Torque wrench with strain gauges
AssigneeApex Brands, Inc.
InventorsMinglin Shi, Henglian Luo, Cheng Yang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example torque wrench is provided. The example torque wrench may include a drive head configured to engage with a tool for rotating a fastener. The drive head may have a drive axis about which the drive head rotates when rotating the fastener. The torque wrench may also include a deflection member coupled to the drive head and an outer body coupled to the deflection member at a first loading point and a second loading point. The torque wrench may also include a first strain gauge coupled to the deflection member between the drive head and the first loading point, and a second strain gauge coupled to the deflection member between the first loading point and the second loading point.
Claims21
A torque wrench comprising:
- a drive head configured to engage with a tool for rotating a fastener, the drive head having a drive axis about which the drive head rotates when rotating the fastener;
- a deflection member coupled to the drive head;
- an outer body coupled to the deflection member at a first loading point and a second loading point;
- a first strain gauge coupled to the deflection member between the drive head and the first loading point;
- and
- a second strain gauge coupled to the deflection member between the first loading point and the second loading point.
A torque wrench comprising:
- a drive head configured to engage with a tool for rotating a fastener, the drive head having a drive axis about which the drive head rotates when rotating the fastener;
- a deflection member coupled to the drive head;
- a handle coupled to the deflection member at a first loading point and a second loading point;
- a first strain gauge coupled to the deflection member between the drive head and the first loading point;
- a second strain gauge coupled to the deflection member between the first loading point and the second loading point;
- processing circuitry electrically coupled to the first strain gauge and the second strain gauge and configured to measure a voltage between an output of the first strain gauge and an output of the second strain gauge, the measured voltage based on a torque being applied to the fastener.
A torque wrench comprising:
- a drive head configured to engage with a tool for rotating a fastener, the drive head having a drive axis about which the drive head rotates when rotating the fastener;
- a deflection member coupled to the drive head;
- a handle coupled to the deflection member;
- a strain gauge assembly coupled to the deflection member, the strain gauge assembly being configured to measure strain on the deflection member as an indication of a torque being applied to the fastener by the torque wrench;
- and
- a handle extender coupled to the handle, the handle extender configured to be removable from the handle by a user and installed on the handle by the user, the handle extender being configured to increase a handle length of the torque wrench relative to the handle length without the handle extender coupled to the handle.
A torque wrench comprising:
- a drive head configured to engage with a tool for rotating a fastener, the drive head having a drive axis about which the drive head rotates when rotating the fastener;
- a deflection member coupled to the drive head;
- a handle coupled to the deflection member;
- a strain gauge assembly coupled to the deflection member, the strain gauge assembly being configured to measure strain on the deflection member as an indication of a torque being applied to the fastener by the torque wrench;
- and
- a handle extender coupled to the handle, the handle extender configured to be removable from the handle by a user or installed on the handle by the user, the handle extender being configured to increase a handle length of the torque wrench relative to the handle length without the handle extender coupled to the handle;
- wherein the handle is coupled to the deflection member at a first loading point and a second loading point;
- and
- wherein the strain gauge assembly comprises a first strain gauge coupled to the deflection member between the drive head and the first loading point, and a second strain gauge coupled to the deflection member between the first loading point and the second loading point.
A method for measuring a torque applied by a drive head of a torque wrench too a fastener, the torque wrench comprising a deflection member coupled to the drive head, the method comprising:
- measuring, by processing circuitry, a voltage between an output of a first strain gauge and an output of a second strain gauge, the voltage being based on a torque being applied to the fastener, the first strain gauge being coupled to the deflection member between the drive head and a first loading point, the second strain gauge being coupled to the deflection member between the first loading point and a second loading point, the first loading point and the second loading point being points of mechanical coupling between the deflection member and a handle of the torque wrench;
- and
- converting the measured voltage into a torque measurement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.