Patents Assigned to Atlas Copco Tools AB
  • Patent number: 8302702
    Abstract: A torque sensing unit for a power tool arranged to generate a torque responsive signal by sensing the reaction torque transferred from a ring gear of a planetary reduction gearing to the tool housing. The torque sensing unit includes an annular torque transferring element disposed perpendicularly to the geometric axis of the ring gear and being formed with a first pair of external engagement portions for connecting the torque transferring element to the housing, a second pair of external engagement portions for connecting the torque transferring element to the ring gear, and at least one pair of weak elastically deformable zones located between the engagement portions and provided with sensors for delivering signals in response to the transferred reaction torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventors: Christer Gunnar Hansson, Erik Vilhelm Persson
  • Publication number: 20120275871
    Abstract: An improved pneumatic ADE-machine with a built-in logic has a clutch in the power transmission chain between a first drive gear and a second driven gear. The clutch includes two clutch parts (D, F), whereof a first part (D) is axially biased by a spring (C). Movable elements (E) are arranged between the clutch parts, which transfer the rotation from the first to the second clutch part, and an actuator (H) is arranged in connection with the first spring biased clutch part (D). When a feed force on a drill during drilling exceeds the biasing force of the spring, the movable elements displace the spring biased clutch part axially, which triggers the actuator (H) to send a corresponding signal to the machine logic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: ATLAS COPCO TOOLS AB
    Inventors: Ulf Mikael Eriksson, Wilhelm Mattias Georgsson
  • Patent number: 8261642
    Abstract: A power wrench includes a housing divided into two parts which are rotatable relative to each other: a first part including a handle and a transverse section lodging a rotation motor, and a second part including a reduction gearing, an output shaft and a rigidly attached and laterally extending reaction bar. A swivel connection is provided between the housing parts and includes an angle sensor arranged to generate signals in response to relative angular movements between the housing parts, and a power control unit communicates with the angle sensor and is arranged to at least substantially reduce the motor power as a pre-set maximum angular movement between the housing parts is exceeded as the motor is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventors: Roland Ulf Brändström, Thomas Jan Hanspers, Mikael Erik Monsell
  • Patent number: 8215934
    Abstract: A pneumatic vane motor includes a stator with a cylinder, an inlet connectable to a pressure air source and an outlet connectable to an exhaust passage, a rotor journalled in the stator, and an output shaft. The stator has a front opening forming a clearance seal relative to the output shaft and an annular front cover with at least one elastic annular seal element encircling the output shaft at a distance from the clearance seal, wherein a low pressure chamber is formed between the clearance seal and the seal element or elements and communicates with the exhaust passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventors: Sven Olov Roger Edlund, Heino Elmessaar, Johan Fredrik Lindgren, Hans Reinhold Svedman
  • Patent number: 8118702
    Abstract: A power tool having a rotation motor coupled to an output shaft (11) via a reduction gearing (13,14), wherein the reduction gearing (13,14) comprises at least one planetary gearing (14) with a sun gear (30), a ring gear (22), a planet wheel carrier (32) supporting two or more planet wheel units (35) each comprising two axially spaced spur gears (36,37) both secured to a spindle (38) which is rotatively journalled relative to the planet wheel carrier (32) via a bearing located between the spur gears (36,37).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventor: Gunnar Christer Hansson
  • Publication number: 20120039736
    Abstract: A pneumatic motor unit includes a housing with an air inlet passage, an exhaust air outlet passage, and a rotation motor which generates a pulsating exhaust air outlet flow. The motor unit further includes a voltage depending device which communicates signals in response to at least one of an actual motor condition and operation parameter values, and a voltage generating section which is connected to the voltage depending device and which includes a piezoelectric element provided in the exhaust air outlet passage and arranged to be activated by pressure pulses of the pulsating exhaust air outlet flow from the motor. The piezoelectric element is tongue shaped and rigidly secured at one end, and is arranged to be swung in a two-way movement relative to a central rest position to thereby generate an alternating current voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: ATLAS COPCO TOOLS AB
    Inventor: Anders Urban Nelson
  • Publication number: 20120024557
    Abstract: A portable pneumatic power wrench has a housing with a handle, a motor, a pressure air inlet passage, and an outlet passage for ducting exhaust air from the motor out of the housing. An outlet unit is connected to the outlet passage and has a first outlet opening section forming a main exhaust air flow path, a second outlet opening section forming an additional exhaust air flow path, and a manually operable valve arranged to control the additional exhaust air flow path by opening or closing the second outlet opening section. The total outlet flow area of the main exhaust air flow path and the additional exhaust air flow path gives an augmented torque output of the power wrench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventor: Knut Christian Schoeps
  • Patent number: 8106299
    Abstract: A multi conductor flat type cable, which is intended for connecting a portable electric power tool to a stationary power supply and operation control unit, has a connector plug (18) attached to its one end, wherein the cable (10) has a twisted shape section (A) adjacent the connector plug (18) for facilitating universal bending of the cable (10). The twisted section (A) is provided with a transition sleeve (16) with a cylindrical portion (17) at the connector plug end and two tapering tongues (20, 21) extending along the cable (10) over at least a part of the twisted section (A), wherein the cable (10) is adapted to the cylindrical shape of the connector plug (18) and strengthened against too close bending in the twisted section (A). The transition sleeve (16) is molded onto the cable (10) in a first manufacturing step, and in a second step the cable (10) together with the transition sleeve (16) are heated to a certain temperature and twisted to assume the twisted shape in the section (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventor: Karl Johan Lars Elsmark
  • Publication number: 20120017686
    Abstract: An ultrasonic measurement device and method in which an ultrasonic transducer is acoustically coupled to an object to be measured by a resilient material contact layer. The transducer transmits a plurality of consecutive ultrasonic transmit signals into the object being measured, the transmit frequency of each of the plurality of transmit signals being distinct from the frequency of the other transmit signals of the plurality of transmit signals. Signal echoes of the transmitted signals are received, and based on the received signal echoes, at least one transmit frequency to be used for ultrasonic measurement of the object is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventors: Carl-Gustaf Carlin, Lars Rickard Eriksson, Jarl-Olof Huldén
  • Publication number: 20110293457
    Abstract: A pneumatic vane motor comprising a housing (10) with a cylinder (11), two end walls (13,14), and a rotor (18) journalled in the housing (10) and carrying one or more pairs of sliding vanes (31), and vane supporting pins (32) longitudinally movable in transverse bores (33) in the rotor (18) and forming spacers between two diametrically opposite vanes (31), and the rotor (18) having a coaxial bore (48) with a closed end (49) and an open end (50) closed by a removable plug (51), wherein the coaxial bore (48) intersects the transverse bores (33) and being filled with a lubricant for providing lubrication of the vane supporting pins (32).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: ATLAS COPCO TOOLS AB
    Inventors: Hans Reinhold Svedman, André Peter Hellestig
  • Publication number: 20110259619
    Abstract: A portable power wrench of an angle type includes an elongated housing with an angle drive head and a rear handle and supports a motor. The power wrench also includes a manually operated power control device including a main power control trigger located at the rear handle and an auxiliary power control trigger located at the angle drive head. The motor as well as the main trigger and the auxiliary power control trigger are connected to a programmable control unit in which there are stored operation parameter sets suitable for a screw joint running down phase and a final tightening phase, respectively. The auxiliary power control trigger is arranged to activate the running down parameter set only, whereas the main power control trigger is arranged to activate the final tightening parameter set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventor: Hans Karl Johan Brodin
  • Patent number: 8042622
    Abstract: An electric power tool having a housing, a motor, a jack for receiving a connection plug of an electric cable, and a swivel unit mounted on the housing and carrying the jack, wherein the swivel unit includes a first head mounted on the housing for rotation about a first axis, and a second head mounted on the first head for rotation about a second axis. The first and second axes form an angle between them, and provide for freedom of rotation of the jack, thereby providing for positioning of the jack and routing of a connected cable in desired directions relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventors: Kjell Thomas Martin Eriksson, Gunnar Christer Hansson, Erik Vilhelm Persson
  • Publication number: 20110255930
    Abstract: A drill spindle unit includes a housing, and a rotatable and longitudinally displaceable drill spindle provided with axial keyways for cooperation with internal projections of a drill spindle surrounding rotation drive sleeve, and a screw thread for cooperation with an internal thread of a drill spindle surrounding feed drive sleeve. Bearings for radial as well as axial support of the drill spindle relative to the housing are provided. The radial support bearings are arranged to transfer radial forces only, and a thrust bearing is arranged to transfer axial forces between the housing and the drill spindle. The thrust bearing is associated with an axial load sensing device by which signals are generated in response to the axial load applied on the drill spindle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: ATLAS COPCO TOOLS AB
    Inventors: Ulf Mikael Eriksson, Wilhelm Mattias Jacobsson
  • Publication number: 20110236180
    Abstract: A gas driven motor includes a housing, a gas driven rotating member including a rotor and a rotor shaft carrying the rotor and journalled in a first bearing and a second bearing supported in the housing, and a speed governor for controlling a pressure gas inlet flow in response to the rotation speed of the rotating member. The first bearing includes a set of rolling elements, an outer race arranged in the housing and an inner race arranged on a shaft portion of the rotating member, the set of rolling elements being in contact with the races on which the rolling elements roll. The motor further includes a coupling device arranged to couple the speed governor to the rolling elements of the first bearing, thereby transferring the rotary motion from the rolling elements to the speed governor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: ATLAS COPCO TOOLS AB
    Inventors: Anders Urban Nelson, Sten Herman Olsson
  • Publication number: 20110236144
    Abstract: A drilling unit with automatic drill shaft feeding is provided. The feeding velocity can be changed by external mounting of exchangeable gearing cassettes having a desired gear ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: ATLAS COPCO TOOLS AB
    Inventors: Ulf Mikael Eriksson, Wilhelm Mattias Jacobsson
  • Publication number: 20110214890
    Abstract: A method and a device are provided for locking the operation of a power wrench to the location of an unacceptably tightened screw joint or object with a sensor for at least one tightening parameter. A position sensing system is provided for indicating continuously the position of the power wrench during tightening operations, and a control unit includes a unit for comparing obtained tightening parameter values with predetermined limit values and to provide an OK or a NOK signal in response to those limit values being passed or not for each screw joint. A locking device is provided to lock the power wrench operation to the very position of the screw joint or the object for which a NOK signal has been issued until the unacceptably tightened screw joint has been attended to and the NOK signal is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventor: Carl Johan Erik Wallgren
  • Patent number: 8002098
    Abstract: A torque responsive release clutch intended for a power nutrunner and comprises a driving clutch half (11) and a driven clutch half (10) coupled to each other for torque transfer by means of axially directed teeth (16, 17), wherein one of the clutch halves is axially movable between an engagement position and a release position against the action of a bias spring (13). Each one of the teeth (16) of one of the clutch halves (10) has a substantially prismatic shape and extends axially from a base portion (19) to a top portion (20) and comprises two surfaces (22, 23) which form between them a ridge (25). The base portion (19) of the tooth (16) has a radial extent from an inner diameter (d1 to an outer diameter (d2), and the ridge (25) extends from the inner diameter (d1 at the base portion (19) to the outer diameter (d2) at the top portion (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventor: Erik Roland Rahm
  • Patent number: 7963346
    Abstract: A power tool comprises a housing (10;110) with an output shaft (11;111) driven by a rotation motor and an angle drive (12;112) connecting the output shaft (11;111) to the motor, wherein the angle drive (12;112) comprises a drive spindle (15;115) connected to the motor and carrying a pinion (15;115), and a bevel gear (17;117) secured to the output shaft (11;111). The drive spindle (15;115) and the pinion (16:116) are supported in the housing (10;110) via a ball type thrust bearing (24;124) having in one of its embodiments an inner ring (31) with a thread for cooperation with a threaded portion (33) on the drive spindle (15), and an outer ring (26;126) which is rigidly secured in the housing (10). The inner ring (31) is adjustable and lockable relative to the drive spindle, (15) by an annular lock element (35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventor: Hans Karl Johan Brodin
  • Patent number: 7958611
    Abstract: A number of pre-production calibration tightenings are performed at a screw joint identical to a screw joint used in production and using the same impulse wrench as to be used in production tightening. The value of one or more tightening related parameters are registered at the attainment of the desired pre-tension level, and those parameter values are used to statistically form a basis for a reference set-up. The tightening parameter values registered during production tightening are compared to the reference set-up, and an indication is obtained as to discrepancies between the reference set-up and the actually registered parameter values to get an indication as to whether the impulse wrench is malfunctioning and/or the screw joint is faulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventors: John Robert Christian Friberg, Mats Cornelius Holmin, Knut Christian Schoeps, Torbjörn Rafael Sjöblom, Nils Gustav Erland Karlberg, Christa Maria Karlberg, legal representative
  • Patent number: 7946354
    Abstract: A pneumatic air tool includes a housing with a forward angle gearing arranged in a gearing chamber, a motor chamber, a rear air outlet section and a forward air outlet section. The motor chamber includes a pneumatic motor with air communication openings, which communicate with both the rear air outlet section, and the forward air outlet section. A part of the outlet air is ducted through the forward air outlet section including a circular groove in the housing which form part of a cooling chamber. The walls of the groove form together an enlarged heat transferring surface by which the heat generated in the angle gearing is efficiently transferred to the cold exhaust air from the motor passing through the cooling chamber. By communicating exhaust air through the cooling chamber there is obtained an efficient cooling of the angle gearing while maintaining favorable outer dimensions of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Tools AB
    Inventor: Karl Stefan Elmqvist