Electronic control for a pneumatic fastener driving tool
First Claim
1. A pneumatic fastener driving tool and an electronic control system therefor, said tool comprising a body containing a cylinder and a piston, a driver mounted on said piston, a firing valve above and normally closing the upper end of said cylinder, a reservoir connected to a source of air under pressure, a volume above said firing valve, said volume being connectable to said reservoir such that air under pressure from said reservoir maintains said firing valve closed, said volume being connectable to exhaust to open said firing valve and permit air under pressure to enter said cylinder above said piston and to cycle said tool, said volume normally being connected to said reservoir, a manual trigger, a workpiece responsive trip, a magazine and a plurality of fasteners within said magazine, said electronic control system comprising a solenoid actuated valve and a solenoid therefor, said solenoid actuated valve being ported to connect said volume above said firing valve to exhaust when said solenoid is actuated, control circuit means having an output connected to said solenoid to actuate said solenoid, said control circuit having inputs at least from said manual trigger and said workpiece responsive trip, said control circuit means being operative to determine the mode of operation of said tool, to interpret said inputs and to generate an output to said solenoid when said inputs satisfy said mode of operation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic control system for a pneumatic fastener driving tool of the type having a body containing a cylinder with a piston mounting a driver, a firing valve above and normally closing the upper end of the cylinder, and a space or volume above the firing valve. The volume above the firing valve is normally connected to a source of air under pressure to maintain the firing valve closed. When this volume is connected to exhaust the firing valve opens allowing air under pressure within the cylinder above the piston to cycle the tool. The electronic control system comprises a solenoid actuated valve which, when actuated, connects the volume above the firing valve to exhaust to cycle the tool, a source of electrical current and a control circuit. The control circuit establishes a desired mode of operation for the tool and has inputs from at least a manual trigger and a safety and interprets the inputs including their presence or absence and their sequence. When the inputs satisfy the desired mode of operation, the control circuit will generate an output signal to the valve solenoid and the tool will cycle.
929 Citations
36 Claims
- 1. A pneumatic fastener driving tool and an electronic control system therefor, said tool comprising a body containing a cylinder and a piston, a driver mounted on said piston, a firing valve above and normally closing the upper end of said cylinder, a reservoir connected to a source of air under pressure, a volume above said firing valve, said volume being connectable to said reservoir such that air under pressure from said reservoir maintains said firing valve closed, said volume being connectable to exhaust to open said firing valve and permit air under pressure to enter said cylinder above said piston and to cycle said tool, said volume normally being connected to said reservoir, a manual trigger, a workpiece responsive trip, a magazine and a plurality of fasteners within said magazine, said electronic control system comprising a solenoid actuated valve and a solenoid therefor, said solenoid actuated valve being ported to connect said volume above said firing valve to exhaust when said solenoid is actuated, control circuit means having an output connected to said solenoid to actuate said solenoid, said control circuit having inputs at least from said manual trigger and said workpiece responsive trip, said control circuit means being operative to determine the mode of operation of said tool, to interpret said inputs and to generate an output to said solenoid when said inputs satisfy said mode of operation.
Specification