Breakaway torque wrench

• US 6,868,761 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Inventors: Stoick, Michael, Cadavid, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Meislin, Debra S.
• Application Number:
  US10/706,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20040144220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 814/67, 814/72, 811/20, 81/64, 811/771
• US Class Current: 81/467
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/02 with rigid jaws B25B13/46, B25B13/48 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/50 for operating on work of special profile, e.g. pipes

Abstract

The breakaway torque wrench generally includes a handle portion and an arcuate engagement portion. The arcuate engagement portion further includes at least one engagement tooth portion proximate one end of the arcuate engagement portion for secureable releasable engagement with an axial grooved fastener or object such as a pipe, nut, bolt, screw, and the like. The breakaway torque wrench is engageable and capable of disengagement at predefined torque levels without implementing complex and vulnerable mechanical designs of conventional practice.

Claims

1. A breakaway torque wrench system, comprising:

a threaded member having a substantially circumferential outer surface and at least one axial groove defined in the circumferential outer surface;

a polymer breakaway torque wrench comprising;

a polymer arcuate engagement portion having an inner arcuate engagement surface, an angled flex portion, and at least one protrusion extending from the inner arcuate engagement surface, at least a portion of the inner arcuate engagement surface adapted to confrontingly engage a portion of the circumferential outer surface, and the at least one protrusion adapted to insertably engage within the at least one axial groove of the threaded member;

a handle operably connected to the angled flex portion of the arcuate engagement portion; and

wherein rotational movement of the engaged breakaway torque wrench correspondingly rotates the threaded member such that the angled flex portion correspondingly approaches the threaded member until a predefined torque level is reached causing the at least one protrusion to disengage from the at least one axial groove.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the arcuate engagement portion is generally C-shaped.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the handle includes a handle aperture therethrough adapted to receive a handle device to facilitate rotational actuation of the breakaway torque wrench.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least the arcuate engagement portion is constructed of a thermopolymer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the thermopolymer is a fluoropolymer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the threaded member is a thermopolymer fastener.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the thermopolymer fastener is selected from a group consisting of:

a bolt, a screw, threaded tubing, and a nut.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the threaded member includes internal threading.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the threaded member includes external threading.

10. A method of operating a polymer breakaway torque wrench, comprising the steps of:

providing a polymer breakaway torque wrench including an arcuate engagement portion and a handle, the arcuate engagement portion having an inner arcuate engagement surface, at least one tooth protrusion extending therefrom, and an angled flex portion operably connected to the handle;

providing a polymer threaded fastening member having a substantially circumferential outer surface and at least one axial groove defined in the circumferential outer surface;

positionably engaging a portion of the inner arcuate engagement surface of the torque wrench around the circumferential outer surface of the threaded member such that the at least one tooth protrusion insertably engages the at least one axial groove of the object; and

rotating the torque wrench about the longitudinal axis of the threaded member to correspondingly rotate the threaded member such that the angled flex portion correspondingly approaches the threaded member until a predetermined torque level is obtained causing the at least one tooth protrusion to forceably disengage from the at least one axial groove of the threaded member.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein rotating of the breakaway torque wrench about the longitudinal axis of the threaded member is facilitated by actuation of the handle of the breakaway torque wrench.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the handle includes a handle aperture therethrough to facilitate rotation of the torque wrench.

13. A thermopolymer breakaway torque wrench comprising:

a thermopolymer handle;

a thermopolymer arcuate engagement portion operably attached to the handle and having

a thermopolymer inner arcuate engagement surface;

at least one thermopolymer protrusion extending from the arcuate engagement surface adapted to inser tably engage a threaded member having at least one axial groove defined therein such that the at least one protrusion insertably engages the at least one axial groove;

an angled flex portion extending to the handle; and

wherein rotational movement of the engaged breakaway torque wrench correspondingly rotates the threaded member such that the angled flex portion correspondingly approaches the threaded member until a predefined torque level is reached and the at least one protrusion disengages from the at least one axial groove.

14. The thermopolymer breakaway torque wrench of claim 13, wherein the handle includes a handle aperture therethrough adapted to receive a handle device to facilitate rotational actuation of the breakaway torque wrench.

15. The thermopolymer breakaway torque wrench of claim 13, wherein at least the thermopolymer arcuate engagement portion is constructed of a fluoropolymer.

16. The thermopolymer breakaway torque wrench of claim 13, wherein the thermopolymer breakaway torque wrench is constructed of a fluoropolymer.

17. The thermopolymer breakaway torque wrench of claim 13, wherein the arcuate engagement portion is generally C-shaped.

18. A fluoropolymer breakaway torque wrench system comprising:

means for handling the breakaway torque wrench;

fluoropolymer arcuate engagement means operably attached to the handle portion for engaging a threaded member having axial grooves defined therein, the arcuate engagement means having

a fluoropolymer inner arcuate engagement surface;

at least one fluoropolymer protruding means extending from the arcuate engagement surface for insertably engaging at least one of the axial grooves of the threaded member; and

angled means operably connected to the means for handling, for providing operating flex such that the angled means correspondingly approaches the threaded member upon rotational actuation of the engaged threaded member until a predefined torque level is reached and the at least one protruding means disengages from the at least one axial groove of the threaded member.

19. The fluoropolymer breakaway torque wrench system of claim 18, wherein the means for handling includes a handle aperture therethrough adapted to receive a handle device to facilitate rotational actuation of the breakaway torque wrench.

20. The fluoropolymer breakaway torque wrench system of claim 18, wherein the arcuate engagement means is generally C-shaped.

21. The fluoropolymer breakaway torque wrench system of claim 18, wherein the threaded member is selected from a group consisting of:

a bolt, a screw, threaded tubing, and a nut.

22. The fluoropolymer breakaway torque wrench system of claim 18, wherein the threaded member includes internal threading.

23. The fluoropolymer breakaway torque wrench system of claim 18, wherein the threaded member includes external threading.