With Motor Patents (Class 81/57.11)
  • Patent number: 7735398
    Abstract: A rechargeable motor-driven ratchet wrench having power-off protection of the present invention includes a motor, a rechargeable battery and a power-off protection device. When the loaded current of the motor exceeds a set default value of a reference circuit, the power-off protection device disconnects the power supply of the rechargeable battery, so as to stop the motor operation. With the circuit design of the power-off protection device, the ratchet wrench can be ensured to provide usage safety and also usage lifespan of the ratchet wrench can be extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Techway Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hua Hsu, Chen-Chen Cheng
  • Publication number: 20100107824
    Abstract: A power wrench including a housing, a rotation motor, a reduction gearing connecting the motor to an output shaft, and a separate gearing casing which is rotatively and detachably mounted on the housing and supporting the output shaft. The reduction gearing is divided into a first gearing stage located in the housing and a second gearing stage located in the separate gearing casing. The first gearing stage and the second gearing stage are interconnected via an intermediate spindle, and the motor is connected to the first gearing stage via a hollow drive shaft surrounding the intermediate spindle and an angle gear. A torque sensor is associated with the first gearing stage in the form of strain gauges mounted on an elastically deformable sleeve connecting a ring gear of the first gearing stage to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: ATLAS COPCO TOOLS AB
    Inventors: Jan Thomas Hanspers, Erik Mikael Monsell
  • Patent number: 7707710
    Abstract: A tool is disclosed for driving a slide under a wedge within a slot of an armature or field of a dynamoelectric machine. The tool comprises a frame including a pair of elongated rail members; a force application block located between the rail members; a drive connected to the frame, substantially intermediate opposite ends of the frame; a lead screw threadably engaged at one end with the force application block and connected at an opposite end to the drive such that the drive rotates the lead screw when actuated. Rotation of the lead screw causes axial movement of the force application block. The armature or field includes a core, and this core may have one or more vent slots for facilitating ventilation of the armature or field. A slot plate for locating the tool relative to the slide is present, and a portion of the slot plate extends into one or more vent slots. The slot plate establishes a reaction point for forces applied by the force application block to the stator slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brock M. Lape, Michael J. Bousquet, Kenneth J. Hatley, Richard M. Hatley, William G. Newman, Kenneth G. Troiano
  • Patent number: 7703330
    Abstract: A power tool includes a driving unit for performing screw tightening operations; a motor for rotatably driving the driving unit; a trigger switch for turning on and off the motor; and a control circuit, accommodated in a main body of the power tool, for monitoring the screw tightening operations. The control circuit having a screw tightening completion detection unit for detecting completion of a screw tightening operation, a screw tightening count unit for counting the number of detected tightening operations, a screw tightening number setting unit for presetting the number of screws to be tightened, a screw tightening completion notifying unit for notifying completion of the screw tightening operations when the number of detected tightening operations reaches the preset number of screws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyazaki, Naotake Tanaka, Motoharu Muto
  • Publication number: 20100043603
    Abstract: A powered ratchet tool generally includes a housing having a handle portion with a trigger assembly. A motor has an output shaft member that rotates about a longitudinal axis. A ratchet assembly includes a ratchet hub member that connects to the output shaft member. A selector member connects to the ratchet assembly and is operable to change the ratchet assembly between a tighten condition and a loosen condition. A drive member is connected to the ratchet assembly. The drive member rotates about the longitudinal axis about which the ratchet hub, the selector member and the output shaft member rotates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Jason McRoberts, Terry Turner, Jennifer Resh
  • Publication number: 20090229423
    Abstract: The powered adjustable pipe wrench has a motorized rotary grip to rotate a pipe component clamped therein and a laterally spaced stationary grip to hold a second pipe component stationary relative to the first as it is being rotated. The pipe wrench may have a cylindrical jaw housing with semicylindrical fixed and openable portions hinged to one another. One end of the housing includes a powered component to rotate the pipe component held therein, while the other housing end includes jaw components holding the second pipe component stationary. Alternatively, the pipe wrench may have a powered component extending from the jaw of the wrench body to rotate the first pipe component, and a rectilinearly adjustable jaw portion extending from the wrench body. A set of jaw components is axially spaced from the rotary component to hold the second pipe component stationary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventor: Herman Myburch
  • Publication number: 20090165609
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital power torque wrench of indirect transmission, which is composed of an eccentric driving module, a sensing module, a ratchet module and a control module. The eccentric driving module is used for transmitting power to the sensing module and the ratchet module for driving the ratchet module rotate accordingly and thus transferring the momentum of the rotating to fasten a workpiece, such as a bolt or nut. The sensing module is capable of detecting the deformation of the ratchet module as it is rotating against an increasing resistance during the fastening process, and converting the detected deformation into a signal to be received by the control module. The control module is capable of quantifying the signal for converting the same into a numerical signal representing a torque detected by the sensing module and then sending the numerical signal to a display device for displaying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: CHIH-HUA CHO, WEI-MIN CHEN, WAN-LUNG LEE, HSIN-HUNG LEE
  • Publication number: 20090165600
    Abstract: A pneumatic fastener driving tool is configured to drive a threaded fastener using both linear and rotational motion. The tool allows a fastener to first be driven linearly, without rotation, through a surface material and into a substrate material, preferably to a depth that causes the fastener to at least pierce the substrate material. The tool then rotates the threaded fastener and causes it to fully engage the substrate material, thereby fastening the surface material to the substrate material. The tool has sufficient linear force to drive a fastener into relatively hard substrate materials, such as steel studs, and has a stationary air motor assembly to reduce recoil generated during the driving process. The tool further comprises a gear reducer assembly that uses a compound planetary gear in order to reduce the overall length of the tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Norbert K. Kolodziej, Kevin M. Tucker, Yongping Gong, Louis Thomas, Cheryl L. Panasik
  • Patent number: 7530294
    Abstract: The powered adjustable pipe wrench has a motorized rotary grip to rotate a pipe component clamped therein and a laterally spaced stationary grip to hold a second pipe component stationary relative to the first as it is being rotated. The pipe wrench may have a cylindrical jaw housing with semicylindrical fixed and openable portions hinged to one another. One end of the housing includes a powered component to rotate the pipe component held therein, while the other housing end includes fixed jaw components holding the second pipe component stationary. Alternatively, the pipe wrench may have a powered component extending from the fixed jaw of the wrench body to rotate the first pipe component, and a rectilinearly adjustable jaw portion extending from the wrench body. A set of fixed jaw components is axially spaced from the rotary component to hold the second pipe component stationary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Inventor: Herman Myburgh
  • Publication number: 20090114068
    Abstract: The invention is an improved ratchet to drive sockets for the purpose of tightening or loosening threaded fastener. The invention contains an electric motor, battery and worm gear system to drive the sockets. The battery and motor are contained within the handle of the invention and are thus limited in size and power. A switch is also located on the handle and is used to activate the motor in the desired direction. The motor is powerful enough to drive most fasteners when the fasteners are somewhat loose, and as such the invention can drive the loose fasteners rapidly. At such times when the fasteners are snug or tight the invention will perform as a conventional ratchet. As the handle is pulled the worm and pion gears will lock and transmit the torque to the socket. As the handle is released the motor will drive the worm and spin the pion gear/socket and take up all of the slack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventor: Carl Eugene Lawrence
  • Publication number: 20090078091
    Abstract: The problem of reaching a work piece, such as a nut on a bolt, in a restricted space not permitting traditional means of applying torque is addressed with a powered wrench. The wrench translates motor power on one axis to an engageable socket on a perpendicular axis through an innovative gearbox. Means are provided to shift from a gear ratio for power to a gear ratio for speed by simple manipulation, while different size work pieces can be accommodated through socket change parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventor: Vincent Martin Samudosky
  • Publication number: 20090031865
    Abstract: A power tool includes a housing assembly having a first housing portion and a second housing portion supported for pivoting movement relative to the first housing portion about a pivot axis. The first housing portion supports a motor. The second housing portion includes a chuck for supporting a tool element. The power tool also includes a gear supported within the housing assembly for rotation relative to at least one of the first and second housing portions about the pivot axis. The gear is operable to transfer drive force from the motor to the tool element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Daniel J. Alberti, Scott Bublitz, Todd Hunkins, Kenneth R. Jordan, Richard H. Jungmann, Matthew J. Mergener, Gary D. Meyer, Michael Phillips, John Sara, III, John S. Scott, Nancy Uehlein-Procter, Jonathan A. Zick
  • Publication number: 20090025516
    Abstract: A powered wrench driven by a fluid motor using a gear to gear system. The fluid motor causes a primary gear to turn, which directly engages a second gear attached to a workpiece and rotates that workpiece in response to operation of the fluid motor. The fluid motor can be located spaced from the handle of the wrench or in the handle of the wrench. An extension can also be included to extend the reach of the wrench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventor: Vincent Samudosky
  • Publication number: 20080264212
    Abstract: A handheld power tool, in particular a power drill or power screwdriver, has a tool holder, which is displaceably received in a housing and which can be driven via a drive unit; a microswitch that can switch the drive unit on and off is provided, which is switchable upon an axial displacement motion of the tool holder via an actuating element. The actuating element is joined axially solidly to the tool holder, so that the axial displacement motion of the tool holder at the same time acts as the displacement motion of the actuating element, which motion actuates the microswitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventor: Markus Leupert
  • Publication number: 20080196555
    Abstract: Disclosed is a centrifugal impact wrench using an electric driving motor, which is rotated by electricity supplied from an electric power source, as a power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventor: Ja Young Yoon
  • Publication number: 20080173139
    Abstract: A power tool includes a driving unit for performing screw tightening operations; a motor for rotatably driving the driving unit; a trigger switch for turning on and off the motor; and a control circuit, accommodated in a main body of the power tool, for monitoring the screw tightening operations. The control circuit having a screw tightening completion detection unit for detecting completion of a screw tightening operation, a screw tightening count unit for counting the number of detected tightening operations, a screw tightening number setting unit for presetting the number of screws to be tightened, a screw tightening completion notifying unit for notifying completion of the screw tightening operations when the number of detected tightening operations reaches the preset number of screws.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Works Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyazaki, Naotake Tanaka, Motoharu Muto
  • Publication number: 20080134840
    Abstract: A motor has a motor shaft. An output shaft is provided with a driver bit and movable in an axial direction thereof. A first gear is configured to rotate around a rotary center to transmit rotations of the motor shaft. A second gear has inner teeth. A carrier includes planetary gears each of which is disposed inside the second gear to mesh with the inner teeth. A clutch mechanism is configured to connect or disconnect the carrier and the output shaft in accordance with the movement of the output shaft. The rotations of the first gear is transmitted to the carrier by way of the planetary gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shibata, Koji Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080000333
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a screw fastening machine for reliably switching and changing a driving force transmitting path with the seating on a work as a reference. According to the screw fastening machine in which a first pulley is connected to a first driving means for applying high speed low torque drive to a drive shaft, a second pulley is fixed in an integrally rotatable manner to a transmission shaft for connecting the drive shaft, and an endless belt is interposed between the pulleys to obtain a configuration for high speed low torque drive, a second driving means for low speed high torque drive is arranged on an extension of the transmission shaft, and the second driving means performs the drive until a final fastening torque is reached when a screw component is seated on the work and the stall state is achieved, the final fastening torque is always reliably obtained and the work time is reduced without waste.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventor: Tasuku Seno
  • Patent number: 7246541
    Abstract: A pipefitting engaging tool assembly includes a housing that has a bottom wall and a peripheral wall. A head is attached to the housing and has a circular opening extending therethrough. The opening is defined by an outer edge that has a slot therein continually extending around the outer edge. A ring member has an outer perimeter edge and an inner perimeter edge. The inner perimeter edge has a plurality of teeth attached thereto and extends inwardly of the ring member. The teeth are configured to engage a pipefitting. The ring member is positioned in the slot in the outer edge of the opening. A drive assembly is mounted in the housing and is mechanically coupled to the ring member to selectively rotate the ring member in a first direction or a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Inventor: Robin M. Divack
  • Patent number: 7171872
    Abstract: An adjustable mechanical screwdriver, having a receiving housing, gear housing and a deflection bevel gear. A small structural size is achieved because the driveshaft protrudes with a bearing shoulder at the drive bevel gear in a direction of the bearing shaft, which is inserted into and rotatably seated in a bearing bore of the bearing shaft. The gear housing having the deflection bevel gear and the power take-off shaft with the power take-off bevel gear is pivotable on the bearing shaft. The receiving housing receives the bearing shaft so that it cannot be rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Inventor: Siegfried Keusch
  • Patent number: 7028585
    Abstract: Apparatus for applying torque to a first tubular relative to a second tubular, the apparatus comprising a first tong for gripping the first tubular and a second tong for gripping the second tubular, wherein the first tong is provided with teeth around a peripheral surface thereof, the second tong is provided with at least one pinion, and the pinion meshes with the teeth in such a way that the first tong and the second tong can be rotated relative to one another when the pinion is rotated. The apparatus may include a positioning apparatus for determining the position of the tubular relative to the tong. The positioning apparatus comprising a plunger movably disposed on a base and coupled to a visual indicator. The plunger includes a contact member disposed at one end, whereby contact with the tubular causes the plunger to move along the base and the distance traveled is indicated by the visual indicator. The apparatus may further include a torque measuring flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd-Georg Pietras, Andreas Carlsson, Jorg Erich Schulze-Beckinhausen
  • Patent number: 7011000
    Abstract: A bolt or nut tightening device comprising a tightening socket (4) and a reaction force receiving member (5), the tightening socket (4) being rotatingly drivable upon a speed reduction by a motor (2) and a reduction mechanism (3) which are incorporated in the device, the motor (2) being coupled to a controller (7), the controller (7) being operable to deenergize the motor (2) in response to a tightening completion signal of detecting means (70) for detecting the completion of tightening of a bolt or nut and to reversely rotate the motor (2) only for a moment upon lapse of a predetermined period of time taken for inertial rotation of the motor (2) to reduce to an extent neglectable for the reverse rotation of the motor (2) after the deenergization, whereby the propping action of the reaction force receiving member (5) is nullified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Maeda Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Kushida, Yukio Torigai
  • Patent number: 6860173
    Abstract: A tool for installing a helical coil insert in a tapped hole formed in a workpiece includes a tubular body having a bore extending along its axis, a mandrel coaxially disposed in the bore of the tubular body, a motor for rotating the mandrel, and an air cylinder for applying an axial force to the mandrel. The tubular body includes a recess at one end for carrying a helical coil insert in alignment with the bore. An opening in the tubular body allows a user access to the recess. The tubular body is moveable to position the helical coil into selective engagement with the mandrel, whereby rotation of the mandrel installs the helical coil insert a selected depth in the tapped hole of the workpiece. In addition, the mandrel slides axially within the bore of the tubular body to remove the tang from the helical coil insert upon installation of the helical coil insert in the tapped hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Newfrey LLC
    Inventors: David W. Newton, William Giannakakos, William J. Lutkus, Michael Bardelli
  • Publication number: 20040112179
    Abstract: A tool for installing a helical coil insert in a tapped hole formed in a workpiece includes a tubular body having a bore extending along its axis, a mandrel coaxially disposed in the bore of the tubular body, a motor for rotating the mandrel, and an air cylinder for applying an axial force to the mandrel. The tubular body includes a recess at one end for carrying a helical coil insert in alignment with the bore. An opening in the tubular body allows a user access to the recess. The tubular body is moveable to position the helical coil into selective engagement with the mandrel, whereby rotation of the mandrel installs the helical coil insert a selected depth in the tapped hole of the workpiece. In addition, the mandrel slides axially within the bore of the tubular body to remove the tang from the helical coil insert upon installation of the helical coil insert in the tapped hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: David W. Newton, William Giannakakos, William J. Lutkus, Michael Bardelli
  • Patent number: 6681659
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for automatically installing a fastener to a fastener receptacle portion of a work piece. A fastener apparatus comprises a central frame supporting a datum member. The datum member defines a fastener position, and the datum member is operably engageable with a characteristic feature of the work piece. The fastener apparatus further comprises a fastening tool supported by the frame and moveable to the fastener position. The fastener apparatus further comprises a biasing member biasing the work piece characteristic feature in operable engagement with the datum member aligning the fastener receptacle with the fastener position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Shih H. Hoe, Siak S. Leow, Muhammad F. Abdullah, Hua K. Lee
  • Patent number: 6631659
    Abstract: The vibration nut wrench containing the body (1) with the control handle (2), the located into it drive (3) with the output shaft (4), the connected to it exciter of rotational oscillations designed in the form of two fly-wheels (5) and (6), connected to each other by the mechanism of variable speed (7) and the planetary reduction gear (8), the planet carrier (14) of which is directly connected to the spindle (15) of the wrench, which has the head for a wrench on its end specific in that the fly-wheel (6) of the exciter of rotational oscillations, located on the side of the planetary reduction gear, is supplied with the brake arrangement (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Inventors: Ivan Vasilievich Starikov, Sergei Ruzhinsky
  • Patent number: 6497316
    Abstract: A powered, unidirectional output controlling apparatus mounted between the main shaft of an electrically powered tool and a power source is provided. The apparatus comprises a rotating seat, a plurality of flexible disc seats made from a rubber material, a locking seat, a plurality of locking rollers and a fixing ring. One end of the rotating seat is engaged with the power source output of a power transmission mechanism and the other end of the rotating seat is provided with a plurality of insertion shafts passing though the locking seat fastened by two flexible disc seats. The locking seat is first mounted into the fixing ring. The center of the rotating seat is provided with a bolt hole for the mounting of the main shaft. The external edge of the fixing ring is secured to the housing of the electrically powered tool. An inner side of the fixing ring is formed with an annular groove into which a rubber ring is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Mobiletron Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hung-Ming Hsu
  • Patent number: 6311787
    Abstract: A drill 30 for driving a bit 44 into a workpiece 50 includes an assembled anvil 58 and spindle 38, which are mounted for rotation together and for axial movement together within a drill housing 32. A planet carrier 56 is driven by a motor 52 and, in turn rotatingly drives the anvil 58 and the spindle 38. A chuck 42 is attached to a forward end of the spindle 58 for rotation and axial movement therewith. A plurality of rollers 162 are mounted in nests 182 of a roller cage 176, are maintained in parallel with an axis of the drill 30, and the anvil 58. The rollers 162, which are included in an automatic spindle lock 33, can be wedged between a fixed surface 74 of the drill housing 32 and a movable surface 102 of the anvil for automatically locking the spindle 38 with the housing. Following withdrawal of the bit 44 from the workpiece 50, an automatic brake 35 provides facility for braking the spindle 38.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Berry, Stephen A. Debelius, Frank O'Hara
  • Patent number: 6282990
    Abstract: A low profile substantially flat head power ratchet comprising a pair of spaced shells joined together to for a housing which is tubular at one end for attachment to a pneumatic motor and flat at the other end for operating use in confined areas, said ratchet comprising a gear journaled on a post in the upper shell and a boss on the lower shell, a yoke disposed about the gear and pivotally journaled about the boss, a pair of spaced pawls confined primarily in the yoke but projecting slightly upwards therefrom, and a reversing plate pivotally disposed about the post and lying on the yoke between the pawls, said reversing plate being shaped and sized such that only one of the two pawls may be selectively engaged with the gear at any one given time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Inventor: Montie H. Miner
  • Patent number: 6279714
    Abstract: A powered, unidirectional output controlling apparatus mounted between the main shaft of an electrically powered tool and a power source is provided. The apparatus comprises a rotating seat, a plurality of flexible disc seats made from a rubber material, a locking seat, a plurality of locking rollers and a fixing ring. One end of the rotating seat is engaged with the power source output of a power transmission mechanism and the other end of the rotating seat is provided with a plurality of insertion shafts passing through the locking seat fastened by two flexible disc seats. The locking seat is first mounted into the fixing ring. The center of the rotating seat is provided with a bolt hole for the mounting of the main shaft. The external edge of the fixing ring is secured to the housing of the electrically powered tool. The perimeter portion of the locking seat is provided with a plurality of locking slots and the locking slots are mounted with a plurality of locking rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Mobiletron Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hung-Ming Hsu
  • Patent number: 6273200
    Abstract: A power tool has a manual spindle lock which includes a first locking member to couple with a gear of the power tool drive train. The locking member includes a first cam member. A second cam member is coupled with the first cam member. The second cam member is movable between first and second positions. In the first position, the locking member is disengaged from the gear and in the second position the locking member engages with the gear to prohibit driving of the output spindle of the power tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Q. Smith, Tong Chi Kin, Fung Chi Ho, Lam Kar Lok
  • Publication number: 20010000832
    Abstract: A sucker rod tool system for oil wells monitors both torque and angular displacement of a three-element sucker rod connection. The tool system engages two sucker rods that are at least partially screwed into opposite ends of a sucker rod coupling. The system, however, does not engage the coupling adjoining both rods. The system determines whether a connection has been properly tightened by sensing the torque and angular displacement of the connection as it is being tightened, and comparing the data to a stored reference set of data or curves. In some embodiments, a properly tightened connection is based upon the number of straight lines that are needed to adequately approximate a plotted curve of the sensed torque versus angular displacement. Tightness of each connection of a string of sucker rods is recorded with reference to each connection's depth within a well to later serve as an aide in diagnosing connection failures. In some cases, the energy required to unscrew a connection is also recorded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Publication date: May 10, 2001
    Inventor: Frederic M. Newman