Patent Application
20210107126
None
The present disclosure relates to tools, and, more particularly, to powered tools for driving staples or similar fasteners.
Powered fastening devices for driving staples or similar fasteners are known, including for driving heavy-duty utility fasteners in the forms of staples or similar fasteners. Such devices are powered in a variety of ways, including gas-powered, hydraulic powered, pneumatically powered, and electric powered by either a power cord or battery. Such devices concentrate force onto a striking member that drives a fastener into a work piece. Depending upon the power of the fastening device, the type and configuration of fastener, and the material of the work piece, a single driving stroke is typically sufficient to drive a fastener to a desired depth in a work piece for common applications, but in the field of heavy-duty utility fastening it is more difficult to drive the fastener to a desired depth with a single strike. Furthermore, it is difficult to control the depth to which the fastener is driven with a single strike.
In the electrical utility field, it is common to affix cables, wires and/or plastic moldings/wire protectors with large staples driven into 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 in the electrical utility field is to use a common hammer to drive U-shaped nails or staples into the structural members, which is a time consuming and often difficult process because of the likelihood of a mishit or deformation of the staple when attempting to strike the rounded surface of the staple with the hammer. The task is even more complicated by the desire to avoid pinching or crushing a cable or wire between a fastener and a utility pole or other structure when driving the fastener into the structure. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for improved fastening methods and devices to affix cables or wires to utility poles and other structural members.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/405,381 filed on May 7, 2019 and naming John Kargenian et. al. as inventors (the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) discloses a response to the above identified need in the form of a powered fastening device that is capable of multiple strikes to drive a fastener into a work piece while controlling the depth to which the fastener is driven so as to avoid pinching or crushing a cable or wire that is being joined to a structure by the fastener. While the disclosed device provides significant advantages, there is always room for improvement.
For example, in many powered fastening devices, in order to drive a fastener, such as a staple, the user must push the fastener feeder assembly against the work surface to enable the motor, but this action doesn't reduce the possibility of jams by separating a staple from a collation of staples and/or forcing the staple against the work surface prior to striking the staple.
In accordance with one feature of this disclosure, a powered fastening device includes a main housing, a fastener drive assembly, a drive motor, and a motor control. The fastener drive assembly is carried in the main housing to drive a fastener into a work piece along a drive axis. The drive motor is carried in the main housing and operably connected to the fastener drive assembly to actuate the fastener drive assembly. The feeder assembly is configured to carry a joined collation of fasteners and to sequentially locate each fastener of the collation in a loaded position to be freed from the collation and moved to a ready position. The feeder assembly is mounted to the main housing to translate along the drive axis relative to the fastener drive assembly between a fastener load position wherein a fastener attached to the collation can be moved to the loaded position and a fastener drive position wherein the fastener has been freed from the collation and moved to the ready position to be driven by the fastener drive assembly into a work piece. The motor control is operably connected to the drive motor and configured to disable the drive motor until the feeder assembly moves from the fastener load position to the fastener drive position.
As one feature, the motor control includes a user actuated trigger switch, and the motor control is configured to enable the drive motor in response to user actuation of the trigger switch with the feeder assembly in the fastener drive position.
In one feature, the motor control further includes a mechanically actuated switch, the switch having a first condition wherein the drive motor is disabled and a second condition wherein the drive motor is enabled. The powered fastening device includes a switch-actuating member located to actuate the mechanically actuated switch to the second condition with the feeder assembly in the fastener drive position.
According to one feature, the mechanically actuated switch is fixed on the feeder assembly, and the switch-actuating member is fixed to main housing.
As one feature, the mechanically actuated switch includes a switch body and an input member mounted on the switch body to move between an unactuated position and an actuated position. The mechanically actuated switch changes from one of the first and second conditions to the other of the first and second conditions in response to the input member moving from the unactuated position to the actuated position. In a further feature, the input member is pivot mounted to the switch body and includes a surface that is engaged by the switch-actuating member with the feeder assembly in the fastener drive position.
According to one feature, the drive motor is an electric motor and the device further includes a battery operably connected to the motor control to selectively energize the drive motor.
In one feature, the fastener drive assembly includes a drive pin mounted to translate relative to the main housing to strike a fastener positioned in the feeder assembly to drive the fastener into a work piece. The drive motor is operable connected to the fastener drive assembly by a percussive assembly configured to repeatedly strike the drive pin.
As one feature, the feeder assembly includes a fastener magazine configured to carry the plurality of fasteners, and a fastener nozzle configured to sequentially receive individual fasteners from the magazine in the loaded position.
In accordance with one feature of this disclosure, a powered fastening device includes a main housing, a fastener drive assembly, a drive motor, a mechanically actuated switch, and a switch-actuating member. The fastener drive assembly is carried in the main housing to drive a fastener into a work piece along a drive axis. The drive motor is carried in the main housing and operably connected to the fastener drive assembly to actuate the fastener drive assembly. The feeder assembly is configured to carry a joined collation of fasteners and to sequentially locate each fastener of the collation in a loaded position to be freed from the collation and moved to a ready position. The feeder assembly is mounted to the main housing to translate along the drive axis relative to the fastener drive assembly between a fastener load position wherein a fastener attached to the collation can be moved to the loaded position and a fastener drive position wherein the fastener has been freed from the collation and moved to the ready position to be driven by the fastener drive assembly into a work piece. The mechanically actuated switch is operably connected to the drive motor and has a first condition wherein the drive motor is disabled and a second condition wherein the drive motor is enabled. The switch-actuating member is located to actuate the mechanically actuated switch to the second condition in response to the feeder assembly translating to the fastener drive position.
In one feature, the mechanically actuated switch is fixed on the feeder assembly, and the switch-actuating member is fixed to fastener drive assembly.
According to one feature, the mechanically actuated switch includes a switch body and an input member mounted on the switch body to move between an unactuated position and an actuated position. The mechanically actuated switch changes from one of the first and second conditions to the other of the first and second conditions in response to the input member moving from the unactuated position to the actuated position. In a further feature, the input member is pivot mounted to the switch body and includes a surface that is engaged by the switch-actuating member with the feeder assembly in the fastener drive position.
As one feature, the device further includes a user actuated trigger switch operably connected to the drive motor to enable the drive motor in response to user actuation of the trigger switch with the feeder assembly in the fastener drive position.
In one feature, the drive motor is an electric motor and the device further includes a battery operably connected to the drive motor to selectively energize the drive motor.
According to one feature, the fastener drive assembly includes a drive pin mounted to translate relative to the main housing to strike a fastener positioned in the feeder assembly to drive the fastener into a work piece; and the drive motor is operable connected to the fastener drive assembly by a percussive assembly configured to repeatedly strike the drive pin.
As one feature, wherein the feeder assembly includes a fastener magazine configured to carry the plurality of fasteners, and a fastener nozzle configured to sequentially receive individual fasteners from the magazine in the loaded position.
In accordance with one feature of this disclosure, a powered fastening device includes a main housing, a fastener drive assembly, a drive motor, and a motor control. The fastener drive assembly is carried in the main housing to drive a fastener into a work piece along a drive axis. The drive motor is carried in the main housing and operably connected to the fastener drive assembly to actuate the fastener drive assembly. The feeder assembly is configured to carry a joined collation of fasteners and to sequentially locate each fastener of the collation in a loaded position to be freed from the collation and moved to a ready position. The feeder assembly is mounted to the main housing to translate along the drive axis relative to the fastener drive assembly between a fastener load position wherein a fastener attached to the collation can be moved to the loaded position and a fastener drive position wherein the fastener has been freed from the collation and moved to the ready position to be driven by the fastener drive assembly into a work piece. The motor control is operably connected to the drive motor and configured to disable the drive motor until a fastener is in the ready position.
As one feature, the motor control is configured to disable the drive motor until the feeder assembly is in the fastener drive position. In a further feature, the motor control further includes a mechanically actuated switch having a first condition wherein the drive motor is disabled and a second condition wherein the drive motor is enabled; and the powered fastening device includes a switch-actuating member located to actuate the switch to the second condition with the feeder assembly in the fastener drive position.
It should be understood that the inventive concepts disclosed herein do not require each of the features discussed above, may include any combination of the features discussed above, and may include features not specifically discussed above.
As best seen in
The fastener drive assembly 14 is carried in the housing 12 to drive a fastener 26 into a work piece 28 along a drive axis 30. The drive motor 16 is carried in the housing 12 and operably connected to the fastener drive assembly 14 to actuate the fastener drive assembly 14. The feeder assembly 18 is configured to carry a joined collation 32 of fasteners 26 and to sequentially position/locate each fastener 26 relative to the fastener drive assembly 14 in a loaded position where the fastener 26 can be freed from the collation 32 and moved to a ready position where the fastener 26 can be driven by the fastener drive assembly 14 into the work piece 28. The feeder assembly 18 is mounted to the housing 12 to translate along the drive axis 30 relative to the fastener drive assembly 14 between a fastener load position (shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener drive assembly 14 includes a drive pin or punch 34 mounted to reciprocate relative to the housing 12 and the feeder assembly 18 along the drive axis 30 to strike a fastener 26 positioned in the feeder assembly 14 to drive the fastener 26 into the work piece 28. The drive motor 16 is operably coupled to the drive pin 34 by a gear train 36 and a percussive assembly 38. In the illustrated embodiment, the gear train 36 includes a planetary gear system 39 that transfers a drive torque from an output shaft 40 of the motor 16 to an input gear 42 of the percussive assembly 38. In response to the drive torque from the motor 16, the percussive assembly 38 is configured to strike the drive pin 34 at regular intervals to transfer an impact energy at each interval that drives the fastener 26 into the work piece 28. Further details of the illustrated and preferred configuration for the drive motor 16, gear train 36, and percussive assembly 38 are shown and described in
As best seen in
In the illustrated and preferred embodiment, the feeder assembly 18 is mounted to the main housing 12 by a pair of elongate, cylindrical guide rails 54 located adjacent the front of the device 10 and an elongate, cylindrical guide rail 56 located adjacent the rear of the device 10, as best seen in
As best seen in
As best seen in
As best seen in
While the illustrated embodiment is preferred, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the device 10 could be configured so that the switch-actuating member 95 actuates the switch 94 from the second condition to the first condition with the feeder assembly 18 in the fastener drive position, with the motor control 22 being configured to enable the drive motor 16 with the switch 94 in the first condition and to disable the drive motor 16 with the switch 94 in the second condition.
Preferred embodiments of the inventive concepts are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventor(s) for carrying out the inventive concepts. Variations of those preferred embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventor(s) expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor(s) intend that the inventive concepts can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, the inventive concepts disclosed herein include 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 and features in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the inventive concepts unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. Further in this regard, while highly preferred forms of the fastening device 10 are shown in the figures, it should be understood that this disclosure anticipates variations in the specific details of each of the disclosed components and features of the fastening device 10 and that no limitation to a specific form, configuration, or detail is intended unless expressly and specifically recited in an appended claim.
For example, while specific and preferred forms have been shown for the switches 90 and 94, any suitable form or configuration can be used. In this regard, for example, the switch 94 could be provided with an input member that translates between the unactuated and actuated conditions, rather than the pivoting input member 98 shown in the drawings. As a further example, the motor control 22 and switch 94 could be configured so that the switch 94 is in the second condition when the feeder assembly 18 is in the fastener drive position, with the motor 16 being disabled in response to the switch 94 being in the unactuated condition. As a further example, the drive motor 16 could be a brushless DC motor, rather than the brushed DC motor of the preferred embodiment. As another example, the power source could be an electrical cord that can be connected to an electrical outlet, rather than the battery 24 of the preferred embodiment. As yet another example, while the elongate rails 54, 56, and 68 are shown as cylindrical rails, other shapes or other methods of enabling the translation of the feeder assembly 18 may be desirable and employed with the inventive concepts disclosed herein. For example, other shapes and/or rollers or sliders could be utilized. Similarly, more or fewer of the rails 54, 56 and/or 68 may be desirable. In a further example, while the preferred embodiment includes the adjustable depth selector 20, in some embodiments it may be desirable for the device 10 to not include that feature. As a further example, while the knob unit 70 and engaged threads 72 and 74 are preferred, in some embodiments it may be desirable for an adjustable member to be provided in a different form and/or in a different location in the device 10. As yet another example, the switch 94 and switch-actuating member 95 could be located on other components of the device 10. For example, the switch 94 could be located on the main housing 12 and the switch-actuating member 95 could be located on the feeder assembly 18. In a further example, the switch 94 could be a non-mechanically actuated switch, such as a proximity switch or sensor. As an even further example, rather than using an electrical control such as the switch 94, the motor control 22 could employ a mechanical trigger block/lock that would prevent the trigger switch 90 from being actuated by a user, and thereby prevent the motor 16 from being enabled, until a user forces the feeder assembly 18 to the fastener drive position at which point an actuation linkage could move the trigger block/lock to a position/condition that would allow a user to actuate the trigger switch 90.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and “at least one” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (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. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the inventive concepts disclosed herein and does not pose a limitation on the scope of any invention unless expressly claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
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.
