Improved torque limiting mechanism
OwnerBartosz Markiewiczinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A torque limiting mechanism can include a housing having a bore. A cam is positioned within the bore and includes a plurality of circumferentially extending notches, each of the notches having a first pocket and a radially spaced apart second pocket. Detent elements are receivable by the notches. The cam is rotatable within the bore between a torque application position and a signaling position. In the torque application position, the detent elements engage the first pockets of the notches. In the signaling position, the detent elements engage the second pockets of the notches. The torque limiting mechanism can be implemented with an oil filter socket or wrench.
Claims22
A torque limiting mechanism, comprising:
- a housing extending between a first housing end and a second housing end, the housing comprising a bore extending along a central axis within the housing and terminating at a bore base end;
- a cam positioned within the bore and extending axially between a cam first end and a cam second end, the cam biased toward the bore base end, and the cam second end comprising a plurality of circumferentially extending notches, each of the notches having a first pocket and a radially spaced apart second pocket, the first pocket has a first tangential angle, the second pocket has a second tangential angle that is not equal to the first tangential angle;
- and
- a plurality of detent elements extending into the bore from the bore base end, each detent element receivable by a respective notch,
- wherein the cam is rotatable within the bore about the central axis between a torque application position and a signaling position,
- wherein, in the torque application position, the detent elements engage respective first pockets of the plurality of notches, and
- wherein, in the signaling position, the detent elements engage respective second pockets of the plurality of notches.
(canceled)
A mechanism, comprising:
- a housing;
- a cam;
- and
- at least one detent element,
- wherein the cam comprises at least one notch, the notch comprising a first pocket and a second pocket,
- wherein the at least one detent element engages the first pocket of the at least one notch when a first torque is applied to the cam, and
- wherein the at least one detent element engages the second pocket of the at least one notch when a second torque is applied to the cam.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.