WO2013172841A1

WO2013172841A1 - Operation parameter regulation unit for an electrically operated tool

Info

Publication number: WO2013172841A1
Application number: PCT/US2012/038402
Authority: WO
Inventors: John K. Junkers
Original assignee: HYTORC Division Unex Corporation
Priority date: 2012-05-17
Filing date: 2012-05-17
Publication date: 2013-11-21

Abstract

The invention relates to an operation parameter regulation unit for an electrically power operated tool having an operation unit to control an electric power unit for the generation of a screw pretensioning force. The operation parameter regulation unit eliminates the risk of an incorrect setting of the setting parameter and includes: a processing unit; an output unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit; an input unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit; an activation unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit for activating the operation unit of the tool and/or the electric power unit of the tool; and a data capturing unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is designed for the output of the value to be set on the operation unit of the tool based on screw connection process parameters determined with the data capturing unit.

Description

Operation Parameter Regulation Unit for an Electrically Power Operated Tool

The invention relates to an operation parameter regulation unit for an electrically power operated tool having an operation unit to control an electric power unit for the

generation of a screw pretension ing force, with

a processing unit with an output unit

an input unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit an activation unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit for activating the electric power unit of the tool and

a data capturing unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is designed for the output of the value to be set on the operation unit based on screw connection process parameters determined with the data capturing unit.

Electric torque wrenches include a planetary torque multiplier or gearbox, with multiplication ratios, mated to an electric motor. At the end of the gearbox is a reaction device that is used to absorb the torque. The correct torque output is adjusted via the operation unit by controlling, for example, an electrical input. In this example, upon reaching the correct torque output the electric motor is shut off according to the level that is adjusted by the operator of the tool. Such operation units for controlling electric torque wrenches are sufficiently known from the state of the art.

Known operation units have embodiments which absolve the operating personnel from the responsibility of deciding whether the screwing process was performed properly. However, it is still required that the operating personnel first set the setting parameters in the prescribed manner so that the target parameters or values to be achieved can be achieved. The setting parameters thereby conform to a plurality of screw connection process parameters, which result for example from the operator, the application or screw connection, and the tool in use. Known sources of errors, which lead to a defective screw connection, are for example: incorrect selection of tools; incorrect use of calculation tables; basic calculation errors in the determination of setting parameters; incorrect assignment of screw parameters to the screw connection; incorrect bolt elongation; failure of the tool or its components; failure of measuring means; incorrect setting of the setting parameters; etc..

These types of issues have been addressed in drive units for driving fluid power operated tools for the generation of a screw pretensioning force, which include for example hydraulically operated torque or other wrenches or expanding cylinders. In PCT/US10/56683, an entire copy of which is incorporated herein by reference,

Applicant provided a drive unit that eliminates the risk of an incorrect setting of the setting parameter. Other control and management units and systems for power operated tools have been disclosed by Applicant in PCT/US10/32139 and

PCT/US09/48395, entire copies of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Innovations disclosed in this application advance such drive unit and control unit technology and solve the object through an operation parameter regulation unit for an electrically power operated tool having an operation unit to operate an electric power unit with the characteristics of claim 1 . Advantageous embodiments of the invention are listed in the dependent claims.

Characteristic for the operation parameter regulation unit according to the invention is that it has a processing unit with an output unit as well as a data capturing unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is designed for the output of the value to be set on the operation unit based on the process parameters determined with the data capturing unit. The data capturing unit of the operation parameter regulation unit according to the invention makes it possible to automatically capture screw connection processing parameters without requiring input from the operating personnel. The screw connection process parameters include for example data on the operating personnel, data on the tool to be used, e.g. the used electric torque wrench or other tool, data on the screw connection to be established, information on the screw connection means and data on the structural elements to be screwed together. The saving of the corresponding process parameters in a form in which they can be automatically imported by the data capturing unit permits the error- free capturing of all process parameters required for the determination of the setting parameters, based on which the processing unit determines the setting parameters, insofar as they are not saved or do not already result directly from the imported data. The specification, input and/or use of incorrect setting parameters, which could result from incorrect inputs by operating personnel, is prevented by automated data capturing. The setting parameters determined by the processing unit are specified without error via the output unit of the processing unit, so that only a transfer of the specified setting parameters is required. The work process can then be started via activation of the power unit via the operation unit of the tool and can be ended again after the target values have been reached.

In one case, the target value is torque output, but can be: electrical circuit parameters such as current, voltage or magnetic field; fastener pretensioning force, rotation angle, elongation, torsion, side load, or frictional resistance; and/or direct measurement of such or a combination of such; etc. Torque output and other target values can be measured or sensed by various types of: strain gauges; rotary encoders; torque sensors and transducers; hall effect and similar magnetic and ferromagnetic field sensing units; clutches; load cells; position meters/sensors; or etc. Note that other components known in the art may be used.

Note that automatic systems, which are e.g. integrated into the processing unit and that independently start the work process and end it after the target values have been reached, can also be used to perform the work process.

The balancing of the automatically captured specific process parameters to be performed by the processing unit can generally take place in any manner, wherein for example the data required for determining the setting parameters are already saved in the processing unit. However, in accordance with an advantageous further embodiment of the invention, the processing unit is designed for connection with a storage unit. This embodiment of the invention makes it possible to selectively provide the processing unit with the information necessary for determining the required setting parameters via the storage unit. In the case of this further embodiment of the invention, the saving of the relevant data required for determining the setting parameters in the processing unit can be omitted so that it can be designed particularly cost-effectively.

The connection to a storage unit also enables in a simple manner access to current data so that an otherwise potentially complicated updating of the processing unit can be omitted.

The connection option to the storage unit also makes it possible to save process- specific information, e.g. data on the performed work processes, on the storage unit. A manual, potentially defective and time- and cost-intensive documentation of the performed work processes can be omitted in this case. The establishment of a connection of the processing unit with the storage unit can thereby take place in any form, wherein for example a standardized connection arranged on the processing unit, e.g. a USB connection, enables in a simple manner the connection of the storage unit to the processing unit.

However, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the processing unit is designed for wireless connection with the storage unit. The wireless connection, which can in particular be established via standardized radio protocols, enables a particularly simple and comfortable connection of the processing unit with the storage unit. They can be equipped for example with a GSM module, a Bluetooth module or the like. This embodiment of the invention also makes it possible to access a central storage unit, e.g. a central database, with correspondingly designed drive units, so that local storage units are not needed. The use of a central database facilitates data management in a special manner since updates only need to be made in one database. Moreover, the wireless connection to the central storage unit makes it possible to save information on the performed screwing processes centrally so that information can be queried from the central database by authorized persons, similar to the tracking of product shipments.

For the determination of setting parameters, it is required that the screw connection process parameters are saved in a manner comprehendible by the data capturing unit at a suitable location, e.g. in the tool or the screw connection. The screw connection process parameters may include, e.g. the operating personnel identification; the tool information which includes e.g. information on the manufacturer, type, size, serial number, characteristics; data on the screw connection instances can be type, application, description of the screw connection type, screw connection parameters (e.g. torque, pretensioning force, rotation angle, elongation, torsion, side load, or frictional resistance, etc.); and data on the equipment of the screw connection include e.g. manufacturer, thread, dimensions, yield points, etc. Note that screw connection process parameters may include other relevant characteristics, data and/or information. These screw connection process parameters are saved in a manner comprehendible by the data capturing unit on the individual elements. The type of the data saving in a manner comprehendible by the data capturing unit is thereby generally freely

selectable. Since e.g. barcodes or RFID units have particularly proven themselves as machine-readable codes, the data capturing unit is designed as a mobile code reader unit and/or RFID receiver and/or write unit according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention. Such data capturing units are characterized by their high reliability and cost-effective design. If applicable, the respective information is saved in a form corresponding to the data capturing units, i.e. in accordance with this

advantageous embodiment as machine-readable code or on an RFID unit, so that it can be captured immediately.

The use of RFID units is thereby characterized in particular in that the capturing can take place in wireless form and over a greater distance, wherein the use of RFID units also makes it possible to save supplementary data on the RFID unit after completion of the work processes. Machine-readable code is thereby understood in particular as barcodes or the like, wherein the read devices then have corresponding scanners. The barcodes can be arranged on stickers, which are e.g. attached to the tool and/or the screw connection.

The connection of the data capturing unit with the processing unit can also generally take place in any manner. However, according to a particularly advantageous

embodiment of the invention, the data capturing unit is designed for wireless connection with the processing unit. A corresponding design of the invention, in which the

connection is established e.g. via standardized radio procedures, increases ease of use in a supplementary manner since there is no restriction for data capturing via data capturing units due to a cable-bound connection.

The design of the operation unit for determining the setting parameter(s) to be applied by the power unit, e.g. for the establishment of a pretensioning force, can generally take place in any manner. However, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the operation unit is designed as e.g. keypad or panel for controlling or regulating the setting parameter(s) of the target values. In the case of the use of electric torque wrenches to establish a screw connection, this design of the invention enables in a particularly simple manner the setting of the target values (e.g. tool torque output; electrical circuit parameters such as current, voltage or magnetic field; fastener pretensioning force, rotation angle, elongation, torsion, side load, or frictional resistance; and/or direct measurement of such or a combination of such; etc.) required for the screw connection. The operation unit can thereby be set in any manner, in the easiest manner by hand, to the value specified on the output unit. The start of the screwing process can then take place via activation of the activation unit of the operation parameter regulation unit.

In addition to a purely optical output of the setting parameters via the output unit, it is provided according to a further embodiment of the invention, that the output unit is designed for control and/or regulation of the operation unit. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, the setting parameter determined by the processing unit is automatically transferred to the operation unit, e.g. an electrically controllable operation unit, after determination of the process parameters via the data capturing unit. This embodiment of the invention guarantees in a supplementary manner that a

misadjustment caused by operating personnel and thus a defective screw connection do not result. In a particularly advantageous manner, the output unit is also designed to check the setting parameters and to make corrections. This ensures in a particularly reliable manner an error-free establishment of the required screw connections.

The documentation of the performed work processes can generally take place in any manner, for example as listed above, by saving information on a storage unit. However, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the output unit has a printing apparatus, which makes it possible to make available to operating personnel immediately in printed form reports on the realized screw connections.

Alternatively or additionally, it can also be provided according to a further development of the invention that the processing unit is designed for the documentation of the realized screw connections. Should it be required to procure information on the realized screw connections, the processing unit can be accessed at a later time and the data saved there can be called.

In accordance with a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the processing unit has a time and/or position capturing unit. This data, wherein the position capturing unit can be formed e.g. by a GPS receiver, can also be saved as information on the realized processes so that the quality of the realized and callable documentation can be increased in a supplementary manner.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in great detail below with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows in Fig. 1 , a sketch of a view of an operation parameter regulation unit.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective representation as a sketch of an operation parameter regulation unit 51 for an electrically powered torque tool 61 for the generation of a screw pretensioning force. Operation parameter regulation unit 51 is shown exterior to tool 61 , however the whole of unit 51 or parts thereof may be found within tool 61 . Tool 61 receives power via electrical line 62 from a power supply 63. Power supply 63 may include any suitable source (e.g., battery, solar cell, fuel cell, electrical wall socket, generator, motor, etc.). Operation parameter regulation unit 51 activates an electronic power unit 64 of tool 61 and controls the torque output level or other operation or setting parameter set on an operation unit 65. Operation parameter regulation unit 51 , in this case, regulates/monitors/measures etc. torque output as the target value. In order to set the target value required for a screw connection, operation parameter regulation unit 51 has an input unit 52. A data capturing unit 56, in this case a mobile barcode scanner, captures screw connection process parameters 81 from the operating personnel, tool 61 , a screw connection instance or application 82 and screw connection equipment 83. Data capturing unit 56 is shown external to operation parameter regulation unit 51 , however the whole of unit 56 or parts thereof may be found within tool 61 or unit 51 . Screw connection process parameters 81 are transferred wirelessly to a processing unit 53. Processing unit 53 indicates the compression torque to be set via the display of input unit 52 after accessing the data saved on a storage unit 54. After setting the shown compression torque on input unit 52 by the operator, the screwing process can be started and stopped via an activation unit 55, either manually, semi-manually or automatically. Note that the compression torque or the screw pretensioning force is the force necessary to tighten and/or loosen the screw connection.

In an alternative embodiment not shown here, the setting of the determined setting parameter on input unit 52 takes place directly through forwarding from processing unit 53 to input unit 52. After setting on a preferably electrically controllable input unit 52, the screw connection can either be started automatically or initiated manually by the operator via activation unit 55. After completion of the screwing process, specific data on the screw connection can be saved on storage unit 54 by processing unit 53, where it can be called for later purposes.

In an alternative embodiment not shown here, the activation unit 55 may have a sensing unit which determines when the tool 61 is available to tighten and/or loosen the screw connection thereby rendering the valve unit electric power unit 64 activatable via the activation unit 55. The sensing unit acts as a safety mechanism, which helps to prevent injury to the operating personnel. Additionally the activation unit 55 and the data capturing device may be combined into one unit, which renders the valve unit 3 to be activatable by the combined unit.

When used in the foregoing specification, and/or the following claims, the terms

"comprises", "includes" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components. Few if any of the terms or phrases in the specification and claims have been given any special meaning different from their plain language meaning, and therefore the specification is not to be used to define terms in an unduly narrow sense.

The features disclosed in the foregoing specification, the following claims, and/or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilized for realizing the invention in diverse forms thereof. It is to be understood that the above is merely a description of preferred embodiments of the present application and that various changes, combinations, alterations, and variations may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as set for in the appended claims.

Claims

An operation parameter regulation unit for an electrically power operated tool having an operation unit to control an electric power unit for the generation of a screw pretensioning force, the operation parameter regulation unit including: a processing unit;

an output unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit;

an input unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit;

an activation unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit for activating the operation unit of the tool and/or the electric power unit of the tool; and

a data capturing unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is designed for the output of the value to be set on the operation unit of the tool based on screw connection process parameters determined with the data capturing unit.

The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the processing unit is designed for connection with a storage unit.

The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the processing unit is designed for wireless connection with the storage unit.

The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the data capturing unit is designed as a mobile code reading device and/or RFID receiver and/or write unit. 2

5. The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim,

characterized in that the data capturing unit is designed for wireless connection with the processing unit.

6. The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim,

characterized in that operation unit is designed as a keypad controlling or regulating the setting parameter(s) of target values including: tool torque output; electrical circuit parameters such as current, voltage or magnetic field; fastener pretensioning force, rotation angle, elongation, torsion, side load, or frictional resistance; and/or direct measurement of such or a combination of such.

7. The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim,

characterized in that the output unit is designed to control and/or regulate the operation unit.

8. The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim,

characterized in that the output unit has a printing apparatus.

9. The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim,

characterized in that the processing unit is designed for the documentation of the realized screw connections.

10. The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim,

characterized in that the processing unit has a time and/or position capturing unit.

1 1 . The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim, having a sensing unit which determines when the tool is available to tighten and/or loosen the screw connection thereby rendering the operation unit activatable. 3

12. The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim,

characterized in that the operation unit is activatable by the data capturing device.

13. The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim,

characterized in that the screw pretensioning force is the force necessary to tighten and/or loosen the screw connection.

14. The operation parameter regulation unit according to any preceding claim,

characterized in that the screw connection process parameters are determined from an operating personnel, a power operated tool, a screw connection instance and screw connection equipment.

15. A method of automatically determining a screw pretensioning force for a screw connection process including:

acquiring by means of a data capturing unit screw connection process parameters from an operating personnel, a power operated tool, a screw connection instance and screw connection equipment;

transmitting the parameters to a processing unit of an operation parameter regulation unit;

processing the parameters with data saved on a storage unit; and setting the screw pretensioning force on an operation unit.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the screw pretensioning force is the force necessary to tighten and/or loosen the screw connection.

17. A method of automatically tightening and/or loosening a screw connection

including:

acquiring by means of a data capturing unit screw connection process parameters from an operating personnel, a power operated tool, a screw connection instance and screw connection equipment; 4

processing the parameters with data saved on a storage unit; setting the screw pretensioning force on an operation unit of the operation parameter regulation unit;

determining whether the tool is available to tighten and/or loosen the screw connection; and

activating the electric power unit.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the screw pretensioning force is the force necessary to tighten and/or loosen the screw connection.

19. An electrically power operated tool including:

an electric power unit for the generation of a screw pretensioning force; an operation unit to control the electric power unit;

an operation parameter regulation unit having:

a processing unit;

an output unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit; an input unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit; an activation unit connected and/or integrated with the processing unit for activating the operation unit of the tool and/or the electric power unit of the tool; and

20. An apparatus for managing a threaded fastener substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.