Fastening tool having timed ready fire mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016207185-A1
Application number	US-201614994523-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Jan 16, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fastening tool and method of operating a fastening tool can include a driver, a motor, a flywheel driven by the motor, an actuator, and a controller. The actuator can cause the driver to engage with the flywheel to cause the driver to move along an axis. The controller can selectively operate the motor and selectively operate the actuator. In a first state, the controller will not operate the actuator unless the contact trip switch and the trigger switch are both actuated, the contact trip switch being actuated prior to actuation of the trigger switch, and the flywheel is rotating at a first predetermined speed. When the controller is in the first state, the controller can operate the motor to rotate the flywheel at a second predetermined speed until the earlier of a second predetermined period of time after operation of the actuator, or a subsequent operation of the actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fastening tool for installing fasteners into a workpiece, the fastening tool comprising:
a contact trip switch; a trigger switch; a driver that is movable along a driver axis; a motor assembly including a motor, a flywheel, and an actuator, the flywheel being driven by the motor, the actuator configured to cause the driver to engage the flywheel to cause the driver to move along the driver axis; and a controller configured to selectively operate the motor and to selectively operate the actuator; wherein when the controller is in a first state, the controller will not operate the actuator unless: a) the contact trip switch and the trigger switch are both actuated, b) the contact trip switch is actuated prior to actuation of the trigger switch, and c) the flywheel is rotating at least at a first predetermined speed; and wherein when the controller is in the first state, the controller operates the motor to rotate the flywheel to at least a second predetermined speed until the earlier of: a) a second predetermined period of time after operation of the actuator, or b) a subsequent operation of the actuator.

2 . The fastening tool of claim 1 , wherein when the controller is in the first state and at least one of the contact trip switch or the trigger switch is actuated, the controller operates the motor to rotate the flywheel at the first predetermined speed for a first predetermined period of time.

3 . The fastening tool of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a second state, when the controller is in the second state, the controller will not operate the actuator unless the contact trip switch and the trigger switch are both actuated, the contact trip switch being actuated prior to actuation of the trigger switch, and the flywheel is rotating at the first predetermined speed, wherein when the controller is in the second state, the controller does not operate the motor after operation of the actuator until receiving a subsequent input.

4 . The fastening tool of claim 3 , wherein when the controller is in the second state and at least one of the contact trip switch or the trigger switch is actuated, the controller operates the motor to rotate the flywheel at the first predetermined speed for a first predetermined period of time.

5 . The fastening tool of claim 1 , wherein the second predetermined amount of time is between 1 second and 5 seconds.

6 . The fastening tool of claim 1 , further comprising a power source sensor configured to sense a condition of the motor assembly that is indicative of a level of kinetic energy of the flywheel.

7 . The fastening tool of claim 6 , wherein the power source sensor includes at least one Hall Effect sensor.

8 . The fastening tool of claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a nail and the driver is configured to drive the nail from the fastening tool into a workpiece.

9 . The fastening tool of claim 1 , wherein when the controller is in the first state, the controller waits a third predetermined period of time after the operation of the actuator before operating the motor to rotate the flywheel at the second predetermined speed for the second predetermined period of time.

10 . The fastening tool of claim 9 , wherein the third predetermined period of time is sufficient to permit the driver to disengage the flywheel.

11 . The fastening tool of claim 1 wherein when the controller is in the first state, the controller does not operate the motor to rotate the flywheel at the second predetermined speed for the second predetermined period of time until the driver disengages the flywheel.

12 . A method of operating a fastening tool, the method comprising:
operating the fastening tool in a first mode including:
sensing actuation of a contact trip switch;
operating a motor to rotate a flywheel at a first predetermined speed;
sensing actuation of a trigger switch;
determining a speed of the flywheel;
operating an actuator to engage a driver with the flywheel in response to the contact trip switch and the trigger switch being actuated, wherein the operating of the actuator occurs only if the trigger switch is actuated after the contact trip switch is actuated and the flywheel is rotating at the first predetermined speed; and
operating the motor to rotate the flywheel at a second predetermined speed for a second predetermined amount of time in response to the operating of the actuator.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the operating the fastening tool in the first mode includes operating the motor to rotate the flywheel at the first predetermined speed in response to the actuation of the contact trip switch.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising waiting a third predetermined period of time after the operation of the actuator before operating the motor to rotate the flywheel at the second predetermined speed for the second predetermined amount of time.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising waiting until the driver disengages the flywheel before operating the motor to rotate the flywheel at the second predetermined speed for the second predetermined amount of time.

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising operating the fastening tool in a second mode including:
sensing actuation of a contact trip switch; operating a motor to rotate a flywheel at a first predetermined speed in response to actuation of the contact trip switch; sensing actuation of a trigger switch; determining a speed of the flywheel; and operating the actuator to engage the driver with the flywheel in response to the contact trip switch and the trigger switch being actuated, wherein the operating of the actuator occurs only if the trigger switch is actuated after the contact trip switch is actuated and the flywheel is rotating at the first predetermined speed; wherein when the fastening tool is operated in the second mode, the motor is not operated to rotate the flywheel in response to the operating of the actuator.

17 . A method of operating a fastening tool, the method comprising:
operating the fastening tool in a first mode including:
transferring kinetic energy from a flywheel to a driver to move the driver along a driver axis in response to a first set of conditions being met, the first set of conditions including a contact trip switch being actuated, a trigger switch being actuated, the trigger switch being actuated after the contact trip switch is actuated, and the flywheel rotating at a first predetermined speed;
supplying electrical current to a motor to rotate the flywheel at a second predetermined speed for a second predetermined amount of time following the transfer of kinetic energy from the flywheel to the driver.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising waiting a third predetermined period of time after transferring the kinetic energy from the flywheel to the driver before supplying electrical current to the motor to rotate the flywheel at the second predetermined speed for the second predetermined amount of time.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the transferring the kinetic energy from the flywheel to the driver includes engaging the driver to the flywheel, and wherein the method further comprises waiting until the driver disengages the flywheel before supplying electrical current to the motor to rotate the flywheel at the second predetermined speed for the second predetermined amount of time.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising operating the fastening tool in a second mode

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Garber Stuart E
• Edwards Dean R

Classifications

• B25C1/008 Primary

  Safety devices · CPC title

• B25C1/06

  operated by electric power · CPC title