Fastener Driving Apparatus

Abstract

A fastener driving apparatus comprises a linear motor, a power source, a control circuit, an energy storage means, a drive mechanism, a piston and an anvil. The motor and drive mechanism are operatively coupled to the energy storage device and/or the piston such that they may alternately actuate the piston and/or engage the energy storage device, and then refrain from acting on the piston and/or energy storage device so as to selectively store potential energy in the energy storage device during, and then to allow the piston to move and act on the anvil to cause the anvil to act on a fastener. In an embodiment, the linear motor comprises a magnetic housing and at least one magnet such that when a voltage is applied across the terminals of the motor, the motor is caused to move to one direction. Reversing the polarity of the applied voltage will move the motor to the opposite direction.

Claims

1. A fastener driving apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a linear motor, a power source, a control circuit, an energy storage device, a drive mechanism, a piston, and an anvil, wherein said piston is operatively coupled to said anvil, wherein at least one of the motor and drive mechanism are operatively coupled to at least one of the energy storage device and the piston such that at least one of the motor and drive mechanism may, for one portion of the operational cycle of the apparatus, actuate the piston and/or engage the energy storage device, and for another portion of the operational cycle of the apparatus, refrain from actuating the piston and/or engaging the energy storage device so as to selectively store potential energy in the energy storage device during the portion of the operational cycle in which at least one of the motor and drive mechanism actuate the piston and/or engage the energy storage device, and to allow the piston to move and act on the anvil to cause the anvil to act on a fastener.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said linear motor is also capable of engaging the piston when the piston is moving and acting on the anvil, through which engagement the motor may assist the piston with such moving and acting on the anvil.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said anvil is operatively coupled to a structure that limits and guides the range of motion of the anvil.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said linear motor comprises a magnet and a coil, and said piston comprises a magnet for operative coupling with said motor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, said apparatus further comprising at least one sensor for determining the position of at least one of said energy storage device, drive mechanism, piston, and anvil.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, said apparatus further comprising at least one bumper for absorbing a portion of the force of impact of at least one of the anvil and piston.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said energy storage device comprises one of a spring and a gas spring, wherein said gas spring comprises a piston.

8. A fastener driving apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a linear motor, said linear motor comprising a magnetic housing and at least one magnet, a power source, a control circuit, an energy storage device, a drive mechanism, a piston, and an anvil, wherein said piston is operatively coupled to said anvil, wherein at least one of the motor and drive mechanism are operatively coupled to at least one of the energy storage device and the piston such that at least one of the motor and drive mechanism may, for one portion of the operational cycle of the apparatus, actuate the piston and/or engage the energy storage device, and for another portion of the operational cycle of the apparatus, refrain from actuating the piston and/or engaging the energy storage device so as to selectively store potential energy in the energy storage device during the portion of the operational cycle in which at least one of the motor and drive mechanism actuate the piston and/or engage the energy storage device, and to allow the piston to move and act on the anvil to cause the anvil to act on a fastener.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said linear motor is also capable of engaging the piston when the piston is moving and acting on the anvil, through which engagement the motor may assist the piston with such moving and acting on the anvil.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said anvil is operatively coupled to a structure that limits and guides the range of motion of the anvil.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said linear motor comprises a magnet and a coil, and said piston comprises a magnet for operative coupling with said motor.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, said apparatus further comprising at least one sensor for determining the position of at least one of said energy storage device, drive mechanism, piston, and anvil.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, said apparatus further comprising at least one bumper for absorbing a portion of the force of impact of at least one of the anvil and piston.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said energy storage device comprises one of a spring and a gas spring, wherein said gas spring comprises a piston.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The advantages and features of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a fastener driving apparatus, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows another perspective view of a fastener driving apparatus, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a linear coil motor, piston, and anvil of a fastener driving apparatus, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0036] The best mode for carrying out the present disclosure is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted in the accompanying figure(s). The preferred embodiments described herein detail for illustrative purposes are subject to many variations. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, although the following relates substantially to one embodiment of the design, it will be understood by those familiar with the art that changes to materials, part descriptions and geometries can be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. It is further understood that references such as front, back or top dead center, bottom dead center do not refer to exact positions but approximate positions as understood in the context of the geometry in the attached figures.

[0037] The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.

[0038] Referring also to the figures, the present disclosure provides for a fastener driving apparatus 100. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a power source 10, a control circuit 20, a motor 30 (such as a linear motor or a coil motor), at least one energy storage device (such as a spring 40), a drive mechanism 50, a piston 42 and an anvil 60. The apparatus may further comprise at least one bumper 70. In an embodiment, the spring comprises a gas spring, which gas spring includes a gas spring cylinder 41 and a gas spring piston 42, which gas spring piston is at least partially disposed within a scaled chamber, and which gas spring piston is selectively actuated by the motor and/or drive mechanism.

[0039] In an embodiment, and referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the linear motor 30 comprises a magnetic housing 32 and a coil 80. It will be apparent that the linear motor includes terminals for receipt of a voltage. When a voltage is applied across the terminals of the motor, the motor 30 is caused to move to one direction. Reversing the polarity of the applied voltage will move the motor to the opposite direction.

[0040] It will be apparent that the motor 30 and/or drive mechanism 50 is configured to energize the spring 40 and to thereafter release the gas spring 40 to drive a fastener. The motor 30/drive mechanism 50 is operatively coupled to the anvil 60 or piston 42, or, in a particular embodiment, coupled to the piston 42 such that the drive mechanism 50 may alternate in actuating the piston 42 and in refraining from applying a drive force on the piston 42. In a preferred embodiment, the linear motor 30 preferably acts directly upon the piston 42 (and in an embodiment, on a magnet 44 of the piston 42) to move the piston 42 to store potential energy (as described elsewhere herein.)

[0041] In an embodiment, the drive mechanism 50 and/or motor 30 engages and actuates the piston 42 to store potential energy within the gas spring 40, which actuation of the piston 42 may be referred to as an “energized position” of the piston.

[0042] In exemplary embodiment of an operational cycle, the drive mechanism 50/motor 30 thereafter disengages the piston 42, allowing potential energy to act on the piston 42 and cause the piston 42 to move and act on the anvil 60. In a still further embodiment, the linear motor 30 reverses direction and adds energy to assist in driving the anvil 60 and the fastener. The drive mechanism 50/motor 30 may thereafter again act on the piston 42 to again store potential energy within the gas spring 40 and may thereafter again temporarily cease to act on the piston to allow potential energy to instead act on the piston 42.

[0043] The anvil 60 may be operatively coupled to a guide 62, shaft, or other structure that limits and guides the range of motion of the anvil 50. To counteract drive mechanism loads on the anvil, bearings (and preferably, roller bearings) may be provided in the guide 62, shaft, or other structure that limits the range of motion.

[0044] A sensor 90 may be provided for determining at least one position of the spring or gas spring, drive mechanism, anvil and/or piston. The sensor may enable the proper timing for stopping the operational cycle of the apparatus. Further, this information can be used to detect a jam condition for proper recovery.

[0045] At least one bumper 70 may optionally be disposed on the apparatus for absorbing a portion of the force of impact of the anvil and/or piston, to reduce wear and tear on the components of the apparatus. The at least one bumper may be of an elastic material, for example, and may be disposed on the apparatus at any position where it is capable of absorbing a portion of the force of impact by the piston or the anvil.

[0046] The present disclosure offers the following advantages: the linear motor, gas springs, mechanical springs and elastomers are capable of generating s relatively high amount of force in a small amount of space such that the size of the apparatus may be smaller than other fastener drivers. Further, because of the relatively small increase from the initial pressure in the gas spring to the maximum pressure, the motor of the apparatus is not significantly overworked or over torqued, thus leading to a longer useful life of the apparatus.

[0047] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the disclosure and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.