Patent ID: 7367891

Claim:
A torque control system, comprising: a drive unit; an output member; and a torque limiting device interconnected between the drive unit and the output member, the torque limiting device including: a base configured to reside on a stationary member so that the base remains in a fixed position relative to the drive unit, an output shaft assembly including an output shaft defining a cavity and extending longitudinally along a rotational axis, the output shaft being constructed and arranged to convey torque from the drive unit to the output member and including one or more output fingers supported at one end of the shaft; an input shaft assembly including an input drive shaft extending through the cavity defined by the output shaft and having one end coupled to the drive unit and configured to receive a torque load from the drive unit, the input shaft rotating about the same rotational axis as the output shaft during operation, detent members disposed adjacent to the input shaft assembly and the output shaft assembly, the detent members being configured to transition the torque limiting device between (i) a drive state in which the input shaft assembly, as driven by the drive unit, rotates the output shaft assembly about the axis and (ii) a tripped state in which the input shaft assembly does not rotate the output shaft assembly about the axis depending on forces provided to the detent members, by the input shaft assembly, in respective radial directions away from the axis and toward the base, and wherein in use the input shaft frictionally engages the output fingers so as to convey torque to the output shaft assembly and cause concurrent rotation of the input shaft assembly and the output shaft assembly, and wherein when the torque difference between the input shaft assembly and the output shaft assembly is above a predetermined threshold, the sides of the second end of the input shaft force the detent members in a radial direction away from the rotational axis and into engagement with the base so as to wedge the input shaft into a non-rotating position to stop the transference of torque from the input shaft.