WIRELESS TRANSMISSION TORQUE WRENCH WITH ANGULAR ORIENTATION CORRECTION

• US 20120006161A1
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Legend Lifestyle Products Corp. (Grand Hall Enterprise Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Legend Lifestyle Products Corp. (Grand Hall Enterprise Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: CHEN, CHIANG KAO
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 81/479
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/1425 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/24 for determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member which is similarly stressed

Abstract

Disclosed is a torque wrench with wireless transmission function, including at least one wrench body having an end to which a tool head is coupled for coupling with a tool piece, such as wrench socket, for application of torque, at least one toque-strain bar, which is coupled to the tool head of the wrench body, at lest one torque sensor, which is mounted to the toque-strain bar to detect the value of the torque transmitted to the toque-strain bar, at least one angular position sensor, which is set inside the wrench body to detect a horizontal angle of the body and the tool head, at least one detection and processing circuit, which is arranged in the wrench body and connected to the torque sensor and the angular position sensor to convert detected torque and angle into digital torque and angle data for displaying or issuing an alarm and to transmit the torque and angle data in a bi-directional wireless manner, and at least one control receiver, which receives the torque and angle data from the detection and processing circuit for subsequent applications.

Claims

1. A torque wrench, comprising:

at least one wrench body, which comprises a tool head that comprises a tool coupling member that is selectively rotatable in a forward direction and a reversed direction;

at least one toque-strain bar, which is received in the wrench body and has an end coupled to the tool head of the wrench body to receive a torque applied by the tool head;

at least one torque sensor, which is mounted to a surface of the toque-strain bar to detect value of the torque applied to the toque-strain bar and to convert the torque into a torque value signal;

at least one angular position sensor, which is set inside the wrench body to detect value of a horizontal angle of the body and the tool head and to convert the detected angle into an angle value signal;

at least one detection and processing circuit, which is received in the wrench body and is connected to the torque sensor and the angular position sensor to receive the torque value signal and the angle value signal for performing displaying of a torque value and an angle value respectively corresponding to the torque value signal and the angle value signal, alarming, storage in respect of the torque value signal and the angle value signal, and wireless transmission of data of the torque value and the angle value; and

at least one control receiver, which receive the torque value data and the angle value data from the detection and processing circuit, the control receiver being adapted to connect to an external remote electronic device to apply the received torque value data and the angle value data to the electronic device.

2. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wrench body comprises:

a housing, which forms at least one chamber therein, the housing forming a recessed opening and a plurality of notches, the housing forming a plurality of through holes in a bottom portion thereof;

a tool head, which has an end forming a connection section for connection with an end of the housing, the connection section comprising a rotation member for coupling with a tool piece;

at least two power retention bars, which are received in an end portion of the chamber of the housing, a positive electrode spring and a negative electrode spring being received between the two power retention bars in opposite end portions thereof; and

at least one handle enclosure, which is fit over an end portion of the housing.

3. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool head comprises a switch knob.

4. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the toque-strain bar forms a retention section.

5. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the torque sensor comprises a semiconductor based torque strain gauge.

6. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angular position sensor comprises a gyro integrated circuit.

7. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection and processing circuit comprises:

at least one analog-to-digital converter circuit, which is connected to the torque sensor and the angular position sensor to receive and convert the torque value signal and the angle value signal into digital torque value data and angle value data;

at least one microprocessor, which is connected to the analog-to-digital converter circuit to receive the torque value data and the angle value data from the analog-to-digital converter circuit, the microprocessor providing functions of control of display of torque in forward direction or reversed direction and angle value, setting a threshold torque value and a threshold angle value, alarming of torque and angle values, storage of torque and angle values, and bi-directional wireless transmission of torque and angle values;

at least one bi-directional wireless receiving/transmitting module, which is connected to the microprocessor, the bi-directional wireless receiving/transmitting module providing functions of bi-direction transmission and receipt of data and being controlled by the microprocessor to transmit the torque value data and the angle value data in a wireless manner;

at least one display interface, which is connected to the microprocessor to convert the torque value data and the angle value data into a torque value display signal and an angle value display signal;

a display device, which is connected to the display interface to process and then display the torque value display signal and the angle value display signal from the display interface;

a backlight plate, which is connected to the microprocessor to provide backlighting to the display device;

a group of pushbuttons, which is connected to the microprocessor to provide manual access for operations of the microprocessor in respect of displaying, alarming, data input, storage, tracking of measured torque and angle values, maintaining of peak torque value, and providing wireless bi-directional transmission and output;

at least one alarm device, which is connected to the microprocessor to be actuated by the microprocessor to give off sound and lighting alarms at the time when a detected value of torque or angle reaches a preset threshold torque value or a preset threshold angle value; and

at least one power unit, which supplies working power to the torque sensor, the angular position sensor, the analog-to-digital converter circuit, the microprocessor, the bi-directional wireless receiving/transmitting module, the display interface, the display device, the backlight plate, the pushbuttons, and the alarm device.

8. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 7, wherein the microprocessor is connected to a memory.

9. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 7, wherein the power unit comprises a DC battery.

10. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control receiver comprises a receiver circuit that comprises:

at least one bi-directional wireless receiving/transmitting module, which receives the torque value data and the angle value data transmitted in a wireless manner from the detection and processing circuit;

at least one microprocessor, which is connected to the bi-directional wireless receiving/transmitting module for performing transmission/receipt operation to transmit the torque value data and the angle value data received from the bi-directional wireless receiving/transmitting module to the remote electronic device;

at least one status indicator, which is connected to the microprocessor to be controlled by the microprocessor to indicate status of wireless transmission of the bi-directional wireless receiving/transmitting module and remote data transmission;

at least one communication interface, which is connected to the microprocessor and the electronic device to transmit the torque value data and the angle value data received by the microprocessor to the remote electronic device; and

at least one power supply device, which supplies a DC working power to the bi-directional wireless receiving/transmitting module, the microprocessor, the status indicator, and the communication interface.

11. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 10, wherein the communication interface comprises an RS-232 communication interface.

12. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 10, wherein the communication interface comprises a USB interface.

13. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 10, wherein the communication interface comprises an RS-485 communication interface.

14. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 10, wherein the power supply device comprises an AC/DC rectification socket.

15. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 10, wherein the microprocessor is connected to at least one alert indicator.

16. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 15, wherein the alert indicator comprises a light-emitting diode.

17. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 10, wherein the microprocessor is connected to at least one alerting device.

18. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 17, wherein the alerting device comprises a buzzer.

19. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission between the detection and processing circuit and the control receiver comprises a wireless radio frequency mode.

20. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission between the detection and processing circuit and the control receiver comprises a wireless USB mode.

21. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission between the detection and processing circuit and the control receiver comprises a Blue Tooth mode.

22. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission between the detection and processing circuit and the control receiver comprises a wireless local area network.

23. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission between the detection and processing circuit and the control receiver comprises an infrared mode.

24. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission between the detection and processing circuit and the control receiver comprises an amplitude shift keying mode.

25. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission between the detection and processing circuit and the control receiver comprises a frequency shift keying mode.

26. The torque wrench as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control receiver comprises a mobile phone.