Driver for captively holding a fastener during assembly and disassembly of two parts

• US 6,216,570 B1
• Filed: 01/05/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Freed, Paul S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, James G.
• Application Number:
  US09/225,584
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 814/67, 814/51, 814/73, 814/75, 814/76
• US Class Current: 81/467
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8894 holding the implant into or through which the screw is to be inserted A61B17/7082, A61B17/7091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/031 torque limiting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0247 Semi-permanent or permanent transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body peritoneal dialysis catheters A61M1/285; tracheostomy devices A61M16/0465; measuring pressure within the body A61B5/03; colostomy devices A61F5/445; gastrotomy feeding tubes A61J15/0015; means for fixing a feeding tube outside of the body A61J15/0053
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/48 for special purposes
• 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

Abstract

A percutaneous access device implantable beneath the skin of a patient includes a turret assembly containing current limiters, electrical contacts and fluid couplings and includes a sealing device having a small screw fastener at the bottom of the turret assembly. A screwdriver is provided configured to have access through a required air inlet passage to provide rapid removal and replacement of a new turret. The screwdriver includes a shaft having an eccentric drive socket. A handle has a roller clutch bearing pressed in place to allow the handle to freely turn clockwise to tighten the screw but locks the handle to the shaft for screw extraction in the counterclockwise direction. A driver captively engages a fastener for assembling a first part having a shoulder to a mating fitting having an aperture. The driver includes a shaft having a fastener-engaging end, and a mechanism, operably engageable between the shaft and the first part, for holding the fastener in a full forward position against the shoulder of the first part during attachment of the fastener to the aperture of the mating fitting.

Claims

1. A driver for captively engaging a fastener for assembling a first part having a shoulder to a mating fitting having an aperture comprising:

a shaft having a fastener-engaging end;

a handle connected to the shaft;

means for adjusting maximum torque transmittable from said handle to said fastener including a conical washer disposed between a threaded locking collar and a first slip washer set on a shoulder of said handle, wherein the means for adjusting maximum torque further includes a roller clutch bearing annularly disposed on said shaft and a second slip washer set on an annular flange on said shaft, such that said roller clutch is disposed between said first and second slip washers; and

means, operably engageable between the shaft and the first part, for holding the fastener in a full forward position against the shoulder of the first part during driving of said fastener with respect to the aperture of the mating fitting.

2. A driver for captively engaging a fastener for assembling a first part having a shoulder defining a transition between an aperture having first and second peripheral walls to a mating fitting having an aperture comprising:

a shaft having a fastener-engaging end;

means, operably engageable between the shaft and one of said first and second peripheral walls of the first part, for holding the fastener in a full forward position against the shoulder of the first part during driving of said fastener with respect to the aperture of the mating fitting; and

means for rotating said shaft with a handle up to a predetermined torque during attachment of said fastener and for locking said handle with respect to said shaft during reverse rotation of said shaft when detaching said fastener.

3. The driver of claim 2, wherein the rotating and locking means further comprises a roller clutch bearing disposed between a portion of said handle and a portion of said shaft.

4. The driver of claim 2, further comprising:

said handle having an inwardly facing shoulder portion, the shoulder portion having a first surface and a second surface;

a first slip washer engageable with the first surface of the shoulder portion of the handle; and

said shaft having an outwardly extending radial flange for supporting the second surface of the shoulder portion; and

a second slip washer disposed between said radial flange and said second surface of said shoulder portion of said handle.

5. The driver of claim 4, wherein the first and the second slip washers are constructed of materials having similar static and dynamic coefficient of friction values.

6. The driver of claim 2 further comprising adjustable means for providing a preselected seating torque to said fastener.