Fastener pusher with an improved workpiece-contact element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10888985-B2
Application number	US-201715439734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2017
Priority date	Feb 22, 2017
Publication date	Jan 12, 2021
Grant date	Jan 12, 2021

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a workpiece-contact element for a fastener pusher. In one embodiment, the workpiece-contact element includes an attachment side, a workpiece-contact surface, and one or more fastener-exit surfaces defining a fastener-exit throughbore having a longitudinal axis and extending through the workpiece-contact surface. The workpiece-contact surface forms an annular protrusion extending away from the attachment side.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A workpiece-contact element comprising:
an attachment side having one or more fastener-stabilizing-assembly-receiving cavity surfaces directly connected to a surface of the attachment side and defining a fastener-stabilizing-assembly-receiving cavity;
a workpiece-contact surface;
an outer cylindrical side surface; and
one or more fastener-exit surfaces defining a fastener-exit throughbore having a longitudinal axis and extending through the workpiece-contact surface,
wherein the workpiece-contact surface forms a protrusion extending away from the attachment side,
wherein the workpiece-contact surface is formed between the one or more fastener-exit surfaces defining the fastener-exit throughbore and the outer cylindrical side surface,
wherein the workpiece-contact surface radiates outwardly from the fastener-exit throughbore to the outer cylindrical side surface, the workpiece-contact surface comprising:
(a) a first at least partially annular flat section transverse to the longitudinal axis and having a first height from the attachment side,
(b) a second at least partially annular flat section transverse to the longitudinal axis and having a second height from the attachment side, said second height being greater than the first height, and
(c) a third at least partially annular section directly connecting the first flat section and the second flat section and extending away from the first flat section toward the longitudinal axis, wherein the second section, the third section, and the first section are directly connected in a linear progression extending away from the fastener-exit throughbore and ending at the outer cylindrical side surface.

2. The workpiece-contact element of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is centered on the longitudinal axis.

3. The workpiece-contact element of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sections are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

4. The workpiece-contact element of claim 1 , wherein the third section includes an at least partially annular concave portion connected to the first section and that transitions into an at least partially annular convex portion.

5. A workpiece-contact assembly comprising:
a workpiece-contact element mount mountable on a nosepiece of a fastener pusher, wherein the nosepiece defines a drive channel around a longitudinal axis of the nosepiece, and wherein the workpiece-contact element mount comprises an outer cylindrical rim centered on the longitudinal axis;
a workpiece-contact element detachably mountable to the workpiece-contact element mount, the workpiece-contact element comprising:
an attachment side comprising a cylindrical standoff centered on the longitudinal axis, the cylindrical standoff configured to mate with the outer cylindrical rim;
a workpiece-contact surface opposite the attachment side;
one or more fastener-stabilizing-assembly-receiving cavity surfaces directly connected to a surface of the attachment side and defining a fastener-stabilizing-assembly-receiving cavity; and
one or more fastener-exit surfaces defining a fastener-exit throughbore about the longitudinal axis and extending through the workpiece-contact surface,
wherein the workpiece-contact surface forms a protrusion extending away from the attachment side; and

a fastener-stabilizing assembly positionable within the fastener-stabilizing-assembly-receiving cavity.

6. The workpiece-contact assembly of claim 5 , wherein the protrusion is centered on the longitudinal axis.

7. The workpiece-contact element of claim 6 , wherein the protrusion is at least partially annular.

8. The workpiece-contact assembly of claim 7 , wherein the workpiece-contact surface comprises a flat first at least partially annular section transverse to the longitudinal axis and a second at least partially annular section connected to the first annular section and extending from the first section toward the longitudinal axis and away from the workpiece-contact surface.

9. The workpiece-contact assembly of claim 8 , wherein the workpiece-contact surface further comprises a third at least partially annular section connected to the second section and transverse to the longitudinal axis.

10. The workpiece-contact assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first and third sections are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

11. The workpiece-contact assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second section includes a concave portion connected to the first annular section and that transitions into a convex portion.

12. The workpiece-contact assembly of claim 5 , wherein the fastener-stabilizing assembly includes two fastener stabilizers and two corresponding biasing elements.

13. The workpiece-contact assembly of claim 12 , wherein the fastener-stabilizing assembly is positionable within the fastener-stabilizing-assembly-receiving cavity such that the biasing elements bias the fastener stabilizers to contact one another.

14. The workpiece-contact assembly of claim 13 , wherein the fastener stabilizers are shaped to form a frustoconical fastener guiding surface centered on the longitudinal axis when biased to contact one another.

15. A fastener pusher comprising:
a body;
a head supported by and movable relative to the body between a rest position and a driving position;
a nosepiece attached to the head, the nosepiece defining a drive channel around a longitudinal axis of the nosepiece;
a workpiece-contact element mount attached to the nosepiece, the workpiece-contact element mount comprising an outer cylindrical rim centered on the longitudinal axis; and
a workpiece-contact element detachably mounted to the workpiece-contact element mount, the workpiece-contact element comprising:
an attachment side comprising a cylindrical standoff centered on the longitudinal axis, the cylindrical standoff configured to mate with the outer cylindrical rim;
a workpiece-contact surface opposite the attachment side;
a bottom surface, two spaced apart opposing end surfaces, and two spaced apart opposing side surfaces on the attachment side and that define a fastener-stabilizing-assembly-receiving cavity configured to receive a fastener-stabilizing assembly from the attachment side; and
one or more fastener-exit surfaces defining a fastener-exit throughbore about the longitudinal axis and extending through the workpiece-contact surface,
wherein the workpiece-contact surface forms a protrusion extending away from the attachment side; and

a fastener-stabilizing assembly positionable within the fastener-stabilizing-assembly-receiving cavity.

16. The fastener pusher of claim 15 , wherein the nosepiece includes one or more drive channel surfaces that define a drive channel having a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axes of the drive channel and the fastener-exit throughbore are coaxial.

17. The fastener pusher of claim 16 , wherein the nosepiece defines a fastener-receiving channel having a longitudinal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drive channel.

18. The fastener pusher of claim 15 , wherein the fastener-stabilizing assembly includes two fastener stabilizers and two corresponding biasing elements configured to move within the fastener-stabilizing-assembly-receiving cavity.

19. The fastener pusher of claim 18 , wherein the workpiece-contact element mount defines two separate cavities, and wherein the two fastener stabilizers each comprise a standoff that is configured to move within a respective one of the two cavities.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Ryan Patrick
• Cortez Genaro

Classifications

• B25C1/008

  Safety devices · CPC title

• B25C7/00 Primary

  Accessories for nailing or stapling tools, e.g. supports (for tools operated by detonation of a cartridge B25C1/18) · CPC title

• B25C1/047

  Mechanical details · CPC title

• B25C1/188

  Arrangements at the forward end of the barrel, e.g. splinter guards, spall minimisers, safety arrangements, silencers, bolt retainers · CPC title

• B25C1/003

  for belts of nails · CPC title