Fastener driving tool

Abstract

A fastener driving tool injects a fastener from an injection passage formed in a leading end of a tool main body. The injection passage includes therein a guide portion formed along a driving direction of the fastener for guiding the fastener. The guide portion is formed by providing contours having mutually different distances from a center of the injection passage in a cross-section of the injection passage.

Claims

1. A fastener driving tool for injecting a fastener from an injection passage formed in a leading end of a tool main body, wherein the injection passage includes therein a guide portion formed along a driving direction of the fastener for guiding the fastener, the guide portion is formed by providing contours having mutually different distances from a center axis of the injection passage in a same cross-section of the injection passage that is perpendicular to the center axis, and the guide portion is disposed opposite to a grip in an inner surface of the injection passage.

2. The fastener driving tool according to claim 1, the guide portion is configured to guide a tiptoe of the fastener opposite to the grip and to guide a head of the fastener while inclined toward the grip.

3. The fastener driving tool according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion is formed of a guide groove.

4. The fastener driving tool according to claim 3, wherein the guide groove has a width smaller than a diameter of a head of the fastener.

5. The fastener driving tool according to claim 3, wherein the guide groove has a depth smaller than a diameter of a shaft portion of the fastener.

6. The fastener driving tool according to claim 3, wherein a second groove is formed shallower than the guide groove.

7. The fastener driving tool according to claim 1, wherein a supply passage for supplying the fastener is connected to the injection passage, and the supply passage is disposed offset to a center position of the injection passage.

8. The fastener driving tool according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion is formed nearer to the leading end of the tool main body than a leading end of a fastener supplied to the injection passage.

9. The fastener driving tool according to claim 1, wherein a supply passage for supplying the fastener is connected to the injection passage, and the guide portion is formed nearer to the leading end of the tool main body than the supply passage.

10. A fastener driving tool for injecting a fastener from an injection passage formed in a nose portion of a tool main body, comprising: a contact nose that has a substantially cylindrical injection route having an inside diameter substantially equal to an inside diameter of the injection passage formed in the nose portion, wherein the injection route includes therein a guide portion formed along a driving direction of the fastener for guiding the fastener, the guide portion is formed by providing contours having mutually different distances from a center axis of the injection route in a same cross-section of the injection route that is perpendicular to the center axis, and the guide portion is disposed opposite to a grip in an inner surface of the injection route.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a side view of a fastener driving tool.

(2) FIG. 2 is a side section view of the fastener driving tool.

(3) FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged side view of a nose neighboring portion.

(4) FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged side view of the leading end of a contact nose when viewed front behind (grip side).

(5) FIGS. 5A to 5C are section views to show how a fastener is guided by a guide groove within the contact nose.

(6) FIGS. 6A to 6I show how the fastener is driven out. Specifically, FIGS. 6A to 6E are partially enlarged side views of the nose neighboring portion, and FIGS. 6F to 6I are partially enlarged section views of the nose neighboring portion when viewed from behind (grip side).

(7) FIGS. 7A to 7M are views of a modification of the contact nose.

(8) FIGS. 8A to 8D are section views of the modification with a guide groove inclined, showing how a fastener is guided by a guide groove within the contact nose.

(9) FIGS. 9A to 9I show how to drive out a fastener in a conventional contact nose. Specifically, FIGS. 9A to 9E are partially enlarged side section views of a nose neighboring portion, and FIGS. 9F to 9I are partially enlarged section views of the nose neighboring portion when viewed from behind (grip side).

(10) FIGS. 10A to 10D explain the structure of a contact nose. Specifically, FIGS. 10A and 10B are partially enlarged side section views of a nose neighboring portion having a contact nose structure. FIGS. 10C and 10D are partially enlarged side section views of a nose neighboring portion not having a contact nose structure.

(11) FIG. 11 is a side section view of a fastener driving tool according to a modification in which a guide portion is formed in a nose portion.

(12) FIGS. 12A and 12B show a nose neighboring portion of a fastener driving tool according to the modification with the guide portion formed in the nose portion. Specifically, FIG. 12A is a partially enlarged side view of the nose neighboring portion, and FIG. 12B is an X-X section view.

(13) FIGS. 13A and 13B show a nose neighboring portion of a fastener driving tool according to the modification with the guide portion formed in the nose portion. Specifically, FIG. 13A is a partially enlarged side view of the nose neighboring portion, and FIG. 13B is a Y-Y section view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(14) Description is given of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings. A fastener driving tool 10 according to the embodiment is a pneumatic driving tool for driving fasteners 41 using compressed air. As shown in FIG. 1, it includes a tool main body 11 having a nose portion 13 and a magazine 19 connected to the tool main body 11 laterally of the nose portion 13.

(15) The main body 11 includes a body housing 12 and a grip housing 16 connected to each other substantially at right angles. The body housing 12 includes therein a hitting cylinder with a hitting piston slidably stored therein. The hitting piston includes on its lower surface a driver 21 connected thereto for hitting the fasteners 41, whereby, when the hitting piston operates, the fasteners 41 can be driven by the driver 21.

(16) The nose portion 13 for injecting the fasteners 41 is formed in the lower leading end of the body housing 12, while the driver 21 is slidably guided in the direction of the nose portion 13.

(17) As shown in FIG. 2, behind the nose portion 13, there is formed a supply passage 13a for supplying the fasteners 41 to the nose portion 13. The supply passage 13a communicates with the inside of the magazine 19, while the connected fasteners pulled out from the side portion of the magazine 19 are supplied through the supply passage 13a to the nose portion 13. Here, in the magazine 19, there are stored connected fasteners produced by connecting the multiple fasteners 41 together by a connecting member and winding them in a coil-like shape.

(18) The supply passage 13a, as shown in FIG. 2, includes a fastener supply mechanism having a feed member 20 for sequentially supplying the fasteners 41 to the nose portion 13. The feed member 20 of the fastener supply mechanism can be operated to advance and retreat in linking with a fastener driving operation, and, using a feed pawl 34 for gripping and feeding the shaft portions 41b of the fasteners 41, can execute a feed operation to supply the fasteners 41 within the magazine 19 into the nose portion 13. By the feed operation of the feed member 20, the fasteners 41 arranged along the supply passage 13 can be supplied sequentially to the drive-out position of the nose portion 13.

(19) The nose portion 13 includes in its leading end a substantially cylindrical contact nose 14 which is disposed movable vertically relative to the nose portion 13 and can be pressed against a driven member. This contact nose 14 is slidably mounted on the leading end of the nose portion 13. The contact nose 14 is connected to a contact arm constituting a safety device of the fastener driving tool 10 and, when it is pressed against the driven member 40 and is slid, the contact arm is moved upward integrally therewith. The upward movement of the contact arm makes valid the operation of the trigger 17.

(20) Specifically, when the trigger 17 is operated with the contact nose 14 pressed against the driven member 40 (or, when the contact nose 14 is pressed against the driven member 40 with the trigger 17 operated), compressed air supplied from an air supply source such as an air compressor connected to an end cap portion 18 formed in the rear end of a grip housing 15 is supplied into a hitting cylinder, where the compressed air acts on a hitting piston to drive it, whereby a driver 21 connected to the hitting piston drives the first fastener 41.

(21) Then, while the first fastener 41 is disconnected from the connecting member and is driven out from the injection port 15 of the nose portion 13, the attitude thereof when it is guided into the injection passage 13b by the fastener supply mechanism is not maintained but is inclined due to the resistance when disconnected, whereby it is driven out while changing its attitude with its tiptoe and head in contact with the inner peripheral wall of the injection passage 13b. When a normal feed operation is not carried out for some reasons, there is a possibility that the tiptoe of the fastener 41 does not go toward the injection passage 13b but the fastener is driven toward the grip direction. To eliminate this possibility, on the lower side of the opening of the supply passage 13a, there are formed a taper portion for guiding the tiptoe of the fastener 41 to the injection passage 13b and a cylindrical portion having no opening, whereby the leading end of the fastener can always be positively guided to the injection passage 13b.

(22) While the attitude of fastener 41 is guided stably also by an injection route within the contact nose 14 similarly to the injection passage 13b of the nose portion 13, the fastener 41 is driven out from the injection port 15 opened in the leading end of the contact nose 14. That is, the substantially cylindrical contact nose 14, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, while having an inside diameter S2 substantially equal to the inside diameter S1 of the injection passage 13b of the nose portion 13, guides the attitude of the fastener 41, and, when driving the fastener 41, projects beyond the nose portion 13 to come into contact with the driven member 40 and drives out the fastener 41 from the leading-end injection port 15. Therefore, even while the nose portion 13 is floated due to a reaction generated in the fastener driving operation and the adjustment of driving depth (when there exists a clearance S shown in FIG. 10B), the attitude of the fastener 41 can be guided until completion of the driving operation. That is, even when there is used the fastener 41 having small head and line diameter and a short length, even after it is driven out from the injection passage 13b of the nose portion 13, its inclination angle within the contact nose 14 is prevented from increasing, thereby being able to reduce the occurrence frequency of fastener buckling.

(23) When such contact nose 14 as this embodiment is not included, as shown in FIGS. 10C and 10D, the inside diameter S2′ of a contact member 100 is larger than the inside diameter S1′ of the injection passage 13b of nose portion 13. Thus, when the nose portion 13 is floated due to the reaction in driving and the adjustment of driving depth, there is produced a clearance S3′ between the nose portion 13 and driven member 40 and, in the portion of this clearance S3′, the attitude of the fastener 41 cannot be guided. This raises a possibility that the inclination angle of the fastener 41 within the contact nose 14 can increase.

(24) As shown in FIG. 3, in the inner periphery 14a of the contact nose 14 of this embodiment, as a guide portion for guiding the tiptoe of the fastener 41, there is formed a guide groove 14b along the driving direction of the fastener 41. Formation of the guide groove 14b, as shown in FIG. 5 and the like, causes the section of the injection passage 13b to have a non-circular shape. In other words, the guide groove 14b is formed by providing contours having different distances from the center of the section of the injection passage 13b. Here, in this embodiment, the guide groove 14b is formed as the guide portion. However, this is not limitative but the guide portion may be formed by providing contours having different distances from the center of the section of the injection passage 13b. For example, the section of the injection passage 13b may be formed to a polygon or a partially missing circle. Even when the section is formed to have a corner in this manner, the corner can be used to form the guide portion.

(25) The guide groove 14b is formed in such inner surface of the inner periphery 14a as is opposite to the grip. In this guide groove 14b, as shown in FIG. 4, its introduction portion 14c formed in the start end thereof has such spread shape as can easily pick up the fastener 41, while its linear portion 14d on the injection port 15 side has a narrower shape than the introduction portion 14c.

(26) Formation of such guide groove 14b, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, causes the tiptoe of the fastener 41 injected from the nose portion 13 to be guided to the guide groove 14b, whereby the vibration of the fastener 41 within the contact nose 14 can be reduced more than conventionally and thus can stabilize the driving attitude.

(27) Here, since the guide groove 14b is used to control the attitude of the fastener 41 after driven by the driver 21, it may be situated nearer to the leading end of the tool main body than the leading end of the fastener 41 before it is supplied into the injection passage 13b and is driven. Thus, the guide groove 14b may be formed nearer to the tool main body leading end than the opening, of the fastener 41 supply passage 13a.

(28) To reduce the tiptoe of the fastener 41 and stabilize the attitude, the tiptoe of the fastener 41 when swung right and left in driving may only be caught. Therefore, the guide groove 14b may not always be so formed as to continue to the injection port 15. For example, the guide groove 14b may be formed only in the nose portion 13 but not in the contact nose 14.

(29) As shown in FIG. 5, when the supply passage 13a connected to the nose portion 13 for supplying the fastener 41 is offset to the center position O of the injection passage 13b, since the fastener 41 is driven out with its tiptoe adjacent to a portion of the injection passage 13b, the tiptoe is easy to touch the inner peripheral surface of the injection passage 13b, thereby making it hard to stabilize the driving attitude of the fastener 41. However, when the guide groove 14b is formed as in this embodiment, after touch with the inner peripheral surface of the injection passage 13b, the tiptoe moving along the inner peripheral surface is caught by the guide groove 14b to thereby be able to stabilize the attitude of the fastener 41.

(30) In this embodiment, since the guide groove 14b is formed in the inner surface opposite to the grip, the tiptoe of the fastener 41 is caught on the side opposite to the grip and thus the fastener 41 is driven out with its head 41a inclined toward the grip. In this structure, since the side of the fastener driving tool 10 opposite to the grip is inclined toward a lifting direction due to the reaction in fastener driving, the head 41a of the fastener 41 driven out while inclined toward the grip is pushed by the contact nose 14 to thereby cause the shaft of the fastener 41 to approach a driven surface perpendicularly. Thus, the fastener 41 is driven into the driven surface substantially perpendicularly.

(31) Since the guide groove 14b (specifically, the linear portion 14d) of this embodiment has a width W (see FIG. 4) smaller than the diameter of the head 41a of the fastener 41 (the usable maximum diameter of the head 41a of the fastener 41) to thereby prevent the head 41a of the fastener 41 from entering the guide groove 14b, the head 41a of the fastener 41 can be positively guided without degrading the guide performance of the inner peripheral surface of the contact nose 14, whereby the attitude of the fastener 41 within the contact nose 14 can be stabilized.

(32) Since the guide groove 14b of this embodiment has a depth D (see FIG. 5) smaller than the diameter of the shaft portion 41b of the fastener 41 (the usable maximum diameter of the shaft portion 41b of the fastener 41), the shaft portion 41b of the fastener 41 is prevented from entering the guide groove 14b more than necessary, thereby eliminating great influence on the fastener 41 inclination restricting performance.

(33) Here, the shape of the guide groove 14b is not limited to the above embodiment.

(34) For example, as shown in FIG. 7A, the guide groove 14b may not be formed in the taper portion of the contact nose 14 but may be formed only in the linear portion of the contact nose 14.

(35) Also, as shown in FIG. 7B, the guide groove 14b may not be formed adjacent to the injection port 15 but may be formed on the grip side.

(36) And, as shown in FIG. 7C, the guide groove 14b may be formed only adjacent to the injection port 15.

(37) As shown in FIG. 7D, the guide groove 14b may also be formed inclined relative to the driving direction of the fastener 41. With this structure, as shown in FIG. 8, since the supply passage 13a is offset, even when the fastener 41 is driven out with its tiptoe rotating from an oblique direction, the tiptoe can be guided smoothly along the rotation direction of the fastener 41 to thereby stabilize the direction of the tiptoe. Here, when inclining the guide groove 14b, preferably, as shown in FIG. 7D and FIG. 8, the upper end (existing opposite to the injection port 15) of the guide groove 14b may be disposed on the offset side of the supply passage 13a, while the lower end (on the injection port 15 side) thereof may be disposed opposite to the grip. In this case, the fastener 41 can be guided without going against the rotation direction thereof; and, when the fastener 41 is injected, its tiptoe is guided in the direction opposite to the grip and its head is guided while inclined toward the grip, the fastener driving tool 10, which is inclined in the direction where its side opposite to the grip is lifted due to the reaction in fastener driving, pushes the shaft portion of the fastener 41 to approach the driven surface perpendicularly, whereby, while absorbing the inclination of the fastener 41, the fastener 41 can be driven into the driven surface substantially perpendicularly,

(38) Also, as shown in FIG. 7E, the guide groove 14b may be formed such that it reduces in size continuously from top to bottom. Here, the section of the inner periphery 14a adjacent to the injection port 15 may be formed to a substantially circular shape.

(39) Or, as shown in FIG. 7F, the guide groove 14b may be formed to narrow continuously from top to bottom.

(40) The section of the guide groove 14b is not limited to above embodiment. It may also be formed to a semicircle as shown in FIG. 7G, a square groove as shown in FIG. 7H, a triangular groove as shown in FIG. 7I, or a wide groove as shown in FIG. 7J.

(41) Also, the number of guide grooves 14b is not limited to one but, as shown in FIGS. 7K and 7L, multiple guide grooves 14b may be formed at adjacent positions in the peripheral direction of the inner periphery 14a of the injection port 13b (positions shifted in the peripheral direction). In this case, when the fastener 41 is driven out with its tiptoe rotating, even if the tiptoe cannot be caught by the first guide groove 14b due to the impact of the fastener driving tool 10, the tiptoe can be positively caught by the next (second) guide groove 14b, whereby the direction of the tiptoe can be stabilized.

(42) Also, as shown in FIG. 7M, in the inner periphery 14a surface of the injection passage 13b, for example, there may be formed multiple grooves different in size and shape from each other, and at least one of them is formed deeper and wider than the remaining grooves and is used as a guide groove 14b which has a function to catch the tiptoe of the fastener 41 when it enters along the inner peripheral surface. In this case, even when the small grooves cannot catch the tiptoe of the fastener 41. they can restrict the vibration of the tiptoe due to resistance. Also, they can also be used as discharge passages for dust or the like.

(43) In the above embodiment, description has been given with reference to the fastener driving tool 10 including the contact nose 14. However, this is not limitative but there may also be used a fastener driving tool 10 not including the contact nose 14. In the case of the fastener driving tool 10 not including the contact nose 14, a guide portion may be formed in the nose portion 13 formed integrally with the tool main body 11. For example, the guide portion 14b may be formed in such nose portions 13 as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13.

(44) Here, in the examples shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, in one side surface of the injection passage 13b, there is formed an opening for receiving the connected fasteners 41 into the injection passage 13b. A fixed guide wall 30 extending backward continuously from one side surface of the opening and a door member 31 disposed opposed to the fixed guide wall 30 and pivotally supported openably and closably define a supply passage 13a for guiding the fasteners 41 to the injection passage 13b.

(45) On the back surface side of the fixed guide wall 30, there is arranged a nail supply mechanism 32 constituted of a feed piston and a piston/cylinder mechanism storing the feed piston therein. The feed piston is slidable along the supply passage 13a and feed pawls 34 are mounted on the leading end of a piston rod 33. The feed pawls 34 are projected into the supply passage 13a through a window hole 30a formed in the fixed guide wall 30 and can be reciprocated along the supply passage 13a. Due to the reciprocating motion of the feed pawls 34, the fasteners 41 within the supply passage 13a can be sequentially supplied to the injection passage 13b.

(46) Like the nose portion as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, in a structure where the supply passage 13a of the fasteners 41 are arranged offset to the center position of the injection passage 13b (the center O of the supply passage 13a of the fasteners 41 is shifted relative to the center line of the injection passage 13b), the tiptoe of the fastener 41 is easy to touch the inner peripheral surface of the injection passage 13b to make it hard to stabilize the fastener driving attitude. However, as described above, the guide portion 14b is easy to stabilize the attitude of the fastener 41.

(47) Here, the guide portion of this embodiment is suitable for a fastener driving tool 10 using coil-like wound connected fasteners. In other words, in a driving tool using connected nails (so called stick nails) produced by connecting together fasteners linearly, the necessity of the guide portion of this embodiment is low. The reason for this is that, in the stick nails, since the first fastener is guided by its adjoining fastener, its inclination can be restricted to some degrees even without employing a guide mechanism for attitude control. On the other hand, in a driving tool using coil-like connected fasteners, since it is difficult to drive out the fasteners with the attitudes thereof controlled, a cylindrical portion is formed in the leading end of the nose to thereby regulate the inclination of the fastener. By providing the guide groove (portion) 14b in the cylindrical portion, the attitude of the fastener 41 can be controlled further positively.

(48) In solving the above issue, the invention may also be structured as follows.

(49) [1] A fastener driving tool includes a contact nose slidably formed in a leading end of a nose portion for driving fasteners. The contact nose has an inside diameter substantially equal to an inside diameter of the nose portion, guides attitudes of the fasteners. When driving the fasteners, the contact nose projects beyond the nose portion and touches a driven member, and drives the fasteners from its leading-end injection port. In an inner periphery of the contact nose, a guide groove is formed along a driving direction of the fasteners for guiding tiptoes of the fasteners.
[2] In the fastener driving tool according to the article [1], the guide groove is formed in an inner surface of the contact nose at an opposite side of a grip.
[3] In the fastener driving tool according to the article [1] or [2], the guide groove has a width smaller than a diameter of a head of the fastener.
[4] In the fastener driving tool according to any one of the articles [1] through [3], the guide groove has a depth smaller than a diameter of a shaft portion of the fastener.
[5] In the fastener driving tool according to any one of the articles [1] through [4], a supply passage for supplying the fasteners is connected to the nose portion. The supply passage is arranged offset to a center position of the injection port. The guide groove is formed inclined relative to the driving direction of the fasteners.
[6] A fastener driving tool includes a contact nose slidably formed in a leading end of a nose portion for driving fasteners. The contact nose has an inside diameter substantially equal to an inside diameter of the nose portion, guides attitudes of the fasteners. When driving the fasteners, the contact nose projects beyond the nose portion and touches a driven member, and drives the fasteners from its leading-end injection port. In an inner periphery of the contact nose, multiple guide grooves are formed along a driving direction of the fasteners for guiding tiptoes of the fasteners. The multiple guide grooves are formed at adjacent positions in a peripheral direction of the inner periphery of the contact nose.
[7] A fastener driving tool includes a contact nose slidably formed in leading end of a nose portion for driving fasteners. The contact nose has an inside diameter substantially equal to an inside diameter of the nose portion, guides attitudes of the fasteners. When driving the fasteners, the contact nose projects beyond the nose portion and touches a driven member, and drives the fasteners from its leading-end injection port. In an inner periphery of the contact nose, a guide groove for guiding tiptoes of the fasteners and a second groove shallower than the guide groove are formed. The guide groove and the second groove are respectively formed along a fastener driving direction.