and

electronics including stored program providing at least one of the features selected from the group consisting of bending beam deflection compensation;

simultaneous torque and angle measurement;

preset scroll stop at full-scale torque only;

scroll through (past) angle mode without waiting for sensor initialization;

angle mode torque units from last changed units;

ignoring angle measure in reverse direction;

sensor output offset monitoring;

alternating display of peak torque and angle values;

use of pre-torque direction to select allowable angle sensing direction;

use of integer math to yield accuracy comparable to floating-point math;

motion indicator at angle sensor initialization;

temperature drift compensation;

direct connection of the torque and angle sensors to the microprocessors;

angle zero set function;

signal level monitoring for over-speed indication; and

sample data interrupt technique used to convert instantaneous angular velocity signal to filtered angle position.

22. A torque-angle wrench comprising:

a handle for applying torque through a tightening angle at a rotational angular velocity;

a torque-angle applying adapter attached to the handle; and

a piezoelectric gyroscopic sensor, including vibrating body responsive to rotation of said handle for generating an electrical signal representative of a desired measurable parameter.