Preset electronic torque tool

• US 9,156,148 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: King, Jerry A., Lawton, Chris M., Lee, Nathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, David B
• Application Number:
  US13/891,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20140331831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/1425 by electrical means

Abstract

An electronic torque wrench or other tool, and a method and a computer program for using the same, are disclosed. The disclosed systems allow a user to operate the tool in either a manual mode or automatic mode. In the manual mode, torque or angle targets are input into the wrench before the torqueing operation, and in the automatic mode, preset torque or angle targets are selected by the user. A user can also lock the tool so only a specific torqueing operation can be used without unlocking the tool. The torque and angle values can be input simultaneously such that a work piece can be torqued to a predetermined torque and angle without separate operations. An indicator can also be implemented that indicates the progress of the torqueing operation.

Claims

1. A tool adapted to apply a torque to a work piece, comprising:

a head adapted to transmit the torque to the work piece;

a sensor operably coupled to the head and adapted to sense an amount of the torque applied to the work piece;

an interface adapted to receive an amount of tolerance and a target value representing a desired amount of the torque to be applied to the work piece; and

an indicator adapted to provide a first indication when the amount of torque applied to the work piece is a first predetermined percentage of the target value, minus the amount of tolerance, and a second indication when the amount of torque applied to the work piece is a second predetermined percentage of the target value, plus the amount of tolerance.

2. The tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicator is further adapted to provide a third indication when the amount of torque applied to the work piece is a third predetermined percentage of the target value, plus or minus the amount of tolerance, a fourth indication when the amount of torque applied to the work piece is a fourth predetermined percentage of the target value, plus or minus the amount of tolerance, and a fifth indication when the amount of torque applied to the work piece is a fifth predetermined percentage of the target value, plus or minus the amount of tolerance.

3. The tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the third predetermined percentage is about 40%, the fourth predetermined percentage is about 60%, and the fifth predetermined percentage is about 80%.

4. The tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the indicator includes an LED assembly.

5. The tool as claimed in claim 4, wherein the LED assembly includes a green LED, first, second, and third yellow LEDs, and a red LED, wherein the first indication illuminates the green LED, the second indication illuminates the red LED, the third indication illuminates the first yellow LED, the fourth indication illuminates the second yellow LED, and the fifth indication illuminates the third yellow LED.

6. The tool as claimed in claim 5, wherein the yellow LEDs are not illuminated when the green LED is illuminated, and the green LED is not illuminated when the red LED is illuminated.

7. The tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second predetermined percentages and the target value are each preset and cannot be changed by a user of the tool.

8. The tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target value further includes a desired amount of angular rotation to be applied to the work piece.

9. A torque wrench having a head adapted to transmit a torque to a work piece, comprising:

a sensor operably coupled to the head and adapted to sense an amount of the torque and an amount of angular rotation applied to the work piece;

an interface adapted to receive a target value and an amount of tolerance, the target value being at least one of a desired amount of the torque and a desired amount of angular rotation to be applied to the work piece; and

a first LED adapted to illuminate when one of the amounts of torque and angular rotation applied to the work piece is a first predetermined percentage of the target value, a second LED adapted to illuminate when one of the amounts of torque and angular rotation applied to the work piece is a second predetermined percentage of the target value, and a third LED adapted to illuminate when one of the amounts of torque and angular rotation applied to the work piece is a third predetermined percentage of the target value,

wherein the first predetermined percentage is about 80%, the second predetermined percentage is about 100% minus the amount of tolerance, and the third predetermined percentage is about 100% plus the amount of tolerance.

10. A tool adapted to apply a torque and angular rotation to a work piece, comprising:

a head adapted to transmit the torque and the angular rotation to the work piece;

a sensor operably coupled to the head and adapted to sense an amount of the torque and an amount of angular rotation applied to the work piece;

an interface adapted to receive an amount of tolerance and a target value representing a desired amount of the torque to first be applied to the work piece, and a desired amount of angular rotation to be applied to the work piece after the desired amount of the torque has been applied to the work piece; and

an indicator adapted to provide a first indication to a user when the amount of the torque applied to the work piece is a first predetermined percentage of the target value, minus the amount of tolerance, and a second indication when the amount of torque applied to the work piece is a second predetermined percentage of the target value, plus the amount of tolerance.

11. The tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein the interface is further adapted to receive information relating to a total number of work pieces that the desired amounts of the torque and angular rotation are to be applied to, wherein the indicator provides a third indication representing a difference between a number of work pieces that the desired amounts of the torque and angular rotation have been applied to and the total number of work pieces.

12. The tool as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a display adapted to visually provide the third indication.

13. The tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein the indicator is adapted to provide a third indication representing a number of work pieces that the desired amounts of the torque and the angular rotation have been applied to.

14. The tool as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a display adapted to visually provide the third indication.

15. The tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein the target value is preset and cannot be changed by a user of the tool.