Patent ID: 9668797
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: A61B,B25B,Y10T

Claim:
1. A bidirectional torque limiting device comprising: a hollow body ( an internal circular wall ( at least two generally elongated torque limiting flex ramps ( each torque limiting flex ramp having a first shoulder forming a ramped projection connected to the internal circular wall via first living hinge and a second shoulder forming a ramped projection connected to the internal circular wall via a second living hinge, each first and second living hinge is at an incline relative to the internal circular wall and oriented to intersect at a raised peak bridging the two inclined surfaces; a cavity formed in a second side of the internal circular wall each torque limiting flex ramp, the cavity generally sized to match both the ramped projections and the three living hinges of the at least two generally elongated torque limiting flex ramps; a plug channel ( a tool head ( the tool head having an annular back side surface located between an outermost annular wall sized to movably fit inside the cylindrical front section of the hollow body and an innermost annular peg wall sized to fit inside the plug channel hole, the innermost annular peg having a catch feature formed thereon, the annular back side surface containing at least one bump stop ( a head plug having a base sized to fit inside the back section of the hollow body but sized to be larger than the plug channel hole, the head plug having an extended latch protruding from the base that is sized and shaped to fit through the plug channel hole and fasten to the catch feature on the innermost annular peg to secure the outermost annular wall of the tool head to the first side of the internal circular wall and the base of the head plug to the second side of the internal circular wall; whereby when the handle is twisted relative to the tool, the at least two generally elongated torque limiting flex ramp on the hollow body will rotate toward the at least one bump stop on the tool head to an engagement point where the bump stop contacts the at least two generally elongated torque limiting flex ramp, at the engagement point additionally twisting of the handle will result in a twisting of the tool with a torque limited at level where the at least one bump stop deflects the first and second ramp portions into the cavity allowing the bump stop to rotate past the at least one generally elongated torque limiting flex ramp.