초록 ▼

A fastener driving device includes various interconnected systems within a device housing for efficiently regulating and transferring compressed gas provided by user-replaceable cartridges to drive a fastener securely into a workpiece. An improved cartridge containment system is provided for loading

A fastener driving device includes various interconnected systems within a device housing for efficiently regulating and transferring compressed gas provided by user-replaceable cartridges to drive a fastener securely into a workpiece. An improved cartridge containment system is provided for loading and securing compressed gas cartridges. An improved gas management system is provided, including an improved multi-function regulator, for managing gas flow. An improved valve system is provided for controlling gas flow, including an improved valve module. An improved drive system is provided for efficiently using compressed gas to drive fasteners.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A fastener driving device for driving a fastener into a workpiece, comprising: a device body; a cartridge containment system mounted on said device body to load and unload at least one gas cartridge; a gas management system positioned in the device body adjacent to the cartridge contai

We claim: 1. A fastener driving device for driving a fastener into a workpiece, comprising: a device body; a cartridge containment system mounted on said device body to load and unload at least one gas cartridge; a gas management system positioned in the device body adjacent to the cartridge containment system to receive compressed gas provided by the at least one gas cartridge and to regulate, and direct regulated and unregulated flows of pressurized gas; a valve system mounted in the device body to receive and control the pressurized gas flow from the gas management system, the valve system comprising a trigger valve and a low pressure lock-out system that prevents actuation of the trigger valve when pressure of the unregulated flow of pressurized gas from the at least one cartridge is insufficient to drive a fastener; and a drive engine mounted in the device body to receive and control the regulated pressurized gas flow, the drive engine comprising a gas storage volume surrounding an exterior of a cylinder, the gas storage volume providing a volume of regulated pressurized gas to an interior of the cylinder of the drive engine. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the cartridge containment system receives a plurality of gas cartridges in side by side relationship. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the cartridge containment system includes a containment knob mounted to receive the at least one gas cartridge, said containment knob mounted for rotation to cause the at least one gas cartridge to move into a loaded position. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the cartridge containment system includes a plurality of lance assemblies, at least one of said plurality of lance assemblies mounted for movement by gas pressure to cause piercing of at least one of the at least one gas cartridge. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said gas management system includes a manifold positioned within the device body, a regulator assembly mounted on said manifold, and a flow tube connected to said manifold for delivering gas to said valve system. 6. The device of claim 1, wherein said gas management system includes a manifold and a regulator assembly mounted on said manifold, said cartridge containment system including at least one lance assembly mounted on said manifold for receiving and piercing an end of a gas cartridge. 7. The device of claim 6, wherein said at least one lance assembly includes a first lance assembly and a second lance assembly extending axially along the device body, said regulator assembly positioned between said first and said second lance assemblies and extending transverse to said first and said second lance assemblies. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein said gas management system further includes a regulator assembly with integral gas pressure regulation, gas pressure indication and over-pressure protection. 9. The device of claim 8, wherein said regulator assembly includes an adjustment knob mounted on one side of the device body and a fuel indicator extending to an opposite side of the device body. 10. The device of claim 8, wherein the regulator assembly includes at least one supply port and a check seal for allowing gas entry into the at least one supply port and for blocking gas flow back out through the at least one supply port. 11. The device of claim 1, wherein said valve system is formed as a module containing the trigger valve and a high pressure relief system. 12. The device of claim 11, wherein said module further contains a pressure rebalancing system. 13. The device of claim 11, wherein said module includes the low pressure lock-out system. 14. The device of claim 1, wherein said trigger valve has a trigger valve stem that is substantially pressure balanced to minimize actuation force by a user to actuate the trigger valve. 15. The device of claim 1, wherein said drive engine further includes an exhaust assembly, a piston-driver assembly mounted for reciprocal movement in the cylinder, an outer headvalve mounted for movement between a closed position blocking flow through said exhaust assembly and an open position permitting gas flow through said exhaust assembly. 16. The device of claim 15, wherein said drive engine further includes an inner head valve mounted for reciprocal movement between a closed position blocking flow from the cylinder and an open position permitting flow from the cylinder. 17. The device of claim 16, wherein said outer headvalve contacts the inner headvalve to move the inner headvalve from the closed position to the open position. 18. The device of claim 16, wherein said inner headvalve is mounted in a central bore of said outer headvalve. 19. The device of claim 15, wherein said drive engine further includes a bladder volume positioned adjacent said outer headvalve for receiving regulated gas flow for moving said outer headvalve from said open to said closed position. 20. The device of claim 15, wherein the drive engine comprises a plurality of volumes configured to reduce the pressure of the compressed gas prior to delivering the gas to the piston-driver assembly to move the piston-driver assembly through a drive stroke. 21. The device of claim 1, wherein said valve system includes a trigger valve module for receiving both a regulated gas flow and an unregulated gas flow from the gas management system. 22. The device of claim 1, wherein said drive engine further includes a holding volume for holding a volume of regulated gas for delivery to the reservoir volume after the one cycle for delivery to the cylinder during the next cycle of the drive engine. 23. The device of claim 1, wherein the device body includes a magazine section configured to carry a plurality of fasteners to be driven by the device, the magazine section comprising at least one cartridge storage member for storing a spare gas cartridge. 24. A fastener driving device for driving a fastener into a workpiece, comprising: a device body; a cartridge containment system on the device body to load and unload at least one compressed gas cartridge; a cylinder within the device body; a piston and driver movable with respect to the cylinder; a gas storage volume that is arranged to receive compressed gas from a cartridge when the cartridge is loaded in the cartridge containment system and that is arranged to supply a stored volume of gas to the piston for driving the piston through a fastener drive stroke; and a valve system including a first valve and a second valve, the first valve being in a closed position and the second valve being in an open position to enable the gas storage volume to be filled with compressed gas, the first valve being moved from the closed position to an open position to permit the stored volume of gas to travel from the gas storage volume to the piston to move the piston and driver with respect to the cylinder through the fastener drive stroke, and the second valve being upstream from the gas storage volume and being in a closed position as gas travels from the gas storage volume to the piston to limit an amount of gas that travels to the piston to no greater than the stored volume during the fastener drive stroke. 25. The device of claim 24, wherein the first valve and the second valve are configured to be actuated by the compressed gas from the cartridge containment system prior to the gas being stored in the gas storage volume for subsequent delivery to the piston. 26. The device of claim 24, further comprising a holding volume that receives compressed gas from the cartridge containment system and that supplies the compressed gas to the storage volume, the second valve being located between the holding volume and the storage volume. 27. The device of claim 26, further comprising a bladder volume that receives regulated gas from the cartridge containment system to actuate the first valve and the second valve, the bladder volume being in fluid communication with the holding volume after the first valve is moved to the open position so that the regulated gas expands into the holding volume and causes the first valve to return to the closed position and the second valve to return to the open position. 28. The device of claim 27, further comprising a trigger valve having a trigger valve stem configured to be moved between a first position and a second position, wherein when the trigger valve stem is in the first position, the holding volume and the bladder volume are in fluid communication with each other, and wherein when the trigger valve stem is in the second position, the bladder volume is 1) in fluid communication with the cartridge containment system and receives the regulated gas from the cartridge containment system, and 2) not in fluid communication with the holding volume. 29. The device of claim 28, wherein the trigger valve stem is also configured to be moved to a third position that is in between the first position and the second position, and wherein when the trigger valve stem is in the third position, the bladder volume is not in fluid communication with the cartridge management system or the holding volume. 30. A gas actuated device having a gas management valve system, comprising: a device body; a cartridge containment system on the device body to load and unload at least one pressurized gas cartridge; a gas storage volume that is arranged to receive compressed gas from a cartridge when the cartridge is loaded in the cartridge containment system and that is arranged to supply a stored volume of gas to a gas actuated mechanism to be actuated; a valve system including a first valve and a second valve, the first valve being moved from a closed position to an open position to permit the stored volume of gas to travel from the gas storage volume to the gas actuated mechanism, the second valve being upstream from the gas storage volume and being closed as the gas travels from the gas storage volume to the gas actuated mechanism to limit an amount of gas that travels to the mechanism to no greater than, the stored volume; and a holding volume, wherein the compressed gas is used to open and close the first and second valves and is subsequently directed to the holding volume, and wherein gas from the holding volume is directed to the gas storage volume for subsequent actuation of the gas actuated mechanism. 31. The gas actuated device of claim 30, wherein the gas actuated device a fastener driving device, and wherein the gas actuated mechanism is a drive engine comprising a piston and a driver configured to drive a fastener into a workpiece.