초록

A driving tool with a driver and a motor-driven flywheel that can be engaged by the driver to propel the driver along a driver axis. The driving tool includes a return mechanism with a rail onto which the driver is received. The rail extends parallel to the driver axis.

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1. A driving tool comprising: a frame defining a rotational axis and a driver axis;a motor coupled to the frame;a flywheel rotatably driven by the motor about the rotational axis;a rail coupled to the frame;a driver that is slidably mounted on the rail and movable along the rail between a returned p

1. A driving tool comprising: a frame defining a rotational axis and a driver axis;a motor coupled to the frame;a flywheel rotatably driven by the motor about the rotational axis;a rail coupled to the frame;a driver that is slidably mounted on the rail and movable along the rail between a returned position and an extended position; anda follower coupled to the frame and movable between a first position, in which the follower drives the driver into engagement with the flywheel when the driver is in the returned position to transfer energy from the flywheel to the driver to propel the driver on the rail relative to the flywheel along the driver axis toward the extended position, and a second position in which the follower, the driver and the flywheel are not engaged to one another;wherein the rail is configured to guide the driver when the driver is moved from the extended position to the returned position wherein a return spring is mounted on the rail, the return spring biasing the driver toward the returned position. 2. The driving tool of claim 1, wherein the return spring is a helical coil spring, wherein adjacent coils of the helical coil spring are spaced apart by a coil pitch and wherein at least two coil pitches are employed to define the helical coil spring. 3. The driving tool of claim 2, wherein a first end of the helical coil spring adjacent the driver employs a first coil pitch, wherein a second, opposite end of the helical coil spring employs a second coil pitch and wherein the first coil pitch is larger than the second coil pitch. 4. The driving tool of claim 3, wherein the coil pitch varies between the first coil pitch and the second coil pitch between the first and second ends. 5. The driving tool of claim 4, wherein the coil pitch progressively decreases with decreasing distance to the second end. 6. The driving tool of claim 1, wherein the return spring is a helical coil spring that comprises a plurality of twisted wires. 7. The driving tool of claim 1, further comprising an impact absorber disposed between the frame and the return spring. 8. The driving tool of claim 7, wherein the impact absorber is received over the rail. 9. The driving tool of claim 1, further comprising a nosepiece into which the driver is partly received, wherein the rail is movably coupled to the frame such that the nosepiece guides the driver as the driver is moved from the returned position to the extended position. 10. A driving tool comprising: a frame defining a rotational axis and a driver axis;a nosepiece coupled to the frame;a motor coupled to the frame;a flywheel rotatably driven by the motor about the rotational axis;a pair of rails coupled to the frame, the rails being disposed on opposite sides of the flywheel;a driver that is slidably mounted on the rails and received into the nosepiece, the driver being movable along the rails between a returned position and an extended position;a pair of springs, each of the springs being received over a corresponding one of the rails and being disposed between the driver and the nosepiece, the springs cooperating to bias the driver into the returned position; anda follower coupled to the frame and movable between a first position, in which the follower drives the driver into frictional engagement with an outer perimeter of the flywheel to transfer energy from the flywheel to the driver to propel the driver along the rails toward the extended position, and a second position in which the follower, the driver and the flywheel are not engaged to one another;wherein the rails are movable relative to the frame in a direction toward the rotational axis when the driver is driven by the follower into engagement with the flywheel. 11. The driving tool of claim 10, wherein the springs are helical coil springs with a plurality of adjacent coils, wherein the adjacent coils of the springs are spaced apart by a coil pitch and wherein at least two coil pitches are employed to define each of the springs. 12. The driving tool of claim 11, wherein a first end of each of the springs adjacent the driver employs a first coil pitch, wherein a second, opposite end of each of the springs employs a second coil pitch and wherein the first coil pitch is larger than the second coil pitch. 13. The driving tool of claim 12, wherein the coil pitch varies between the first coil pitch and the second coil pitch between the first and second ends. 14. The driving tool of claim 13, wherein the coil pitch progressively decreases with decreasing distance to the second end. 15. The driving tool of claim 10, wherein each of the springs is a helical coil spring that comprises a plurality of twisted wires. 16. The driving tool of claim 10, further comprising a pair of impact absorbers, each impact absorber being disposed between the frame and an associated one of the springs. 17. The driving tool of claim 16, wherein each of the impact absorbers is received over an associated one of the rails. 18. A driving tool comprising: a frame defining a rotational axis and a driver axis;a nosepiece coupled to the frame;a motor coupled to the frame;a flywheel rotatably driven by the motor about the rotational axis;a pair of rails extending parallel to the driver axis, the rails being disposed on opposite sides of the flywheel;a driver that is mounted on the rails and received into the nosepiece, the driver being movable along the driver axis between a returned position and an extended position;a pair of springs, each of the springs being received over a corresponding one of the rails, the springs cooperating to bias the driver into the returned position, each of the springs being helical coil springs with a plurality of adjacent coils, wherein the adjacent coils of the springs are spaced apart by a coil pitch, wherein a first end of each of the springs adjacent the driver employs a first coil pitch, wherein a second, opposite end of each of the springs employs a second coil pitch, wherein the coil pitch varies between the first coil pitch and the second coil pitch between the first and second ends such that the coil pitch progressively decreases with decreasing distance to the second end;a follower coupled to the frame and movable between a first position, in which the follower drives the driver into engagement with the flywheel to transfer energy from the flywheel to the driver to propel the driver relative to the flywheel along the driver axis, and a second position in which the follower, the driver and the flywheel are not engaged to one another; anda pair of impact absorbers, each of the impact absorbers being mounted coaxially on an associated one of the rails and being disposed between the frame and an associated one of the springs. 19. The driving tool of claim 18, wherein each of the springs is a helical coil spring that comprises a plurality of twisted wires.