Lockable torque-limiting driver and method

• US 7,810,416 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: California Torque Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: California Torque Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Davis, Charles Parkin, Cutler, Brian James
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas; David B
• Application Number:
  US12/174,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20090260490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 814/67, 81473-475, 814/77
• US Class Current: 81/467
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/1427 by mechanical means

Abstract

A lockable torque-limiting driver that includes, a body, a sleeve, a shaft carried by the body for rotation relative thereto and having a fastener-engaging tip at one end that projects from the body, a torque-limiting mechanism coupled to the shaft and housed within said body, a torque-adjusting mechanism within the body and coupled to the torque-limiting mechanism for adjusting the torque-limiting mechanism to a desired torque value, a torque-locking mechanism operably coupled with the torque-adjusting mechanism and the body or the sleeve for preventing movement of the torque-determining means and locking the settable torque-limiting driver at the desired torque value.

Claims

1. A method for locking a settable torque-limiting driver at a desired torque value comprising:

providing a torque-limiting mechanism coupled to a shaft and housed within a sleeve which is further housed within a body;

setting a torque-adjusting mechanism coupled to said torque-limiting mechanism, wherein the torque-adjusting mechanism comprises an adjustment plug; and

, engaging the torque-adjusting mechanism with a torque-locking mechanism wherein the torque-locking mechanism engages the torque-adjusting mechanism and the body;

wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate with an adjustment plug-engaging portion and a body-engaging portion.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate-engagement portion on said body.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises said locking plate with said adjustment plug-engaging portion engaged with said adjustment plug and said body-engaging portion engaged with said locking plate-engagement portion on said body.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the adjustment plug has a generally annular elongated key structure and the locking plate has a generally keyway diamond structure.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the adjustment plug has a generally annular keyway structure and the locking plate has a generally key T-shaped structure.

6. A method for locking a settable torque-limiting driver at a desired torque value comprising:

providing a torque-limiting mechanism coupled to a shaft and housed within a sleeve which is further housed within a body;

setting a torque-adjusting mechanism coupled to said torque-limiting mechanism;

wherein the torque-adjusting mechanism comprises an adjustment plug; and

, engaging the torque-adjusting mechanism with a torque-locking mechanism, wherein the torque-locking mechanism engages the torque-adjusting mechanism and the sleeve, and wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate with an adjustment plug-engaging portion and a sleeve-engaging portion.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises a locking plate-engagement portion on said sleeve.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the torque-locking mechanism comprises said locking plate with said adjustment plug-engaging portion engaged with said adjustment plug and said body-engaging portion engaged with said locking plate-engagement portion on said sleeve.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the adjustment plug has a generally annular keyway structure and the locking plate has a generally key gear-shaped structure.