Temperature sensor for combustion nailer

• US 7,299,963 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Henry, Clayton O., Ford, Jeffry C., Moeller, Larry M., Vahabi-Nejad, Mariam
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US11/329,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20060261122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 227/8, 227/10, 227/130, 123/46.SC, 123/46.R
• US Class Current: 228/8
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/08 operated by combustion pressure

Abstract

A combustion nailer includes a housing substantially enclosing a combustion engine having a cylinder head, a control unit associated with the housing for controlling operation of the tool, at least one printed circuit board electrically connected to the control unit for maintaining tool operation, and at least one temperature sensor mounted on the at least one printed circuit board for monitoring tool temperature and for signaling sensed temperature to the control unit.

Claims

1. A combustion nailer, comprising:

a housing substantially enclosing a combustion engine having a cylinder head;

a control unit associated with said housing for controlling operation of the tool;

at least one printed circuit board electrically connected to said control unit for maintaining tool operation;

at least one temperature sensor mounted on said at least one printed circuit board for monitoring tool temperature and for signaling sensed temperature to said control unit; and

said at least one circuit board having said at least one temperature sensor being disposed upon an upper end of said cylinder head such that the cylinder head is between said at least one temperature sensor and a combustion chamber of said engine.

2. The combustion nailer of claim 1 further including a pocket in said cylinder head for accommodating said at least one temperature sensor.

3. The combustion nailer of claim 2 wherein said temperature sensor is disposed upon an underside of said circuit board and, upon insertion into said pocket, said at least one temperature sensor is enclosed by said pocket and said circuit board.

4. The combustion nailer of claim 1 wherein said circuit board is provided with push-on connectors for connecting said temperature sensor to said control unit.

5. The combustion nailer of claim 1 wherein said at least one circuit board having said at least one temperature sensor is located in said housing between a trigger and said combustion engine.

6. The combustion nailer of claim 5 wherein said at least one circuit board is an extension of a circuit board connecting said temperature sensor to said control unit.

7. The combustion nailer of claim 6 wherein said extension is on a circuit board which is separate from a control unit circuit board supporting said control unit.

8. The combustion nailer of claim 6 wherein said extension projects generally normally from said circuit board.

9. The combustion nailer of claim 8 wherein said extension projects from a handle portion of the housing through a supplemental aperture which is in registry with said aperture in said housing.

10. The combustion nailer of claim 8 wherein said aperture is disposed in said housing such that, upon being engaged therein, said sensor is adjacent an exterior of a cylinder of a combustion engine in said tool.

11. The combustion nailer of claim 5 wherein said temperature sensor is received in an aperture in said housing configured to tightly engage said sensor and an associated circuit board formation.

12. The combustion nailer of claim 1 wherein said cylinder head supports a fan motor provided with a fan projecting into a combustion chamber, and said at least one circuit board is located on said upper surface of said cylinder head generally adjacent said fan motor.

13. A combustion nailer, comprising:

a housing substantially enclosing a combustion engine having a cylinder head;

a control unit associated with said housing for controlling operation of the tool;

at least one printed circuit board electrically connected to said control unit for maintaining tool operation;

at least one temperature sensor mounted on an underside of said at least one printed circuit board for monitoring tool temperature and for signaling sensed temperature to said control unit;

said cylinder head including a pocket for substantially enclosing said at least one temperature sensor.

14. The combustion nailer of claim 13 wherein said at least one printed circuit board is accommodated upon said pocket.

15. A combustion nailer, comprising:

a housing substantially enclosing a combustion engine having a cylinder head;

a control unit associated with said housing for controlling operation of the tool;

at least one printed circuit board electrically connected to said control unit for maintaining tool operation;

at least one temperature sensor mounted on said at least one printed circuit board for monitoring tool temperature and for signaling sensed temperature to said control unit;

said at least one printed circuit board being connected to said control unit, and said at least one temperature sensor being disposed on said at least one printed circuit board between a trigger and said combustion engine and constructed and arranged to extend through a corresponding opening in said housing to be in operational access to said combustion engine.

16. The combustion nailer of claim 15 wherein said temperature sensor is received in an aperture in said housing configured to tightly engage said sensor and an associated circuit board formation.

17. The combustion nailer of claim 16 wherein said circuit board formation projects normally from said printed circuit board.