Fastening tool with magnetic piston holder

Abstract

The invention relates to a fastening tool comprising a handheld housing with a piston element (1), which is received in the housing and which can be moved in a driven manner, for transmitting energy to a fixing element (3). The piston element (1) is guided in a cylinder (2) and can be accelerated towards the fixing element (3) by a drive force, and the piston element (1) can be held in a starting position by a magnetic force of a retaining element (5). The retaining element (5) has a first magnetically conductive stop (7) and a second magnetically conductive stop (8). The magnetic stops (7, 8) are connected by a magnetically conductive counter piece (9) arranged on a piston element when the piston element (1) is being held, and excitation magnet (6) is arranged between the magnetically conductive stops (7, 8).

Claims

1. A fastener driving tool, comprising a hand-held housing, containing a drivably movable piston element for transferring energy to a fastening element, wherein the piston element is guided in a cylinder and can be accelerated against the fastening element by a driving force, wherein the piston element can be held in an initial position by means of a magnetic force from a retaining element, wherein the retaining element has a first magnetically conductive stop and a second magnetically conductive stop, wherein the magnetic stops are connected in a retained state of the piston element by a magnetically conductive mating piece arranged on the piston element, and wherein an excitation magnet is arranged between the magnetically conductive stops.

2. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 1, wherein the excitation magnet is a permanent magnet.

3. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 2, wherein the excitation magnet is arranged circularly about a central axis (A) of the piston element.

4. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 3, wherein the first stop and the second stop each form a circular ring concentric with the excitation magnet, wherein one of the stops has a smaller radius than the excitation magnet, and the respective other stop has a larger radius than the excitation magnet.

5. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 4, wherein the stops adjoin and contact the excitation magnet, wherein part of the magnetic field lines from the excitation magnet enter radially into the stops.

6. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 3, wherein the stops adjoin and contact the excitation magnet, wherein part of the magnetic field lines from the excitation magnet enter radially into the stops.

7. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 2, wherein the stops adjoin and contact the excitation magnet, wherein part of the magnetic field lines from the excitation magnet enter radially into the stops.

8. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 2, wherein a defined gap is provided between the stops and the excitation magnet, wherein a magnetically conductive coupling element connects the stops and the excitation magnet to one another on a side facing away from the piston element.

9. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 1, wherein the excitation magnet is arranged circularly about a central axis (A) of the piston element.

10. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 9, wherein the first stop and the second stop each form, a circular ring concentric with the excitation magnet, wherein one of the stops has a smaller radius than the excitation magnet, and the respective other stop has a larger radius than the excitation magnet.

11. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 10, wherein the stops adjoin and contact the excitation magnet, wherein part of the magnetic field lines from the excitation magnet enter radially into the stops.

12. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 10, wherein a defined gap is provided between the stops and the excitation magnet, wherein a magnetically conductive coupling element connects the stops and the excitation magnet to one another on a side facing away from the piston element.

13. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 9, wherein the stops adjoin and contact the excitation magnet, wherein part of the magnetic field lines from the excitation magnet enter radially into the stops.

14. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 9, wherein a defined gap is provided between the stops and the excitation magnet, wherein a magnetically conductive coupling element connects the stops and the excitation magnet to one another on a side facing away from the piston element.

15. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 1, wherein the stops adjoin and contact the excitation magnet, wherein part of the magnetic field lines from the excitation magnet enter radially into the stops.

16. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 1, wherein a defined gap is provided between the stops and the excitation magnet, wherein a magnetically conductive coupling element connects the stops and the excitation magnet to one another on a side facing away from the piston element.

17. The fastener-driver tool according claim 1, wherein the excitation magnet is covered on a side facing the piston element by a magnetically conductive foil.

18. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 17, wherein the foil magnetically conductively connects the two stops.

19. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 17, wherein the foil is underneath the excitation magnet, and has a thickness of less than 0.5 mm.

20. The fastener-driver tool according to claim 1, wherein a retaining force F of the retaining element is at least F/d=25 N/cm relative to a diameter d of the piston element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a fastener-driving tool according to the invention according to a first embodiment.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a detail view of the magnetic retaining element of the fastener-driving tool from FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a detail deal of a magnetic retaining element according to a second embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 4 shows the calculated field line curve of the magnetic retaining element from FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a calculated retaining force of the retaining element from FIG. 2 as a function of two geometric parameters.

(6) FIG. 6 shows the calculated field line curve of the magnetic retaining element from FIG. 3.

(7) FIG. 7 shows a calculated field line curve of a magnetic retaining element in a third embodiment of the invention, having a magnetically conductive foil.

(8) FIG. 8 shows curves of the magnetic field strength of the embodiment from FIG. 7 as a function of the thickness of the foil.

(9) FIG. 9 shows the magnetization behavior of a permanent magnet at the left-hand side, and on the right-hand side, the curve of a retaining force as well as a minimum flux density achievable thereby, as a function of the thickness of the foil.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) The fastener-driving tool shown in FIG. 1 comprises a piston element 1, which is guided in a cylinder 2 and is drivably movable along an axis A. A drive plunger 1a of the piston element 1 strikes as a result of the piston movement against a fastening element 3, in the form of a nail in the present case, in such a manner that the fastening element 3 is driven into a workpiece (not shown). The components shown are arranged in a known manner in a hand-held housing (not shown), such that the fastening device is formed as a portable tool for mobile use by an operating person.

(11) The piston 1 is driven in the present case by the expansion of an ignited air/fuel gas mixture in a combustion chamber 4 arranged above the cylinder 2. In an initial position shown in FIG. 1, the piston is retained by means of a magnetic retaining element 5. In other embodiments, which are not shown, the piston is driven by compressed air or by the expansion of an ignited fuel powder from a powder cartridge. After ignition of the fuel gas, the pressure in the combustion chamber increases, while the volume is constant, until the pressure force exerted onto the piston exceeds the magnetic retaining force F of the retaining element 5. The initial acceleration of the piston increases proportionately to the magnitude of the previously existing retaining force.

(12) The magnetic retaining element 1 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. It comprises an annular permanent magnet 6, arranged concentrically to the axis A and functioning as an excitation magnet, the magnetization of which is oriented parallel to the axis A. A first stop 7 and a second stop 8 are each formed as rings, the first stop 7 having a smaller radius than the excitation magnet 6 and the second stop 8 having a larger radius than the excitation magnet 6. The first stop 7 is arranged radially inside the excitation magnet 6 and overlapping it axially. The excitation magnet 6 is in turn arranged radially inside the second stop 8 and axially overlapping it. The first stop 7 is likewise arranged overlapping the second stop 8, preferably at the same axial height.

(13) Annular air gaps 10 remain between the stops 7, 8 and the excitation magnet, such that the excitation magnet is connected to the stops 7, 8 in a non-contacting manner radially.

(14) The stops 7, 8 have annular front sides 7a, 8a, against which a mating piece 9 of the piston element 1 rests. The stops 7, 8 are magnetically connected by the mating piece 9 and therefore a high magnetic retaining force pulls the mating piece 9 against the stops 7, 8.

(15) An air gap 6a, preferably having a width less than 0.4 mm and typically a width of approximately 0.1 mm remains between the excitation magnet 6 and the mating piece 9. Therefore the mating piece 6 does not directly contact the excitation magnet, but at the same time, a sufficient passage of field lines is ensured by the small width of the air gap 6a. The air gap 6a is preferably as small as possible.

(16) The stops 7, 8 are connected to one another via a coupling element 11 on a side facing away from the piston element 1, wherein the excitation magnet is mounted contacting the coupling element 11. The excitation magnet 6 and the coupling element 11 can be connected by gluing, form-fitting connecting means or in some other manner.

(17) The stops 7, 8, the coupling element 11 and the mating piece 9 each consist within the meaning of the invention of magnetically conductive material such as an iron alloy or a sintered ferrite.

(18) The calculation or simulation of the magnetic field lines in FIG. 4 shows that the field lines are closed in an approximately annular shape in the retained state of the piston element 1, which results in a high retaining force.

(19) In the present example, the piston element 1 has a diameter d of 7 cm. The calculation of the retaining force F shown in FIG. 5 indicates that typical forces can be in the range above 300 N and up to approximately 600 N. In relation to the piston diameter, this corresponds to a force from approximately 43 N/cm to approximately 85 N/cm.

(20) In the calculation according to FIG. 5, geometric parameters of the retaining element are varied. The parameter ks is defined as the ratio Am/Af, where Am is the end-face surface area of the excitation magnet 6 and Af is the sum of the surface areas of the front sides of the stops 7a, 8a. The parameter kh is defined as the ratio of a height of the coupling member 11 measured in the axial direction to a height of the mating piece 9 measured in the axial direction.

(21) The weight of the retaining element can be optimized by considering and optimizing these and other geometric parameters. Additional geometric pattern parameters are the width of the air gaps 10, preferably but not necessarily identical, the height and width of the magnet 6 and the height and width of the stops 7, 8.

(22) FIG. 3 shows a second example, different from the first example, of the retaining element according to the invention. In this case, the stops 7, 8 directly contact the excitation magnet (permanent magnet) 6 in the radial direction, so that there are no air gaps remaining The excitation magnet 6, differing from the first embodiment, has a radially directed magnetization, so that the field lines enter straight into the stops 7, 8 in the radial direction.

(23) Differently from the first embodiment, it is possible to forgo a coupling element between the stops, due to the absence of air gaps. This enables a lighter construction with comparable retaining forces. The stops 7, 8 shown in FIG. 3 are connected via a magnetically nonconductive bottom of the combustion chamber 4, which is made from an aluminum alloy.

(24) FIG. 6 shows a calculation of the magnetic field line curve in the retaining element of the second embodiment. It is clear that, differently from the first embodiment, only one set of concentric field lines is present, wherein no field lines exit the axially directed surfaces of the excitation magnet 6 due to the 90-rotated magnetization. Accordingly, the size of the gap remaining between the excitation magnet and the contacting mating piece is largely insignificant in this example

(25) FIG. 7 shows an additional embodiment of the invention with a calculated curve of the field lines. The retaining element is shown without a contacting mating piece.

(26) The example from FIG. 7, wherein a magnetically conductive foil 12 is arranged underneath the excitation magnet 6, is largely identical to the example from FIG. 1. The foil 12 connects the stops 7, 8 in the current case, so that a high field line density enters into the foil from the stops 7, 8.

(27) In the present case, the foil has a thickness or height of approximately 0.1 mm. As is recognizable from FIG. 7, the foil 12 can have structuring, such as regions of different thickness over its entire width in order to optimize the curve of the field lines.

(28) On the whole, the foil 12 leads to an attenuation, albeit small, of the achievable retaining force F. However, the foil can have the effect that the excitation magnets do not undergo any demagnetization due to the changing positions of the piston, even at higher temperatures.

(29) FIG. 8 shows the spatial curve of the magnetic flux density over the lateral extent of the foil shown in FIG. 7 as a function of a thickness of the foil. It is clear that the minimum magnetic flux density increases due to the use of the foil, which can counteract a demagnetization of the excitation magnet at high temperatures, as will become clear below from FIG. 9.

(30) FIG. 9 shows two diagrams, which relate to a possible demagnetization of the excitation magnet.

(31) The left-hand diagram shows the magnetization behavior of the permanent magnet 6 as a solid line at a given temperature of 150 C. The lower dash line corresponds to a piston distance of Delta=10 mm, which can be equated to a maximally distant piston. The upper dash line corresponds to a piston element 1 in the base position with a contacting mating part (Delta=0.1 mm).

(32) The inflection or sharp decline in the left-hand area of the solid curve corresponds to states of magnetic flux density in which an at least partial demagnetization of the excitation magnet 6 takes place when the piston changes its position. These states are not reached at the given temperature.

(33) The above-described foil 12 can be used to ensure this for the entire range of operating temperatures Alternatively, a material for the permanent magnet that is as suitable as possible could be chosen, which would involve very high expense, however.

(34) The right hand diagram in FIG. 9 shows the curve of the retaining force F (force) as a function of the foil thickness, wherein the achieved minimum flux density is also plotted. It is recognizable that a relatively small decrease of retaining force is accompanied by considerable improvements of the tolerable flux density. In any case, retaining forces of much more than 400 N are achieved for the specific example of a piston diameter d=7 cm.

(35) The foil thickness (foil height) selected for the left-hand diagram in FIG. 9 is approximately 0.1 mm, so that the minimum flux density is approximately 0.4 T and a retaining force of approximately 470 N is achieved.