POWERED FASTENER DRIVER HAVING SPLIT GEAR BOX

• US 20200130157A1
• Filed: 10/21/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Rux, Andrew P.
• Granted Patent: US 11,446,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/008 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/047 Mechanical details
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/06 operated by electric power

Abstract

A fastener driver includes a housing defining a handle portion, a magazine in which fasteners are held, a nosepiece for receiving fasteners from the magazine, a driver blade movable from a ready position toward a driven position during which a fastener positioned in the nosepiece is driven into a workpiece, a lifting mechanism operable to return the driver blade from the driven position toward the ready position for a subsequent fastener driving operation, and a drivetrain to provide torque to the lifting mechanism. At least a portion of the drivetrain is positioned within and extends through the handle portion of the housing.

Claims

1. A fastener driver comprising:

a housing defining a handle portion;

a magazine in which fasteners are held;

a nosepiece for receiving fasteners from the magazine;

a driver blade movable from a ready position toward a driven position during which a fastener positioned in the nosepiece is driven into a workpiece;

a lifting mechanism operable to return the driver blade from the driven position toward the ready position for a subsequent fastener driving operation; and

a drivetrain to provide torque to the lifting mechanism,

wherein at least a portion of the drivetrain is positioned within and extends through the handle portion of the housing.

2. The fastener driver of claim 1, wherein the drivetrain includes

an electric motor having a motor output shaft;

a first gear box coupled to the motor output shaft to receive torque therefrom;

a second gear box having an output shaft coupled to the lifting mechanism to provide torque thereto; and

a drive shaft having a first end coupled to the first gear box and a second end coupled to the second gear box for transferring torque from the first gear box to the second gear box,

wherein the drive shaft is positioned within and extends through the handle portion of the housing.

3. The fastener driver of claim 2, wherein the first gearbox includes a first gear case and a multi-stage planetary transmission therein, and wherein the second gearbox includes a second gear case and meshed first and second spur gears therein.

4. The fastener driver of claim 3, wherein the spur gears include the same number of teeth.

5. The fastener driver of claim 3, wherein the spur gears are offset.

6. The fastener driver of claim 3, wherein the second spur gear is coupled for co-rotation with the second end of the drive shaft.

7. The fastener driver of claim 6, further comprising a single-stage planetary transmission positioned between the second spur gear and the lifting mechanism.

8. The fastener driver of claim 7, wherein the single-stage planetary transmission includes

a sun gear coupled for co-rotation with the second spur gear,

a carrier shaft rotatably supported by the housing,

a ring gear positioned within the second gear case, and

a plurality of planet gears rotatably supported upon the carrier shaft and meshed with the ring gear.

9. The fastener driver of claim 8, wherein the lifting mechanism includes a rotary lifter having pins that engage corresponding teeth of a rack defined on the driver blade, and wherein the rotary lifter is coupled for co-rotation with the carrier shaft.

10. The fastener driver of claim 9, further comprising a clutch configured to redirect torque from the motor to the ring gear of the single-stage planetary transmission, causing it to rotate within the second gear case, in response to a reaction torque applied to the rotary lifter exceeding a predetermined value.

11. A fastener driver comprising:

a nosepiece for receiving fasteners from a magazine;

a driver blade movable from a ready position toward a driven position during which a fastener positioned in the nosepiece is driven into a workpiece;

a lifting mechanism operable to return the driver blade from the driven position toward the ready position for a subsequent fastener driving operation; and

a drivetrain to provide torque to the lifting mechanism, the drivetrain including

an electric motor having a motor output shaft;

a first gear box coupled to the motor output shaft to receive torque therefrom;

a second gear box having an output shaft coupled to the lifting mechanism to provide torque thereto; and

a drive shaft having a first end coupled to the first gear box and a second end coupled to the second gear box for transferring torque from the first gear box to the second gear box.

12. The fastener driver of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the drivetrain is positioned within and extends through the handle portion of the housing.

13. The fastener driver of claim 12, wherein the drive shaft is positioned within and extends through the handle portion of the housing.

14. The fastener driver of claim 11, wherein the first gearbox includes a first gear case and a multi-stage planetary transmission therein, and wherein the second gearbox includes a second gear case and meshed first and second spur gears therein.

15. The fastener driver of claim 14, wherein the spur gears include the same number of teeth.

16. The fastener driver of claim 14, wherein the second spur gear is coupled for co-rotation with the second end of the drive shaft.

17. The fastener driver of claim 16, further comprising a single-stage planetary transmission positioned between the second spur gear and the lifting mechanism.

18. The fastener driver of claim 17, wherein the single-stage planetary transmission includes

a sun gear coupled for co-rotation with the second spur gear,

a carrier shaft rotatably supported by the housing,

a ring gear positioned within the second gear case, and

a plurality of planet gears rotatably supported upon the carrier shaft and meshed with the ring gear.

19. The fastener driver of claim 18, wherein the lifting mechanism includes a rotary lifter having pins that engage corresponding teeth of a rack defined on the driver blade, and wherein the rotary lifter is coupled for co-rotation with the carrier shaft.

20. The fastener driver of claim 19, further comprising a clutch configured to redirect torque from the motor to the ring gear of the single-stage planetary transmission, causing it to rotate within the second gear case, in response to a reaction torque applied to the rotary lifter exceeding a predetermined value.