Opti-mechanical torque indicating connecting member

• US 4,793,751 A
• Filed: 07/30/1987
• Issued: 12/27/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nitto Kohki Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nitto Kohki Company Limited
• Inventors: Kazama, Yasuo, Takeuchi, Hirosato, Miyazaki, Osahiko, Kurihara, Naoya
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Gary L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brueske, Curtis B.
• Application Number:
  US07/079,431
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 411/13, 411/14, 411/8-11
• US Class Current: 411/13
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 31/025 with a gauge pin in a longitudinal bore in the body of the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/243 using washers

Abstract

A connecting member comprises a rod-shaped body having a head and/or thread on the outer periphery for integrally connecting a plurality of members and a containing hole opened at one end thereof and extended longitudinally, a rod disposed in the hole so as to fix at its inner end to the inner end of the hole, a transmissive window fixed to the opening of the hole, and a fluid holding member holding a colored fluid and pressed by the open side end of the rod on the window. When a longitudinal strain developed in the body the rod release the holding member from under pressure so that colored fluid covers the open side end of the rod.

Claims

1. A connecting member for integrally connecting a plurality of independent members comprising:

a rod-shaped body having a longitudinally extending containing hole having an inner surface which is opened at one end face thereof, and connecting means provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof so as to integrally connect said plurality of independent members;

a rod disposed in the containing hole of the body and fixed at one end thereof to the body so that an opposite end of the rod located nearer to the opened end of the containing hole is relatively moveable with respect to the inner surface of the containing hole of the body when a longitudinal strain is exerted upon the body;

a light transmissive window member fixed to and covering the open end of the containing hole of the body; and

fluid holding means provided within the containing hole of the body immediately behind a rear surface of said light transmissive window member for holding a substantially opaque fluid, said fluid holding means for causing a color change to be visibly perceptible through the light transmissive window member in response to a change in the amount of fluid held by said fluid holding means between the end of the open side of the rod and the rear surface of the light transmissive window member when a predetermined longitudinal strain is exerted upon the body due to said opposite end of the rod located nearer said open end of said containing hole being moved relative to the inner surface of the containing hole of the body, wherein

the inner end of the rod is threadably engaged with the inner end of the containing hole of the body; and

wherein

the inner end of the rod is exposed at the other end of the body.

2. A connecting member according to claim 1, wherein said fluid holding means is formed of a light transmissive material having an elasticity, disposed between the open side end face of the rod and the light transmissive window member, and pressed on the inner surface of the light transmissive window member by the open side end face of the rod so as to discharge the fluid from between the open side end of the rod and the light transmissive window member until the open side end of the rod relatively moves at a predetermined distance from the open end of the containing hole toward the inner end of the containing hole due to a predetermined tensile strain occurred in the body.

3. A connecting member according to claim 1, wherein said fluid has a color which contrasts with to the color of the open side end of the rod.

4. A connecting member according to claim 3, wherein the open side end of the rod is colored with a relatively remarkably bright color or a light reflecting color, and the fluid has a dark color or a color for absorbing light.

5. A connecting member according to claim 1, wherein said light transmissive widow member is detachably fixed to the opening of the containing hole of the body.

6. A connecting member comprising:

a body having a head portion at one of its ends and defining an axially elongate central bore having an open end at said head portion;

said body also having an axial recess at its other end;

an indicator rod received within said elongate central bore and having a lower end threadably engaged with another end of said body, opposite to said one end thereof, in such a manner that a portion of said indicator rod extends into said axial recess of said body, and said indicator rod also defining an indicator surface at an upper end thereof such that said indicator surface is disposed near said open end of said elongate central bore;

a transparent window fixed to said body in covering relationship to said open end of said elongate central bore;

fluid holding means for containing a substantially opaque liquid between said indicator surface of said indicator rod and said transparent window;

said indicator surface of said indicator rod normally pressing against said fluid holding means in response to a predetermined tension force being exerted upon said body to thereby cause a portion of the liquid in said fluid holding means to flow from a central region thereof to a marginal region thereof so as to thereby decrease an amount of fluid disposed between said indicator surface and said transparent window, whereby said indicator surface becomes more visible through said transparent window; and

said portion of said indicator rod which extends into said recess includes means defining surfaces for accepting a turning tool to allow said indicator rod to be manually adjustably turned which responsively causes said rod to be axially displaced within said central bore due to the threaded engagement between said lower end of said rod and said other end of said body so as to bring said indicator surface into greater or lesser contact with said fluid holding means and thus permit said indicator surface to be more or less visible through said transparent window, thereby permitting adjustable selection of said predetermined tension force which is indicated by means of said indicator surface.