Patents by Inventor Neil Andrew McDonald

Neil Andrew McDonald has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10105830
    Abstract: An electronic click wrench comprises a handle for applying torque through a shaft to a working head. The shaft includes torque sensing means for calculating the torque applied to a workpiece by the working head, and a trigger mechanism for sending a haptic feedback to a user by triggering a small movement of the handle relative to the working head when a set point torque is reached. The trigger mechanism comprises a permanent magnet that is normally anchored by magnetic attraction to a pole piece so as to resist separation when a force is applied through the handle, and an electromagnetic means actuable to reduce or cancel that magnetic attraction so as to permit separation of the pole piece and permanent magnet, thus generating the haptic feedback. Operation of the electromagnet may oppose the flux of the permanent magnet through the pole piece. Alternatively operation of the electromagnet may divert the flux of the permanent magnet away from the pole piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Crane Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Neil Andrew McDonald, Peter William Everitt, Adrian James Duffin, Himang Virendra Sharma, Daniel Thomas Ahearn, Simon Philip Jelley
  • Publication number: 20170144281
    Abstract: An electronic click wrench comprises a handle for applying torque through a shaft to a working head. The shaft includes torque sensing means for calculating the torque applied to a workpiece by the working head, and a trigger mechanism for sending a haptic feedback to a user by triggering a small movement of the handle relative to the working head when a set point torque is reached. The trigger mechanism comprises a permanent magnet that is normally anchored by magnetic attraction to a pole piece so as to resist separation when a force is applied through the handle, and an electromagnetic means actuable to reduce or cancel that magnetic attraction so as to permit separation of the pole piece and permanent magnet, thus generating the haptic feedback. Operation of the electromagnet may oppose the flux of the permanent magnet through the pole piece. Alternatively operation of the electromagnet may divert the flux of the permanent magnet away from the pole piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Neil Andrew McDonald, Peter William Everitt, Adrian James Duffin, Himang Virendra Sharma, Daniel Thomas Ahearn, Simon Philip Jelley