CALIBRATION METHOD/SYSTEM AND VERIFICATION METHOD FOR DIGITAL TORQUE TOOLS

• US 20120143552A1
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: CHO, CHIH-HUA, Su, Hsin-Chuan
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/104
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 25/003 for measuring torque

Abstract

A calibration method/system and verification method for digital torque tools are disclosed, in which the calibration method comprises the steps of: transmitting a data containing usage records of a digital torque tool at a client end to a remote calibration platform; comparing the data of usage records with statistic data stored in the calibration platform so as to obtain a data relating to average degree of fatigue; performing a calculation based upon the data of usage record and the data of average degree of fatigue so as to obtain a calibration data; transmitting the calibration data to the client end while allowing the calibration data to overwrite the corresponding original torque data of the digital torque tool.

Claims

1. A calibration method for digital toque tools, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a data containing usage records of a digital torque tool at a client end to a remote calibration platform;

(b) comparing the data of usage records with statistic data stored in the calibration platform so as to obtain a data relating to average degree of fatigue;

(c) performing a calculation based upon the data of usage record and the data of average degree of fatigue so as to obtain a calibration data; and

(d) transmitting the calibration data to the client end while allowing the calibration data to overwrite the corresponding original torque data of the digital torque tool.

2. The calibration method of claim 1, wherein the data containing usage records of the digital torque tool includes:

the model number of the digital torque tool, serial number of the digital torque tool, the maximum permissible toque of the digital torque tool, the maximum working torque of the digital torque tool, the designated working torque ranges of the digital torque tool, and the actual times of usage corresponding to each designated working torque range of the digital torque tool.

3. The calibration method of claim 2, wherein before the step (b) is performed, a checking procedure is being executed for determining whether the data containing usage records of the digital torque tool contains zero entries, or whether there is a statistic data corresponding to the model number of the digital torque tool in the data containing usage records that is stored in the calibration platform;

if any one of the following description is true, i.e. there is at least one entries contained in the data containing usage records of the digital torque tool, or there is a statistic data corresponding to the model number of the digital torque tool in the data containing usage records that is stored in the calibration platform, then the step (b) and its posterior steps are proceeded;

otherwise, a verification procedure is executed, which comprises the steps of;

mounting the digital torque tool on a standard torque meter disposed at the client end for allowing a plurality of standard torque values of the standard torque meter as well as a plurality of tested torque values of the tested torque tool, that are corresponded to the plural torque values of the standard torque meter in respective, to be measured and obtained;

transmitting the plural standard torque values and the plural corresponding tested torque values to the calibration platform so as to be analyzed for obtaining a data of verification characteristics; and

registering the data of verification characteristics into the digital torque tool and then enabling the calibration method to proceed back to the step (a).

4. The calibration method of claim 3, wherein the calibration platform is enabled to obtain a proportionality coefficient based upon the plural standard torque values and the plural corresponding tested torque values, so as to calculate and thus obtain the data of verification characteristics by multiplying the plural tested torque values by the proportionality coefficient.

5. The calibration method of claim 2, wherein before the step (b) is performed, a confirmation procedure is being executed for determining whether the data containing usage records of the digital torque tool is being validly received by the calibration platform, and then determining whether the maximum working toque in the usage record data exceeds the maximum permissible toque of the digital torque tool;

and if both the following description is true, i.e. the data containing usage records of the digital torque tool is being validly received by the calibration platform, and the maximum working toque in the usage record data is not exceed the maximum permissible toque of the digital torque tool, then the step (b) and its posterior steps are proceeded;

otherwise, if any of the following description is true, i.e. the data containing usage records of the digital torque tool is not being validly received by the calibration platform, or the maximum working toque in the usage record data exceeds the maximum permissible toque of the digital torque tool, then the flow of the calibration method is enabled to proceed back to the step (a).

6. The calibration method of claim 1, wherein the data relating to average degree of fatigue in the step (b) is obtained using the following equation:

D=(n1/N1×

D1+ . . . +nX/NX×

DX);

nX is the actual times of usage corresponding to the X_th designated working torque range of the digital torque tool, X=1 . . . X;

NX is the times of test being executed within the X_th designated working torque range of the digital torque tool, X=1 . . . X; and

DX is the degree of fatigue resulting from the performing of the NX times of test within the X_th designated working torque range of the digital torque tool, X=1 . . . X.

7. The calibration method of claim 1, wherein before the step (d) is performed, a waiting procedure is being executed, and the waiting procedure further comprises the steps of:

setting a waiting period;

enabling the client end to determine whether or not the calibration data is being transmitted to the tested digital torque tool by the calibration platform within the waiting period;

executing the step (a) if the calibration platform fails to transmit the calibration data to the tested digital torque tool within the waiting period; and

executing the step (d) if the calibration data is being transmitted to the tested digital torque tool by the calibration platform within the waiting period.

8. The calibration method of claim 1, wherein the digital torque tool is configured with a memory, provided for storing the data of usage records, and the calibration platform has a server which is configured with a database, provided for storing the statistic data.

9. The calibration method of claim 1, wherein there is a computing unit disposed at the client end in a manner that the computing unit is electrically connected to the remote calibration platform through a network while being electrically connected to the digital torque tool, so that the digital torque tool is connected electrically with the remote calibration platform through the computing unit.

10. The calibration method of claim 1, wherein in the step (c), the calibration data is obtained by performing a decrement calculation upon the data of usage records and the data of average degree of fatigue.

11. A verification method for digital toque tools, comprising the steps of:

(a) arranging a standard torque meter at a client end;

(b) mounting a digital torque tool to be tested on the standard torque meter for allowing a plurality of torque values of the standard torque meter as well as a plurality of tested torque values of the tested torque tool, that are corresponded to the plural torque values of the standard torque meter in respective, to be measured and obtained;

(c) transmitting the plural torque values and the plural corresponding tested torque values to a calibration platform so as to be analyzed for obtaining a data of verification characteristics; and

(d) transmitting the data of verification characteristics to the client end so as to register the data of verification characteristics into a torque data stored in a memory of the digital torque tool.

12. A calibration system for digital torque tools, comprising:

a calibration platform, configured with a server and a database having a static data relating to the digital torque tool stored therein;

a computing unit, electrically connected to the calibration platform through a network while electrically connecting to a digital torque tool;

wherein, the computing unit is used for transmitting a data containing usage records that is registered in a memory of the digital torque tool to the calibration platform so as to be compared with the static data relating to the digital torque tool stored in the database by the server for obtaining a data relating to average degree of fatigue, and thereafter, the server further perform a calculation based upon the data of usage record and the data of average degree of fatigue so as to obtain a calibration data; and

then the calibration data is being transmitted to the digital torque tool through the computing unit for allowing the calibration data to overwrite a corresponding torque data of the digital torque tool that is stored in the memory of the digital torque tool.