Method for controlling a fastener driving tool using a gas spring
View Patent ↗A portable linear fastener driving tool is provided that drive staples, nails, or other linearly driven fasteners. The tool uses a gas spring principle, in which a cylinder filled with compressed gas is used to quickly force a piston through a driving stroke movement, while a driver also drives a fastener into a workpiece. The piston/driver is then moved back to its starting position by use of a rotary-to-linear lifter, and the piston again compresses the gas above the piston, thereby preparing the tool for another driving stroke. The driver has protrusions along its edges that contact the lifter, which lifts the driver during a return stroke. A pivotable latch is controlled to move into either an interfering position or a non-interfering position with respect to the driver protrusions, and acts as a safety device, by preventing the driver from making a full driving stroke at an improper time.
1. A method for controlling a fastener driving tool, said method comprising:
(a) providing a fastener driving tool that includes: (i) a housing; (ii) a system controller; (iii) a safety contact element; (iv) a user-actuated trigger; (v) a fastener; (vi) a prime mover that moves a lifter member which moves a driver member away from an exit end of the mechanism; and (vii) a fastener driving mechanism that moves said driver member toward said exit end of the mechanism, said fastener driving mechanism including:
(A) a hollow cylinder comprising a cylindrical wall with a movable piston therewithin, said hollow cylinder containing a displacement volume created by a stroke of said piston, and
(B) a main storage chamber that is in fluidic communication with said displacement volume of the cylinder, wherein said main storage chamber and said displacement volume are initially charged with a pressurized gas;
(b) selecting, by a user, an operating mode of said driving cycle to be one of: a “bottom firing mode,” and a “restrictive firing mode;”
wherein:
(i) if said restrictive firing mode is selected, said tool will operate if said safety contact element has been actuated before said trigger actuator has been operated; and
(ii) if said bottom firing mode is selected, said tool will operate if both:
(A) said trigger actuator has been operated, and
(B) said safety contact element has been actuated,
in either sequence;
(c) initiating a driving cycle by pressing said exit end against a workpiece and actuating said trigger, thereby causing said fastener driving mechanism to force the driver member to move toward said exit end and drive a fastener into said workpiece; and
(d) actuating said prime mover, thereby moving said lifter member and causing said driver member to move away from said exit end toward a ready position.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of withdrawing said exit end from making contact against said workpiece, thereby allowing said tool to begin a new driving cycle.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of releasing said trigger, thereby allowing said tool to begin a new driving cycle.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of controlling an amount of movement of said lifter member to thereby allow said driver member to move to more than one possible ready position before initiating a next particular driving cycle.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said lifter member comprises a discontinuous contact surface that, at predetermined locations along said discontinuous contact surface, makes contact with a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of said driver member; and
further comprising the steps of:
(a) under first predetermined conditions, moving said lifter member in a first direction and thereby cause said driver member to be moved from said exit end toward said ready position; and
(b) under second predetermined conditions, positioning said lifter member by said prime mover such that said discontinuous contact surface of the lifter member does not mechanically interfere with said plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the driver member during a driving stroke, in which said driver member moves from said ready position toward said exit end.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said tool includes a fastener magazine that contains a plurality of fasteners, and
further comprising the step of:
serially supplying said plurality of fasteners to a position that is coincident with the path of said driver member during a driving stroke.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a latch control device that moves a latch member which has a catching surface;
(b) upon the step of initiating said driving cycle:
(i) causing said latch control device to activate, which moves said catching surface of the latch member to a position that does not interfere with movements of said driver member; and
(ii) causing said fastener driving mechanism to force the driver member to move toward said exit end and drive a fastener into said workpiece; and
(c) upon the step of moving said lifter member and causing said driver member to move away from said exit end toward a ready position:
(i) de-activating said latch control device, which allows a mechanical biasing of said latch member to move the catching surface of the latch member to a position that interferes with movements of said driver member.
8. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising the step of de-activating said latch control device after a predetermined time interval has occurred after a beginning of a driving stroke, thereby allowing a mechanical biasing of said latch member to move the catching surface of the latch member to a position that interferes with movements of said driver member, even if said driver member has not reached a full driving stroke position at said exit end, and thereby allowing a user to safely clear a jam condition of the tool.
9. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising the step of de-activating said prime mover and said latch control device after a predetermined time interval has occurred after a beginning of a driving stroke, even if said trigger is still actuated and said exit end of the tool is still pressed against a workpiece, thereby placing said tool into a ready condition for a next particular driving cycle while saving energy.
10. A method for controlling a fastener driving tool, said method comprising:
(a) providing a fastener driving tool that includes: (i) a housing; (ii) a system controller; (iii) a safety contact element; (iv) a user-actuated trigger; (v) a fastener; (vi) a prime mover that moves a lifter member which moves a driver member away from an exit end of the mechanism; and (vii) a fastener driving mechanism that moves said driver member toward said exit end of the mechanism, said fastener driving mechanism including:
(A) a hollow cylinder comprising a cylindrical wall with a movable piston therewithin, said hollow cylinder containing a displacement volume created by a stroke of said piston, and
(B) a main storage chamber that is in fluidic communication with said displacement volume of the cylinder, wherein said main storage chamber and said displacement volume are charged with a pressurized gas during all portions of an operating cycle;
(b) selecting, by a user, an operating mode of said driving cycle to be one of: a “bottom firing mode,” and a “restrictive firing mode;”
wherein:
(i) if said restrictive firing mode is selected, said tool will operate if said safety contact element has been actuated before said trigger actuator has been operated; and
(ii) if said bottom firing mode is selected, said tool will operate if both:
(A) said trigger actuator has been operated, and
(B) said safety contact element has been actuated,
(c) initiating a driving cycle by pressing said exit end against a workpiece and actuating said trigger, thereby causing said fastener driving mechanism to force the driver member to move toward said exit end and drive a fastener into said workpiece; and
(d) actuating said prime mover, thereby moving said lifter member and causing said driver member to move away from said exit end toward a ready position.
11. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising the step of controlling an amount of movement of said lifter member to thereby allow said driver member to move to more than one possible ready position before initiating a next particular driving cycle.
12. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein said lifter member comprises a discontinuous contact surface that, at predetermined locations along said discontinuous contact surface, makes contact with a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of said driver member; and
further comprising the steps of:
(a) under first predetermined conditions, moving said lifter member in a first direction and thereby cause said driver member to be moved from said exit end toward said ready position; and
(b) under second predetermined conditions, positioning said lifter member by said prime mover such that said discontinuous contact surface of the lifter member does not mechanically interfere with said plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the driver member during a driving stroke, in which said driver member moves from said ready position toward said exit end.
13. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a latch control device that moves a latch member which has a catching surface;
(b) upon the step of initiating said driving cycle:
(i) causing said latch control device to activate, which moves said catching surface of the latch member to a position that does not interfere with movements of said driver member; and
(ii) causing said fastener driving mechanism to force the driver member to move toward said exit end and drive a fastener into said workpiece; and
(c) upon the step of moving said lifter member and causing said driver member to move away from said exit end toward a ready position:
(i) de-activating said latch control device, which allows a mechanical biasing of said latch member to move the catching surface of the latch member to a position that interferes with movements of said driver member.
14. The method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising the step of de-activating said latch control device after a predetermined time interval has occurred after a beginning of a driving stroke, thereby allowing a mechanical biasing of said latch member to move the catching surface of the latch member to a position that interferes with movements of said driver member, even if said driver member has not reached a full driving stroke position at said exit end, and thereby allowing a user to safely clear a jam condition of the tool.
15. The method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising the step of de-activating said prime mover and said latch control device after a predetermined time interval has occurred after a beginning of a driving stroke, even if said trigger is still actuated and said exit end of the tool is still pressed against a workpiece, thereby placing said tool into a ready condition for a next particular driving cycle while saving energy.
16. A method for controlling a fastener driving tool, said method comprising:
(a) providing a fastener driving tool that includes: (i) a housing; (ii) a system controller; (iii) a safety contact element; (iv) a user-actuated trigger; (v) a fastener; (vi) a prime mover that moves a lifter member which moves a driver member away from an exit end of the mechanism; and (vii) a fastener driving mechanism that moves said driver member toward said exit end of the mechanism, said fastener driving mechanism including:
(A) a hollow cylinder comprising a cylindrical wall with a movable piston therewithin, said hollow cylinder containing a displacement volume created by a stroke of said piston, and
(B) a main storage chamber that is in fluidic communication with said displacement volume of the cylinder, wherein said main storage chamber and said displacement volume are charged with a pressurized gas during all portions of an operating cycle;
(b) selecting, by a user, an operating mode of said driving cycle to be one of: a “bottom firing mode,” and a “restrictive firing mode;”
wherein:
(i) if said restrictive firing mode is selected, said tool will operate if said safety contact element has been actuated before said trigger actuator has been operated; and
(ii) if said bottom firing mode is selected, said tool will operate if both:
(A) said safety contact element has been actuated, and
(B) said trigger actuator has been operated,
(c) initiating a driving cycle by pressing said exit end against a workpiece and actuating said trigger, thereby causing said fastener driving mechanism to force the driver member to move toward said exit end and drive a fastener into said workpiece; and
(d) actuating said prime mover, thereby moving said lifter member and causing said driver member to move away from said exit end toward a ready position.
17. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising the step of controlling an amount of movement of said lifter member to thereby allow said driver member to move to more than one possible ready position before initiating a next particular driving cycle.
18. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein said lifter member comprises a discontinuous contact surface that, at predetermined locations along said discontinuous contact surface, makes contact with a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of said driver member; and
further comprising the steps of:
(a) under first predetermined conditions, moving said lifter member in a first direction and thereby cause said driver member to be moved from said exit end toward said ready position; and
(b) under second predetermined conditions, positioning said lifter member by said prime mover such that said discontinuous contact surface of the lifter member does not mechanically interfere with said plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the driver member during a driving stroke, in which said driver member moves from said ready position toward said exit end.
19. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a latch control device that moves a latch member which has a catching surface;
(b) upon the step of initiating said driving cycle:
(i) causing said latch control device to activate, which moves said catching surface of the latch member to a position that does not interfere with movements of said driver member; and
(ii) causing said fastener driving mechanism to force the driver member to move toward said exit end and drive a fastener into said workpiece; and
(c) upon the step of moving said lifter member and causing said driver member to move away from said exit end toward a ready position:
(i) de-activating said latch control device, which allows a mechanical biasing of said latch member to move the catching surface of the latch member to a position that interferes with movements of said driver member.
20. The method as recited in claim 19 , further comprising the step of de-activating said latch control device after a predetermined time interval has occurred after a beginning of a driving stroke, thereby allowing a mechanical biasing of said latch member to move the catching surface of the latch member to a position that interferes with movements of said driver member, even if said driver member has not reached a full driving stroke position at said exit end, and thereby allowing a user to safely clear a jam condition of the tool.
21. The method as recited in claim 19 , further comprising the step of de-activating said prime mover and said latch control device after a predetermined time interval has occurred after a beginning of a driving stroke, even if said trigger is still actuated and said exit end of the tool is still pressed against a workpiece, thereby placing said tool into a ready condition for a next particular driving cycle while saving energy.