Apparatuses for coupling threaded fasteners

Abstract

A rotary-drive sub-assembly includes a tool, a tool retainer, and a retaining member. The tool includes a fastener-engagement portion, a first threaded portion, and a tool-change-engagement portion between the fastener-engagement portion and the first threaded portion. The tool retainer includes a body. The body includes a symmetry axis, a second threaded portion and a key. The second threaded portion is configured to be threadably fastened with the first threaded portion of the tool so that the tool is rotationally anchored relative to the body of the tool retainer about the symmetry axis and is translationally anchored relative to the body of the tool retainer along the symmetry axis. The key is fixed relative to the second threaded portion. The retaining member is removably coupled to the body at a fixed location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotary-drive sub-assembly ( 400 ), comprising:
 a tool ( 410 ), comprising:
 a fastener-engagement portion ( 411 ); 
 a first threaded portion ( 413 ); and 
 a tool-change-engagement portion ( 412 ) between the fastener-engagement portion ( 411 ) and the first threaded portion ( 413 ); and 
   a tool retainer ( 430 ), comprising:
 a body ( 431 ) comprising:
 a symmetry axis ( 493 ); 
 a second threaded portion ( 433 ), configured to be threadably fastened with the first threaded portion ( 413 ) of the tool ( 410 ) so that the tool ( 410 ) is rotationally anchored relative to the body ( 431 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) about the symmetry axis ( 493 ) and is translationally anchored relative to the body ( 431 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) along the symmetry axis ( 493 ); and 
 a key ( 432 ), fixed relative to the second threaded portion ( 433 ); and 
 
   a retaining member ( 461 ), removably coupled to the body ( 431 ) at a fixed location.   
     
     
         2 . The rotary-drive sub-assembly ( 400 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastener-engagement portion ( 411 ) of the tool ( 410 ) is co-axial with the tool-change-engagement portion ( 412 ) of the tool ( 410 ), the first threaded portion ( 413 ) of the tool ( 410 ), and the second threaded portion ( 433 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ). 
     
     
         3 . The rotary-drive sub-assembly ( 400 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the second threaded portion ( 433 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) defines a through hole ( 433 T) in the tool retainer ( 430 ). 
     
     
         4 . The rotary-drive sub-assembly ( 400 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the second threaded portion ( 433 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) defines a blind hole ( 433 B) in the tool retainer ( 430 ). 
     
     
         5 . The rotary-drive sub-assembly ( 400 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body ( 431 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) comprises a retaining-member engagement portion ( 460 ); and   the retaining member ( 461 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) engages the retaining-member engagement portion ( 460 ) so that the retaining member ( 461 ) is fixed relative to the body ( 431 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) along the symmetry axis ( 493 ).   
     
     
         6 . A rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ), comprising:
 a tool ( 410 ), comprising:
 a fastener-engagement portion ( 411 ); 
 a first threaded portion ( 413 ); and 
 a tool-change-engagement portion ( 412 ) between the fastener-engagement portion ( 411 ) and the first threaded portion ( 413 ); 
   a tool retainer ( 430 ), comprising:
 a body ( 431 ) comprising:
 a symmetry axis ( 493 ); 
 a second threaded portion ( 433 ), configured to be threadably fastened with the first threaded portion ( 413 ) of the tool ( 410 ) so that the tool ( 410 ) is rotationally anchored relative to the body ( 431 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) about the symmetry axis ( 493 ) and is translationally anchored relative to the body ( 431 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) along the symmetry axis ( 493 ); and 
 a key ( 432 ), fixed relative to the second threaded portion ( 433 ); and 
 
 a retaining member ( 461 ), removably coupled to the body ( 431 ) at a fixed location; and 
   a retaining assembly ( 140 - 2 ), configured to be coupled with the key ( 432 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) to limit rotation of the tool retainer ( 430 ) about the symmetry axis ( 493 ); and   a socket ( 120 - 2 ), co-axially rotatable relative to the tool retainer ( 430 ) when the retaining assembly ( 140 - 2 ) is coupled with the key ( 432 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ).   
     
     
         7 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the tool ( 410 ) and tool retainer ( 430 ) are co-axially translatable relative to the socket ( 120 - 2 ). 
     
     
         8 . The rotary drive ( 199 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the body ( 431 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) comprises a retaining-member engagement portion ( 460 ); and   the retaining member ( 461 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) engages the retaining-member engagement portion ( 460 ) of the body ( 431 ) so that the retaining member ( 461 ) is fixed relative to the body ( 431 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) along the symmetry axis ( 493 ).   
     
     
         9 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the socket ( 120 - 2 ) comprises a flange ( 143 - 2 ), supporting the retaining member ( 461 ); and
 the retaining member ( 461 ) is located between the flange ( 143 - 2 ) and the retaining assembly ( 140 - 2 ). 
   
     
     
         10 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 6 , further comprising a housing ( 100 H- 2 ), wherein the retaining assembly ( 140 - 2 ) comprises:
 a second retaining member ( 150 B) coupled to the housing ( 100 H- 2 ) and comprising a retaining opening ( 151 A- 2 ), wherein the retaining opening ( 151 A- 2 ) is configured to engage the key ( 432 ) so as to rotationally constrain the tool retainer ( 430 ) relative to the housing ( 100 H- 2 ); and   a resilient member ( 155 - 2 ), coupled to the housing ( 100 H- 2 ) and biasing the second retaining member ( 150 B) toward the housing ( 100 H- 2 ), wherein the resilient member ( 155 - 2 ) is movable relative to the second retaining member ( 150 B).   
     
     
         11 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 10 , wherein the second retaining member ( 150 B) is configured to pivot relative to the housing ( 100 H- 2 ) and to translate relative to the housing ( 100 H- 2 ). 
     
     
         12 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the second retaining member ( 150 B) comprises a recess ( 177 - 2 ),   at least a portion of the resilient member ( 155 - 2 ) is received within the recess ( 177 - 2 ), and   the recess ( 177 - 2 ) is sized to accommodate relative translational movement between the second retaining member ( 150 B) and the resilient member ( 155 - 2 ).   
     
     
         13 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 10 , wherein the retaining opening ( 151 A- 2 ) of the second retaining member ( 150 B) is configured to engage the key ( 432 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) with an intrinsic rotational backlash. 
     
     
         14 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein the intrinsic rotational backlash between the retaining opening ( 151 A- 2 ) of the second retaining member ( 150 B) and the key ( 432 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) is less than about 10 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 10 , wherein the retaining opening ( 151 A- 2 ) of the second retaining member ( 150 B) comprises a pair of opposed parallel walls ( 1510 P- 2 ). 
     
     
         16 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 10 , wherein the retaining opening ( 151 A- 2 ) of the second retaining member ( 150 B) is configured to engage the key ( 432 ) with an engineered rotational compliance. 
     
     
         17 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 16 , wherein the engineered rotational compliance between the retaining opening ( 151 A- 2 ) of the second retaining member ( 150 B) and the key ( 432 ) of the tool retainer ( 430 ) is between about 30 degrees and about 270 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the retaining opening ( 151 A- 2 ) of the second retaining member ( 150 B) comprises a first pair of parallel walls ( 151 SP 1 - 2 ) and a second pair of parallel walls ( 151 SP 2 - 2 );   walls of the first pair of parallel walls ( 151 SP 1 - 2 ) are staggered relative to each other along a first axis (SPX 1 - 2 ), parallel to the first pair of parallel walls ( 151 SP 1 - 2 ); and   walls of the second pair of parallel walls ( 151 SP 2 - 2 ) are staggered relative to each other along a second axis (SPX 2 - 2 ), parallel to the second pair of parallel walls ( 151 SP 2 - 2 ).   
     
     
         19 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 10 , further comprising a drive transmission ( 170 - 2 ) inside the housing ( 100 H- 2 ), wherein the socket ( 120 - 2 ) comprises a drive member ( 171 - 2 , coupled to the drive transmission ( 170 - 2 ). 
     
     
         20 . The rotary drive ( 199 - 2 ) according to  claim 6 , further comprising a friction member ( 165 - 2 ), interposed between the socket ( 120 - 2 ) and the tool ( 410 ), wherein the friction member ( 165 - 2 ) is configured to transfer rotation of the socket ( 120 - 2 ), engaging a first fastener ( 198 ), to the tool ( 410 ) when the fastener-engagement portion ( 411 ) of the tool ( 410 ) is disengaged from a second fastener ( 197 ), that is threadably couplable with the first fastener ( 198 ), and is also configured to discontinue transferring the rotation of the socket ( 120 - 2 ) to the tool ( 410 ) when the fastener-engagement portion ( 411 ) of the tool ( 410 ) becomes engaged with the second fastener ( 197 ).