Torque tool device

• US 8,485,049 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tohnichi Mfg. Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tohnichi Mfg. Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Tetsuya, Murayama, Sinji, Yamamoto, Yasuhiro, Takaku, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS HOLLINGTON, OCTAVIA L
• Application Number:
  US12/452,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20100170370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 7386221-86223, 738/626.25
• US Class Current: 73/862.21
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/14 Arrangement of torque limiters or torque indicators in wrenches or screwdrivers couplings for transmitting rotation or clutches F16D; devices for measuring torque per se G01L
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/1425 by electrical means

Abstract

The torque tool device includes a torque tool and an information processing terminal. The torque tool is capable of measuring the torque value at which a bolt or the like was tightened and then transmitting the measured torque value via wireless communication unit and the information processing terminal has information processing unit receiving the measured torque value and determining whether the torque value is acceptable.

Claims

1. A torque tool device, comprising:

a torque tool having

torque measurement means for measuring a torque value at which a clamp member is tightened,

first wireless communication means capable of transmitting information containing at least a measured torque value provided by the torque measurement means and receiving at least report information,

first report means for reporting the report information received by the first wireless communication means, and

a toggle mechanism configured to sense that a tightening torque has reached a predetermined value by changing a condition of the toggle mechanism from an inactive condition in a normal position to an operating condition; and

a tightening information processing terminal having

second wireless communication means capable of transmitting and receiving information to/from the first wireless communication means, and

information processing means for transmitting and receiving the information to/from the second wireless communication means, the information processing means having a pass/fail test section for making a pass/fail determination of whether the measured torque value contained in the information received from the second wireless communication means is within a range of a pre-set specified torque value,

wherein upon reception of the information of the measured torque value by the second wireless communication means, the information processing means allows the pass/fail test section to conduct a pass/fail test and then the second wireless communication means to transmit a result of the pass/fail test as the report information to the first wireless communication means, and the first report means reports based on the result of the pass/fail test of the report information received by the first wireless communication means, and

the first wireless communication means transmits the information containing the measured torque value when the toggle mechanism is brought back to the normal position after the tightening torque reaches the predetermined value and the toggle mechanism is activated.

2. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication means and the second wireless communication means transmit and receive over a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

3. The torque tool device according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication means and the second wireless communication means transmit and receive information using a frequency hopping scheme.

4. The torque tool device according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication means and the second wireless communication means transmit and receive information over the 2.4 GHz frequency band radio wave to conduct high-speed communications between the torque tool and the tightening information processing terminal.

5. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the tightening information processing terminal has second report means for reporting the result of the pass/fail test.

6. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein

the information transmitted from the first wireless communication means includes the measured torque value and an identification number of the torque tool, and

the tightening information processing terminal determines whether the identification number contained in the received information has been pre-stored in the information processing means, when the identification number is a stored identification number, then the measured torque value contained in the received information is subjected to the pass/fail test, and when the identification number is not the stored identification number, then the pass/fail test is not conducted.

7. The torque tool device according to claim 6, wherein the identification number is a manufacturer'"'"'s serial number of the torque tool.

8. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the torque tool transmits, as the measured torque value, a maximum torque value measured until tightening is released after starting to measure the torque value.

9. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the specified torque value serving as a reference to the pass/fail test can be altered.

10. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the report means reports by either light, sound, or vibration or a combination thereof.

11. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the tightening information processing terminal is capable of transmitting the received information and the result of the pass/fail test to an information management computer.

12. The torque tool device according to claim 11, wherein

a clamp member including a bolt to be tightened with the torque tool is specified, and

the received information and the result of the pass/fail test correspond to information of the clamp member in the information management computer.

13. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the first report means reports an indication that the result of the pass/fail test was not successfully received when the result of the pass/fail test is not received from the tightening information processing terminal within a specified period of time after the information containing the measured torque value has been sent.

14. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the torque tool further comprises a Hall element and a magnet configured to sense an operation of the toggle mechanism.

15. The torque tool device according to claim 14, wherein

the magnet is disposed on a front actuation body of the toggle mechanism, and

the Hall element is disposed at a location corresponding to the magnet inside a case which holds circuits of the torque tool.

16. The torque tool device according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication means transmits the information containing the measured torque value only when the toggle mechanism is activated.