Granted Patent B2

US 12,734,661 · App. 19/179,076 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Inventors: Bryan C. Ward (Wauwatosa, WI); Jacob N. Zimmerman (Pewaukee, WI); Andrew J. Weber (Cudahy, WI); Marcus Wechselberger (Milwaukee, WI); Leonard F. Mikat-Stevens (Glendale, WI)

Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION

B25C1/043B25C1/047

Abstract

Claims (34)

1 . A fastener driver comprising:

an outer cylinder having

a first circular end and an opposite, second circular end,

a cylindrical portion adjacent the first circular end, and

a frusto-conical portion adjacent the second circular end and the cylindrical portion, the cylindrical portion defining a first longitudinal axis and the frusto-conical portion defining a second longitudinal axis coaxial with the second circular end of the outer cylinder, the first and second longitudinal axes being offset;

an inner cylinder positioned within the outer cylinder, the inner cylinder defining a third longitudinal axis coaxial with the first longitudinal axis;

a moveable piston positioned within the inner cylinder; and

a driver blade attached to the piston and moveable therewith between a top-dead-center (TDC) position and a bottom-dead-center (BDC) position along the third longitudinal axis.

2 . The fastener driver of claim 1 , wherein the frusto-conical portion extends from the cylindrical portion toward the second circular end.

3 . The fastener driver of claim 1 , wherein the outer cylinder is non-concentric with the inner cylinder.

4 . The fastener driver of claim 1 , wherein the first circular end has a first inner diameter, and wherein the second circular end has a second inner diameter that is greater than the first inner diameter.

5 . The fastener driver of claim 4 , wherein the second longitudinal axis is spaced from the first longitudinal axis by an offset distance, and wherein the offset distance is between five percent and twenty-five percent of the first inner diameter.

6 . The fastener driver of claim 1 , further comprising an end cap positioned at the second circular end, wherein the end cap fluidly seals the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder from an outside atmosphere.

7 . The fastener driver of claim 1 , further comprising a frame extending from the first circular end and away from the second circular end.

8 . The fastener driver of claim 7 , wherein the frame includes a lifter housing portion configured to support a lifter assembly operable to move the driver blade from the BDC position toward the TDC position, and wherein the frame and the lifter housing portion are integral with the outer cylinder.

9 . The fastener driver of claim 1 , further comprising a fill valve assembly coupled to the outer cylinder, wherein the fill valve assembly includes a port in selective fluid communication with the outer cylinder by a fill valve of the fill valve assembly.

10 . The fastener driver of claim 9 , further comprising a housing having a handle portion and a cylinder support portion, wherein the fill valve assembly is located within the handle portion, and wherein the outer cylinder is at least partially received in the cylinder support portion.

11 . The fastener driver of claim 9 , wherein the port extends at an acute angle relative to the second longitudinal axis, and wherein the acute angle is between fifteen and sixty-five degrees.

12 . A fastener driver comprising:

an outer cylinder having

a first circular end and an opposite, second circular end, the first circular end having a first inner diameter,

a cylindrical portion adjacent the first circular end, and

a frusto-conical portion adjacent the second circular end and the cylindrical portion, the cylindrical portion defining a first longitudinal axis and the frusto-conical portion defining a second longitudinal axis coaxial with the second circular end of the outer cylinder, the first and second longitudinal axes being offset by an offset distance, wherein the offset distance is between five percent and twenty-five percent of the first inner diameter;

an inner cylinder positioned within the outer cylinder, the inner cylinder defining a third longitudinal axis coaxial with the first longitudinal axis;

a moveable piston positioned within the inner cylinder; and

a driver blade attached to the piston and moveable therewith between a top-dead-center (TDC) position and a bottom-dead-center (BDC) position along the third longitudinal axis.

13 . The fastener driver of claim 12 , wherein the frusto-conical portion extends from the cylindrical portion toward the second circular end.

14 . The fastener driver of claim 12 , wherein the outer cylinder is non-concentric with the inner cylinder.

15 . The fastener driver of claim 12 , further comprising an end cap positioned at the second circular end, wherein the end cap fluidly seals the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder from an outside atmosphere.

16 . The fastener driver of claim 12 , further comprising a frame extending from the first circular end and away from the second circular end.

17 . The fastener driver of claim 16 , wherein the frame includes a lifter housing portion configured to support a lifter assembly operable to move the driver blade from the BDC position toward the TDC position, and wherein the frame and the lifter housing portion are integral with the outer cylinder.

18 . The fastener driver of claim 12 , further comprising a fill valve assembly coupled to the outer cylinder, wherein the fill valve assembly includes a port in selective fluid communication with the outer cylinder by a fill valve of the fill valve assembly.

19 . The fastener driver of claim 18 , further comprising a housing having a handle portion and a cylinder support portion, wherein the fill valve assembly is located within the handle portion, and wherein the outer cylinder is at least partially received in the cylinder support portion.

20 . The fastener driver of claim 18 , wherein the port extends at an acute angle relative to the second longitudinal axis, and wherein the acute angle is between fifteen and sixty-five degrees.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (232)