Fortified plastic disposable torque devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9943948-B2
Application number	US-201514806144-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2015
Priority date	Jan 23, 2013
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A fortified plastic disposable driver having a plastic generally conical nose with a top and bottom, the bottom formed as part of or affixed to the flat top of a body and the top of the nose having a square channel guide with corners, is disclosed. The channel accepts a tool or shaft. At 90 degree orientation from each other are four pairs of force buttressing ribs wherein they have a bottom affixed at said flat top, and each has a support edge affixed to an annular outer wall of the nose. The four pairs of ribs, each pair being positioned along one of the four sides of the square channel. In some instances, each rib further comprises an interior edge and an outer edge, and each outer edge is aligned with a corner. A body and/or handle are used therewith to impart torque for use.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A plastic disposable driver ( 450 ) comprising:
a connection mount ( 50 ) having:
a nose ( 100 ) with a proximal end ( 128 ) formed as part of or affixed to a flat top ( 105 ) of a body ( 102 );
at least one pair of force buttressing ribs ( 120 & 120 ′) extending from the flat top along the length of the nose;
a distal end ( 125 ) of the connection mount;
a square polygonal channel ( 150 ) guide having corners ( 155 ) the channel formed axial and centered in the nose of a size to accept a tool or shaft;
wherein said force buttressing ribs each have a bottom ( 201 ) affixed at the flat top, each force buttressing rib has a support edge ( 210 ) affixed to the length of the annular wall ( 108 ) of the nose, each force buttressing ribs is formed around the annular wall in pairs positioned along one of the four sides of the square channel; and,
a shaft ( 500 ) formed of a material harder than the polygonal channel mounted in said polygonal channel; and,
wherein each force buttressing rib further comprises an interior edge ( 202 ) and an outer edge ( 200 ) wherein each member of the force buttressing rib pair is aligned with a corner of the square channel, and the outer edges of two adjacent pairs of force buttressing ribs align with the same corner of the square channel but at a 90 degree offset.

2. The driver of claim 1 further comprising one or more arms affixed to the body.

3. A fixed disposable driver comprising:
a body ( 102 ) having an elongated nose ( 100 ) with a distal end ( 125 ) fluidly connected to an interior channel ( 150 ) formed axially therein;
a wall ( 350 ) with a predetermined thickness surrounding the interior channel with an outer annular surface ( 108 );
a flat top ( 105 ) affixed to or formed as part of the proximal end ( 128 ) of the nose;
at least one pair of force buttressing ribs ( 120 & 120 ′) affixed to both the flat top and along the length of the outer annular surface; and,
a shaft ( 500 ) formed of a material harder than the interior channel mounted in said channel;
wherein the interior channel is square and has four corners ( 155 );
there are four pairs of force buttressing ribs each pair being parallel to each other and each pair aligned with one of the four walls of the interior channel; and
each force buttressing rib further comprises an interior edge and an outer edge wherein each member of each force buttressing rib pair is aligned with a corner and the outer edges of two adjacent pairs of force buttressing ribs align with the same corner but at a 90 degree offset.

4. A plastic disposable torque limiting driver, comprising:
a connector mount ( 50 ) with a proximal end ( 128 ) formed as part of or affixed to a circumferential rim ( 602 ) and a distal end ( 125 ) comprising a nose ( 100 );
at least two pairs of force buttressing ribs ( 120 & 120 ′);
a square channel ( 150 ) guide having corners ( 155 ) the channel formed axial and centered in the nose of a size to accept a tool or shaft;
a shaft ( 500 ) formed of a material harder than the channel mounted in said square channel; and
wherein said force buttressing ribs have a bottom ( 201 ) affixed at the flat top and each force buttressing rib has a support edge ( 210 ) affixed to the nose;
wherein each force buttressing rib further comprises an interior edge and an outer edge wherein each member of the force buttressing rib pair is aligned with a corner and the outer edges of two adjacent pairs of force buttressing ribs align with the same corner but at a 90 degree offset.

5. A disposable torque-limiting driver comprising:
a handle ( 502 ) and an axially extending cylindrical body ( 102 );
a torque-limiting assembly within the axially extending cylindrical body, the assembly comprising:
an upper cylindrical shank ( 700 );
a lower cylindrical shank ( 600 );
wherein the upper cylindrical shank and the lower cylindrical shank have a plurality of teeth ( 705 ) and an axial bore ( 710 ),
wherein the teeth spiral around the axial bore; and a spring ( 800 ) for applying pressure across the upper cylindrical shank and the lower cylindrical shank, wherein the teeth of the upper cylindrical shank and the lower cylindrical shank engage for relative rotation, and wherein the teeth disengage when a predetermined value of torque is exceeded; a locking screw threaded to mate with the lower cylindrical shank through the upper cylindrical shank;

a connector mount ( 50 ) with a nose ( 100 ) at its proximal end formed as part of the lower cylindrical shank;
four pairs of force buttressing ribs at the distal end of the nose;
a square channel ( 150 ) guide having corners ( 155 ) the channel formed axial and centered in the nose of a size to accept a tool or shaft;
wherein said force buttressing ribs each have a bottom ( 201 ) affixed at the flat top and each force buttressing rib has a support edge ( 210 ) affixed to the length of the nose each member of the force buttressing rib pair is aligned with a corner and the outer edges of two adjacent pairs of force buttressing ribs align with the same corner but at a 90 degree offset;
a shaft ( 500 ) formed of a material harder than the channel mounted in said channel; and,
a workpiece-engaging tip connected to the lower cylindrical shank.

6. A method of applying torque with a plastic disposable driver, the method comprising:
applying torque to a drive shaft ( 400 ), the shaft being affixed to a handle ( 102 ) via a square channel ( 150 ) having corners in a connector mount ( 50 );
forming an annular wall ( 108 ) around the connector mount;
fortifying the connector mount with four pairs of force buttressing ribs ( 120 & 120 ′) whereby load from the shaft excreting force on the annular wall is transferred to a flat top ( 105 ) of the connector mount; and,
whereby the connection mount is further strengthened by positioning two force buttressing ribs 90 degrees apart at each same corner and operates without failure at a load between a force (F 1 ) of 85 and 115 pound-feet for a predetermined time.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the predetermined time is at least 8 seconds.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the predetermined time is at least 9 seconds.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the predetermined time is at least 10 seconds.

10. The method of claim 6 , whereby the connection mount holds the shaft without failure at a load between a force (F 1 ) of 140 and 150 pound-feet for at least 10 seconds.

11. The method of claim 6 , whereby the connection mount holds the shaft without failure at a load between 140 and 150 pound-feet for at least 12 seconds.

12. The method of claim 6 , whereby the connection mount holds the shaft without failure at a load between 140 and 150 pound-feet for at least 15 seconds.

13. The method of claim 6 , whereby the connection mount holds the shaft without failure at a load between 140 and 150 pound-feet for at least 16 seconds.

14. The method of claim 6 , whereby the connection mount holds the shaft without failure at a load between 140 and 150 pound-feet for at least 17 seconds.

15. The method of any one of claim 6 , wherein a non-fortified mount will at least one of distort, deform, and break the annular wall ( 108 ) during the predetermined time in the absence of the strategically placed force buttressing ribs when the force (F 1 ) is applied.

Assignees

• Eca Medical Instr

Inventors

• Nino John
• Ivinson David

Classifications

• A61B90/03

  Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety · CPC title

• B25B23/1415 Primary

  Break members; Arrangements specially adapted for break-bolts (break-bolts per se F16B31/00) · CPC title

• B25B15/04

  with ratchet action · CPC title

• A61B2090/031

  torque limiting · CPC title

• B25B23/141

  Mechanical overload release couplings · CPC title