Handheld torque and linear force meter

• US 7,950,295 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glassline Corporation
• Original Assignee: Plastic Techniques, Inc.
• Inventors: Crissman, Spencer W., Teitlebaum, Aaron R., McGurk, Jonathan A., Semersky, Frank E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS HOLLINGTON, OCTAVIA L
• Application Number:
  US12/355,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20090178492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 7386221-86223
• US Class Current: 73/862.21
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/261 Devices for controlling the tightening of threaded caps, e.g. testing the release torque torque testers in general G01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0042 applying a torque

Abstract

A handheld torque measuring meter adapted to measure the downward thrust and torsional force required to apply or remove a screw type closure from the threaded neck or finish of an associated container is disclosed, the handheld meter having a first portion graspable a user, a member adapted to receive a portion of a closure of a container, means connecting said main body to said member including a load cell, and a means for displaying a measurement adapted to receive the output signal from the load cell and indicate one of the torsional force and the linear force required to effect a movement of the closure relative to the associated container.

Claims

1. A handheld meter for measuring the torque and thrust required to apply or remove a threaded closure from the finish of a container, comprising:

a main body graspable by a hand of a user;

container closure receiving means adapted to receive a portion of a closure of a container;

means connecting said main body to said closure receiving means, said means including a load cell, wherein the load cell produces an output signal in response to a torsional force on a closure required to cause axial movement between the closure and a threaded finish of a container and a linear force required to apply or remove the closure; and

a means for displaying a measurement in electrical communication with the load cell and adapted to receive the output signal therefrom and indicate the torsional force and the linear force required to effect a movement of the closure relative to the container.

2. The handheld meter of claim 1, wherein the container closure receiving means includes a cavity adapted to receive and engage the portion of the closure.

3. A handheld meter of claim 2, wherein the cavity is adapted to receive a chuck member adapted to engage the portion of the closure.

4. The handheld meter of claim 1, further including a memory storage device in electrical communication with the load cell.

5. The handheld meter of claim 4, further including a data port adapted to link with a computer in electrical communication with one of the load cell and the memory storage device.

6. The handheld meter of claim 5, wherein said data port is one of a USB port, a parallel port, a wireless transmitter, and an infrared transmitter.

7. A handheld meter for measuring the torque and thrust required to apply or remove a threaded closure from the finish of a container, comprising:

a main body graspable by the hand of a user;

a member having a cavity formed therein and adapted to receive a portion of a closure of a container;

means connecting said main body to said member, said means including a load cell, wherein the load cell produces an output signal in response to a torsional force on a closure required to cause axial movement between the closure and the container and a linear force required to apply or remove the closure; and

a means for displaying a measurement in electrical communication with the load cell and adapted to receive the output signal therefrom and indicate the torsional force and the linear force required to effect a movement of the closure relative to the container.

8. The handheld meter of claim 7, wherein the cavity includes an elastomeric material adapted to frictionally engage the portion of the closure.

9. The handheld meter of claim 7, further including a memory storage device in electrical communication with the load cell.

10. The handheld meter of claim 9, further including a data port adapted to link with a computer in electrical communication with one of the load cell and said memory storage device.

11. The handheld meter of claim 10, wherein said data port is one of a USB port, a parallel port, a wireless transmitter, and an infrared transmitter.

12. A handheld meter for measuring the torque and thrust required to apply or remove a threaded closure from the finish of a container, comprising:

a main body graspable by the hand of a user;

a threaded finish similar to the threaded finish of a container adapted to receive a closure for a container;

means connecting said main body to said member, said means including a load cell, wherein the load cell produces an output signal in response to a torsional force on the closure required to cause axial movement between the closure and the threaded finish and a linear force required to apply or remove the closure; and

a means for displaying a measurement in electrical communication with the load cell and adapted to receive the output signal therefrom and indicate the torsional force and the linear force required to effect a movement of the closure relative to the threaded finish.

13. The handheld meter of claim 12, wherein the threaded finish is removable from said member.