Fastener driving tool with portable pressurized power source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9770818-B2
Application number	US-201213617971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2012
Priority date	Oct 3, 2011
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

A fastener driver tool powered by a pressurized power source having a supply of compressed fluid includes a magazine associated with the tool for storing and supplying fasteners to a tool nose. A cylinder in the tool has a reciprocating piston associated with a driver blade sequentially engaging fasteners from the magazine as they are fed into tool nose. A control system is configured for directly electrically controlling a flow of compressed fluid for driving the piston.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fastener driver tool comprising:
a magazine configured to store a plurality of fasteners and to supply the fasteners to a tool nose;
a cylinder including a reciprocating piston associated with a driver blade movable to sequentially engage the fasteners from the magazine as the fasteners are supplied to said tool nose;
a fitting to which a container of compressed fluid is attachable;
at least one solenoid valve switchable between an open state and a closed state;
a pressure regulator in fluid communication with and between the fitting and the at least one solenoid valve, the pressure regulator configured to change a pressure of fluid flowing therethrough;
a first pressure sensor located upstream of the pressure regulator and configured to sense a first pressure of the fluid before passing through the pressure regulator, the first pressure sensor electrically connected to the control system;
a second pressure sensor located downstream of the pressure regulator and configured to sense a second pressure of the fluid after passing through the pressure regulator, the second pressure sensor electrically connected to the control system;
an output device;
an adjustment device that enables user modification of an energized time of the at least one solenoid valve, the energized time controlling a length of time the at least one solenoid valve remains in the open state; and
a control system electrically connected to the output device, the at least one solenoid valve, and the adjustment device, the control system operable to: (1) switch the at least one solenoid valve from the closed state to the open state to enable fluid flow from the pressure regulator into said cylinder to drive said reciprocating piston; (2) switch the at least one solenoid valve from the open state to the closed state to prevent fluid flow from the pressure regulator into said cylinder; (3) adjust the energized time of the at least one solenoid valve based on one or more signals received from the adjustment device; and (4) receive signals representing the first and second pressures from the first and second pressure sensors and cause the output device to output an indication when a difference between the first and second pressures falls below a threshold.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said control system includes a microprocessor.

3. The tool of claim 1 , wherein said compressed fluid has gas and liquid components, further including an anti-siphon tube in said container, said anti-siphon tube having a length extending within an effective height of said container to exclude liquid phase fluid.

4. The tool of claim 1 further including a reservoir in fluid communication with and between said pressure regulator and said at least one solenoid valve.

5. The tool of claim 1 further including a piston return mechanism associated with said cylinder and including at least one of a mechanical return and a pneumatic return operable to return the reciprocating piston to a start position.

6. The tool of claim 1 wherein said control system is configured to selectively effect sequential and repetitive operations of the tool.

7. The tool of claim 1 further including at least one tool condition indicator electrically connected to said control system, said at least one tool condition indicator including at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a tactile indicator.

8. The tool of claim 1 further including a workpiece contact element reciprocatable relative to said tool nose and a corresponding workpiece contact element switch electrically connected to said control system and located on said tool nose, the workpiece contact element switch activatable via pressing said workpiece contact element upon a workpiece.

9. The tool of claim 8 further including a magnet associated with said tool nose in a fixed position and configured to hold said workpiece contact element at a rest position through magnetic attraction with said workpiece contact element and to return said workpiece contact element to the rest position after fastener driving, during which said workpiece contact element reciprocates relative to the tool nose between the rest position and an actuation position.

10. The tool of claim 8 wherein said workpiece contact element is reciprocatable relative to said tool nose in a drive track defined by spaced, parallel guide members.

11. The tool of claim 8 further including at least one of a dampening protective element and an overtravel protective element configured to protect said workpiece contact element switch against workpiece contact element impact forces.

12. The tool of claim 1 wherein said control system is configured such that a user interface displays or emits an alarm indicating that the container needs replacement.

13. A fastener driver tool powered by a pressurized power source having a supply of compressed fluid, said tool comprising:
a tool nose;
a magazine configured to store a plurality of fasteners and to supply the fasteners to the tool nose;
a cylinder including a reciprocating piston associated with a driver blade movable to sequentially engage the fasteners from the magazine as the fasteners are supplied to said tool nose;
a control system operable to directly electrically control a flow of the compressed fluid from the pressurized power source to the cylinder to directly drive said piston;
a workpiece contact element switch supported by the tool nose;
a workpiece contact element reciprocatable relative to said tool nose between a rest position and an actuation position, the workpiece contact element contacting the workpiece contact element switch when in the actuation position; and
a magnet supported by the tool nose and positioned between at least part of the workpiece contact element switch and at least part of the workpiece contact element, the magnet configured to hold said workpiece contact element at the rest position through magnetic attraction with said workpiece contact element and return said workpiece contact element to the rest position after fastener driving, during which said workpiece contact element reciprocates relative to the tool nose between the rest position and the actuation position.

14. The tool of claim 13 wherein said workpiece contact element is reciprocatable relative to said tool nose in a drive track defined by spaced, parallel guide members.

15. The tool of claim 13 further including at least one of a dampening protective element and an overtravel protective element configured to protect the workpiece contact element switch against workpiece contact element impact forces.

16. A fastener driver tool comprising:
a magazine configured to store a plurality of fasteners and to supply the fasteners to a tool nose;
a cylinder including a reciprocating piston associated with a driver blade movable to sequentially engage the fasteners from the magazine as the fasteners are supplied to said tool nose;
at least one solenoid valve switchable between an open state and a closed state;
a pressure regulator in fluid communication with the at least one solenoid valve, the pressure regulator configured to change a pressure of fluid flowing therethrough;
a control system electrically connected to the at least one solenoid valve and operable to: (1) switch the at least one solenoid valve from the closed state to the open state to enable flow of a compressed fluid in one fluid state from a container through the pressure regulator and into said cylinder to drive said reciprocating piston; and (2) switch the at least one solenoid valve from the open

Assignees

• Largo Marc
• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Largo Marc

Classifications

• B25C1/041 Primary

  with fixed main cylinder · CPC title