Powered hand-held fastening tool

• US 10,272,554 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baskar, Ashok S., Bradenbaugh, Charles L., Schell, Craig A., Kenney, James J., Gross, Paul G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chukwurah, Nathaniel C
• Application Number:
  US15/296,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20170036334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 227134, 227133, 227120, 227131, 227146, 173 13, 173 15, 173124, 173216, 173217
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/008 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/06 operated by electric power

Abstract

A powered hand-held fastening tool includes a housing defining a handle, a frame, a motor-driven flywheel journaled to the frame, and an elongated driver that is selectively coupled to the flywheel to drive a fastener into a workpiece. A follower assembly for selectively coupling the driver to the flywheel includes a solenoid actuator, a biasing mechanism, a lever arm connected between the solenoid actuator and the biasing mechanism, and an intermediate member having journaled thereto a pivot roller and a pinch roller. Upon energization of the solenoid the lever arm is moved in a direction parallel to the drive axis, thereby applying a force on the pivot roller perpendicular to the drive axis, causing the pinch roller to press the driver against the flywheel and initiate the drive stroke. The intermediate member pivots about the pivot roller to release the pressure on driver upon completion of the drive stroke.

Claims

1. A powered hand-held fastening tool for applying fasteners including a housing defining a handle, a frame, a motor driven flywheel journaled to said frame, an elongated driver disposed adjacent to said flywheel and configured to move along a drive axis to engage and drive a fastener into a workpiece, and a follower assembly for selectively coupling said driver to said flywheel, said follower assembly comprising:

a longitudinal bracket fixedly connected to said frame generally parallel to said drive axis and having a first end, a second end opposite said first end, and spaced apart generally parallel arms;

an actuator comprising a solenoid having a plunger that is movable in response to energization of said solenoid, said actuator being mounted between said arms at said first end of said bracket;

a biasing mechanism having a compression spring, said biasing mechanism being mounted between said arms at said second end of said bracket;

a lever arm being connected at one end thereof to the plunger of said solenoid and at its other end to said biasing mechanism; and

an intermediate member located between said actuator and said biasing mechanism and mounted between said arms via a first axle pin that is received within a first pair of opposing slots formed in said arms, said first pair of opposing slots being oriented to permit movement of said first axle pin along a second axis perpendicular to said drive axis, said first axle pin having journaled thereto a first roller that engages an intermediate segment of said lever arm between said one end and said other end, said intermediate member further having mounted thereto a second axle pin having journaled thereto a second roller disposed adjacent to said driver;

wherein upon energization of said solenoid said plunger moves said lever arm in a direction parallel to said drive axis, causing said intermediate segment to apply a downward pressure on said first roller directed along said second axis, which in turn presses said second roller against said driver, thereby squeezing said driver between said second roller and said flywheel.

2. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 1, wherein said plunger moves along an axis parallel to said drive axis.

3. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 2, wherein the other end of said lever arm compresses the compression spring in said biasing mechanism when said solenoid is energized.

4. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 3, wherein said compression spring is compressed in a direction parallel to said second axis, to thereby apply said downward pressure on said first roller.

5. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 4, wherein said biasing mechanism is movably mounted to said bracket via trunnions received in a second pair of opposing slots formed in said arms, said second pair of opposing slots being oriented so as to permit movement of said biasing mechanism along an axis parallel to said drive axis.

6. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 5, wherein said biasing mechanism further includes a cap member containing said compression spring.

7. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 6, wherein said compression spring comprises a coil spring disposed between said cap and said other end of said lever arm.

8. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 1, wherein said intermediate member is pivotable about said first axle pin.

9. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 8, wherein said intermediate member is configured to pivot about said first axle pin from a first aligned position to a second non-aligned position to disengage the second roller from the driver.

10. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 9, further including second biasing means for biasing said intermediate member into said aligned position.

11. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 9, wherein the axis of said second axle pin is closer to said second end of said bracket than the axis of said first axle pin in the direction of said driver axis when said intermediate member is in said first aligned position.

12. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 11, wherein the axis of said first axle pin is closer to said second end of said bracket than the axis of said second axle pin in the direction of said driver axis when said intermediate member is in said second non-aligned position.

13. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 7, wherein said driver comprises a first segment having a first thickness as measured in the direction of said second axis, a second segment having a second thickness greater than said first thickness, a third segment having a third thickness less than said second thickness, and respective transition segments between said first segment and said second segment and between said second segment and said third segment wherein the thickness of the driver gradually increases from said first thickness to said second thickness and gradually diminishes from said second thickness to said third thickness, respectively.

14. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 13, wherein the flywheel is configured to drive the driver along said driver axis during a driving stroke from a starting position to a completion position.

15. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 14, wherein the transition segment between the first segment and the second segment of said driver is adjacent to said second roller when the driver is in said starting position.

16. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 15, wherein said second roller engages said second segment of said driver during said driving stroke.

17. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 16, wherein said intermediate member pivots from said aligned position to said non-aligned position when said second roller engages the transition segment between said second segment and said third segment as said driver approaches the completion position.

18. A powered hand-held fastening tool for applying fasteners including a housing defining a handle, a frame comprising a pair of longitudinal spaced apart generally parallel arms each having a first end and a second end opposite said first end, a motor driven flywheel journaled to said frame, an elongated driver disposed adjacent to said flywheel and configured to move along a drive axis to engage and drive a fastener into a workpiece, and a follower assembly for selectively coupling said driver to said flywheel, said follower assembly comprising:

an actuator comprising a solenoid having a plunger that is movable in response to energization of said solenoid, said actuator being mounted between said arms at said first end;

a biasing mechanism having a compression spring, said biasing mechanism being mounted between said arms at said second end;

a lever arm being connected at one end thereof to the plunger of said solenoid and at its other end to said biasing mechanism; and

an intermediate member located between said actuator and said biasing mechanism and mounted between said arms via a first axle pin that is received within a first pair of opposing slots formed in said arms, said first pair of opposing slots being oriented to permit movement of said first axle pin along a second axis perpendicular to said drive axis, said first axle pin having journaled thereto a first roller that engages an intermediate segment of said lever arm between said one end and said other end, said intermediate member further having mounted thereto a second axle pin having journaled thereto a second roller disposed adjacent to said driver;

wherein upon energization of said solenoid said plunger moves said lever arm in a direction parallel to said drive axis, causing said intermediate segment to apply a downward pressure on said first roller directed along said second axis, which in turn presses said second roller against said driver, thereby squeezing said driver between said second roller and said flywheel;

wherein said intermediate member is pivotable about said first axle pin from a first aligned position to a second non-aligned position to disengage the second roller from the driver;

and further wherein the axis of said second axle pin is closer to said second end than the axis of said first axle pin in the direction of said driver axis when said intermediate member is in said first aligned position.

19. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 18, wherein the axis of said first axle pin is closer to said second end than the axis of said second axle pin in the direction of said driver axis when said intermediate member is in said second non-aligned position.

20. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 18, wherein said plunger moves along an axis parallel to said drive axis.

21. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 20, wherein the other end of said lever arm compresses the compression spring in said biasing mechanism when said solenoid is energized.

22. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 21, wherein said compression spring is compressed in a direction parallel to said second axis, to thereby apply said downward pressure on said first roller.

23. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 22, wherein said biasing mechanism is movably mounted to said pair of arms via trunnions received in a second pair of opposing slots formed in said arms, said second pair of opposing slots being oriented so as to permit movement of said biasing mechanism along an axis parallel to said drive axis.

24. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 22, wherein said biasing mechanism further includes a cap member containing said compression spring.

25. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 24, wherein said compression spring comprises a coil spring disposed between said cap and said other end of said lever arm.

26. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 18, further including second biasing means for biasing said intermediate member into said aligned position.

27. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 18, wherein said driver comprises a first segment having a first thickness as measured in the direction of said second axis, a second segment having a second thickness greater than said first thickness, a third segment having a third thickness less than said second thickness, and respective transition segments between said first segment and said second segment and between said second segment and said third segment wherein the thickness of the driver gradually increases from said first thickness to said second thickness and gradually diminishes from said second thickness to said third thickness, respectively.

28. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 27, wherein the flywheel is configured to drive the driver along said driver axis during a driving stroke from a starting position to a completion position.

29. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 28, wherein the transition segment between the first segment and the second segment of said driver is adjacent to said second roller when the driver is in said starting position.

30. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 29, wherein said second roller engages said second segment of said driver during said driving stroke.

31. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 30, wherein said intermediate member pivots from said aligned position to said non-aligned position when said second roller engages the transition segment between said second segment and said third segment as said driver approaches the completion position.

32. The powered hand-held fastening tool of claim 18, wherein said pair of arms comprise an integral part of a separate longitudinal bracket member that is fixedly connected to said frame.