Electric pulse tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11389936-B2
Application number	US-201816462489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2018
Priority date	Jan 24, 2017
Publication date	Jul 19, 2022
Grant date	Jul 19, 2022

Abstract

An electric pulse tool for performing tightening operations, where torque is delivered in pulses to tighten a screw joint, includes an output shaft, a sensor arranged to determine a parameter value associated with the tightening of the screw joint, a processor, and a memory containing instructions executable by the processor. The electrical pulse tool operates to provide torque pulses on the output shaft in a first direction until the determined parameter value associated with the tightening of the screw joint reaches within or above a predetermined first interval including a target parameter value. The electrical pulse tool also operates to provide at least one torque pulse on the output shaft in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in case the determined parameter value exceeds the target parameter value within a predetermined second interval.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electric pulse tool for performing tightening operations, where torque is delivered in pulses to tighten a screw joint, the electric pulse tool comprising: an output shaft; a sensor arranged to determine a parameter value associated with the tightening of the screw joint; a processor; and a memory containing instructions executable by the processor, whereby the electrical pulse tool operates to:
provide torque pulses on the output shaft in a first direction until the determined parameter value associated with the tightening of the screw joint reaches within or above a predetermined first interval including a target parameter value; and
provide at least one torque pulse on the output shaft in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in case the determined parameter value exceeds the target parameter value within a predetermined second interval.

2. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein the second interval is right above the first interval.

3. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical pulse tool further operates to provide a notification that the screw joint was tightened too hard in case the determined parameter value exceeds a target value by more than the predetermined second interval.

4. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical pulse tool operates to determine required pulses in the second direction until the determined parameter value reaches the predetermined first interval.

5. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a torque sensor and the parameter value associated with the tightening of the screw joint is torque.

6. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an angle meter and the parameter value associated with the tightening of the screw joint is angle.

7. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse tool is adapted to reduce power of the torque pulses in the first direction when the determined parameter value is within a predetermined third interval below the predetermined first interval.

8. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse tool is adapted to finish the tightening operation by at least one torque pulse in the first direction in case at least one torque pulse in the second direction has been provided.

9. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse tool is adapted to provide torque pulses in the second direction with lower power compared to the torque pulses in the first direction.

10. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein a lower boundary of the first interval is a target value.

11. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein a lower boundary of the first interval is below a target value.

12. The electric pulse tool according to claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse tool is a handheld electric pulse tool.

13. A method in an electric pulse tool for performing tightening operations, where torque is delivered in pulses to tighten a screw joint, the electric pulse tool comprising: an output shaft; and a sensor arranged to determine a parameter value associated with the tightening of the screw joint, wherein the method comprises:
providing torque pulses on the output shaft in a first direction until the determined parameter value associated with the tightening of the screw joint reaches within or above a predetermined first interval including a target parameter value; and
providing at least one torque pulse on the output shaft in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in case the determined parameter value exceeds the target parameter value within a predetermined second interval.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the second interval is right above the first interval.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises providing a notification that the screw joint was tightened too hard in case the determined parameter value exceeds a target value by more than the predetermined second interval.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises determining required pulses in the second direction until the determined parameter value reaches the predetermined first interval.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the sensor is a torque sensor and the parameter value associated with the tightening of the screw joint is torque.

18. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the sensor is an angle meter and the parameter value associated with the tightening of the screw joint is angle.

19. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises reducing power of the torque pulses in the first direction when the determined parameter value is within a predetermined third interval below the predetermined first interval.

20. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises providing torque pulses in the second direction with lower power compared to the torque pulses in the first direction.

21. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises finishing the tightening operation by at least one torque pulse in the first direction in case at least one torque pulse in the second direction has been provided.

22. The method according to claim 13 , wherein a lower boundary of the first interval is a target value.

23. The method according to claim 13 , wherein a lower boundary of the first interval is below a target value.

24. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the electric pulse tool is a handheld electric pulse tool.

25. A computer-readable storage medium, having stored there on a computer program which, when run in an electrical pulse tool, causes the electrical pulse tool to perform the method according to claim 13 .

Assignees

• Atlas Copco Ind Technique Ab

Inventors

• Friberg John Robert Christian
• Asplund Daniel Per Erik

Classifications

• B25D2211/064

  Axial cams, e.g. two camming surfaces coaxial with drill spindle · CPC title

• B25D2250/221

  Sensors · CPC title

• Y10T29/49947

  by applying separate fastener · CPC title

• B25D2250/205

  for torque · CPC title

• B25B23/147 Primary

  specially adapted for electrically operated wrenches or screwdrivers · CPC title