Patent 7096569 was granted and assigned to Honda on August, 2006 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A system and method for guaranteeing that a torque application operation proceeds in a predetermined order. The system and method of the present invention can be used in processes that require the completion of one or more preparatory or post-torque application process steps. The steps of the overall process can be interlocked, so that the order of the process is controlled. Power to certain tool(s) used in the process may be withheld until certain process steps are accomplished, and said tool(s) may be automatically de-energized after the torquing operation is completed. Similarly, power to downstream tools may be withheld if the torquing operation is determined to be unsatisfactory or incomplete. A torque monitor/controller is provided to ensure that all elements requiring torquing are properly serviced, and that the amount of torque applied to each element is satisfactory.