Patent Application
20140097223
1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates in general to the field of fastening tools and more particularly to a fastening tool with an activation system that has a multi-angled arm and stall release.
Fastening tools, such as power nailers and staplers, are relatively common place in the construction trades. Often times, however, the fastening tools that are available may not provide the user with a desired degree of flexibility and freedom due to the presence of hoses and other attachments that couple the fastening tool to a source of pneumatic power.
Recently, several types of cordless nailers have been introduced to the market in an effort to satisfy the demands of modern consumers. Some of these nailers, however, are relatively large in size and/or weight, which render them relatively cumbersome to work with. Others require relatively expensive fuel cartridges that are not refillable by the user so that when the supply of fuel cartridges has been exhausted, the user must leave the work site to purchase additional fuel cartridges. Yet other cordless nailers are relatively complex in their design and operation so that they are relatively expensive to manufacture and do not operate in a robust manner that reliably sets fasteners into a workpiece in a consistent manner. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for an improved fastening tool.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a fastening tool activation system includes a follower arm that provides a non-linear displacement of the assembly in response to a linear actuation of the solenoid. In another embodiment of the present invention, a fastening tool includes a stall release lever to reset the mechanism in the event of a fastener being jammed in the nosepiece or an incomplete drive cycle.
In an embodiment, the power tool comprises a structure, a flywheel coupled to the structure, a driver that is translatable along a driver axis; and an activation arm assembly having an actuator coupled thereto. The activation arm assembly is coupled to the structure and includes a roller assembly having a roller. Actuation of the actuator causes the roller assembly to translate toward and engage the driver to initiate driving engagement between the driver and the flywheel. The activation arm assembly further includes a carriage fixedly coupled to the structure with the actuator being mounted on the carriage. The activation arm assembly further includes a first axle and a second axle. The first axle is received through a pivot slot formed in the carriage and is coupled to the roller assembly. The second axle is coupled to the roller assembly and has the roller mounted thereto. The activation arm assembly further includes a follower arm that engages the roller. The follower arm includes a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion. The second mounting portion is pivotally coupled to the actuator and slidingly engaged with the carriage. The first mounting portion is biased in a direction toward the driver.
In an embodiment, the follower arm has a non-linear profile having a first angle and second angle.
In an embodiment, the first angle is 25 degrees with respect to the upper surface of the follower arm and the second angle is 12 degrees with respect to the upper surface of the follower arm.
In an embodiment, the actuator is received in the carriage.
In an embodiment, the actuator is engaged to the carriage in a snap-fit manner.
In an embodiment, the actuator is a solenoid having a body and a plunger that is being movable along an actuator axis that is generally parallel to the driver axis.
In an embodiment, the carriage includes a pair of arm members, each of the arm members including a pivot slot, a first axle being received through the pivot slot.
In an embodiment, the roller is rotated about the second axle in a direction toward a first portion of the activation arm when the roller initially contacts the driver to drive the driver into driving engagement with the flywheel
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, its application and/or uses in any way.
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present teachings, application, or uses. Throughout this specification, like reference numerals will be used to refer to like elements.
Referring now more particularly to the drawings,
With reference to
The drive motor assembly 16, as shown in
In the particular example provided, the power source 24 includes a motor 32, a flywheel 34, and an actuator 36. In operation, fasteners F are stored in the magazine assembly 24, which sequentially feeds the fasteners F into the nosepiece assembly 18. The drive motor assembly 16 may be actuated by the control unit 20 to cause the driver 26 to translate and impact a fastener F in the nosepiece assembly 18 so that the fastener F may be driven into a workpiece (not shown). Actuation of the power source may utilize electrical energy from the battery pack 22 to operate the motor 32 and the actuator 36. The motor 32 is employed to drive the flywheel 24, while the actuator 36 is employed to move a roller 42 that is associated with the roller assembly 40, which squeezes the driver 26 into engagement with the flywheel 34 so that energy may be transferred from the flywheel 34 to the driver 26 to cause the driver 26 to translate. The nosepiece assembly 18 guides the fastener F as it is being driven into the workpiece. The return mechanism 30 biases the driver 26 into a returned position.
The activation arm assembly 28 can include the actuator 36, a carriage 44, a roller assembly carrier 46, a follower arm 48, a first roller 50, a second roller 42 and a biasing mechanism 54.
The roller assembly carrier 46 can include a release bar 66, a first axle 70 and a second axle 72. The release bar 66 can be arranged laterally between first and second arms 56 of the carriage 44. The first axle 70 can extend through the carriage 44 and can be received in the pivot slots 60 in the arm members 56 of the carriage 44. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the roller assembly carrier 46 can be coupled to the first arm of the carriage 44 for rotation about the first axle 70 and that the roller assembly carrier 46 can move relative to the carriage 44 in a direction that can be dictated by the shape of the pivot slots 60. The first roller 42 can be rotatably mounted on the first axle 70. The second axle 72 can extend through the arm members 56 and a second roller 50 can be rotatably mounted on the second axle 72. The notch 64 in the arm members 56 of the carriage 44 are provided to permit the roller assembly carrier 46 to be able to rotate between a predetermined first position and a predetermined second position. A torsion spring 61 can be mounted to the carriage 44 and roller assembly carrier 46 to bias the roller assembly carrier 46 toward the first predetermined position. The torsion spring 61 can have a coiled body that can be mounted on the first axle 70, a first leg that can engage the roller assembly carrier 46, and a second leg that can engage a hole (not shown) in the carriage 44. It will be appreciated that although the torsion spring 61 has been illustrated on one side of the carriage 44 it could be positioned in the alternative on the opposite side of the carriage 44 if desired. In the particular example provided, the centerline of the second axle 72 is relatively closer to the retainer aperture 62 than the centerline of the first axle 70 when the roller assembly carrier 46 is in the first predetermined position.
The follower arm 48 can include a central arm member 76 and a pair of tab members 78 that can be disposed on opposite lateral sides of the central arm member 76. The central arm member 76 can include a first portion 80, which can be located at an end of the central arm member 76 opposite the tab members 78, a first intermediate portion 82, a second intermediate portion 84, and a second portion 86. A hole can be formed through the first portion 80. The first and second intermediate portions 82 and 84 can cooperate to couple the first portion 80 to the second portion 86. In the example provided, each of the first and second intermediate portions 82 and 84 include an embossed portion 88 that can help to stiffen and reinforce the portion of the central arm member 76 that couples the first and second portions 82 and 86 to one another. The second portion 86 can be received between the first roller 42 and the central member 68 of the roller assembly carrier 46. An aperture 90 can be formed through each of the tab members 78.
The actuator 36 can be an appropriate type of linear actuator. In the example provided, the actuator 36 is a solenoid 92 that includes a body 93, a plunger 94, which is movable relative to the body 93 along an actuation axis 95, and a plunger spring 96 that biases the plunger 94 into an extended position. While the plunger spring 96 is illustrated as being received in the body 93, it will be appreciated that in the alternative the plunger spring 96 can be received about the plunger 94 between a feature on the plunger 94 and the plunger body 93 or between a feature on the plunger 94 and one of the laterally extending arm members 97. The body 93 can include a housing 98 and a coil assembly 99 that can be electrically coupled to the control unit 20. The housing 98 can include a plurality of first projections and a pair of second projections. The first projections can engage and cradle the arm members 56 of the carriage 44 to inhibit movement in directions orthogonal to the actuation axis 95. Each of the second projections can engage an abutting wall that can be formed in a respective one of the arm members 56 of the carriage 44. Contact between the second projections and the abutting walls can inhibit movement of the body 93 relative to the carriage 44 in a first direction (e.g., to the right) and can fixedly couple the body 93 to the carriage 44 in a snap-fit manner. The housing 98 can be sized to engage the arm members 56 at the transition between the first and second portions 57 and 59; abutment of the housing 98 against the arm members 56 limits movement of the body 93 relative to the arm members 56 when the coil assembly 99 is energized and the plunger 94 is being drawn into the body 93 (i.e., abutment of the housing 98 against the arm members 56 limits movement of the housing 98 relative to the carriage 44 in a second direction opposite the first direction). The plunger 94 can include a through-hole that can be aligned to the apertures in the tab members and the actuator slots 58 in the arm members 56. A pin 100 may be received in the through-hole, the apertures and the actuator slots 58. The pin 100 can pivotally couple the follower arm 48 and the plunger 94; the actuator slots 58, which can be disposed generally parallel to the actuation axis 95, can guide and support the end of the plunger 94 to which the follower arm 48 is coupled.
As shown in
The second cap 104 can include a hub portion and a wall member that can extend about a portion of the hub portion and can define an opening. The opening can be employed in the assembly of the tool 10 (e.g., to receive the spring and the body member 108 of the first cap 102 there through) and/or can provide clearance between the second cap 104 and the follower arm 48 to permit the follower arm 48 to move as will be described in more detail, below. A pair of tabs or trunnions 37 can be coupled to the opposite sides of the second cap 104 and can be received in the retainer apertures 62 in the arm members 56 of the carriage 44. In the example provided, the retainer apertures 62 are slots that are oriented generally parallel to the actuation axis 95. The retainer apertures 62 can cooperate with the trunnions 37 to limit movement of the second cap 104 along a spring axis.
The spring 106 can be disposed over the body member 108 between the first portion 80 of the follower arm 48 and the hub portion of the second cap 104. The fastener 105 can be employed to secure the second cap 104 to the first cap 102 and optionally to pre-load the spring 106. In the particular example provided, the fastener 105 is threadably engaged to the internally threaded aperture in the body member of the first cap 102.
Additionally, contact between the driver 26 and the second roller 50 when the driver 26 is being returned may tend to rotate the roller assembly carrier 46 into or toward the second predetermined position. It will be appreciated that the return mechanism 30 can be employed to return the driver 26 to the starting position.
When the driver 26 has been returned, the solenoid 92 can be de-activated to permit the plunger spring 96 to move the plunger 94 to move toward the roller assembly carrier 46. Movement of the plunger 94 in this manner can cause the follower arm 48 to translate toward a first mount aperture. As the second portion 86 of the follower arm 48 is sloped in shape, the second portion 86 can act as a wedge as it contacts the central member of the roller assembly carrier 46 to cause the roller assembly carrier 46 to travel away from the driver 26. Simultaneously, the biasing force that is applied by torsion spring 61 can cause the roller assembly carrier 46 to rotate to the first predetermined position when there is sufficient clearance between the second roller 50 and the driver 26 to thereby return the tool 10 to the condition illustrated in
Additionally, the follower arm 48 transfers the force and displacement of the solenoid plunger 94 in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the solenoid. Additionally, the follower arm profile creates a mechanical advantage for pushing the roller assembly 40 against the profile driver to lock the driver against the flywheel and the activation assembly when the roller assembly 40 is in the actuated position. When the follower arm is in the home position, the roller assembly 40 carriage is biased by a torsion spring in a direction toward the follower arm profile. Also, a clearance exists between the roller assembly 40 and the driver to allow the driver to return to a home position, without obstruction, after driving a fastener. The roller assembly 40 is contained in a roller assembly carrier 46 that is pivotally connected to the first and second activation arm mounts. The follower arm 48, as shown for example, in
Referring to
As shown in
As shown in
The present invention has a number of advantages including but not limited to increasing roller assembly 40 travel that allows for: greater clearance between roller assembly 40 and profile 94 during profile return; and accommodation of the wear on the profile 94 due to the increased travel of the roller assembly 40 caused by the two-arm surface of the follower arm profile 49.
As shown in
While aspects of the present invention are described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the context of a fastening tool, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the invention, in its broadest aspects, has further applicability.
It will be appreciated that the above description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or uses. While specific examples have been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the claims. Furthermore, the mixing and matching of features, elements and/or functions between various examples is expressly contemplated herein, even if not specifically shown or described, so that one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate from this disclosure that features, elements and/or functions of one example may be incorporated into another example as appropriate, unless described otherwise, above. Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular examples illustrated by the drawings and described in the specification as the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the teachings of the present disclosure, but that the scope of the present disclosure will include any embodiments falling within the foregoing description and the appended claims.
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/709,574 filed on Oct. 4, 2012, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61709574 | Oct 2012 | US |
