Fastener driving apparatus
A fastener driving apparatus includes a gas spring piston, a first drive shaft, a second drive shaft, a drive mechanism operatively coupled to the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft, an actuator fixedly coupled to the drive mechanism, and an anvil moveable between a first position and a second position. During an operational cycle of the fastener driving apparatus, the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft may drive the drive mechanism causing the actuator to engage to the anvil when the anvil is at the first position, to move the anvil from the first position to the second position and compress the gas spring piston to generate potential energy, and to disengage from the anvil when the anvil is at the second position causing the gas spring piston to release the potential energy and accelerate the anvil to drive a fastener.
1 . A fastener driving apparatus, comprising:
a gas spring assembly including a cylinder, a rod, and a rod seal, the cylinder defining a pressurized chamber and a rod port that leads to the pressurized chamber, the rod extending from within the pressurized chamber through the rod port and out of the pressurized chamber, the rod seal sealing the rod port, the rod seal being stationary, and the rod being linearly movable through the rod port;
a flexible linkage drive assembly including a set of rotary motion transfer elements, a flexible linkage element that is mechanically coupled to the set of rotary motion transfer elements, and an actuator that is mechanically coupled to the flexible linkage element, the set of rotary motion transfer elements being rotatable about an axis in a plane that is normal to the axis; and
an anvil assembly comprising an anvil and an engaging region, wherein the anvil is coupled to the engaging region and is offset from an axis of the gas spring rod, wherein the anvil is moveable between a first position and a second position;
wherein the gas spring rod and the anvil assembly are not physically attached;
wherein, during an operational cycle of the fastener driving apparatus, the set of rotary motion transfer elements drive the flexible linkage element causing the actuator to:
engage the engaging region of the anvil assembly when the anvil is at the first position,
move the anvil from the first position to the second position causing the anvil assembly to contact the rod and move the rod to an energized position generating potential energy, and
disengage from the anvil assembly when the anvil is at the second position causing the rod to release at least a portion of the potential energy and accelerate the anvil to drive a fastener.
2 . The fastener driving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a first actuator,
wherein the potential energy is a first potential energy,
wherein the flexible linkage drive assembly includes a second actuator that is mechanically coupled to the flexible linkage element, and
wherein, during the operational cycle and after the first actuator disengages from the anvil assembly when the anvil is at the second position causing the rod to release the at least the portion of the first potential energy and accelerate the anvil to drive the fastener, the set of rotary motion transfer elements drive the flexible linkage element causing the second actuator to:
engage to the anvil assembly when the anvil is at the first position,
move the anvil from the first position to the second position causing the anvil assembly to contact the rod and move the rod to the energized position generating a second potential energy, and
disengage from the anvil assembly when the anvil is at the second position causing the rod to release at least a portion of the second potential energy and accelerate the anvil to drive another fastener.
3 . The fastener driving apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor to detect a position of the anvil.
4 . The fastener driving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rod includes a hollow portion.
5 . The fastener driving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible linkage drive assembly includes a one-way element that allows the flexible linkage element to move only in one direction.
6 . The fastener driving apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the one-way element maintains the anvil at the second position for a time period before the actuator disengages from the anvil assembly.
7 . The fastener driving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressurized chamber includes an inner sidewall, and
wherein the rod is spaced a distance from the inner sidewall such that an air flow flowing past the rod as the rod accelerates the anvil is not throttled.
8 . The fastener driving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible linkage drive assembly includes a one-way element that prevents the flexible linkage element from being back driven, and wherein, during at least one point in the operational cycle, the flexible linkage element and the one-way element re-engage to the anvil assembly to restrain the anvil from being accelerated.
9 . The fastener driving apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible linkage element tensioner that maintains a tension of the flexible linkage element.
10 . The fastener driving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible linkage element is a pre-stretched flexible linkage element.