System for determining the torque required to loosen a threaded cap
AssigneeAdolph Coors Company
InventorsDaryl D. Burt, Monty E. Haskell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for use in determining the torque required to loosen a threaded cap on a container, which container is held in a fixed position while a constant downward force is being placed on the threaded cap, by applying a gradually increasing electrical force to an electric motor tending to turn the electric motor so as to apply a torque on the threaded cap and using a torque sensor to measure the torque being applied by the electric motor on the threaded cap and recording the peak torque that was applied during the complete loosening of said threaded cap.
Claims20
Apparatus for use in determining the torque required to loosen a threaded cap on a container comprising:
- an electric motor having a longitudinal axis;
- means for mounting said electric motor so that its longitudinal axis lies in a vertical plane;
- means for supporting a container having a longitudinal axis at a fixed location with said longitudinal axis of said container substantially in alignment with said longitudinal axis of said electric motor;
- a drive shaft on said electric motor and having a longitudinal axis aligned with said longitudinal axis of said electric motor;
- means connected to said drive shaft for grasping a threaded cap on said container to prevent relative rotation between said threaded cap and said drive shaft;
- means for permitting movement of said electric motor in said vertical plane to move said grasping means into contact with said threaded cap;
- means for applying a constant force in a longitudinal direction on said threaded cap;
- means for applying an electrical force to said electric motor tending to turn said drive shaft so as to apply a torque on said threaded cap;
- means for gradually increasing the amount of said electrical force being applied to said electric motor to loosen said threaded cap;
- and
- means for measuring the amount of torque being applied by said electric motor on said threaded cap and for recording the peak torque that has been applied by said electric motor during the loosening of said threaded cap.
Method for use in determining the torque required to loosen a threaded cap on a container comprising:
- mounting an electric motor for reciprocation in a vertical plane;
- supporting a container having a threaded cap thereon at a fixed location so that the longitudinal axis of said container is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said electric motor;
- grasping said threaded cap with means associated and rotatable with the drive shaft of said electric motor so as to prevent relative rotational movement between said threaded cap and said drive shaft;
- moving said electric motor in said vertical plane until said threaded cap has been grasped;
- applying a constant downward longitudinally directed force on said threaded cap;
- applying an electrical force to said electric motor tending to turn said drive shaft so as to apply a torque on said threaded cap;
- gradually increasing the amount of electrical force being applied to said electric motor;
- and
- measuring the amount of torque being applied by said electric motor on said threaded cap and recording on a gauge the peak torque that was applied during the complete loosening of said threaded cap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.