This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2018-007520 filed on Jan. 19, 2018, 2018-007521 filed on Jan. 19, 2018, 2018-007633 filed on Jan. 19, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a gas combustion type driving tool that drives a fastener by combustion pressure of combustible gas.
A gas combustion type driving tool that drives a fastener by combustion pressure of combustible gas is known in the related art (see, for example, JP-A-2009-45676). Such a gas combustion type driving tool requires a power source to electrically control supply of the combustible gas and ignition of a spark plug. The gas combustion type driving tool disclosed in JP-A-2009-45676 includes a battery pack serving as the power source. A weight of the tool is distributed at both ends of a grip by attaching the battery pack to a grip end, so that weight balance is optimally maintained.
In order to obtain a large output in such a gas combustion type driving tool, it is necessary to increase an amount of combustible gas supplied to a combustion chamber. However, a mixing ratio of air and the combustible gas gets out of order by simply increasing the amount of combustible gas, resulting in incomplete combustion. Therefore, it is necessary to increase an amount of air in accordance with the increase in the combustible gas, that is, it is necessary to increase a volume of the combustion chamber.
Meanwhile, a pneumatic driving tool that drives a fastener by actuating a piston with compressed air is also widely used (see, for example, JP-A-2005-219193). In such a pneumatic driving tool, compressed air stored in an air chamber is supplied above a piston at once. The piston is driven by air pressure thus generated in an impacted manner. Therefore, in order to obtain a large output, it is necessary to ensure an air chamber as large as possible. In the pneumatic driving tool disclosed in JP-A-2005-219193, an air plug is provided at a grip end, and a hose is detachably attached to the air plug, so that compressed air can be supplied from outside. By using inside of a grip as the air chamber, a volume of the air chamber can be ensured as large as possible.
As described above, in order to increase the output of the gas combustion type driving tool, it is necessary to increase the volume of the combustion chamber, while in order to increase the output in the pneumatic driving tool, it is necessary to increase the volume of the air chamber. However, there is a limit to a feasible output as there is a limit to a size and weight that can be used as a hand-held tool. For example, in order to obtain output comparable to a pyrotechnic type driving tool, there is a problem that a driving tool may exceed a practically usable size as a hand-held tool.
As a method for solving such a problem, JP-A-S51-58768 discloses an idea that a fastener is driven out by combustion pressure when mixed gas of combustible gas and compressed air is ignited. That is, although air and combustible gas are mixed in the gas combustion type driving tool in the related art, it is possible to increase a mass of air contained in the mixed gas without expanding a combustion chamber by using compressed air instead of air. Then, a large output can be obtained by energy of the compressed air and thermal energy of the combustion gas.
However, a configuration disclosed in JP-A-S51-58768 is merely an idea, and there are various problems in practical use.
A biggest problem is with a layout, that is, where to dispose a battery pack and an inlet of compressed air. For example, in the configuration disclosed in JP-A-S51-58768, the inlet of compressed air is disposed at a grip end. In such an arrangement, however, the battery pack cannot be disposed at the grip end, making it difficult to properly maintain balance of the tool. The battery pack is not disclosed in the configuration in JP-A-S51-58768, and the problem of where to dispose the battery pack is shelved.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a gas combustion type driving tool that drives a fastener using combustible gas and compressed air, in which a well-balanced layout can be realized.
The present invention is made to solve the above-described problems. A gas combustion type driving tool includes an output unit, a grip, a fuel container storage unit, a battery mounting unit and a coupler. The output unit includes a combustion chamber. The grip is connected to a lower surface of the output unit. A fuel container is detachably attached to the fuel container storage unit. A -battery pack is detachably attached to the battery mounting unit. The coupler is configured to take air in. The fastener is driven out by combustion pressure when mixed gas of combustible gas supplied from the fuel container and compressed air supplied from outside via the coupler is ignited. The coupler is disposed on a lower end side of the grip. The gas combustion type driving tool includes a pipe configured to connect the coupler and the combustion chamber.
As described above, the fastener is driven out by combustion pressure when the mixed gas of combustible gas supplied from the fuel container and compressed air supplied from outside via the coupler is ignited. Therefore, a large output can be obtained by energy of the compressed air and thermal energy of the combustion gas even if a volume of the combustion chamber or an air chamber is not extremely large. Specifically, output comparable to a pyrotechnic type driving tool can be obtained with a tool size in a range that can be used as a hand-held tool. Further, unlike the pyrotechnic type driving tool, the tool can be used without a special license, and maintenance is also easy.
The coupler is on the lower end side of the grip, and includes a pipe for connecting the coupler and the combustion chamber. Such a configuration makes it possible to freely arrange a position of the coupler. For example, it is possible to adopt a layout in which the battery pack is mounted on a lower end portion of the grip and the coupler (inlet for compressed air) is disposed in proximity to the battery pack. According to such a layout, weight balance of the tool can be improved by allowing the battery pack to be mounted on the lower end portion of the grip. Further, work can be easily done since work places such as attachment and detachment of the battery pack and a hose are both on the lower end side of the grip. Since it is possible to dispose the coupler at a position away from the output unit so as not to receive shocks of the output unit, loosening of the coupler due to shocks can be prevented.
FIG. I is a side view of a gas combustion type driving tool;
Embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, as illustrated in
A gas combustion type driving tool 10 according to the present embodiment drives a fastener out by combustion pressure when mixed gas of combustible gas and compressed air is ignited. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
At a front end of the output unit 11, a nose portion 18 is attached to guide a fastener to a workpiece. When a driving operation is performed by operating a trigger operating unit 31 to be described below, the fastener is driven to the workpiece from an ejection outlet 18a. The ejection outlet 18a opens to a front end of the nose portion 18.
The nose portion 18 can be pushed into the output unit 11, and the driving operation is not performed even if the trigger operating unit 31 is operated, unless the nose portion 18 is pushed in. Specifically, a safety switch (not illustrated) is turned on by pushing in the nose portion 18, and a signal of a trigger switch 32 to be described below is not enabled unless the safety switch is turned on. Therefore, the fastener is not driven out unless the nose portion 18 is pressed against the workpiece, so that safety is ensured.
As illustrated in
The ignition device 13 is used to generate a spark inside the combustion chamber 12. For example, the ignition device 13 is a spark plug that generates a spark by raising a voltage of a battery pack 50 to be described below to a high voltage and discharging the high voltage. The ignition device 13 performs an ignition operation at a predetermined timing based on a signal from a control device 33 to be described below. When the ignition device 13 ignites the mixed gas in the combustion chamber 12, a high-pressure combustion gas is generated in the combustion chamber 12, so that the piston 16 to be described below slides in an impacted manner by combustion pressure thus generated.
The cylinder head 14 constitutes the combustion chamber 12 together with the cylinder 15 to be described below. The cylinder head 14 is fixed to close a rear end of the cylinder 15. The cylinder head 14 is provided with an air ejection unit 44 and a gas ejection unit 48 to be described below, so that compressed air and combustible fuel container be introduced into the combustion chamber 12 from the air ejection unit 44 and the gas ejection unit 48.
The cylinder 15 is disposed in a longitudinal direction of the output unit 11. The cylinder 15 has two spaces in the front and rear. The space in the front guides the piston 16 to be described below to be slidable therein. The space in the rear constitutes the combustion chamber 12. The two spaces in the front and rear are connected with each other, and the cylindrical member 20 to be described below is attached between the two spaces. The front and rear two spaces can be shielded by the movable plug 21 housed in the cylindrical member 20.
The piston 16 is slidably housed inside the cylinder 15. When the high-pressure combustion gas is generated in the combustion chamber 12, the combustion gas operates on the piston 16, so that the piston 16 is actuated forward.
The driver 17 is used to hit a fastener and is coupled to front of the piston 16. When the driving operation is performed, the driver 17 slides along an ejection path of the fastener and drives the fastener in the ejection path out of the ejection outlet 18a.
The cylindrical member 20 is fixed to the cylinder 15 in the combustion chamber 12. The cylindrical member 20 includes a pressure chamber 20b therein that actuates the movable plug 21 to be described below. On a side portion of the cylindrical member 20, a first opening 20a is provided to connect the combustion chamber 12 and the pressure chamber 20b. On an end surface of the cylindrical member 20 facing the piston 16, a second opening 20c is provided to connect the combustion chamber 12 and a space in rear of the piston 16.
The movable plug 21 is a columnar member slidably disposed inside the cylindrical member 20. The movable plug 21 is biased in a direction toward the piston 16 by the compression spring 22, and closes the second opening 20c when in a natural state. Therefore, the combustion chamber 12 and the space in rear of the piston 16 are shielded by the movable plug 21 before the driving operation, resulting in a sealed space in the combustion chamber 12.
The movable plug 21 includes a groove in an outer periphery thereof, so that the pressure chamber 20b is defined between the groove and an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 20. The pressure chamber 20b is connected with the combustion chamber 12 when in a natural state, resulting in the same air pressure as air pressure in the combustion chamber 12. The groove of the movable plug 21 includes a first pressure receiving surface 21a and a second pressure receiving surface 21b respectively in upper and lower edges of the groove to receive air pressure in the pressure chamber 20b. In the present embodiment, the first pressure receiving surface 21a has an area larger than an area of the second pressure receiving surface 21b, so that the movable plug 21 is actuated by a difference in pressure receiving areas. That is, when the air pressure in the pressure chamber 20b is increased, a force acts to slide the movable plug 21 in a direction away from the piston 16. The movable plug 21 slides rearward when the force overcomes a biasing force of the compression spring 22.
Therefore, the movable plug 21 slides to open the second opening 20c when the air pressure in the pressure chamber 20b (that is, the combustion chamber 12) exceeds a certain level. When the second opening 20c is opened, the combustion chamber 12 is connected with the space in rear of the piston 16, so that air (combustion gas) in the combustion chamber 12 flows into rear of the piston 16. Specifically, when the combustible gas burns in the combustion chamber 12 and pressure in the combustion chamber 12 increases, the movable plug 21 slides such that the combustion gas is allowed to flow into rear of the piston 16, and the piston 16 is driven by combustion pressure.
The grip 30 is connected to a lower surface of the output unit 11, and is substantially orthogonal to the direction in which a fastener is driven out. A user of the gas combustion type driving tool 10 can hold the tool stably by gripping the grip 30.
The grip 30 is provided with the trigger operating unit 31 that can be pulled. The trigger operating unit 31 is disposed at such a position that an index finger is applied to the trigger operating unit 31 when the grip 30 is gripped. When the trigger operating unit 31 is operated, the trigger switch 32 inside the grip 30 is pressed and turned on. A signal output from the trigger switch 32 turned on is transmitted to and processed by the control device 33 inside the grip 30. Specifically, when both the safety switch and the trigger switch 32 are turned ON, the control device 33 performs a predetermined driving operation (details of the driving operation is described below). On a lower end surface of the grip 30, a battery mounting unit 34 is provided, to which a battery pack 50 can be detachably attached. The gas combustion type driving tool 10 according to the present embodiment is driven by electric power supplied from the battery pack 50 having a built-in secondary battery. Accordingly, the gas combustion type driving tool 10 is used in a state in which the battery pack 50 is mounted on the battery mounting unit 34. In the present embodiment, the battery pack 50 can be mounted on the battery mounting unit 34 by being slid from rear. The battery pack 50 can also be detached from the battery mounting unit 34 by being slid rearward.
The fuel container storage unit 37 is used for mounting a fuel container that is a supply source of combustible gas to be supplied to the combustion chamber 12. As illustrated in
The fuel container storage unit 37 according to the present embodiment includes a cylindrical portion 37a in which a fuel container is held in a slidable manner, a connection portion 37b disposed at an innermost portion of the cylindrical portion 37a, and a lid 37d disposed in the front of the cylindrical portion 37a .
The connection portion 37b connects a nozzle of a fuel container. The connection portion 37b is connected to a first gas pipe 46 to be described below. By connecting the nozzle of a fuel container to the connection portion 37b, combustible gas in the connected fuel container can be guided to the combustion chamber 12.
The lid 37d is attached to the fuel container storage unit 37 and can be opened and closed. Specifically, the lid 37d is rotatably supported by the fuel container storage unit 37 via a hinge 37c, so that inside of the fuel container storage unit 37 can be opened or sealed by rotating the lid 37d. By opening the lid 37d, a fuel container stored in the fuel container storage unit 37 can be taken out, and a fuel container can also be inserted into the fuel container storage unit 37.
The magazine 38 is used for loading a plurality of fasteners those can be driven out, and is connected to a lower side of the nose portion 18. The fasteners loaded in the magazine 38 are sequentially supplied to the nose portion 18, in which a leading fastener supplied to the nose portion 18 is hit and driven out by the driver 17. The magazine 38 according to the present embodiment allows connected fasteners to be aligned in a straight line.
The coupler 40 connects, for example, a plug of a hose that is connected to an air supply source such as an air compressor, and is used for taking in compressed air from outside. The coupler 40 is disposed on a lower end side of the grip 30, and particularly at a position lower than the grip 30 that can be gripped by the user. In other words, the coupler 40 is closer to a lower end than a center of the grip 30 when the grip 30 is viewed in its longitudinal direction. Further, the coupler 40 is opened downward. The gas combustion type driving tool 10 according to the present embodiment is used for driving fasteners by transmitting the compressed air supplied from outside to the combustion chamber 12 through the coupler 40.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Next, an introduction path of compressed air and combustible gas into the combustion chamber 12 is described.
The compressed air supplied from outside is introduced into the tool through the coupler 40 as described above. The gas combustion type driving tool 10 according to the present embodiment includes a pipe for connecting the coupler 40 and the combustion chamber 12. Specifically, the gas combustion type driving tool 10 includes a first air pipe 42 constituting an introduction path from the coupler 40 to an air ejection valve 41 (described below) and a second air pipe 43 constituting an introduction path from the air ejection valve 41 to the combustion chamber 12.
The first air pipe 42 has an upstream end connected to the coupler 40, and a downstream end connected to the air ejection valve 41. As illustrated in
A downstream side of the first air pipe 42 is disposed along a lateral surface of the output unit 11. The fuel container storage unit 37 and the output unit 11 are connected in a substantially L shape. Accordingly, the first air pipe 42 is bent into an L shape at a connection position of the fuel container storage unit 37 and the output unit 11. The first air pipe 42 according to the present embodiment is formed of an elastically bendable tube.
A part of the first air pipe 42 is exposed outside a housing of the tool. Specifically, the first air pipe 42 passes through a tunnel-shaped pipe holding unit 37e on the lateral surface of the fuel container storage unit 37, and is inserted into a pipe cover unit 25 on the lateral surface of the output unit 11. Other parts of the first air pipe being exposed outside. According to such a configuration, the first air pipe 42 is inserted and assembled to the tool from outside of the housing, resulting in good assembling properties.
The air ejection valve 41 is an electromagnetic valve that controls an amount of compressed air supplied to the combustion chamber 12. The air ejection valve 41 measures the compressed air supplied through the first air pipe 42, and ejects a certain amount of the compressed air into the combustion chamber 12. As illustrated in
The second air pipe 43 has an upstream end connected to the air ejection valve 41 and a downstream end connected to the combustion chamber 12. The second air pipe 43 is used for introducing the compressed air ejected by the air ejection valve 41 into the combustion chamber 12. As illustrated in
The second air pipe 43 according to the present embodiment is formed of an elastically bendable tube. Accordingly, the second air pipe 43 is less likely to break or come off even when vibration and shocks occur during the driving operation.
As described above, combustible gas in the fuel container is introduced through the connection portion 37b of the fuel container storage unit 37. The gas combustion type driving tool 10 according to the present embodiment includes a pipe for connecting the connection portion 37b and the combustion chamber 12.. Specifically, the gas combustion type driving tool 10 includes a first gas pipe 46 constituting an introduction path from the connection portion 37b to a gas ejection valve 45 (described below), and a second gas pipe 47 constituting an introduction path from the gas ejection valve 45 to the combustion chamber 12.
The first gas pipe 46 has an upstream end connected to the connection portion 37b, and a downstream end connected to the gas ejection valve 45. As illustrated in
The gas ejection valve 45 is an electromagnetic valve that controls an amount of combustible gas supplied to the combustion chamber 12. The gas ejection valve 45 measures the combustible gas supplied through the first gas pipe 46, and ejects a certain amount of the combustible gas into the combustion chamber 12. As illustrated in
The second gas pipe 47 has an upstream end connected to the gas ejection valve 45, and a downstream end connected to the combustion chamber 12. The second gas pipe 47 is used for introducing the combustible gas ejected by the gas ejection valve 45 into the combustion chamber 12. As illustrated in
Next, a driving operation of the gas combustion type driving tool 10 according to the present embodiment is described with reference to
When the trigger operating unit 31 is operated to start the driving operation, the control device 33 first opens the gas ejection valve 45 at a timing indicated by A in
Next, the control device 33 opens the air ejection valve 41 at a timing indicated by C in
When the combustible gas and the compressed air are introduced into the combustion chamber 12 to form mixed gas, the control device 33 operates the ignition device 13 at a timing indicated by E in
As described above, according to the present embodiment, a fastener can be driven out by the combustion pressure when the mixed gas of the combustible gas supplied from the fuel container and the compressed air supplied from outside via the coupler 40 is ignited. Therefore, a large output can be obtained by energy of the compressed air and thermal energy of the combustion gas even if a volume of the combustion chamber 12 or an air chamber is not extremely large. Specifically, output comparable to a pyrotechnic type driving tool can be obtained with a tool size in a range that can be used as a hand-held tool. Further, unlike the pyrotechnic type driving tool, the tool can be used without a special license, and maintenance is also easy.
Since the coupler 40 and the combustion chamber 12 (the output unit 11) are connected via a pipe, it is not necessary to ensure pressure resistance of a main housing of the tool as a pneumatic tool in the related art. Therefore, for example, a housing constituting the grip 30 can be made of resin, so that a weight and costs of the tool can be reduced.
The coupler 40 is on the lower end side of the grip 30, and includes a pipe (first air pipe 42) for connecting the coupler 40 and the combustion chamber 12. Such a configuration makes it possible to freely arrange a position of the coupler 40. For example, it is possible to adopt a layout in which the battery pack 50 is mounted on a lower end portion of the grip 30 and the coupler 40 (inlet for compressed air) is disposed in proximity to the battery pack 50. According to such a layout, weight balance of the tool can be improved by allowing the battery pack 50 to be mounted on the lower end portion of the grip 30. Further, work can be easily done since work places such as attachment and detachment of the battery pack 50 and a hose are both on the lower end side of the grip 30. Since it is possible to dispose the coupler 40 at a position away from the output unit 11 so as not to receive shocks of the output unit 11, loosening of the coupler 40 due to shocks can be prevented.
In the embodiment described above, a pipe (first air pipe 42) for connecting the coupler 40 and the combustion chamber 12 is disposed outside the housing along the fuel container storage unit 37. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the pipe may be disposed at another location. For example, the pipe may be attached to outside of the housing along the magazine 38.
In the embodiment described above, the pipe (first air pipe 42) for connecting the coupler 40 and the combustion chamber 12 is partially exposed outside of the housing of the tool. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the pipe may be attached so as not to be exposed at all. Although the assembling properties are reduced when the pipe is not exposed, it is possible to obtain an effect that the pipe can be protected even when the tool is hit or the like. When the pipe is not exposed, the pipe may be integrally formed in the housing (the fuel container storage unit 37 or the like).
When the pipe is not exposed, not only a pipe holding unit may be formed on a housing surface, but also the pipe may pass through the grip 30 or through the fuel container storage unit 37.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2018-007520 | Jan 2018 | JP | national |
2018-007521 | Jan 2018 | JP | national |
2018-007633 | Jan 2018 | JP | national |