LOCKABLE TORQUE-LIMITING DRIVER AND METHOD

• US 20090260490A1
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian James Cutler, Chalres Parkin Davis
• Original Assignee: Brian James Cutler, Chalres Parkin Davis
• Inventors: Davis, Chalres Parkin, Cutler, Brian James
• Granted Patent: US 7,810,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 81/475
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/1427 by mechanical means

Abstract

A lockable torque-limiting driver that includes, a body, a sleeve, a shaft carried by the body for rotation relative thereto and having a fastener-engaging tip at one end that projects from the body, a torque-limiting mechanism coupled to the shaft and housed within said body, a torque-adjusting mechanism within the body and coupled to the torque-limiting mechanism for adjusting the torque-limiting mechanism to a desired torque value, a torque-locking mechanism operably coupled with the torque-adjusting mechanism and the body or the sleeve for preventing movement of the torque-determining means and locking the settable torque-limiting driver at the desired torque value.

Claims

1. A method for locking a settable torque-limiting driver at a desired torque value comprising:

providing a torque-limiting mechanism coupled to a shaft and housed within a sleeve which is further housed within a body;

setting a torque-adjusting mechanism coupled to said torque-limiting mechanism; and

,

engaging the torque-adjusting mechanism with a torque-locking mechanism wherein the torque-locking mechanism engages the torque-adjusting mechanism and the body.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the torque-adjusting mechanism comprises an adjustment plug.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate with an adjustment plug-engaging portion and a body-engaging portion.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate-engagement portion on said body.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises said locking plate with said adjustment plug-engaging portion engaged with said adjustment plug and said body-engaging portion engaged with said locking plate-engagement portion on said body.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the adjustment plug has a generally annular elongated key structure and the locking plate has a generally keyway diamond structure.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the adjustment plug has a generally annular keyway structure and the locking plate has a generally key T-shaped structure.

8. A method for locking a settable torque-limiting driver at a desired torque value comprising:

providing a torque-limiting mechanism coupled to a shaft and housed within a sleeve which is further housed within a body;

setting a torque-adjusting mechanism coupled to said torque-limiting mechanism; and

,

engaging the torque-adjusting mechanism with a torque-locking mechanism wherein the torque-locking mechanism engages the torque-adjusting mechanism and the sleeve.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the torque-adjusting mechanism comprises an adjustment plug.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate with an adjustment plug-engaging portion and a sleeve-engaging portion.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate-engagement portion on said sleeve.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises said locking plate with said adjustment plug-engaging portion engaged with said adjustment plug and said body-engaging portion engaged with said locking plate-engagement portion on said sleeve.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the adjustment plug has a generally annular keyway structure and the locking plate has a generally key gear-shaped structure.