Electromagnetic stapler with a manually adjustable depth adjuster
An electromagnetic stapler includes a driver for driving fasteners into a workpiece, and a solenoid for providing power to the driver. The solenoid has a coil, and a core that is operatively connected to the driver. The stapler also includes a manually adjustable depth adjuster for adjusting a depth of drive of the fasteners. The depth adjuster is movable between a plurality of predefined positions, including a maximum depth of drive position, a minimum depth of drive position, and at least one intermediate depth of drive position. The depth adjuster includes a cam having a cam surface that interacts with the core so as to define an upper position of the core, an adjustment knob operatively connected to the cam, and a detent mechanism for securing the cam at one of the plurality of predefined positions to thereby define the upper position of the core.
1. An electromagnetic stapler comprising:
a housing;
a driver within the housing for driving fasteners into a workpiece;
a magazine for feeding the fasteners to be driven by the driver;
a solenoid for providing power to the driver, the solenoid having a coil, and a core, the core being operatively connected to the driver;
a manually adjustable depth adjuster for adjusting a depth of drive of the fasteners, the depth adjuster being movable between a plurality of predefined positions, including a maximum depth of drive position, a minimum depth of drive position, and at least one intermediate depth of drive position, the depth adjuster comprising:
a cam having a cam surface that interacts with the core of the solenoid so as to define a selected upper position of the core, wherein the cam is movable between (a) a first position in which the upper position of the core is defined at an uppermost position, (b) at least one second position in which the upper position of the core is defined at at least one middle position, and (c) a third position in which the upper position of the core is defined at a lowermost position;
a rotatable adjustment knob operatively connected to the cam such that movement of the adjustment knob causes corresponding movement of the cam, wherein forceable engagement of the core with the cam surface causes the core to apply a camming force on the cam surface that biases the cam for movement in a rotational direction toward the first position; and
a detent mechanism operatively connected with the adjustment knob and countering the camming force applied by the core on the cam surface to prevent movement of the cam from the at least one second position toward the first position, the detent mechanism thus locking the cam at the selected position to thereby define the upper position of the core so as to establish the length of an axial stroke of the core and the driver.
2. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 1 , wherein the detent mechanism is provided on the adjustment knob.
3. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 1 , wherein the detent mechanism is provided on the housing.
4. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of recesses that are arranged to define the plurality of predefined positions, the plurality of recesses being configured to interact with the detent mechanism so as to lock the cam at one of the selected positions.
5. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 4 , wherein the detent mechanism comprises a slip plate, the slip plate forming a protrusion such that the protrusion may exit out of a first recess and into a second recess when the adjustment knob is moved.
6. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 5 , wherein movement of the adjustment knob provides a tactile feedback to a user when the protrusion exits out of the first recess and into the second recess.
7. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 5 , wherein the slip plate is connected to the housing.
8. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 5 , wherein the slip plate is connected to the adjustment knob.
9. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 1 , wherein the power of the driver increases with an increase in the axial stroke of the core, thereby increasing the depth of drive of the fasteners.
10. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 1 , further comprising a safety contact arm and a trigger, the contact arm and trigger being connected to an electrical circuit that provides electricity to the solenoid, wherein the circuit is arranged to provide the electricity to the solenoid only if the contact arm and the trigger have been actuated.
11. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 10 , wherein the circuit is arranged to provide the electricity to the solenoid only if the contact arm is actuated when the trigger is actuated.
12. A manually adjustable depth adjuster for adjusting a depth of drive of a fastener using an electromagnetic stapler having a housing, a driver, and a solenoid for providing power to the driver, the depth adjuster comprising:
a cam having a cam surface that interacts with a core of the solenoid so as to define a selected upper position of the core, wherein the cam is movable between (a) a first position in which the upper position of the core is defined at an uppermost position, (b) at least one second position in which the upper position of the core is defined at at least one middle position, and (c) a third position in which the upper position of the core is defined at a lowermost position;
a rotatable adjustment knob operatively connected to the cam such that movement of the adjustment knob causes corresponding movement of the cam, wherein forceable engagement of the core with the cam surface causes the core to apply a camming force on the cam surface that biases the cam for movement in a rotational direction toward the first position; and
a detent mechanism operatively connected with the adjustment knob and countering the camming force applied by the core on the cam surface to prevent movement of the cam from the at least one second position toward the first position, the detent mechanism thus locking the cam at the selected position to thereby define the upper position of the core so as to establish the length of an axial stroke of the core and the driver.
13. A manually adjustable depth adjuster according to claim 12 , wherein the detent mechanism is provided on the adjustment knob.
14. A manually adjustable depth adjuster according to claim 12 , wherein the detent mechanism is provided on the housing.
15. A manually adjustable depth adjuster according to claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of recesses that are arranged to define the plurality of predefined positions, the plurality of recesses being configured to interact with the detent mechanism so as to lock the cam at one of the selected positions.
16. A manually adjustable depth adjuster according to claim 15 , wherein the detent mechanism comprises a slip plate, the slip plate forming a protrusion such that the protrusion may exit out of a first recess and into a second recess when the adjustment knob is moved.
17. A manually adjustable depth adjuster according to claim 16 , wherein movement of the adjustment knob provides a tactile feedback to a user when the protrusion exits out of the first recess and into the second recess.
18. A manually adjustable depth adjuster according to claim 16 , wherein the slip plate is connected to the housing.
19. A manually adjustable depth adjuster according to claim 16 , wherein the slip plate is connected to the adjustment knob.
20. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 1 , wherein the driver drives fasteners into the workpiece at a selected depth corresponding to one of the plurality of predefined positions during use until the rotatable adjustment knob is rotated to another of the plurality of predefined positions.
21. An electromagnetic stapler according to claim 12 , wherein the driver drives fasteners into the workpiece at a selected depth corresponding to one of the plurality of predefined positions during use until the rotatable adjustment knob is rotated to another of the plurality of predefined positions.