Air gun with integral air powered light

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6511201
  • Patent Number
    6,511,201
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, December 5, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 28, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • O'Shea; Sandra
    • DelGizzi; Ronald E.
    Agents
    • Brant; Kyle S.
Abstract
An air blast tool having an air nozzle and integrated air powered electrical generator with electric lamp is disclosed. Compressed air supplied to the air blast tool is also supplied to the air powered generator within the tool to produce electricity. Light produced by the electric lamp is directed in the same direction as the air blast nozzle to enable the user to readily see machined surfaces and the like.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates in general to pneumatically powered hand tools and more specifically to an air blast hand tool including an air powered generator that produces an electrical signal supplied to a source of illumination such as an incandescent bulb




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Lathes, mills, and other similar material removal machining devices are typically used to produce custom machined parts. Oftentimes, the machinist operating such machinery desires to remove the machined away metal chips from the work area to perform visual inspection of the machined surfaces. Removal of the machined chips by hand is dangerous due to the sharp edges of the chips. Common techniques for removing machined chips from the work piece include hand held brushes and air blast tools. For the machinist, an air blast tool is perhaps the most convenient and most commonly used tool for chip removal. After the chips are removed from the work piece the machinist typically desires to visually inspect the machined surfaces to evaluate the machining operation and its quality and progress. A hand held “drop light” or a flashlight are currently the best mechanisms for illuminating the work piece in its mounted position within the machining station. A combination air blast tool having a light integrated into the air blast tool would simplify the machinists work by providing a light source that illuminates the machined surfaces during and after chip removal. Further, since a source of pressurized air is.already present where an air blast tool is in use, a light producing device that derives its power from a miniature pneumatically driven electric generator within the air blast tool improves efficiency of motion for the machinist while eliminating the power cord necessary for supplying power to a hand held drop light.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




An air blast tool having an integral light source, according to one aspect of the present invention, comprises a body having an inlet aperture, a first outlet aperture and a second outlet aperture and wherein said first outlet aperture and said second outlet aperture are in fluid communication with said inlet aperture, first valve means partially disposed within said first outlet aperture for controlling air flow therethrough, an air powered electrical generator having a rotor and a stator, said air powered generator being disposed within said second outlet aperture, said air powered electrical generator producing an electrical signal in response to pressurized air supplied from said inlet aperture to said second outlet aperture, an electric light attached to said body and receiving said electrical signal to illuminate said electrical light, and air nozzle means attached to said body and disposed over said first outlet aperture.




One object of the present invention is to provide an improved air blast hand tool for use with machining or woodworking operations.




Another object of the present invention is to provide an air blast tool with an integrated light that is powered by an air driven electrical generator incorporated into the air blast tool.




Yet another object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for electrical power cords and drop lights in the area of a machining operation, yet take advantage of the presence of an air blast tool necessary to remove metal chips or sawdust.




These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of an air gun with integral air powered light according to one aspect of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a side elevational view of the air gun with integral air powered light of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a. cross-sectional view of the air gun with integral air powered light of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 4

is cross-sectional view of the air powered generator.





FIG. 5

is an exploded perspective view of the air powered generator.





FIG. 6

is a bottom view of the body portion.





FIG. 7

is a cross-sectional view of the body looking in the direction of the arrows labeled A—A in FIG.


6


.





FIG. 8

is a cross-sectional view of the body looking in the direction of the arrows labeled B—B in FIG.


6


.





FIG. 9

is a front elevational view of end plate


68


.





FIG. 10

is a cross-sectional view of end plate


68


.





FIG. 11

is a front elevational view of end plate


64


.





FIG. 12

is a cross-sectional view of end plate


64


.





FIG. 13

is a side elevational view of trigger valve body


42


.





FIG. 14

is a plan view of trigger valve body


42


.





FIG. 15

is a cross-sectional view of trigger valve body


42


looking in the direction of arrows A—A in FIG.


14


.





FIG. 16

is a cross-sectional view of trigger valve body


42


looking in the direction of-the arrows labeled A—A in FIG.


13


.





FIG. 17

is a partial cross-sectional view of body


12


depicting valve


60


.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.




Referring now to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, a perspective view and a front elevational view of an air gun with integral air powered light


10


, according to the present invention, are shown. Air gun


10


includes a body


12


made from metal, plastic or other suitable material. Fitting


14


is rotatably inserted into a threaded aperture in body


12


and secured thereto. A source of compressed air (not shown) is attached to fitting


14


. A directional exhaust assembly


16


is rotationally inserted into a threaded aperture in body


12


(discussed in more detail below). Trigger


18


is movably mounted to body


12


and is depressable by the user to engage a valve (see

FIG. 3

) within body


12


to enable the internal flow of compressed air from fitting


14


to air nozzle


20


within body


12


. Valve


22


, attached to body


12


, is positionable to enable and disable the delivery of compressed air to an air powered electrical generator (shown in more detail below) within body


12


. A source of light, such as an incandescent bulb or suitable substitute, is disposed within light tube


24


. A lens


26


is mounted on the distal end of tube


24


. Lens


26


focuses light emanating from within tube


24


onto objects aligned with tube


24


. Hook portion


28


extends upwards and turns back towards body


12


to provide a convenient mechanism for removably hanging device


10


on a suitable mounting location in the users workplace.




Operationally speaking, compressed air is delivered to fitting


14


so that apertures (also referred to as fluid passages or cavities) within body


12


are filled with compressed air. Trigger


18


activates a valve (discussed below and shown in

FIG. 3

) within body


12


to deliver compressed air to air nozzle


20


. Valve


22


enables and disables the flow of compressed air to an air powered electric generator (see below) within body


12


that produces electricity for powering the lamp within tube


24


.




Referring now to

FIG. 3

, a partial cross-section of the air gun with integral air powered light


10


is shown. Body


12


includes apertures shown at


30


and


32


. Hollow compressed air fitting


14


includes a threaded portion


14




a


that mates with a threaded portion


12




a


of body


12


. Standard tapered threads are formed at


12




a


and


14




a


to provide an air tight seal. Directional exhaust


16


is comprised of a threaded fitting


34


having a fluid channel


36


therethrough enabling compressed air in aperture


30


to escape to the atmosphere through channel


36


. An exhaust deflector ring


38


is rotatably disposed over fitting


34


. Ring


38


, includes a slot


38




a


formed therein so that compressed air escaping aperture


30


via channel


36


may be redirected in any direction desired by the user of device


10


by rotating ring


38


about fitting


34


. Fitting


34


includes a threaded portion


34




a


that mates with corresponding threads


30




a


formed in aperture


30


.




Trigger


18


is attached to valve stem


40


via threaded portion


18




a


of trigger


18


and threaded portion


40




a


of valve stem


40


. Valve body


42


receives valve stem


40


therein. Trigger


18


, when depressed, forces valve stem


40


toward spring


44


and compresses spring


44


. When valve stem


40


is moved toward spring


44


, compressed air in apertures


32


and


56


passes over valve stem


40


and into the interior of valve body


42


when o-ring seal


46


is separated from contact with valve body


42


. Apertures


32


and


56


are in fluid communication with each other. An aperture in valve body


42


(see

FIGS. 13-16

) enables compressed air within valve body


42


to flow into aperture


48


and out through nozzle


20


. O-ring seals


50


prevent compressed air in aperture


32


from escaping past valve body


42


through trigger aperture


52


. Roll pin


54


is inserted into aperture


55


and through body


12


transverse to valve stem


40


through a cutout in valve body


42


to retain valve body


42


in position with respect to body


12


. Nozzle


20


is shown having a threaded portion


20




a


that mates with corresponding threads


48




a


formed within aperture


48


.




Aperture


32


is in fluid communication with apertures


56


and


58


. Compressed air travels through aperture


58


and encounters motor valve


60


. Motor valve


60


enables and disables the flow of compressed air in aperture


58


to aperture


62


. Aperture


62


provides a conduit through which compressed air is delivered to electrical generator


63


. Set screw or plug


81


provides an air seal of aperture


62


. To machine aperture


62


, a hole is drilled vertically downward into body


12


and aperture


62


is sealed by set screw


81


. Generator


63


is an air powered electricity generating device discussed in more detail below. See

FIGS. 4-5

and the discussion below for more detail on the configuration and operation of motor valve


60


. Compressed air in aperture


62


travels through end plate


64


to engage rotor


66


. Compressed air flowing over rotor


66


exits through end plate


68


and travels though slot


112


in end plate


68


(see

FIG. 9

) into aperture


104


(see

FIG. 7

) and on to aperture


30


, the exhaust aperture, and out into the atmosphere. Bearings


70


and


71


support rotor


66


and enable rotor


66


to rotate freely. Rotor housing


65


surrounds rotor


66


. Magnet spacer


77


is mounted on rotor


66


. Magnet


72


is attached to one end of rotor


66


and rotates between stator poles


74


. Stator poles


74


are attached to bobbin


76


via staked or riveted stator core


75


. Bobbin


76


includes a multitude of wire windings


78


wrapped thereabout. Magnetic flux field deviations generated by the rotation of magnet


72


are routed through stator poles


74


to induce a current to flow in windings


78


. Windings


78


are electrically connected to rivet


82


Contact spring


84


is attached to rivet


82


and provides a path for electricity to travel to insulated conductor


86


. Conductor


86


is electrically connected to disk shaped metal contact


87


that physically contacts spring


84


. Metal spring


90


is attached to metal rivet


88


and conductor


86


is electrically attached to rivet


88


. Insulator


89


centers or fixes contact


87


in position and encourages physical contact between contact


87


and spring


84


. Incandescent bulb


80


receives an electrical signal from contact spring


90


, and metal tube


24


provides a return path for electricity to windings


78


. Insulator cap


92


is attached with adhesives or the like over stator poles


74


. Rivet


82


is attached to plastic insulator cap


92


via adhesives or molded integrally therewith. Rivet or contact lug


88


is supported in position and surrounded by insulator


94


. Threaded adapter


96


mates with threads in body


12


to secure insulator cap


92


and stator poles


74


in a fixed position within aperture


98


. Threaded adapter plug


100


mates with threads in body


12


and secures rotor


66


and magnet


72


in position as shown within aperture


98


. Also shown are lens


26


mounted to adapter


102


which matingly engages external threads


24




a


of tube


24


, groove pin


69


that attaches end plates


64


and


68


to one another, and hook


28


of body


12


. Various o-ring fluid seals


97


are also shown in FIG.


3


.




Referring now to

FIGS. 4 and 5

, an enlarged cross-sectional view of the air powered generator


63


and an exploded view of the generator


63


are shown. Rotor shaft


67


is inserted through bearing


70


and is press fit into a mating hole in rotor


66


. Bearing


70


is mounted in end plate


64


and bearing


71


is mounted in end plate


68


. Groove pin


69


is inserted through a hole in rotor housing


65


and pressed into apertures in end plates


64


and


68


. Air vanes


73


are fixedly attached into slots in rotor


66


. Spacer


77


is disposed on the rotor shaft


66




a


and provides a predetermined mounting location on shaft


66




a


for magnet


72


. Bobbin


76


and windings


78


are disposed between stator poles


74


. Stator core


75


is inserted through bobbin


76


and staked or riveted to stator poles


74


. Insulator cap


92


receives and is attached to stator poles


74


with adhesive or the like. Electrical contact rivet


82


is attached to insulator cap


92


and contact spring


84


attaches to rivet


82


. Windings


78


are electrically connected to contact rivet


82


and solder lug


79


. Solder lug


79


makes electrical contact with body


12


via stator poles


74


to provide a return path for electricity generated by motor*generator


63


.




Operationally, compressed air enters orifice


64




a


in end plate


64


, travels within rotor housing


65


, over vanes


73


, through orifice


65




a


in rotor housing


65


and along channel


68


a in end plate


68


. The force of the compressed air on vanes


73


causes rotor


66


to rotate. Magnet


72


, fixedly attached to rotor


66


, rotates accordingly. Magnet


72


varies in magnetic intensity rotationally around the lateral surface thereof so that rotation of magnet


72


causes a varying magnetic field to impinge upon stator poles


74


. A varying magnetic field impinging upon stator poles


74


induces a current to flow in coil or windings


78


.




Referring now to

FIG. 6

, a bottom view of the handle portion of body


12


is shown. From this view, it is more apparent that aperture


30


is in fluid communication with apertures or fluid channels


104


and


106


. Also shown in

FIG. 6

is aperture or fluid channel


32


. Aperture


104


provides a fluid flow path for exhaust of pressurized air from generator


63


. Aperture


106


is a channel or fluid passage through which compressed air is delivered to air blast nozzle


20


from aperture


52


. A fluid path from compressed air supply aperture


32


to aperture


52


is established through valve body


42


when valve stem


40


is actuated toward spring


44


(see FIGS.


3


and


13


-


14


).




Referring now to

FIGS. 7 and 8

, cross-sectional views of the body


12


are shown.

FIG. 7

is a cross-sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows labeled A—A in

FIG. 6

, and

FIG. 8

is a cross-sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows labeled B—B in FIG.


6


. Various fluid channels or apertures wherein compressed air flows within body


12


are shown in more detail in

FIGS. 7 and 8

. Compressed air is supplied to aperture


32


Which is in fluid communication with apertures


52


and


58


. Compressed air that encourages motor-generator


63


to rotate is supplied via apertures


58


,


61


and


62


to aperture


98


. Fluid passage or aperture


104


provides a channel for compressed air to pass from aperture


98


, through aperture


52


, and on to exhaust aperture


30


. Similarly, aperture


106


provides a fluid passage for compressed air to flow between aperture


52


and aperture


48


. Valve body


42


(see

FIG. 3

) prevents compressed air flow between apertures


52


and


30


yet allows air to flow between aperture


30


and aperture


98


via aperture


104


. Also shown are roll pin slot or aperture


55


into which roll pin


54


is inserted and aperture or through hole


61


wherein motor valve


60


(see

FIGS. 3 and 17

) is received.




Body


12


is preferably cast from aluminum or other suitable metal and then machined on various- surfaces to establish desired dimensional tolerances with internal components and to form various threads therein.




Referring now to

FIGS. 9 and 10

, end plate


68


is shown in a front elevational view and a cross-sectional view. End plate


68


includes bore


108


for receiving bearing


71


(see

FIG. 5

) therein. Hole


110


receives pin


69


(

FIG. 5

) to maintain rotational alignment of end plate


68


with respect to end plate


64


(

FIG. 5

) and rotor housing


65


(FIG.


5


). Slot


112


provides a channel for compressed air to flow past end plate


68


and into aperture


98


and on through aperture


104


to exhaust aperture


30


(see FIG.


7


).




Referring now to

FIGS. 11 and 12

, a front elevational view and a cross-sectional view of end plate


64


are shown. Bore


114


receives bearing


70


(

FIG. 5

) therein. Compressed air from aperture


62


(

FIGS. 7

) flows through slot


116


and into the rotor housing


65


(

FIG. 3

) to engage vanes


73


of rotor


66


(see

FIG. 5

) and exits the rotor area via slot


112


in end plate


68


(FIG.


9


). Hole


118


receives pin


69


(FIG.


5


). It should be apparent that slot


116


and slot


112


are not in alignment due to the location of hole


110


(

FIG. 9

) and hole


118


so that an offset angle of about ninety degrees is established therebetween. The non-alignment of slot


116


and slot


112


establishes a non-direct path so that air must flow over rotor


66


(

FIG. 5

) and vanes


73


(

FIG. 5

) and thereby encourages rotor


66


to rotate.




Referring now to

FIGS. 13-16

, trigger valve body


42


is shown in detail.

FIG. 13

is a front elevational view,

FIG. 14

is a plan view,

FIG. 15

is a cross-sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows labeled A—A of

FIG. 14

, and

FIG. 16

is a cross-sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows labeled A—A in FIG.


13


. Slot


55


engages roll pin


54


(

FIG. 3

) to secure valve body


42


in position within aperture


52


(FIG.


7


). When trigger


18


(

FIG. 3

) is depressed inward, compressed air in aperture


32


(

FIG. 3

) is supplied to the interior


120


of valve body


42


. Compressed air from interior aperture


120


flows out through aperture


122


through aperture


106


(

FIG. 8

) and into aperture


48


(

FIG. 8

) and from there through air nozzle


20


(FIG.


3


). Cutout portion


124


establishes a fluid passage for exhaust air from aperture


98


(

FIG. 8

) to flow through aperture


104


(FIG.


8


), past valve body


42


(FIG.


3


), and into exhaust aperture


30


(FIG.


3


). Annular groove


126


receives o-ring seal


50


(FIG.


3


).




Referring now to

FIG. 17

, a partial cross-sectional view of body


12


is shown. In this view, the details of motor valve


6


.


0


are shown. Valve


60


is disposed in a through-hole


61


machined or formed in body


12


. Valve


60


has a very small clearance with hole


61


. Valve


60


includes three annular grooves


128


,


129


and


130


. Grooves


128


and


129


receive o-ring seals


131


therein. Groove


130


provides a fluid passage around valve


60


so that compressed air will flow from aperture


58


to aperture


62


when valve


60


is repositioned horizontally so that groove


130


is aligned with apertures


58


and


62


. In the position shown, valve


60


prevents compressed air from passing between aperture


58


and aperture


62


. C-clip


134


is attached as shown in groove


136


formed in valve


60


to prevent removal of valve


60


from within aperture


61


.




While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description of the preferred embodiment, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.



Claims
  • 1. An air blast tool having an integral light source comprising:a body having an inlet aperture; a first outlet aperture and a second outlet aperture and wherein said first outlet aperture and said second outlet aperture are in fluid communication with said inlet aperture; first valve means partially disposed within said first outlet aperture for controlling air flow,therethrough; an air powered electrical generator having a rotor and a stator, said air powered generator being disposed within said second outlet aperture, said air powered electrical generator producing an electrical signal in response to pressurized air supplied from said inlet aperture to said second outlet aperture; an electric light attached to said body and receiving said electrical signal to illuminate said electrical light; and air nozzle means attached to said body and disposed over said first outlet aperture.
  • 2. The device of claim 1 including:flow control means having a portion disposed within said second outlet aperture for variably metering air flow therethrough.
  • 3. The device of claim 2 including second valve means having a portion disposed in said second outlet aperture, said second valve means fully restricting air flow in said second outlet aperture when activated and opening said second outlet aperture when deactivated.
  • 4. The device of claim 3 wherein said second valve means is a shut-off valve.
  • 5. An air blast tool having an integral light source and comprising:a body having an inlet aperture, a first outlet aperture, a second outlet aperture, a first fluid passage communicating between said inlet aperture and said first outlet aperture, a valve aperture in fluid communication with said first fluid passage, and a second fluid passage communicating between said inlet aperture and said second outlet aperture; first valve means disposed in said valve aperture and extending into, said first fluid passage for controlling air flow within said first fluid passage, said first valve means including mechanical actuator means for controlling said first valve means and enabling and disabling air flow in said first fluid passage; an air powered electrical generator having a rotor and a stator, said air powered generator being disposed within said second fluid passage, said air powered electrical generator producing an electrical signal in response to air flowing through said second fluid passage; an electric light attached to said body and receiving said electrical signal to illuminate said electrical light; and a hollow cylindrical member having a first end and a second end and wherein said first end is attached to said body, and disposed over said first outlet aperture.
  • 6. The device of claim 5 wherein said body further includes a flow control aperture in fluid communication with said second fluid passage, said device further including a flow control member disposed in said flow control aperture and extending into said second fluid passage and partially obstructing said second. fluid passage.
  • 7. The device of claim 6 wherein said flow control member is positionable within said flow control aperture to variably obstruct fluid flow in said second fluid passage.
  • 8. The device of claim 7 wherein said body includes a shut-off aperture in fluid communication with said second fluid passage, said device further including a shut-off member disposed in said shut-off aperture extending into said second fluid passage, and wherein said shut-off member is positionable in a first position to fully obscure fluid flow in said second fluid passage, said shut-off member being positionable in a second position to allow fluid flow through said second fluid dosage.
  • 9. The device of claim 8 wherein said electric light is positioned in close proximity to said second end of said hollow cylindrical member.
  • 10. The device of claim 9 including means for attaching said inlet aperture to a source of compressed gas, said means for attaching being disposed in said inlet aperture.
  • 11. The device of claim 10 wherein said body includes means for removably mounting said body to an external device.
  • 12. The device of claim 11 wherein said means for removably mounting is a protrusion extending outward from and back towards said body at the distal end of said protrusion.
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Number Name Date Kind
4291839 Brett Sep 1981 A
5267129 Anderson Nov 1993 A
5412546 Huang May 1995 A
5873647 Kurtz et al. Feb 1999 A
6142387 Jou Nov 2000 A