Pneumatic fastener driving tool and an electronic control system therefore

• US 6,431,425 B1
• Filed: 10/25/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Senco Brands Incorporated (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Senco Products Incorporated (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Hwang, Shin-Leei, Moorman, Charles J., Diersing, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US09/696,118
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 227/8, 227/130, 227/1, 227/2, 227/5, 227/7, 227/6
• US Class Current: 227/8
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/008 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/04 operated by fluid pressure , e.g. by air pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/043 Trigger valve and trigger mechanism

Abstract

An electronically controlled pneumatic fastener driving tool. The tool is of the type having a body containing a cylinder with a piston/driver assembly therein, a firing valve actuable to introduce high pressure air into the cylinder to cycle the piston/driver assembly, a manual trigger, a safety trip, and an electronic control system. The electronic control system comprises a remote solenoid valve to actuate the firing valve, a microprocessor having inputs from at least the trigger and safety trip and an output to energize the solenoid of the remote valve to cycle the tool, a battery to energize the microprocessor and a rechargeable battery to energize the solenoid of the remote valve. The microprocessor determines the mode of operation of the tool and may be designed to provide two or more modes selectable by a mode selection switch. The input from the trigger is provided with a reed switch closable by the trigger and the input from the safety trip is provided with a reed switch closable by the safety trip. The microprocessor may provide a timer to impose a time limit on the trigger, the safety trip, or both. The electronic control system comprises a part of the tool itself. The tool is provided with a generator which partially recharges the solenoid battery during each cycle of the tool.

Claims

1. An electronically controlled pneumatic fastener driving tool having:

a main tool cycling valve;

at least one of a manual trigger and a workpiece responsive safety trip;

an electronic control comprising a solenoid actuated remote valve associated with said main valve in such a way as to actuate said main valve when said remote valve is actuated by said solenoid;

said electronic control further comprising a microprocessor, said microprocessor being programmed to provide at least one mode of operation for said tool, said microprocessor having at least one input from at least one of said safety trip and said trigger and an output to energize said remote valve solenoid when said at least one input satisfies said at least one mode;

said at least one of said safety trip and said trigger being shiftable between unactuated and actuated positions;

said at least one input from said at least one of said safety trip and said trigger having a switch incorporated therein; and

said at least one of said safety trip and said trigger closing said switch when said at least one of said safety trip and said trigger is in its actuated position.

2. The fastener driving tool of claim 1 wherein said switch is further comprised of a reed switch, said at least one of said safety trip and said trigger having a magnet, said at least one of said safety trip and said trigger when in its unactuated position supporting said magnet remote from said switch, said magnet being adjacent said switch closing said switch when one of said safety trip and said trigger is in its actuated position.

3. The fastener driving tool of claim 1 wherein said microprocessor is further comprised of a timer, said timer preventing said microprocessor from accepting inputs from at least one said safety trip and said trigger for a predetermined time after said solenoid actuates.

4. The fastener driving tool of claim 1 further comprising:

both a workpiece responsive safety trip and a manual trigger;

said microprocessor having an input from each of said manual trigger and said safety trip and an output to energize said remote valve solenoid when said inputs from said manual trigger and said safety trip satisfy said at least one mode;

said manual trigger and safety trip being shiftable between unactuated and actuated positions;

said inputs from said safety trip and said trigger each having a switch incorporated therein; and

said inputs from said safety trip and said trigger each closing its respective switch when in its actuated position.

5. The fastener driving tool claimed in claim 4 wherein said input from a first one of said manual trigger and said safety trip is further comprised of a reed switch;

said first one of said manual trigger and said safety trip carrying a magnet held remote from said reed switch when said first one of said manual trigger and safety trip is in said unactuated position, and adjacent said reed switch closing said reed switch when said first one of said manual trigger and safety trip is in said actuated position; and

said input of said second one of said manual trigger and safety trip having a mechanical switch incorporated therein closed by said second one of said manual trigger and said safety trip when in said actuated position.

6. The fastener driving tool claimed in claim 4 wherein said inputs from said safety trip and said trigger each are further comprised of a reed switch, said safety trip and said trigger each carrying a magnet;

said magnets of said safety trip and said trigger being remote from their respective input reed switches when said safety trip and said trigger are in their unactuated positions, said magnets of said safety trip and said trigger being adjacent their respective reed switches closing their respective reed switches when said safety trip and said trigger are in their actuated positions.

7. The fastener driving tool of claim 4 further comprised of a trigger timer wherein said trigger timer is initiated upon actuation of said trigger, said trigger timer preventing said microprocessor from accepting said input from said safety trip after a predetermined time has past, and said trigger timer stopping when said trigger is unactuated.

8. The fastener driving tool of claim 4 further comprised of a safety trip timer wherein said safety trip timer is initiated upon actuation of said safety trip, said safety trip timer preventing said microprocessor from accepting said input from said trigger after a predetermined time has past, and said safety trip timer stopping when said safety trip is unactuated.

9. The fastener driving tool of claim 4 wherein said microprocessor is programmed to provide two modes of operation.

10. The fastener driving tool of claim 9 further comprised of a mode selector switch, said switch having a first position and a second position, said switch moving to said first position to operate a first said mode and said switch moving to said second position to operate a second said mode.

11. The fastener driving tool of claim 4 wherein said at least one mode is further comprised of a safety fire-rigger fire mode wherein said mode is satisfied when both said trigger and said safety trip are in their actuated positions.

12. The fastener driving tool of claim 4 wherein said at least one mode is further comprised of a restrictive mode requiring a first of said trigger and said safety trip to be in its actuated position prior to moving a second of said trigger and said safety trip into its actuated position to cycle said tool, and wherein said first of said trigger and said safety trip may remain in its actuated position while moving said second of said trigger and said safety trip into its actuated position one or more times to cycle said tool one or more times.

13. The fastener driving tool of claim 4 wherein said at least one mode is further comprised of a sequential mode requiring said safety trip to be in its actuated position prior to moving said trigger into its actuated position to cycle said tool, and wherein said safety trip and said trigger must both move into their unactuated positions prior to obtaining a second tool cycle.

14. An electronically controlled fastener driving tool of the type having:

means to cycle said tool;

at least one of a manual trigger and a workpiece responsive safety trip;

an electronic control comprising a microprocessor, said microprocessor being programmed to provide at least one mode of operation for said tool, said microprocessor having at least one input from said at least one of said safety trip and said trigger and an output to energize said tool cycling means when said at least one input satisfies said at least one mode;

said at least one of said safety trip and said trigger being shiftable between unactuated and actuated positions and carrying a magnet;

said at least one input from said at least one of said safety trip and said trigger having a reed switch incorporated therein; and

said at least one of said safety trip and said trigger when in its unactuated position supporting its magnet remote from said reed switch, said magnet being adjacent said reed switch closing said reed switch when said one of said safety trip and said trigger is in its actuated position.

15. The fastener driving tool claimed in claim 14 including:

both a workpiece responsive safety trip and a manual trigger;

said microprocessor having an input from each of said manual trigger and said safety trip and an output to energize said tool cycling means when said inputs from said manual trigger and said safety trip satisfy said at least one mode;

said manual trigger and safety trip being shiftable between unactuated and actuated positions;

said input from a first one of said manual trigger and said safety trip having a reed switch incorporated therein;

said first one of said manual trigger and said safety trip carrying a magnet held remote from said reed switch when said first one of said manual trigger and safety trip is in said unactuated position, and adjacent said reed switch closing said reed switch when said first one of said manual trigger and safety trip is in said actuated position; and

said input of said second one of said manual trigger and safety trip having a mechanical switch incorporated therein closed by said second one of said manual trigger and said safety trip when in said actuated position.

16. The fastener driving tool claimed in claim 14 including:

both a workpiece responsive safety trip and a manual trigger;

said microprocessor having an input from each of said manual trigger and said safety trip and an output to energize said tool cycling means when said inputs from said manual trigger and said safety trip satisfy said at least one mode;

said safety trip and said trigger each being shiftable between unactuated and actuated positions;

said safety trip and said trigger each carrying a magnet;

said inputs from said safety trip and said trigger each having a reed switch incorporated therein; and

said magnets of said safety trip and said trigger being remote from their respective input reed switches when said safety trip and said trigger are in their unactuated positions, said magnets of said safety trip and said trigger being adjacent their respective reed switches closing their respective reed switches when said safety trip and said trigger are in their actuated positions.