Digital Beam Torque Wrench with an Electronic Sensor
First Claim
1. A torque wrench, comprising:
- a main beam having a distal end and a proximal end;
a drive element disposed at the distal end of the main beam;
a handle assembly disposed at the proximal end of the main beam;
a stationary beam having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the stationary beam is fixedly secured to the main beam at a first location on the main beam and a first location on the stationary beam;
a displacement sensor assembly that generates a signal indicative of an amount of displacement of the main beam relative to the stationary beam, the displacement sensor assembly including;
a sensor rigidly secured to one of the main beam and the stationary beam at a second location on the main beam or a second location on the stationary beam, andan actuating element rigidly secured to the other one of the main beam and the stationary beam at the second location on the main beam or the second location on the stationary beam;
wherein the sensor interacts with the actuating element to generate an electrical signal indicative of an amount of deflection of the main beam relative to the stationary beam when a force is applied on the handle assembly; and
an electronic component configured to generate a torque measurement based on the generated electrical signal, and to store at least one of the generated electrical signal and the torque measurement for a plurality of positions of the main beam relative to the stationary beam.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A torque wrench includes a main beam having a distal end and a proximal end, a drive element disposed at the distal end of the main beam, a stationary beam having a distal end fixedly secured to the main beam at a first location on the main beam, and having a proximal end, and a displacement sensor assembly disposed at a second location associated with the main beam and with the stationary beam to detect an amount of displacement of the main beam relative to the stationary beam. The displacement sensor assembly includes an actuating element secured to one of the main beam or the stationary beam and a sensor rigidly secured to the other one of the main beam or the stationary beam and responsive to the actuating element. An electronic component is configured to generate a torque measurement based on the generated electrical signal, and store at least one of the generated electrical signal and the torque measurement for a several positions of the main beam relative to the stationary beam.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A torque wrench, comprising:
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a main beam having a distal end and a proximal end; a drive element disposed at the distal end of the main beam; a handle assembly disposed at the proximal end of the main beam; a stationary beam having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the stationary beam is fixedly secured to the main beam at a first location on the main beam and a first location on the stationary beam; a displacement sensor assembly that generates a signal indicative of an amount of displacement of the main beam relative to the stationary beam, the displacement sensor assembly including; a sensor rigidly secured to one of the main beam and the stationary beam at a second location on the main beam or a second location on the stationary beam, and an actuating element rigidly secured to the other one of the main beam and the stationary beam at the second location on the main beam or the second location on the stationary beam; wherein the sensor interacts with the actuating element to generate an electrical signal indicative of an amount of deflection of the main beam relative to the stationary beam when a force is applied on the handle assembly; and an electronic component configured to generate a torque measurement based on the generated electrical signal, and to store at least one of the generated electrical signal and the torque measurement for a plurality of positions of the main beam relative to the stationary beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A torque wrench, comprising:
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a main beam having a distal end and a proximal end; a drive element disposed at the distal end of the main beam of the main beam; a handle assembly disposed at the proximal end; a stationary beam having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the stationary beam is fixedly secured to the main beam at a first location on the main beam and a first location on the stationary beam; and a displacement sensor assembly that generates an electrical signal indicative of an amount of displacement of the main beam relative to the stationary beam, the displacement sensor assembly including; a magnetic sensor rigidly secured to one of the main beam and the stationary beam at a second location on the main beam or a second location on the stationary beam, and an actuating magnetic element rigidly secured to the other one of the main beam and the stationary beam at the second location on the main beam or the second location on the stationary beam; wherein the actuating magnetic element affects a magnetic field sensed by the magnetic sensor when the main beam flexes in response to a force applied on the handle assembly, so that the displacement sensor assembly generates the electrical signal indicative of the amount of displacement using the sensed magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A torque wrench, comprising:
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a main beam having a distal end and a proximal end; a drive element disposed at the distal end of the main beam; a handle assembly disposed at the proximal end of the main beam; a stationary beam having a distal end fixedly secured to the main beam near one of the distal end or the proximal end of the main beam at a first location on the main beam and a first location on the stationary beam, and having a proximal end; and a magnet rigidly secured to one of the main beam and the stationary beam at a second location on the main beam or a second location on the stationary beam, and having a magnetic field associated therewith; and a magnetic sensor rigidly secured to the other one of the main beam and the stationary beam at the second location on the main beam or the second location on the stationary beam;
whereinthe magnet and the magnetic sensor move relative to each other along an arcuate path when the main beam flexes in response to a force applied on the handle assembly, and the magnetic sensor senses a variation in a direction of the magnetic field when the magnet and the magnetic sensor move relative to each other, and generates an electrical signal indicative of the sensed variation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification