Tension fed fastener installation tool and related methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11305407-B2
Application number	US-201916439193-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2019
Priority date	Feb 19, 2016
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

An installation tool and related methods are provided. The tool can pull a strip of collated fasteners along a collated fastener path to a guide, where individual fasteners are sequentially separated from the strip and advanced into a workpiece. The tool can include a tension feeder located downstream of the guide. The tension feeder is configured to apply tension to the strip between the guide and a leading end of the strip. The tool can include a driveshaft configured to attach to a conventional drive tool chuck or a drive tool having hexagonal type drive components. The guide can be one piece and replaceable, with a guide body and a guide head. A strip slot can be defined in the same to align a fastener head with a backstop and facilitate entry of a fastener shank in a feed slot. Related methods of use are provided.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of installing a fastener comprising:
pulling on a strip of collated fasteners with a tension feeder at a location downstream of a guide defining a bore, the strip including a plurality of fasteners disposed between a leading end and a trailing end of a carrier, the leading end being downstream of the guide and the trailing end being upstream of the guide;
positioning a first fastener above and outside the bore of the guide;
advancing the first fastener from the plurality of fasteners downward to enter the bore and pass through the bore and into a work piece with a drive element that rotates the first fastener, the drive element extending through the carrier and entering the bore as the first fastener rotates; and
guiding the carrier within a guide channel located distal from and upstream of the guide,
wherein the tension feeder remains attached to the leading end of the carrier at the location until the trailing end is adjacent the guide.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein a portion of the carrier between the trailing end and the guide is under no tension during the pulling step and during the advancing step.

3. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the tension feeder pulls the strip under a constant tension during the advancing the first fastener, while a second fastener moves toward the bore, and while the second fastener is advanced from the plurality of fasteners through the bore and into a work piece.

4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the tension feeder remains constantly attached to the leading end of the carrier as all the plurality of fasteners are pulled toward and advanced through the bore, until the trailing end is adjacent the guide.

5. The method of claim 4 ,
wherein the tension feeder includes a feeder element,
wherein the strip includes a recess,
wherein the feeder element remains constantly engaged with the recess until the trailing end is adjacent the guide.

6. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the tension feeder automatically pulls on the strip, without movement of the strip or tool by a user, from the first fastener being advanced during the advancing step, to a last fastener of the plurality of fasteners being advanced during a last advancing step.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising:
securing a feeder element pin in a recess defined by the strip and maintaining the feeder element pin in the recess from the first fastener being advanced during the advancing step, to the last fastener of the plurality of fasteners being advanced during the last advancing step.

8. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the strip includes a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a downstream portion located downstream of the bore, and an upstream portion located upstream of the bore,
wherein the tension feeder is joined with the strip near the leading edge,
wherein the tension feeder performs the pulling step,
wherein the tension feeder is the only part of the tool that moves the strip past the bore,
wherein the strip includes right and left sides,
wherein the right and left sides include recesses along a continuous majority of a length of the strip.

9. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the tension feeder remains attached to the leading end at a same location along the leading end during the advancing the first fastener, while a second fastener moves toward the bore, while the second fastener is advanced from the plurality of fasteners through the bore and into a work piece, while a third fastener moves toward the bore, and while the third fastener is advanced from the plurality of fasteners through the bore and into a work piece.

10. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the tension feeder includes a feeder element that engages the first location,
wherein the feeder element moves with the leading end, farther and farther away from the guide with each succeeding fastener advanced from the plurality of fasteners.

11. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
guiding the first fastener into a feed slot that is upstream of the bore and downstream of the guide channel.

12. A method of installing a fastener comprising:
pulling on a strip of collated fasteners at a first location along the strip downstream of a guide defining a bore, the strip including a leading end, the first location being adjacent the leading end and at a first distance from a first fastener hole;
advancing a first fastener relative to the first fastener hole toward a work piece by rotating the first fastener with a rotating drive element that pushes the first fastener through the first fastener hole, with the rotating drive element extending through the first fastener hole as the fastener rotates;
pulling on the strip at the first location adjacent the leading end and at the first distance from the first fastener hole to move a second fastener toward the guide;
advancing the second fastener relative to a second fastener hole toward the work piece;
guiding the carrier within a guide channel located distal from and upstream of the guide; and
pulling on the strip at the first location adjacent the leading end and at the first distance from the first fastener hole to move a third fastener toward the guide;
wherein a tension feeder engages only the leading end at only the first location at the first distance from the first fastener hole during the pulling steps.

13. The method of claim 12 ,
wherein the tension feeder includes a tension feeder element that engages the first location,
wherein the tension feeder element moves with the leading end, farther and farther away from the guide with each succeeding fastener advanced from the plurality of fasteners.

14. The method of claim 12 ,
wherein the tension feeder automatically pulls on the strip during the pulling steps without action from a user.

15. The method of claim 12 , comprising:
maintaining the pin in the first recess during all the foregoing pulling and advancing steps.

16. The method of claim 12 ,
wherein the first fastener hole is immediately adjacent the second fastener hole, with no other fastener holes therebetween,
wherein the tension feeder performs the pulling steps, the tension feeder including a feeder element that is not disposed between the first fastener hole and the second fastener hole the foregoing pulling steps.

17. The method of claim 16 ,
wherein the tension feeder performs the pulling steps, the tension feeder including a feeder element,
wherein the feeder element moves with the leading end, away from the guide, while pulling on the strip and without the feeder element moving relative to the first fastener hole and the second fastener hole.

18. The method of claim 12 , comprising:
guiding the first fastener into a feed slot that is upstream of the bore and downstream of the guide channel.

Assignees

• Nat Nail Corp

Inventors

• Vandenberg Roger A

Classifications

• B25B21/002

  for special purposes · CPC title

• B25B23/005

  Screw guiding means · CPC title

• B25B23/045 Primary

  using disposable strips or discs carrying the screws or nuts · CPC title

• Y10T29/49947

  by applying separate fastener · CPC title

• F16B27/00

  Bolts, screws, or nuts formed in integral series but easily separable, particularly for use in automatic machines {(arrangements for feeding screws or nuts in spanners, wrenches or screw-drivers with built-in magazines B25B23/06)} · CPC title