IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0193875
(2011-07-29)
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등록번호 |
US-8230941
(2012-07-31)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Leimbach, Richard L.
- Adams, Shane
- Clark, Thomas W.
- Petrocelli, Michael V.
- Petrocelli, legal representative, Teresa
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
8 |
초록
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A portable linear fastener driving tool is provided that drive staples, nails, or other linearly driven fasteners. The tool uses a gas spring principle, in which a cylinder filled with compressed gas is used to quickly force a piston through a driving stroke movement, while a driver also drives a fa
A portable linear fastener driving tool is provided that drive staples, nails, or other linearly driven fasteners. The tool uses a gas spring principle, in which a cylinder filled with compressed gas is used to quickly force a piston through a driving stroke movement, while a driver also drives a fastener into a workpiece. The piston/driver is then moved back to its starting position by use of a rotary-to-linear lifter, and the piston again compresses the gas above the piston, thereby preparing the tool for another driving stroke. The driver has protrusions along its edges that contact the lifter, which lifts the driver during a return stroke. A pivotable latch is controlled to move into either an interfering position or a non-interfering position with respect to the driver protrusions, and acts as a safety device, by preventing the driver from making a full driving stroke at an improper time.
대표청구항
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1. A method for controlling a fastener driving tool, said method comprising: (a) providing a fastener driving tool that includes: (i) a housing, (ii) a system controller having a processing circuit and a memory circuit, (iii) a fastener driving mechanism that moves a driver member toward an exit end
1. A method for controlling a fastener driving tool, said method comprising: (a) providing a fastener driving tool that includes: (i) a housing, (ii) a system controller having a processing circuit and a memory circuit, (iii) a fastener driving mechanism that moves a driver member toward an exit end of the mechanism, (iv) a prime mover that moves a lifter member which moves said driver member away from said exit end of the mechanism, wherein said lifter member acts both as a holding member and a release mechanism for said driver member, (v) a safety latch control device that is automatically controlled by said system controller, said safety latch control device, when commanded, being configured to move a safety latch member which has a catching surface, (vi) a user-actuated trigger, and (vii) a fastener;(b) initiating a driving cycle by pressing said exit end against a workpiece and actuating said trigger, thereby: (i) said system controller automatically causing said safety latch control device to activate, which moves said catching surface of the safety latch member to a position that does not interfere with movements of said driver member, which readies said fastener driving mechanism;(ii) temporarily holding said driver member at a ready position, by use of a holding contact between said lifter member and said driver member; and(iii) moving said lifter member, thereby releasing said driver member from said holding contact with said lifter member, and then causing said fastener driving mechanism to force the driver member to move toward said exit end and drive said fastener into said workpiece;(c) said system controller automatically actuating said prime mover, thereby moving said lifter member and causing said driver member to move away from said exit end toward said ready position; and(d) said system controller then automatically de-activating said safety latch control device, which allows a mechanical biasing of said safety latch member to move the catching surface of the safety latch member to a position that interferes with movements of said driver member. 2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of withdrawing said exit end from making contact against said workpiece, thereby allowing said tool to begin a new driving cycle. 3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of releasing said trigger, thereby allowing said tool to begin a new driving cycle. 4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said safety latch control device comprises a solenoid, and said prime mover comprises an electric motor. 5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of a user selecting said driving cycle operating mode to be one of: a “bottom firing mode,” and a “restrictive firing mode;” wherein:(a) if said restrictive firing mode is selected, said tool will operate if a safety contact element proximal to said exit end has been actuated before said trigger actuator has been operated; and(b) if said bottom firing mode is selected, said tool will operate if both: (i) said trigger actuator has been operated, and(ii) said safety contact element has been actuated, in either sequence. 6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling an amount of movement of said lifter member to thereby allow said driver member to move to more than one possible ready position before initiating a next particular driving cycle. 7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically de-activating said prime mover and said safety latch control device after a predetermined time interval has occurred after a beginning of a driving stroke, even if said trigger is still actuated and said exit end of the tool is still pressed against a workpiece, thereby placing said tool into a ready condition for a next particular driving cycle while saving energy. 8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said tool includes a driver actuation device which forces said driver element toward said exit end, wherein said driver actuation device comprises one of: (a) a mechanical spring; (b) a gas spring; (c) a compressed gas valve; (d) a pressurized liquid valve; (e) a motor; and (f) compressed foam. 9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said driver actuation device comprises a gas spring, and: (a) said fastener driving mechanism includes a hollow cylinder with a movable piston therewithin, said piston being movable within said cylinder, said hollow cylinder containing a displacement volume created by a stroke of said piston; and(b) said tool includes a main storage chamber that is in fluidic communication with said displacement volume of the cylinder, wherein said main storage chamber and said displacement volume are initially charged with a pressurized gas. 10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said lifter member comprises a discontinuous contact surface that, at predetermined locations along said discontinuous contact surface, makes contact with a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of said driver member; and further comprising the steps of:(a) under first predetermined conditions, moving said lifter member in a first direction and thereby cause said driver member to be moved from said exit end toward said ready position; and(b) under second predetermined conditions, positioning said lifter member by said prime mover such that said discontinuous contact surface of the lifter member does not mechanically interfere with said plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the driver member during a driving stroke, in which said driver member moves from said ready position toward said exit end. 11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said tool includes a fastener magazine that contains a plurality of fasteners, and further comprising the step of:serially supplying said plurality of fasteners to a position that is coincident with the path of said driver member during a driving stroke. 12. A method for controlling a fastener driving tool, said method comprising: (a) providing a fastener driving tool that includes: (i) a housing, (ii) a system controller, (iii) a fastener driving mechanism that moves a driver member toward an exit end of the mechanism, (iv) a prime mover that moves a lifter member which moves said driver member away from said exit end of the mechanism, (v) a one-way mechanism, (vi) a latch control device that moves a latch member which has a catching surface, (vii) a user-actuated trigger, and (viii) a fastener;(b) initiating a driving cycle by pressing said exit end against a workpiece and actuating said trigger, thereby: (i) causing said latch control device to activate, which moves said catching surface of the latch member to a position that does not interfere with movements of said driver member; and(ii) causing said fastener driving mechanism to force the driver member to move toward said exit end and drive said fastener into said workpiece;(c) actuating said prime mover, thereby moving said lifter member and causing said driver member to move away from said exit end toward a ready position;(d) then de-activating said latch control device, which allows a mechanical biasing of said latch member to move the catching surface of the latch member to a position that interferes with movements of said driver member; and(e) using said one-way mechanism to maintain said lifter in a predetermined position such that the driver member is held at said ready position without said catching surface of the latch member engaging said driver member, and therefore, said latch member is not under mechanical load when said driver member is at said ready position. 13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said latch control device comprises a solenoid, and said prime mover comprises an electric motor. 14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said tool includes a driver actuation device which forces said driver element toward said exit end, wherein said driver actuation device comprises one of: (a) a mechanical spring; (b) a gas spring; (c) a compressed gas valve; (d) a pressurized liquid valve; (e) a motor; and (f) compressed foam. 15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said driver actuation device comprises a gas spring, and: (a) said fastener driving mechanism includes a hollow cylinder with a movable piston therewithin, said piston being movable within said cylinder, said hollow cylinder containing a displacement volume created by a stroke of said piston; and(b) said tool includes a main storage chamber that is in fluidic communication with said displacement volume of the cylinder, wherein said main storage chamber and said displacement volume are initially charged with a pressurized gas. 16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said lifter member comprises a discontinuous contact surface that, at predetermined locations along said discontinuous contact surface, makes contact with a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of said driver member; and further comprising the steps of:(a) under first predetermined conditions, moving said lifter member in a first direction and thereby cause said driver member to be moved from said exit end toward said ready position; and(b) under second predetermined conditions, positioning said lifter member by said prime mover such that said discontinuous contact surface of the lifter member does not mechanically interfere with said plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the driver member during a driving stroke, in which said driver member moves from said ready position toward said exit end. 17. A method for controlling a fastener driving tool, said method comprising: (a) providing a fastener driving tool that includes: (i) a housing, (ii) a system controller, (iii) a fastener driving mechanism that moves a driver member toward an exit end of the mechanism, (iv) a prime mover that moves a lifter member which moves said driver member away from said exit end of the mechanism, (v) a latch control device that moves a latch member which has a catching surface, (vi) a user-actuated trigger, and (vii) a fastener;(b) initiating a driving cycle by pressing said exit end against a workpiece and actuating said trigger, thereby: (i) causing said latch control device to activate, which moves said catching surface of the latch member to a position that does not interfere with movements of said driver member; and(ii) causing said fastener driving mechanism to force the driver member to move toward said exit end and drive said fastener into said workpiece;(c) actuating said prime mover, thereby moving said lifter member and causing said driver member to move away from said exit end toward a ready position;(d) then de-activating said latch control device, which allows a mechanical biasing of said latch member to move the catching surface of the latch member to a position that interferes with movements of said driver member; and(e) wherein when said driver member is at said ready position, said lifter member holds the driver member in a stop position that is located distal from said exit end of said fastener driving mechanism. 18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said tool includes a driver actuation device which forces said driver element toward said exit end, wherein said driver actuation device comprises one of: (a) a mechanical spring; (b) a gas spring; (c) a compressed gas valve; (d) a pressurized liquid valve; (e) a motor; and (f) compressed foam. 19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said driver actuation device comprises a gas spring, and: (a) said fastener driving mechanism includes a hollow cylinder with a movable piston therewithin, said piston being movable within said cylinder, said hollow cylinder containing a displacement volume created by a stroke of said piston; and(b) said tool includes a main storage chamber that is in fluidic communication with said displacement volume of the cylinder, wherein said main storage chamber and said displacement volume are initially charged with a pressurized gas. 20. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said lifter member comprises a discontinuous contact surface that, at predetermined locations along said discontinuous contact surface, makes contact with a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of said driver member; and further comprising the steps of:(a) under first predetermined conditions, moving said lifter member in a first direction and thereby cause said driver member to be moved from said exit end toward said ready position; and(b) under second predetermined conditions, positioning said lifter member by said prime mover such that said discontinuous contact surface of the lifter member does not mechanically interfere with said plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the driver member during a driving stroke, in which said driver member moves from said ready position toward said exit end.
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