Patent Application
20190337135
The disclosure relates to tools, and, more particularly, to tools for driving staples or similar fasteners.
The present disclosure relates to the field of fastening mechanisms including powered fastening devices, and particularly the field of battery-powered heavy-duty utility fastening. Such devices are moderately lightweight and suitable for portable operation. Various types of such fastening devices are commonly used in several industries, powered in a wide variety of ways, including gas-powered, hydraulically, pneumatically, or through the use of an electrical solenoid to concentrate force onto a particular striking member and drive a fastener into the target medium. In the simplest of such devices, a single driving stroke is delivered to the fastener to drive it into comparatively soft materials, but in the field of heavy-duty utility fastening, multiple strikes are typically required to perform the desired task. Accordingly, the concept of a multiple-strike electrically powered fastening device is well known in the prior art.
Powered fastening devices are commonly used by homeowners and contractors and are chiefly designed to drive standardized light fasteners into untreated wood. In the electrical utility field, it is common for typical users of powered fastening devices to affix cables or wires with large staples to utility poles and other structural members of an electrical distribution system, often in remote locations where standard 110-volt power sources are unavailable. Currently, the preferred method of accomplishing this task is to use a common hammer to drive U-shaped nails or staples into these structural members. The use of a hammer to strike the rounded strike surface of typical stapling fasteners in the prior art is prone to being misfit or deformed by the fastening device, potentially causing damage or inaccurate fastening. There exists in this field a need for fastening devices and stapling fasteners better suited to these tasks.
A typical powered fastening device in the prior art is designed to aggressively drive a fastener into a medium as deep and as quickly as possible, usually in a single stroke, however this is disadvantageous in some applications, including electrical utility work. In these applications, a heavy duty stapling fastener is used to affix and guide a delicate elongated object, such as a wire or a wire chase, to a working surface, and excessive force may damage or sever the wire or wire chase. An inaccurate insulation can also cause bowing or bending of the wire or wire chase, requiring the removal and reinstallation of the stapling fastener.
Additionally, many modern utility poles and other structural members found in the power utility trade are hardened, which may requiring more strokes than current standard battery operated fastening devices provide to drive large stapling fasteners. Accordingly, a multiple-strike electrically powered fastening device is preferable for this application to incrementally, but rapidly, drive a stapling fastener into a utility pole.
The present disclosure addresses all of the shortcomings of prior battery operated fastening devices noted above.
In accordance with the present disclosure, a fastening device is described which is adapted to draw power from a power source, preferably a rechargeable battery, and convert and transfer energy from the power source to drive a fastener, such as a specialized stapling fastener, into, for example, a hardened working surface, such as a utility pole, in a manner suitable for affixing to the working surface certain destructible items, such as wires and wire chases. A motor is employed to convert electrical energy to kinetic energy, and a potential energy storing device is employed to store energy that is converted to kinetic energy during operation. The energy is released abruptly and strikes an anvil and a drive pin, which then strikes the stapling fastener. In order to preserve the integrity of the destructible items, the kinetic energy storing device of the present disclosure provides a forceful strike over a much shorter travel distance, and a depth control mechanism is employed to limit the reach of the drive pin to prevent the driven fastener from being fully driven into the working surface.
In order to prevent damage to destructible workpieces, such as wires or wire chases, the present disclosure incorporates a nozzle tip designed to accommodate a stapling fastener while simultaneously fixing the location of the workpiece. To further protect and secure the destructible items, embodiments of a modified stapling fastener are disclosed. Features of the stapling fastener can include an interior cutout conforming to a wire, an interior profile conforming to a wire chase, a broad-headed striking area to maximize contact between the fastener and a drive pin, where this striking area is parallel to the end of the driving pin to ensure perpendicular placement of the stapling fastener into a working surface.
Combinations of these improvements provides for a device well-suited to the needs of an electrical utility lineman and other possible professions.
Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or corresponding parts. Moreover, references to various elements described herein, are made collectively or individually when there may be more than one element of the same type. However, such references are merely exemplary in nature. It may be noted that any reference to elements in the singular may also be construed to relate to the plural and vice-versa without limiting the scope of the disclosure to the exact number or type of such elements unless set forth explicitly in the appended claims. The terms configured and configuration as used herein refer to specific structural sizes and shapes.
The exemplary embodiments described herein in accordance with the disclosure are applicable to battery operated fastening devices that are suitable for use with heavy-duty utility stapling fasteners through the systems and method in accordance with the disclosure, but may be applicable to many types of fastening devices in a multitude of applications.
The detachable battery pack 2 in this example is a lithium-ion battery pack typical in the field of power fastening devices. Any suitable source of electricity is contemplated.
The feeder assembly 5 slides freely along a top rail 8 and a bottom rail 7 such that the feeder assembly 5 can be pushed back against the housing 1 when force is applied by a user to the back of the grip handle 3, which presses the nozzle 4 against a working surface. A return post 11 featuring a tapered stop 10 held back by a return spring 9 biases the feeder assembly 5 into its standby position 53 at its furthest possible point from the housing 1 when the fastening device 100 is not in use.
The electric motor 14 is mounted inside the housing 1 and is electrically connected to and powered by the removable battery pack 2 when the feeder assembly 5 is not in its standby position 53 and the trigger 12 is depressed. An output gear 15 of the electric motor 14 is rotated about the motor's axis 30 and interfaces with a drive gear 16 which itself is coupled to a first beveled gear 17. A second beveled gear 18 meshes with the first beveled gear 17 transferring the rotation to a working axis 31 of a percussive assembly 19, the particulars of which are detailed later in this disclosure. Any suitable power transmission mechanism or assembly is contemplated.
The percussive assembly 19 rotates at high speed and strikes at regular intervals a drive pin assembly 20, which is also detailed later in this disclosure. With each strike on the drive pin assembly 20 from the percussive assembly 19, a heavy-duty stapling fastener 6 in a fastening chamber 21 is driven with great force toward the fastening nozzle 4 and ejected out of the fastening device 100 and into whatever working surface is present.
When the feeder assembly 5 of the fastening device 100 is returned to its standby position 53 and the drive pin 37 retracts, a new heavy-duty stapling fastener 6 is advanced into the empty fastening chamber 21, and the fastening device 100 is readied to perform a new fastening cycle.
Rotational motion of the hammer disk 29 is initially impeded by contact between two hammer nubs 32 on the hammer disk 29, which impinge upon a pair of anvil stops 33 on an anvil element 34. An anvil 35 is disposed on the anvil element 34 and is fixed with respect to the anvil stops 33, such that the anvil 35 is in contact with the drive pin assembly 20. The rotational energy transferred from the electric motor 14 through the gearbox 25, the drive shaft 27, and the bearings 24 cannot rotate the hammer disk 29 while the anvil stops 33 impede the hammer nubs 32, forcing the hammer disk 29 back toward the electric motor 14 as a function of the interior bearing ramps 23 and exterior bearing ramps 28, and storing energy in a heavy hammer spring 36.
When the hammer disk 29 has been pulled sufficiently closer to the electric motor 14 for the hammer nubs 32 to pass under the anvil stops 33, the energy stored in the hammer spring 36 is released. The energy stored in the hammer spring 36 is transferred to the hammer disk 29 via the ball bearings 24 in the interior bearing ramps 23 and the exterior bearing ramps 28 rotating the hammer disk 29 violently until the hammer nubs 32 again contact the anvil stops 33 with great force. This force is transferred through the anvil stops 33 to the entire anvil element 34 and thus to the anvil 35, which strikes the drive pin assembly 20 with great force.
One embodiment of the drive pin assembly 20 includes a drive pin 37 within a drive pin housing 38 which itself encloses a fastener chamber 21 and a fastening nozzle 4. The fastening nozzle 4 roughly corresponds to the contours of the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6, and is biased away from the fastener chamber 21 by a fastening chamber spring (not pictured). In this way, the fastening nozzle 4 holds the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6 in place while the fastening device 100 is in use. In addition, the fastening nozzle 4 may incorporate a wire cutout that is sized and shaped to accommodate a wire or wire chase and hold it in place during the fastening process without damaging the integrity of the wire or wire chase.
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The bumper block 55 also allows the hammer spring 36 to compress without requiring the user to push the drive pin 37 against the anvil 35, which in turn allows a more powerful hammer spring 36 to be used because the user's strength is not a limiting factor. Without the bumper block 55 the user must push device's nozzle 4 forward to push the drive pin 37 back against the anvil 35 to get the full force of the strike on the drive pin 37, otherwise the drive pin 37 will be farther out and compress the hammer spring 36 less before its energy is released.
The corners 44 of the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6 may be squared to prevent errors in striking either with the fastening device 100 or with a traditional hammer. As a result of the corner configuration, the striking surfaces 45 of the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6 receive kinetic energy from the drive pin 37 more directly than a standard stapling fastener, producing a more powerful strike and preventing deformation of the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6. A depression 58 ensures that the striking forces on the striking surfaces 45 are concentrated directly over the tips 52 of the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6, which are beveled to a point, further allowing for ease of penetration of the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6 perpendicular into the working surface 40 and balancing the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6 with each strike of the drive pin 37. The exterior sidewalls 46 and interior sidewalls 54 of the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6 are straight and perpendicular to the plane of the workpiece allowing for easier penetration into the workpiece.
The interior contoured surface 47 of the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6 may be contoured specifically for work done by electrical utility linemen. A small radius 48 is formed within the interior contoured surface 47 near the top of the heavy-duty stapling fastener 6 in a size and shape to accommodate a wire 49. A large radius 50 may be formed adjacent and around the small radius 48 that is sized and shaped to accommodate a wire or wire chase 51 of a relatively larger diameter. The small radius 48 and large radius 50 need not be circular, and in the case of the wire chase 51, may be more parabolic in geometry.
The depression 58 can be extended over the anchor arm 61, ensuring that the full force of the drive pin 37 of the fastening device 100 will be transferred to the driving side 59 of the modified heavy-duty stapling fastener 57, or alternately an anchor side striking surface 60 may be raised above the height of the depression 58 but not quite as high as the striking surface 45 of the driving side 59. In this way, when the anchor side anchor tip 62 contacts the working surface 40, the modified heavy-duty stapling fastener 57 may rotate around the beveled tip 52, bringing the anchor side striking surface 60 closer to the drive pin 37 which may then strike it and balance the fastener 57 back toward the perpendicular. Accordingly the tip 52 of modified heavy-duty stapling fastener 57 will be driven into a working surface 40. After the anchor tip 62 is driven into the working surface 40, the small radius 48 will adequately house a wire 49, and the large radius 50 will adequately locate a wire chase 51.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and “at least one” and similar referents in the context of describing the disclosure (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The use of the term “at least one” followed by a list of one or more items (for example, “at least one of A and B”) is to be construed to mean one item selected from the listed items (A or B) or any combination of two or more of the listed items (A and B), unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the disclosure and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the disclosure unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosure.
Preferred embodiments of this disclosure are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the disclosure. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the disclosure to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/667,678, filed May 7, 2018, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62667678 | May 2018 | US |
