TORQUE TOOL DEVICE

• US 20100170370A1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tohnichi Mfg. Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tohnichi Mfg. Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Tetsuya, Yamamoto, Yasuhiro, Murayama, Sinji, Takaku, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,485,049 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 81/479
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/14 Arrangement of torque limiters or torque indicators in wrenches or screwdrivers couplings for transmitting rotation or clutches F16D; devices for measuring torque per se G01L
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/1425 by electrical means

Abstract

An object is to provide a torque tool device which can expedite tightening operations using a torque tool without requiring any other manipulation than the tightening. The device is also capable of performing tightening operations consecutively by determining instantly whether the tightening has been adequately performed.

The torque tool device includes a torque tool 1 and an information processing terminal 20. The tool 1 is capable of measuring the torque value at which a bolt or the like was tightened and then transmitting the measured torque value via wireless communication means. The terminal 20 has information processing means for receiving the measured torque value and determining whether the torque value is acceptable. This arrangement eliminates the need of including a pass/fail test device in the torque tool 1, thereby allowing it to be reduced in weight. Additionally, the wireless communication using the ISM frequency band can allow the determination result to be instantly sent and received, thereby making it possible to expedite the tightening consecutively with the torque tool 1.

Claims

1. A torque tool device comprising:

a torque tool having torque measurement means for measuring a torque value at which a clamp member such as a bolt is tightened, first wireless communication means capable of transmitting information containing at least a measured torque value provided by the torque measurement means and receiving at least report information, and first report means for reporting the report information received by the first wireless communication means; and

a tightening information processing terminal having second wireless communication means capable of transmitting and receiving information to/from the first wireless communication means, and information processing means for transmitting and receiving the information to/from the second wireless communication means, the information processing means having a pass/fail test section for making a pass/fail determination of whether the measured torque value contained in the information received from the second wireless communication means is within a range of a pre-set specified torque value, wherein

upon reception of the information of the measured torque value by the second wireless communication means, the information processing means allows the pass/fail test section to conduct the pass/fail test and then the second wireless communication means to transmit the result of the pass/fail test as the report information to the first wireless communication means, and the first report means reports based on the result of the pass/fail test of the report information received by the first wireless communication means.

2. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication means and the second wireless communication means transmit and receive over a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

3. The torque tool device according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication means and the second wireless communication means transmit and receive information using a frequency hopping scheme.

4. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the tightening information processing terminal has second report means for reporting based on the result of the pass/fail test.

5. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein

the information transmitted from the first wireless communication means includes the measured torque value and an identification number of the torque tool, and

the tightening information processing terminal determines whether the identification number contained in the received information has been pre-stored in the information processing means, if the identification number is a stored identification number, then the measured torque value contained in the received information is subjected to the pass/fail test, and if the identification number is not a stored identification number, then the pass/fail test is not conducted.

6. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the torque tool transmits, as the measured torque value, a maximum torque value measured until tightening is released after starting to measure the torque value.

7. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the specified torque value serving as a reference to the pass/fail test can be altered.

8. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the report means reports by either light, sound, or vibration or a combination thereof.

9. The torque tool device according to claim 5, wherein the identification number is a manufacturer'"'"'s serial number of the torque tool.

10. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the tightening information processing terminal can transmit the received information and the result of the pass/fail test to an information management computer.

11. The torque tool device according to claim 10, wherein a clamp member such as a bolt to be tightened with the torque tool is identified, so that the information management computer allows the information and the result of the pass/fail test to correspond to information on the clamp member.

12. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the first report means reports indicating that the result of the pass/fail test was not successfully received if the result of the pass/fail test is not received from the tightening information processing terminal within a specified period of time after the information containing the measured torque value has been sent.

13. The torque tool device according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication means and the second wireless communication means can transmit and receive information over the 2.4 GHz frequency band radio wave, thereby allowing high-speed communications between the torque tool and the tightening information processing terminal.

14. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein

the torque tool senses through a mechanical operation of a toggle mechanism that a tightening torque has reached a predetermined value.