Isolated Torque Transfer Assembly for High-Voltage Socket Couplers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrically isolated couplers for socket tools and fastener driving components often fail to maintain high torque ratings while ensuring electrical isolation, especially at high voltage levels, leading to potential shock or spark hazards.

Innovation Solution

An electrically isolated coupler design featuring a torque transfer assembly made of non-conductive material, positioned between the drive and driven bodies, maintains a minimum separation of .400" to ensure electrical isolation and transfer torque effectively, using rigid materials like aluminum or hard nylon to support high torque applications without increasing coupler size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an insulating member is disposed between the drive body and driven body to electrically isolate them, then electrical isolation is improved, but torque transfer capability deteriorates due to the weak point where isolation material is unsupported

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical isolationVSAvoidtorque transfer capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The torque transfer assembly uses a composite structure combining non-conductive material (for electrical isolation) with conductive material or reinforcement features (for torque transfer). This allows the assembly to simultaneously achieve electrical isolation between drive and driven bodies while maintaining sufficient torque transfer capability through the reinforced non-conductive material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The torque transfer assembly acts as an intermediary component between the drive body and driven body, providing both electrical isolation and torque transfer functions. The assembly includes engagement features that allow it to mechanically couple the two bodies while the non-conductive material prevents electrical contact, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements of isolation and strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the separation distance between drive body and driven body is increased to ensure high voltage isolation, then electrical isolation is improved, but the coupler size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehigh voltage isolationVSAvoidcoupler size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material parameters of the torque transfer assembly by using non-conductive material with specific electrical properties. This allows achieving high voltage isolation through material selection rather than increasing dimensional parameters, thus maintaining compact coupler size while ensuring adequate electrical isolation distance and properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If non-conductive coating material is applied to metallic socket, then electrical isolation is improved, but durability deteriorates due to wear from high torque and repeated contact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical isolationVSAvoidcoating durability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of coating the metallic socket with non-conductive material, the invention introduces a separate non-conductive torque transfer assembly as an intermediary component. This assembly is specifically designed to handle torque transfer without relying on coating adhesion, thus eliminating the wear problem while maintaining electrical isolation functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention segments the socket tool into distinct functional components: a metallic drive body, a non-conductive torque transfer assembly, and a driven body. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function - the torque transfer assembly handles both torque transmission and electrical isolation, while the metallic bodies provide structural strength without requiring non-conductive coatings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3941685B1Electrically isolated tool with non-conductive torque transfer component

Publication Date: 2024.03.13 APEX BRANDS INC

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 2~3

AI summary

An electrically isolated coupler includes a drive body, a driven body, and a torque transfer assembly. The drive body is made of first metallic material and has a drive end configured to interface with a fastening component. The drive body includes a first interface portion and the driven body includes a second interface portion. The driven body is made of a second metallic material and has a driven end configured to interface with a driving tool. The torque transfer assembly is disposed between the drive body and the driven body to electrically isolate the drive body and the driven body from each other and transfer torque between the drive body and the driven body. The torque transfer assembly includes non-conductive material configured to maintain separation between the drive body and the driven body of at least about.400".