CORDLESS FASTENER DRIVING DEVICE

• US 20080135598A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Fastening Systems LP (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stanley Fastening Systems LP (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: CANLAS, Prudencio S., PERRON, Donald R., HEWITT, Charles W., PONKO, Matthew B., MCGEE, David M., BURKE, Brian C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,845,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/130
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/047 Mechanical details

Abstract

A fastener driving device includes various interconnected systems within a device housing for efficiently regulating and transferring compressed gas provided by user-replaceable cartridges to drive a fastener securely into a workpiece. An improved cartridge containment system is provided for loading and securing compressed gas cartridges. An improved gas management system is provided, including an improved multi-function regulator, for managing gas flow. An improved valve system is provided for controlling gas flow, including an improved valve module. An improved drive system is provided for efficiently using compressed gas to drive fasteners.

Claims

1. A fastener driving device for driving a fastener into a workpiece, comprising:

a device body;

a cartridge containment system mounted on said device body to load and unload at least one gas cartridge;

a gas management system positioned in the primary housing adjacent to the cartridge containment system to receive and control compressed gas provided by the at least one gas cartridge;

a valve system mounted in the device body to receive and control pressurized gas flow from the gas management system; and

a drive engine mounted in the device body to receive and control the pressurized gas flow.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the cartridge containment system receives a plurality of gas cartridges in side by side relationship.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the cartridge containment system includes a containment knob mounted to receive the at least one gas cartridge, said containment knob mounted for rotation to cause the at least one gas cartridge to move into a loaded position.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the cartridge containment system includes a plurality of lance assemblies, at least one of said plurality of lance assemblies mounted for movement by gas pressure to cause piercing of at least one of the at least one gas cartridge.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said gas management system includes a manifold positioned within the device body, a regulator assembly mounted on said manifold, and a flow tube connected to said manifold for delivering gas to said valve system.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said gas management system includes a manifold and a regulator assembly mounted on said manifold, said cartridge containment system including at least one lance assembly mounted on said manifold for receiving and piercing an end of a gas cartridge.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said at least one lance assembly includes a first lance assembly and a second lance assembly extending axially along the device body, said regulator assembly positioned between said first and said second lance assemblies and extending transverse to said first and said second lance assemblies

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said gas management system further includes a regulator assembly with integral gas pressure regulation, gas pressure indication and over-pressure protection.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said regular assembly includes an adjustment knob mounted on one side of the device body and a fuel indicator extending to an opposite side of the device body.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said valve system is formed as a module containing a trigger valve and high pressure relief system.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said module further contains a pressure rebalancing system.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein said module includes a low pressure lock-out system for preventing operation of the trigger valve when an unregulated pressure from the at least one cartridge is low.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said valve system includes a trigger valve and a low pressure lock-out system for preventing operation of the trigger valve when an unregulated pressure from the at least one cartridge is low.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said valve system includes a trigger valve having a trigger valve stem that is substantially pressure balanced to minimize actuation force by a user to actuate the trigger valve.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein said drive engine includes a cylinder, an exhaust assembly, a piston-driver assembly mounted for reciprocal movement in the cylinder, an outer headvalve mounted for movement between a closed position blocking flow through said exhaust assembly and an open position permitting gas flow through said exhaust assembly.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein said drive engine further includes an inner head valve mounted for reciprocal movement between a closed position blocking flow from the cylinder and an open position permitting flow from the cylinder.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said outer headvalve contacts the inner headvalve to more the inner headvalve from the closed position to the open position.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein said inner headvalve is mounted in a central bore of said outer headvalve.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein said valve system includes a trigger valve module for receiving both a regulated gas flow and an unregulated gas flow from the gas management system.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein said drive engine includes a reservoir volume for providing a volume of regulated gas to the cylinder during one cycle of the drive engine and a holding volume for holding a volume of regulated gas for delivery to the reservoir volume after the one cycle for delivery to the cylinder during the next cycle of the drive engine.

21. The device of claim 15, wherein said drive engine further includes a bladder volume positioned at adjacent said outer headvalve for receiving regulated gas flow for moving said outer headvalve from said open to said closed position.