Single procedure torque limiter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10034701-B2
Application number	US-201514875299-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2015
Priority date	Oct 3, 2014
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A torque limiting tool is described. The tool comprises a torque limiting mechanism that drives a shank about a rotational axis. The torque limiting mechanism comprises a plurality of opposed first and second gears having a plurality of outwardly extending first and second gear prongs. The plurality of first and second gear prongs extends outwardly at an inclined angle along an intermediate prong portion from a prong proximal end positioned along the disc sidewall surface to a prong distal portion. Each of the prong distal portions comprises a plateau portion that extends about parallel with the disc sidewall surface and resides at a distance away from the sidewall surface of the respective first and second discs. The mechanism is constructed such that toque is transferred therebetween when the respective intermediate portions of the opposed first and second prongs are in physical contact. When an upper torque limit is exceeded, either of the respective first and second prongs deflect, thus causing the other of the first or second prong to ride along the deflected ramp surface of the intermediate prong portion until the first and second prongs disengage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A torque limiting tool, comprising:
a) a housing comprising a proximal housing portion rigidly connected to a distal housing portion, the housing extending along a rotational axis;
b) a torque limiting mechanism disposed within the housing, the torque limiting mechanism comprising:
i) a first disc rigidly connected to the proximal housing portion;
ii) a second disc spaced from the first disc;
iii) at least one first prong flexuraly extending from the first disc to a first prong distal portion facing the second disc; and
iv) at least one second prong flexuraly extending from the second disc to a second prong distal portion facing the first disc,
v) wherein the first and second prongs comprise respective first and second prong intermediate portions extending along first and second prong angles from the respective first and second discs to the first and second prong distal portions, and wherein the first and second prong angles are in opposition to each other; and

c) a shank connected to the second disc and extending along the rotational axis to a shank distal end that is configured for removable attachment to a fastener,
d) wherein, upon the application of a torque to the proximal housing portion, the first prong is contactable to the second prong as the shank rotates about the rotational axis until the torque exceeds a torque limit which causes the first and second prongs connected to their respective first and second discs to flex with respect to each other until the respective first and second prong distal portions move out of contact with each other so that the first disc connected to the proximal housing portion and the second disc connected to the shank are now rotatable relative to each other.

2. The torque limiting tool of claim 1 , wherein the first and second prong angles range from about 40° to about 50°.

3. The torque limiting tool of claim 1 , wherein the proximal housing portion comprises a handle.

4. The torque limiting tool of claim 1 , wherein the first and second discs are annularly-shaped members.

5. The torque limiting tool of claim 1 , wherein the second disc has a central opening residing along the rotational axis, the central opening having a keyed surface that matched a similarly keyed surface of the shank to thereby connect the shank to the second disc.

6. The torque limiting tool of claim 1 , wherein the first prong distal portion comprises a first prong plateau that resides along a first imaginary plane aligned substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis, and wherein the second prong distal portion comprises a second prong plateau that resides along a second imaginary plane aligned substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis, and wherein the first imaginary plane is a first distance from the first disc and the second imaginary plane is a second distance from the second disc, the first and second distances each ranging from about 0.1 cm to about 10 cm.

7. The torque limiting tool of claim 1 , wherein the upper torque limit ranges from about 0.007 N-m to about 122 N-m.

8. The torque limiting tool of claim 1 , wherein the first and second discs are composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polymeric material, a metallic material, a ceramic material, and combinations thereof.

9. The torque limiting tool of claim 1 , wherein at least the first and second prongs are composed of a material having a modulus of elasticity ranging from about 0.01 GPa to about 10 GPa.

10. The torque limiting tool of claim 1 , wherein at least the first and second prongs are composed of a material having a modulus of elasticity ranging from about 0.5 GPa to about 5 GPa.

11. An orthopedic kit comprising the torque limiting tool of claim 1 , an orthopedic implant, and at least one fastener.

12. The torque limiting tool of claim 1 , wherein the first and second discs have a respective plurality of first and second prongs spaced circumferentially about the rotational axis.

13. A torque limiting tool, comprising:
a) a housing comprising a proximal housing portion comprising a handle, the proximal housing portion being rigidly connected to a distal housing portion, wherein the housing extends along a rotational axis;
b) a torque limiting mechanism disposed within the housing, the torque limiting mechanism comprising:
i) a first disc rigidly connected to the proximal housing portion;
ii) a second disc spaced from the first disc;
iii) at least one first prong flexuraly extending from the first disc to a first prong distal portion facing the second disc; and
iv) at least one second prong flexuraly extending from the second disc to a second prong distal portion facing the first disc,
v) wherein from a perspective looking along the rotational axis from the first housing portion to the second housing portion, the at least one first prong angles in one of a clockwise or counterclockwise direction and the second prong angles in the other of the clockwise or counterclockwise direction; and

c) a shank connected to the second disc and extending along the rotational axis to a shank distal end that is configured for removable attachment to a fastener,
d) wherein, upon the application of a torque to the proximal housing portion, the first prong is contactable to the second prong as the shank rotates about the rotational axis until the torque exceeds a torque limit which causes the flexural connection of at least one of the first and second prongs to their respective first and second discs to flex with respect to each other until the respective first and second prong distal portions move out of contact with each other so that the first disc connected to the proximal housing portion and the second disc connected to the shank are now rotatable relative to each other.

14. The torque limiting tool of claim 13 , wherein the second disc has a central opening residing along the rotational axis, the central opening having a keyed surface that matched a similarly keyed surface of the shank to thereby connect the shank to the second disc.

15. The torque limiting tool of claim 13 , wherein the first and second discs are annularly-shaped members.

16. The torque limiting tool of claim 13 , wherein the first prong distal portion comprises a first prong plateau that resides along a first imaginary plane aligned substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis, and wherein the second prong distal portion comprises a second prong plateau that resides along a second imaginary plane aligned substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis, and wherein the first imaginary plane is a first distance from the first disc and the second imaginary plane is a second distance from the second disc, the first and second distances each ranging from about 0.1 cm to about 10 cm.

17. The torque limiting tool of claim 13 , wherein the upper torque limit ranges from about 0.007 N-m to about 122 N-m.

18. The torque limiting tool of claim 13 , wherein the first and second discs are composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polymeric material, a metallic material, a ceramic material, and combinations thereof.

19. The torque limiting tool of claim 13 , wherein at least the first and second prongs are composed of a material having a modulus of elasticity ranging from about 0.01 GPa to about 10 GPa.

20. The torque limiting tool of claim 13 , wherein at least the first and second prongs are composed of a material having a modulus of elasticity ranging from about 0.5 GPa to about 5 GPa.

Assignees

• Greatbatch Ltd

Inventors

• Adamiec John William

Classifications

• A61B17/8875 Primary

  Screwdrivers, spanners or wrenches · CPC title

• B25B23/141

  Mechanical overload release couplings · CPC title

• A61B2090/031

  torque limiting · CPC title

• B25B23/1427

  by mechanical means · CPC title