Patent Publication Number: US-2010116102-A1

Title: Torque wrench with multiple selectable functions

Description:
This invention is a torque wrench endowed with selective function activation. 
     There are electronic torque wrenches which can measure the torque value and perform a remarkable variety of tightening functions. 
     For example some known electronic torque wrenches store the different tightening data in on-board files that are downloaded at set intervals toward the different systems controlling production quality. Besides, the wrenches can be supplied with various types of sensors which can better control and store tightening parameters. 
     All of these functions can be present and enabled, but sometimes they may be redundant and ineffectual in a customized application, both in the sense of a difficult use and of an unjustified price level increasing in proportion with the offered technology. 
     On the other hand, it can often be wasteful or unprofitable for the manufacturer himself to produce various torque wrench types according to the different technologies and to store spare stock of an assortment of models that would entail problems of logistics, supply, and servicing. 
     The general purpose of this invention is to prevent the above-mentioned inconveniencies by creating a torque wrench in which the functions can be enabled or disabled in the easiest and most efficient way, while satisfying users&#39; needs. 
     To that purpose, according to the invention it has been devised an electronic torque wrench endowed with a plurality of functions suitable to be selectively activated and including a control unit characterized in that the torque wrench comprises a memory card reading unit and at least one removable memory card containing preset activation codes, the control unit reading the activation codes of the memory card inserted in the reading unit and enabling wrench functions selected among the plurality of functions according to the activation codes stored in the memory card. 
    
    
     
       To better explain the innovative principles of the invention and its advantages compared to the previous known technique, the following lines will illustrate one of the possible achievements based on those principles with the help of drawings. As to the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  represents a perspective view of a wrench respecting the invention principles; 
         FIG. 2  represents a block diagram of the wrench circuit of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows a torque wrench  10  composed by a head  11  with a joint for the tools or bushes to be mounted on the wrench for the various screws to be tightened. The head  11  can be associated to an appropriate ratchet mechanism. The opposite end bears a handle  12 . The body  13  houses the wrench functionality electronics; on its surface are the commands and the display devices (LED and screen). 
     The wrench can have countless functions, each of them already well-known and easy to implement by the technician. In a built-in slot  14  can be inserted a memory card  15  enabling the wrench functions. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the front part contains the sensors for torque measuring  16  and angle measuring  17 . A tool recognition sensor  18  can also be fitted. The wrench incorporates a barcode reader  19  and a transmission system  20  that, besides including a standard via cable serial port, also uses wireless transmission techniques (generally radio technologies such as 433 MHz or 866 MHz, WI-FI, Blue-tooth, etc.). As shown in  FIG. 1 , a light source  21  can be embedded to light up the working area. 
     The electronic torque wrench is thus endowed with a variety of selectively activated functions which use the different wrench sensors and devices individually or in association. The torque wrench includes a control unit  22  connected to the memory card reading unit  23  and integrates at least one removable memory card  24  containing the activation codes preset for these functions. The control unit decodes the memory card activation codes of the reading unit and as a result activates the wrench functions that have been selected among the whole available set. 
     The control unit incorporates a microprocessor  24  with a basic program memory  25  embedded for wrench functionality. The microprocessor is effectively connected to the reading unit  23  for the implementation of further subprograms stored in the memory card. In this way, it is possible to enhance the wrench by adding features that are not provided by the basic program. 
     The cost-effective memory card  15  includes protection devices  26  against indiscriminate reading, thus preventing illegal copy of the activation data on a new memory card. The protection devices  26  communicate with the control unit  22 , so that it is possible to disable protection during authorized memory card reading by the wrench control unit. 
     To optimize this particularly beneficial objective, the control unit  22  has been provided with a specific memory location  27  containing an unlock code, while the memory card possesses its own protection control unit  26  controlling reading access to the memory card location  28  and containing the feature activation codes, accessible only after having received a valid unlock code from the wrench control unit. Thanks to this, it is impossible for a copying device to gain access to the memory card data. 
     The memory cards can be factory preset with the functions to be enabled or programmed by the local torque wrench supplier through a specific programming equipment protected by the unlock code. Here, memory card means any removable storing device and can be based on any known technology, such as SIM, SD, MMC, other memory card standards or purposely created devices. 
     It is now obvious that the anticipated objectives have been wholly fulfilled. In accordance with the invention principles, it appears more cost-effective both for the manufacturer and for the user to produce an electronic torque wrench potentially able to perform all the functions of the most advanced version and at the same time easy to be programmed with simple and inexpensive means for the implementation of a well determined feature set. The manufacturer&#39;s advantage is evident: only one torque wrench model that can be programmed in the most suitable way for the user, but potentially satisfying all kinds of requirements. The user&#39;s advantage is also evident: just one torque wrench model, that can be customized and bought in relation to the desired performances, and at the same time flexible and easy to upgrade according to different functions and needs. At the moment of the purchase, the client will spend in proportion to the selected number of functions. A memory card corresponding to those functions is also supplied. This greatly simplifies inventory management, since the only variations concern memory cards, not wrenches (all alike). Memory cards can be programmed at the client&#39;s request by the salesman himself during order processing or during installation, so they can also be stored in an undifferentiated way. 
     If the user&#39;s needs change, he will just have to buy new memory card with the equivalent functions, while the wrench will be the same and no further expenses will be expected. 
     Of course, the above description of a project based on the pioneering principles of this invention is just an example of such innovation and it is not to be taken as a limitation of the patent rights claimed here.