Torque Socket Locking Mechanism Prevents Over-Torque
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing torque sockets lack a mechanism to prevent excessive torque application, which can damage screws or lenses, and they often rely on magnetic attraction that interferes with sensitive medical equipment, necessitating a solution for secure drive head attachment without magnetism.
Innovation Solution
A torque socket with a locking and releasing mechanism featuring a shaft rod with a flange, core shaft, and sleeve tube, utilizing friction surfaces and an elastic member with a slide sleeve and fasten ring to manage torque and securely attach the drive head without magnets, allowing for rapid assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a magnet is used to attract and connect the drive head to the torque socket, then the drive head is securely fastened without falling out, but magnetic field interference occurs with sensitive medical equipment such as pacemakers and biological signal sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the magnetic component from the torque socket design and replaces it with a mechanical locking mechanism. The drive head is retained through a ratchet-and-pawl system that physically engages with the drive head's drive rod, eliminating magnetic field interference while maintaining secure attachment during torque application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the magnetic attraction system with a purely mechanical retention system. The ratchet teeth on the drive rod engage with corresponding pawls in the torque socket, creating a mechanical lock that holds the drive head securely without requiring magnetic fields, thus solving the contradiction between retention reliability and compatibility with medical equipment.
2Ease of operation
If the torque socket allows free rotation during assembly, then rapid attachment and detachment of drive heads is achieved, but the drive head may become loose or fall out during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic locking system where the ratchet pawls can freely move during drive head insertion and removal, enabling rapid assembly. Once the drive head is in position, the pawls automatically engage with the ratchet teeth to lock the connection, providing automatic transition from free movement to secured retention without requiring manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The torque socket's ratchet mechanism automatically performs the locking function when the drive head is inserted. The geometry of the ratchet teeth and pawls causes automatic engagement as the drive head is pushed into place, eliminating the need for separate locking actions and enabling both rapid assembly and secure retention through self-activating mechanical features.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The mechanism effectively prevents excessive torque application by engaging an idle rotating status when the preset torque is exceeded, ensuring secure locking and preventing damage, while avoiding magnetic interference, thus enhancing safety and compatibility with sensitive equipment.
Implementation Method 1
a first friction surface; a shaft cylinder, having two axial sides thereof respectively formed with a shaft slot allowing the core shaft to be received, a second friction surface being in contact with the first friction surface is radially formed inside the shaft slot
Implementation Method 2
including a first elastic member, a slide sleeve and a fasten ring, wherein the first elastic member is sleeved on the sleeve tube
Data Source
AI summary
A torque socket having locking and releasing function, comprises: a shaft rod, having a core shaft radially formed with a shaft hole and an outer circumference thereof radially formed with a first friction surface; a shaft cylinder, having two axial sides thereof respectively formed with a shaft slot and a sleeve tube having a sleeve slot, a second friction surface is radially formed inside the shaft slot; and a locking and releasing mechanism, including: a first elastic member, sleeved on the sleeve tube; a slide sleeve, sleeved with the shaft cylinder, the sleeve tube is radially formed with a positioning hole allowing a positioning ball to be received, and an inner circumference of the slide sleeve is formed with a stopping wall and a ball chamber corresponding to the location of the positioning ball during two elastic sliding strokes; and a fasten ring, fastened with the sleeve tube.