Work equipment

Abstract

To provide a work machine which can improve workability.SOLUTION: A work machine 10 includes: an electric motor 20; a gear box 25; a hoisting wheel 35; a plunger 40; a spring 45; a trigger 50; and a housing 11. In a first direction, an end 25a on one side of the gear box is positioned on the other side relative to an end 50a on the other side of the trigger. Thus, workability can be improved because a center of gravity G of the work machine can be brought closer to the trigger.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a working machine including a drive unit, a reduction unit, an operation unit, a moving unit, and an operating unit.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a working machine including a reduction unit that reduces and outputs the driving force of a drive unit, an operation unit that moves a moving unit by the output of the reduction unit, and an operation unit that controls the driving of the drive unit, and the reduction unit is disposed below the operation unit.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the working machine described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to provide a space for inserting the operator's finger below the operation unit. However, in order to provide such a space, if the operation unit is separated upward from heavy objects such as the reduction unit and the drive unit, the operation unit and the handle on which the operation unit is provided are separated from the center of gravity of the working machine, and the operator is likely to get tired, so there is room for improvement in workability. Further, separating the operation unit upward leads to an increase in the size of the entire working machine.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a working machine capable of improving workability. Another object of the present invention is to provide a working machine capable of achieving miniaturization.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A work machine according to one embodiment includes a drive unit, a reduction unit positioned on one side of the drive unit in a first direction and outputting a reduced driving force from the drive unit, an operating unit positioned on the one side of the reduction unit in the first direction and operating by the output of the reduction unit, a moving unit that moves to one side in a second direction intersecting the first direction by the operation of the operating unit, a biasing unit that biases the moving unit to the other side in the second direction and causes the moving unit to strike a stopper, an operating unit positioned on the one side of the reduction unit in the second direction and controlled by operation by an operator to drive the drive unit, and a support for the operating unit, the moving unit, the biasing unit, the drive unit, the reduction unit, and the connecting shaft. The device comprises a housing, the housing having a first support portion that supports the operating portion, the moving portion, and the biasing portion and extends in the second direction, a second support portion that supports the drive portion, the reduction portion, and the connecting shaft and extends from the first support portion to the other side in the first direction, and a handle portion that is located on one side in the second direction than the second support portion and extends from the first support portion to the other side in the first direction, the operating portion being provided to extend from the handle portion to the other side in the second direction, and in the first direction, the one end of the reduction portion is located on the other side than the other end of the operating portion.

[0007] Furthermore, the work machine of one embodiment includes a connecting shaft that coaxially connects the reduction unit and the operating unit, wherein the connecting shaft has an outer diameter smaller than that of the reduction unit and is positioned so as to overlap at least a portion with the operating unit in the second direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In one embodiment of the work machine, in the first direction, one end of the reduction unit is located further to the other end of the operating unit. This brings the center of gravity of the work machine closer to the operating unit, thereby improving the workability of the work machine.

[0009] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the work machine, the outer diameter of the connecting shaft that coaxially connects the reduction unit and the operating unit is smaller than that of the reduction unit, and in the second direction, the connecting shaft is positioned so that at least a portion of it overlaps with the operating unit. This prevents the operating unit from separating on one side in the second direction, thus enabling miniaturization of the work machine. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure shows a working machine in one embodiment, where (A) is a front view and (B) is a left side view. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a left side view showing the internal structure with the left housing member removed. [Figure 3] Figure 2 shows the state in which the biasing force of the spring is increased. [Figure 4] Figure 2 shows the center of gravity. [Figure 5] Figure 2 shows the state with the pinion shaft omitted from the diagram. [Figure 6] Figure 5 shows the state in which the nails are held in the magazine. [Figure 7] Figure 6 (working machine with nails) shows the state in which the push lever, which is in contact with the workpiece, is in operation. [Figure 8] Figure 5 (working machine without nails) shows the state in which the push lever, which is in contact with the workpiece, is in operation. [Figure 9] This is a front view showing the operating state of the hoisting wheel, rack, plunger, and spring in a work machine, where (A) shows the plunger at the bottom dead center, (B) shows the plunger in the standby position, and (C) shows the plunger at the top dead center. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] The work machine 10 is a nail gun or nail driver that drives in fasteners (nails 61 shown in Figure 6 in this example) by striking them, and as shown in Figure 2, it is equipped with an electric motor 20, a gearbox 25, a pinion shaft 30, a winding wheel 35, a plunger 40, a spring 45, and a trigger 50, etc.

[0013] Here, the electric motor 20, gearbox 25, pinion shaft 30, and winding wheel 35 are arranged along the first direction B1. The side on which the winding wheel 35 is located is one side, and the side on which the electric motor 20 is located is the other side. The plunger 40 is movable between one side and the other side of the second direction B2, which intersects the first direction B1.

[0014] In this example, the first direction B1 and the second direction B2 are orthogonal, and the first direction B1 may be referred to as the "horizontal direction" and the second direction B2 as the "vertical direction". In the first direction B1, one side may be referred to as the "front side" and the other side as the "back side". In the second direction B2, one side may be referred to as the "up side" and the other side as the "down side".

[0015] The work machine 10 includes a housing 11, as shown in Figure 1. The housing 11 houses the electric motor 20, gearbox 25, pinion shaft 30, hoisting wheel 35, plunger 40, and spring 45, and supports the trigger 50. The housing 11 is made of metal and synthetic resin.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1(A), the housing 11 includes a right housing member 12 and a left housing member 13 that are assembled to each other from both sides of a surface (in this example, a vertical surface) including a first direction B1 and a second direction B2. A plurality of holes 11a are formed in the right housing member 12 in the horizontal direction. When the right housing member 12 and the left housing member 13 are assembled and fastened by fasteners (such as screws or bolts) inserted into each of the plurality of holes 11a, the right housing member 12 and the left housing member 13 become an integral housing 11. The right housing member 12 is an example of a first housing member, and the left housing member 13 is an example of a second housing member.

[0017] As shown in Fig.  1(B), in the housing 11, the portion that houses the plunger 40 and the spring 45 is the main body portion 14, the portion that houses the electric motor 20, the gear box 25, the pinion shaft 30, and the winding wheel 35 is the motor case 15, and the portion where the trigger 50 is provided is the handle 16. The main body portion 14 is an example of a first support portion, and the motor case 15 is an example of a second support portion. The rear end portion of the handle 16 extends downward and is connected to the motor case 15. Inside the rear end portion of the handle 16, a controller 52 that controls the drive of the electric motor 20 is arranged. The controller 52 has a microcomputer and is a control portion that controls the drive of the electric motor 20 according to signals received from a microswitch 55, a trigger switch 51, and a plunger detection switch 54.

[0018] The main body portion 14 has a shape that extends in the vertical direction. Outside the main body portion 14, an injection portion 14a having an injection path for injecting a single nail 61 is provided, and the injection portion 14a is fixed to the main body portion

[0019] The motor case 15 is shaped to extend horizontally from the lower side of the main body 14. The handle 16, which is an example of a handle portion, is shaped to extend horizontally from the upper side of the main body 14. These motor case 15 and handle 16 have a characteristic shape of being inclined forward, which will be described later. A ventilation hole 15d is formed in the motor case 15 at a position corresponding to the electric motor 20.

[0020] A mounting portion 17 is provided on the rear side of the motor case 15 and the handle 16. A battery pack 18 for supplying power to the electric motor 20 is mounted on the mounting portion 17. The battery pack 18 is a DC power source. The battery pack 18 has a plurality of battery cells, and the battery cells are lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium-ion polymer batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, etc.

[0021] A magazine 60 that holds a plurality of staple-shaped nails 61 (see FIG. 6) arranged in a row horizontally is mounted on the lower side of the motor case 15. The magazine 60 is supported by the motor case 15 and the injection portion 14a.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, a nail remaining detection bar 63 that operates when the remaining amount of the nails 61 becomes a predetermined value or less (0 in this example) is provided at the lower part of the motor case 15. The nail remaining detection bar 63 is an example of a remaining amount detection portion. The magazine 60 has a feeder 62 for sending the nails 61 to the injection portion 14a. The feeder 62 and the nail remaining detection bar 63 are connected. When the feeder 62 moves forward, the nails 61 are sent out, and when the remaining amount of the nails 61 becomes 0, the nail remaining detection bar 63 also moves forward.

[0023] Inside the motor case 15, along the central axis A1 which is a virtual line extending in the first direction (horizontal direction), coaxially from the rear side to the front side, an electric motor 20, a gearbox 25, a pinion shaft 30, and a winding wheel 35 are arranged.

[0024] The electric motor 20 has a rotor and a stator, and when power is supplied, the rotor rotates, and the motor shaft attached to the rotor rotates. The electric motor 20 is, for example, a brushless motor and has a flattened shape with an outer diameter greater than its axial length.

[0025] The gearbox 25 is an example of a reduction gear and includes an input element, a planetary gear mechanism, and an output element. The input element is connected to the motor shaft of the electric motor 20, and the output element is spline-coupled to the pinion shaft 30. The driving force due to the rotation of the motor shaft is transmitted to the input element, reduced by the planetary gear mechanism, transmitted to the output element, and then transmitted to the spline-coupled pinion shaft 30. The outer diameter of the gearbox 25 is smaller than the outer diameter of the electric motor 20.

[0026] In this example, the electric motor 20 is an example of a drive unit, and is a flat-shaped brushless motor with a shorter axial length than a brushed motor of the same output. The space saved by the shorter axial length of the electric motor 20 allows for the placement of the gearbox 25 and pinion shaft 30. The gearbox 25 in this example is a two-stage reduction gear.

[0027] The pinion shaft 30 is an example of a connecting shaft that coaxially connects the gearbox 25 and the winding wheel, which are spaced apart horizontally. The pinion shaft 30 transmits the rotational force transmitted from the gearbox 25 to the winding wheel 35. The outer diameter of the pinion shaft 30 is smaller than the outer diameter of the gearbox 25, and the pinion shaft 30 is positioned in the vertical direction at least in overlap with the trigger 50 (directly below in this example). The pinion shaft 30 is made of metal.

[0028] The hoisting wheel 35 is an example of an operating part, which is driven by the output of the gearbox 25 transmitted via the pinion shaft 30, and moves the plunger 40. In this example, the hoisting wheel 35 is a single disc coaxial with the gearbox 25 and rotates counterclockwise. The hoisting wheel 35 is made of metal.

[0029] The winding wheel 35 has a plurality of protrusions on its front surface. In this example, these protrusions are the first pin 35a and the second pin 35b. The length of the first pin 35a protruding from the disc surface is shorter than the length of the second pin 35b protruding from the disc surface. Also, as shown in Figure 9, the first pin 35a and the second pin 35b are positioned equidistant from the center point of the winding wheel 35 (i.e., on a concentric circle), spaced apart from each other (in this example, separated by an angle of 90° in the rotational direction).

[0030] Next, focusing on the second direction (vertical direction), a top holder 48 is positioned on the upper side and a bottom holder 49 is positioned on the lower side inside the main body 14. A guide shaft 46 is positioned between these top holder 48 and bottom holder 49. The top holder 48, bottom holder 49, and guide shaft 46 are made of metal.

[0031] A guide shaft 46 is inserted through the plunger 40, which is an example of a movable part, and the plunger 40 is movable vertically along the guide shaft 46 between the top holder 48 and the bottom holder 49. A driver blade 41 is fixed to the front of the plunger 40, which has a shape that extends downward and strikes one nail 61 in the ejection path. Both the plunger 40 and the driver blade 41 are made of steel.

[0032] A rack 43 is fixed to the rear of the plunger 40, and the rack 43 has a plurality of engaging portions that can engage with the plurality of protrusions of the hoisting wheel 35. In this example, the plurality of engaging portions are a first engaging portion 43a and a second engaging portion 43b. The length of the first engaging portion 43a protruding from the rack 43 is longer than the length of the second engaging portion 43b protruding from the rack 43. The first engaging portion 43a is of a length that can engage with the first pin 35a but cannot engage with the second pin 35b. The second engaging portion 43b is of a length that can engage with the second pin 35b but cannot engage with the first pin 35a.

[0033] A spring 45 is provided between the top holder 48 and the plunger 40, and a guide shaft 46 is inserted through the spring 45. The spring 45 is an example of a biasing part, and is, for example, a metal compression coil spring that is expandable and contractible in the vertical direction. The spring 45 imparts a downward biasing force to the plunger 40.

[0034] The biasing force provided by the spring 45 is adjustable. From the state shown in Figure 2, as shown in Figure 3, by rotating and screwing in the shaft head 47 located at the top of the guide shaft 46, the top holder 48 moves downward, compressing the spring 45 and increasing the biasing force. As the biasing force increases in this way, the speed at which the plunger 40 and driver blade 41 move downward increases, thus increasing the driving force of the nail 61.

[0035] Returning to Figure 2, a bumper 44, which is an example of a buffer, is positioned between the plunger 40 and the bottom holder 49. The bumper 44 absorbs some of the kinetic energy of the plunger 40 as it moves downward due to the biasing force of the spring 45, thereby preventing damage to the plunger 40. The bumper 44 is made of synthetic rubber. The bumper 44 is located above the central axis A1 of the electric motor 20, gearbox 25, pinion shaft 30, and winding wheel 35.

[0036] A push lever 42, which is an example of a contact part, is positioned on the front side of the driver blade 41. The push lever 42 is subjected to a downward biasing force, but when the push lever 42 comes into contact with the material W to which the nail 61 is to be driven (see Figure 7), the push lever 42 moves upward against the biasing force.

[0037] This movement is detected by the microswitch 55, which enables the electric motor 20 to be driven, i.e., the nail 61 to be driven. In other words, if this movement is not detected by the microswitch 55, the electric motor 20 cannot be driven, i.e., the nail 61 cannot be driven. In other words, the push lever 42 constitutes a safety mechanism to prevent the nail 61 from being ejected when the push lever 42 is not in contact with the mating material W.

[0038] The push lever 42 has a crank shape consisting of a first vertical portion 42a extending upward from its lower end that contacts the mating material W, a horizontal portion 42b extending backward from the upper end of the first vertical portion 42a, and a second vertical portion 42c extending upward from the rear end of the horizontal portion 42b.

[0039] As shown in Figure 7, which will be described later, when the second vertical portion 42c comes into contact with the first rotating member 56, the first rotating member 56 rotates counterclockwise, and the detection sensor 55a of the microswitch 55 turns ON. As a result, the movement of the push lever 42, that is, its contact with the mating material W, is detected by the microswitch 55.

[0040] The trigger 50 is an example of an operating unit that controls the drive of the electric motor 20 when operated by an operator. The trigger 50 extends from the bottom surface on the front side of the handle 16 so as to protrude downward in the vertical direction, and is positioned above and in front of the gearbox 25. Inside the handle 16, a trigger switch 51 is provided to detect the operation of the trigger 50. The trigger 50 is supported by the handle 16 so as to be able to move relative to the handle 16 in the vertical direction, and a spring (not shown) is provided between the handle 16 and the trigger 50 to bias the trigger 50 downward. The bottom surface of the trigger 50 has a curved shape to match the shape of the operator's finger F. The distance in the second direction B2 between the lower end 50b of the trigger 50 and the upper end (most recessed part) 50c of the bottom surface of the trigger 50 is set to 7 mm as an example, but can be appropriately changed within the range of 0 mm to 30 mm.

[0041] Next, an example of using the work machine 10 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 9. When the push lever 42 is not in contact with the workpiece W by the operator, or when the trigger 50 is not operated, the electric motor 20 is not driven, and the plunger 40 is in the standby position as shown in Figure 9(B).

[0042] When the operator places the push lever 42 in contact with the workpiece W, and the movement of the push lever 42 is detected by the microswitch 55, the operator operates the trigger 50 by placing their finger F on the lower surface of the trigger 50 and pulling it upward, as shown in Figure 4, and the operation of the trigger 50 is detected by the trigger switch 51. As a result, power is supplied to the electric motor 20, and the electric motor 20 operates. The rotational force of the electric motor 20 is reduced by the gearbox 25 and transmitted to the hoisting wheel 35 via the pinion shaft 30.

[0043] As shown in Figure 9(C), when the hoisting wheel 35, to which rotational force is transmitted, rotates counterclockwise, the second pin 35b protruding from the hoisting wheel 35 engages with the second engaging portion 43b provided on the rack 43, causing the rack 43 and plunger 40 to move upward, and the plunger 40 to the top dead center position. When the plunger 40 is in the top dead center position, the plunger 40 turns on the plunger detection switch 54.

[0044] From this state, as the winding wheel 35 rotates further counterclockwise, the engagement between the second pin 35b and the second engaging portion 43b disengages, and as shown in Figure 9(A), the biasing force of the spring 45 moves the plunger 40 downward, causing the driver blade 41 fixed to the plunger 40 to strike the nail 61, and the plunger 40 comes into contact with the bumper 44, bringing the plunger 40 to the bottom dead center position.

[0045] Subsequently, as the winding wheel 35 rotates further counterclockwise, the first pin 35a protruding from the winding wheel 35 engages with the first engaging portion 43a provided on the rack 43, causing the rack 43 and plunger 40 to move upward, resulting in the state shown in Figure 9(B) where the plunger 40 is in the standby position.

[0046] Generally, in work machines, multiple hoisting wheels are provided to increase the stroke of the plunger, but in this work machine 10, only a single hoisting wheel 35 is provided. However, in this work machine 10, multiple protrusions (first pin 35a and second pin 35b) provided on the single hoisting wheel 35 engage with multiple engaging parts (first engaging part 43a and second engaging part 43b) provided on the rack 43 fixed to the plunger 40, so that even with a single hoisting wheel 35, the plunger 40 can be moved upward in multiple stages.

[0047] In this example, the plunger 40 can be moved upward in two stages: a first stage in which the plunger 40 rises from the bottom dead center shown in Figure 9(A) to the standby position shown in Figure 9(B) by the engagement of the first pin 35a and the first engaging portion 43a, and a second stage in which the plunger 40 rises to the top dead center shown in Figure 9(C) by the engagement of the second pin 35b and the second engaging portion 43b.

[0048] Here, the relative positional relationship between the multiple protrusions and the multiple engaging parts changes as the winding wheel 35 rotates, but in the bottom dead center state shown in Figure 9(A), each of the multiple engaging parts is positioned at a different distance from the rotation center C of the winding wheel 35. In this example, the first engaging part 43a is close to the rotation center C, and the second engaging part 43b is far from the rotation center C. Moreover, the second engaging part 43b is located outside the outer circumference of the winding wheel 35 and below the bumper 44.

[0049] This allows for a large stroke of the plunger 40 even with a single hoisting wheel 35. Furthermore, since there is no need for multiple hoisting wheels, the number of parts can be reduced, lowering manufacturing costs. Additionally, because the hoisting wheel 35 is coaxial with the electric motor 20 and positioned inside the outer circumference of the electric motor 20, the work implement 10 can be made more compact.

[0050] Here, with reference to Figures 4 and 1(B), the characteristic configuration of the work machine 10 of this embodiment will be described.

[0051] As shown in Figure 4, in the work implement 10, the front end 25a of the gearbox 25 is located behind the rear end 50a of the trigger 50 in the horizontal direction. In other words, the front end 25a of the gearbox 25 and the rear end 50a of the trigger 50 are separated by a distance D. To put it another way, the distance from the central axis A2 of the guide shaft 46 to the front end 25a of the gearbox 25 is shorter by a distance D than the distance from the central axis A2 to the rear end 50a of the trigger 50.

[0052] Furthermore, in the implement 10, the outer diameter of the pinion shaft 30 is smaller than the outer diameter of the gearbox 25, and the pinion shaft 30 and at least a portion of the trigger 50 are positioned to overlap horizontally. In this example, the pinion shaft 30 is positioned directly below the trigger 50.

[0053] Generally, the center of gravity of a work machine is near heavy components such as the gearbox and electric motor. In this example, the center of gravity G of the work machine 10 is located around the upper side of the electric motor 20, as shown in the figure. If the center of gravity G is far from the trigger 50 and the handle 16, handling becomes difficult and the operator becomes easily fatigued. Therefore, in this embodiment, the work machine 10 is provided with a coaxial pinion shaft 30 between the gearbox 25 and the hoisting wheel 35, and the trigger 50 is positioned above the pinion shaft 30. Furthermore, the center of gravity is positioned to one side of the shaft housing surface 15c in the second direction B2. This brings the center of gravity G and the trigger 50 closer together, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0054] Furthermore, comparing the outer diameters of the electric motor 20, gearbox 25, pinion shaft 30, and winding wheel 35, the relationship is: outer diameter of electric motor 20 > outer diameter of winding wheel 35 > outer diameter of gearbox 25 > outer diameter of pinion shaft 30. Therefore, as shown in Figure 1(B), on the upper surface of the motor case 15 that houses these components, the shaft housing surface 15c for housing the pinion shaft 30 can be positioned lower vertically than the motor housing surface 15a for housing the electric motor 20. The shaft housing surface 15c is an example of a connecting shaft housing surface and a constricted portion, and the motor housing surface 15a is an example of a drive unit housing surface.

[0055] Furthermore, the gear housing surface 15b of the part that houses the gearbox 25 is inclined downward from the rear end that contacts the motor housing surface 15a to the front end that contacts the shaft housing surface 15c. In other words, the upper surface of the motor case 15 has a constricted shape, with the shaft housing surface 15c being more recessed than the motor housing surface 15a. As a result, as shown in Figure 4, there is enough space between the trigger 50 and the shaft housing surface 15c to insert a finger F.

[0056] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1(B), just as the upper surface of the motor case 15 slopes downward from the rear to the front, the handle 16 also slopes downward from the rear to the front. Specifically, the lower surface 16a of the handle 16 slopes downward from the rear to the front, and the upper surface 16b of the handle 16 slopes downward from the rear to the front. In particular, even in the area directly above the trigger 50 on the upper surface 16b of the handle 16 (the area where the placement area in the first direction B1 overlaps with the trigger 50), the upper surface 16b of the handle 16 also slopes downward from the rear to the front. Moreover, as shown in Figure 4, in the vertical direction, the lower end 50b of the trigger 50 is located below the motor housing surface 15a. These configurations allow the handle 16 and trigger 50 to be brought closer to the center of gravity G, which further contributes to the aforementioned improvement in workability. In the example, the distance D1 between the motor housing surface 15a and the shaft housing surface 15c in the second direction B2 was set to 25 mm. However, if it is 15 mm or more, sufficient space for inserting a finger F can be provided even when the lower end 50b of the trigger 50 is located below the motor housing surface 15a.

[0057] Furthermore, since the outer diameter of the pinion shaft 30 is smaller than that of the gearbox 25, there is space around the pinion shaft 30 inside the motor case 15. For this reason, when the assembly of the right housing member 12 and the left housing member 13 of the housing 11 is undone and one of them is removed (in this example, the state shown in Figure 4 with the left housing member 13 removed), the pinion shaft 30 can be easily grasped by inserting a finger into this space.

[0058] The pinion shaft 30 is connected to the winding wheel 35 and spline-coupled to the gearbox 25. Therefore, the pinion shaft 30 and the winding wheel 35 can be removed by grasping the pinion shaft 30 and pulling it forward from the gearbox 25. The winding wheel 35 may be damaged by impacts such as blows, but as described above, it can be easily removed, saving time and effort on maintenance.

[0059] Next, the microswitch 55 will be described in detail. The microswitch 55 is an example of an motion detection unit capable of detecting the operation of multiple components. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, it is positioned at the location of the pinion shaft 30 between the gearbox 25 and the winding wheel 35. Because the outer diameter of the pinion shaft 30 is smaller than the outer diameter of the gearbox 25, the microswitch 55 is placed in the space created within the motor case 15 at the shaft housing surface 15c.

[0060] In this example, the microswitch 55 is capable of detecting the operation of the push lever 42 and the nail remaining detection bar 63 as the multiple components. Specifically, the microswitch 55 detects the operation of the push lever 42 transmitted via the first rotating member 56 and detects the operation of the nail remaining detection bar 63 transmitted via the second rotating member 57.

[0061] The first rotating member 56 is positioned to the right of the pinion shaft 30 in a front view. In Figures 2 to 4, it is hidden by the pinion shaft 30 and its entirety is not visible. Therefore, in the following explanation, please refer to Figures 5 to 8, which omit the description of the pinion shaft 30.

[0062] As shown in Figure 5, the microswitch 55 is supported within the motor case 15 so that it can rotate around the rotation axis 55d in the vertical plane.

[0063] A detection sensor 55a is provided above the microswitch 55, which detects the operation of the push lever 42 when the first rotating member 56 comes into contact with it. A leaf spring 55b is also provided above the microswitch 55.

[0064] Furthermore, below the microswitch 55, there is an engagement portion 55c that, when engaged with by the second rotating member 57, detects the movement of the nail remaining detection bar 63 and rotates the microswitch 55. The engagement portion 55c has a front wall on the front side and a rear wall on the back side as the part that the second rotating member 57 engages with.

[0065] The first rotating member 56 is an example of a first transmission unit and is capable of transmitting the operation of the push lever 42 to the microswitch 55. The first rotating member 56 is supported within the motor case 15 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 56c in a vertical plane. The first rotating member 56 has two contact pieces. The front contact piece is a push lever contact piece 56a that contacts the second vertical portion 42c of the push lever 42. The rear contact piece is a leaf spring contact piece 56b that brings a leaf spring 55b into contact with the detection sensor 55a of the microswitch 55.

[0066] The second rotating member 57 is an example of a second transmission unit capable of transmitting the operation of the nail remaining detection bar 63 to the microswitch 55. The second rotating member 57 is supported within the motor case 15 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 57c in a vertical plane. The second rotating member 57 has two contact pieces. The front contact piece is the nail remaining detection bar contact piece 57a, which contacts the nail remaining detection bar 63. The rear contact piece is the engagement portion contact piece 57b, which contacts the engagement portion 55c of the microswitch 55.

[0067] Figure 5, described above, shows a state in which no nails 61 are held in the magazine 60. Figure 6, described next, shows a state in which nails 61 are held in the magazine 60. In this state, the nail remaining detection bar 63 connected to the feeder 62 is located further back than in the state shown in Figure 5, and is not in contact with the nail remaining detection bar contact piece 57a of the second rotating member 57. As a result, the second rotating member 57 is not rotating and is in a nearly upright state, and its engaging contact piece 57b is in contact with the front wall of the engaging portion 55c of the microswitch 55. Consequently, the microswitch 55 is not rotating and is in a nearly upright state.

[0068] As shown in Figure 7, when the operator brings the push lever 42 into contact with the workpiece W, the push lever 42 moves upward, and its second vertical portion 42c pushes up the push lever contact piece 56a of the first rotating member 56. As a result, the first rotating member 56 rotates counterclockwise, and its leaf spring contact piece 56b pushes down the leaf spring 55b, causing the leaf spring 55b to contact the detection sensor 55a of the microswitch 55. This allows the operation of the push lever 42 to be detected by the microswitch 55.

[0069] In other words, the microswitch 55 is in a detectable position (a nearly upright position as shown in Figures 6 and 7) where it can detect the operation of the push lever 42 when the operation of the nail remaining detection bar 63 is not transmitted by the second rotating member 57.

[0070] When the push lever 42 no longer contacts the mating material W, the push lever 42 moves downward due to a downward biasing force, and the first rotating member 56 rotates clockwise due to the upward biasing force of the leaf spring 55b, resulting in the state shown in Figure 6.

[0071] Figure 5 shows a state in which no nails 61 are held in the magazine 60. In this state, the nail remaining detection bar 63 connected to the feeder 62 has moved further forward than in the state shown in Figure 6 and is in contact with the nail remaining detection bar contact piece 57a of the second rotating member 57. As a result, the second rotating member 57 is rotated counterclockwise and tilted compared to the state shown in Figure 6, and its engaging contact piece 57b is in contact with the rear wall of the engaging portion 55c of the microswitch 55. Consequently, the microswitch 55 is rotated clockwise and tilted.

[0072] As shown in Figure 8, when the operator brings the push lever 42 into contact with the workpiece W, the push lever 42 moves upward, and its second vertical portion 42c pushes up the push lever contact piece 56a of the first rotating member 56. As a result, the first rotating member 56 rotates counterclockwise, and its leaf spring contact piece 56b pushes down the leaf spring 55b. However, because the microswitch 55 is in an inclined state, the leaf spring 55b does not contact the detection sensor 55a of the microswitch 55, and the operation of the push lever 42 is not detected by the microswitch 55.

[0073] In other words, when the operation of the nail remaining detection bar 63 is transmitted by the second rotating member 57, the microswitch 55 is in a non-detectable position (the tilted state shown in Figures 5 and 8) where it cannot detect the operation of the push lever 42. Therefore, the microswitch 55 is displaceable between a detectable position and a non-detectable position.

[0074] Thus, when the microswitch 55 is in an undetectable position, the electric motor 20 will not operate even if the trigger 50 is operated. In other words, the firing operation will not be performed when no nails 61 are held in the magazine 60, thus preventing so-called dry firing.

[0075] As described above, in the implement 10 of this embodiment, the outer diameter of the pinion shaft 30 connecting the gearbox 25 and the hoisting wheel 35 is smaller than the outer diameter of the gearbox 25, creating space within the motor case 15, in which the microswitch 55 can be placed. The microswitch 55 is a shared detection mechanism capable of detecting the operation of the push lever 42 and the operation of the nail remaining detection bar 63, so there is no need to provide separate detection mechanisms for detecting both operations. This makes efficient use of space and reduces manufacturing costs.

[0076] Furthermore, since the nail remaining detection bar 63 is provided at the bottom of the motor case 15 of the housing 11, there is no need to install a sensor for detecting remaining nails inside the magazine 60, and the wiring for the sensor does not have to cross between the work machine 10 body and the magazine 60, so the wiring does not get in the way during maintenance such as disassembly.

[0077] Furthermore, in the first rotating member 56, the length of the leaf spring contact piece 56b from the center of rotation is longer than the length of the push lever contact piece 56a from the center of rotation. This first rotating member 56 converts the small stroke of the push lever 42 into a large movement of the leaf spring contact piece 56b, thereby enabling reliable detection of the operation of the push lever 42.

[0078] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways without departing from its spirit.

[0079] For example, the fastener is not limited to staple-shaped nails 61, but may also be a rod-shaped nail, an arch-shaped tacker, or a rivet.

[0080] The intersection of the first direction B1 and the second direction B2 does not have to be orthogonal; it may also be an inclined intersection.

[0081] The displacement of the microswitch 55 from a detectable position (Figure 7) to an undetectable position (Figure 8) may be a parallel movement in the first direction B1 or the second direction B2, rather than a rotation.

[0082] The nail remaining detection bar 63 may operate not only when the number of nails 61 remaining is 0, but also when the number of nails 61 remaining is less than or equal to a predetermined amount.

[0083] The battery pack 18 is not limited to a DC power source; it may also be an AC power source.

[0084] The standby position of the plunger 40 is not limited to the area between the bottom dead center and the top dead center shown in Figure 9(B), but may also be the bottom dead center shown in Figure 9(A). [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10…Work implement, 11…Housing, 14…Main body, 15…Motor case, 16…Handle, 20…Electric motor, 25…Gearbox, 30…Pinion shaft, 35…Winding wheel, 40…Plunger, 41…Driver blade, 42…Push lever, 45…Spring, 50…Trigger, 55…Microswitch, 56…First rotating member, 57…Second rotating member, 60…Magazine, 61…Nail, 63…Nail remaining detection bar, A1…Center axis, A2…Center axis, B1…First direction, B2…Second direction, W…Mating material

Claims

1. A drive unit having a rotating shaft, A reduction unit is positioned on one side of the drive unit in the axial direction and reduces the driving force of the drive unit to output it, An operating unit is positioned on one side in the axial direction relative to the reduction unit and operates by the output of the reduction unit, A connecting shaft that coaxially connects the reduction unit and the operating unit, The moving part moves to one side in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the axial direction as a result of the operation of the aforementioned moving part, A biasing unit that biases the moving part toward the other side in the orthogonal direction and causes the fastener to strike the moving part, An operating unit is positioned on one side of the deceleration unit in the direction perpendicular to the said direction and is operated by an operator, The system comprises the operating unit, the moving unit, the biasing unit, the drive unit, the reduction unit, and a housing that supports the connecting shaft, The aforementioned housing is A first support portion, which supports the operating portion, the moving portion, and the biasing portion, and which extends in the orthogonal direction, A second support portion, which supports the drive unit, the reduction unit, and the connecting shaft, and which extends from the first support portion to the other side in the axial direction, The device comprises a handle portion located on one side of the second support portion in the direction perpendicular to the first support portion, and extending from the first support portion to the other side in the axial direction, The operating section is provided so as to extend from the handle section toward the other side in the orthogonal direction, In the axial direction, one end of the deceleration unit is located on the other side of the other end of the operating unit. The second support portion is, The surface on one side of the portion housing the drive unit in the orthogonal direction, which extends along the axis and defines a space between itself and the handle portion in the orthogonal direction, The portion housing the connecting shaft has one side surface in the orthogonal direction, which is positioned so as to overlap at least a portion with the operating portion in the orthogonal direction, and has a constricted portion that is recessed on the other side in the orthogonal direction than the drive portion housing surface, A work machine in which the other end of the operating section in the orthogonal direction is positioned on the other side in the orthogonal direction from the drive unit housing surface.

2. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the connecting shaft has an outer diameter smaller than that of the reduction unit.

3. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the handle portion is inclined with respect to the axis and the drive unit housing surface such that the other side of the handle portion in the axial direction is further away from the axis of the drive unit than the one side in the axial direction.

4. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the constricted portion is arranged such that the distance from the drive unit housing surface in the orthogonal direction is 15 mm or more.

5. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein one side of the handle portion in the axial direction is inclined toward the other side in the orthogonal direction than the other side in the axial direction.

6. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein one side of the second support portion in the axial direction is inclined toward the other side in the orthogonal direction than the other side in the axial direction.

7. The housing includes a first housing member and a second housing member assembled from both sides of a plane including the axial direction and the orthogonal direction, The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the connecting shaft is coupled to the reduction unit so as to be removable toward one side in the axial direction when the assembly is released and one of the first housing member or the second housing member is removed.

8. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein an motion detection unit capable of detecting the motion of multiple members is arranged between the reduction unit and the operating unit.

9. A magazine that holds multiple of the aforementioned fasteners, The system comprises an injection unit from which the stopper is supplied from the magazine, The plurality of members include a contact portion that operates by contacting a mating material, and a remaining amount detection portion that operates when the remaining amount of the fastener held in the magazine falls below a predetermined amount. The work machine according to claim 8, further comprising, between the reduction unit and the operating unit, a first transmission unit capable of transmitting the operation of the contact unit to the operation detection unit, and a second transmission unit capable of transmitting the operation of the remaining amount detection unit to the operation detection unit.

10. The work machine according to claim 9, wherein the motion detection unit is displaceable to a detectable position in which the motion of the contact portion can be detected when the motion of the remaining amount detection unit is not transmitted by the second transmission unit, and to an undetectable position in which the motion of the contact portion cannot be detected when the motion of the remaining amount detection unit is transmitted by the second transmission unit.

11. The operating unit is a single disc coaxial with the reduction unit, and has a plurality of protrusions on one side of the disc in the axial direction. The movable part is movable between a bottom dead center on the other side and an top dead center on the one side in the orthogonal direction, and has a plurality of engaging parts on the other side in the axial direction that can engage with the plurality of protrusions. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of engaging parts is arranged at a different distance from the center of rotation of the disc.

12. The work machine according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of engaging parts is positioned outside the outer circumference of the disc when the moving part is at the bottom dead center.

13. A buffer is provided on the other side of the moving part in the orthogonal direction, The work machine according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of engaging portions is positioned on the other side of the buffer portion in the direction perpendicular to the buffer portion when the moving portion is at the bottom dead center.

14. The work machine according to claim 11, wherein the disc is coaxial with the drive unit and is positioned inward from the outer circumference of the drive unit.

15. The drive unit is coaxial with the reduction unit, The work machine according to claim 11, wherein the outer diameter of the drive unit is larger than the outer diameter of the reduction unit and is larger than the axial length of the drive unit.

16. A drive unit having a rotating shaft, A reduction unit is positioned on one side in the first direction relative to the drive unit and reduces the driving force of the drive unit to output it, An operating unit is positioned on one side in the first direction relative to the reduction unit and operates by the output of the reduction unit, A connecting shaft that coaxially connects the reduction unit and the operating unit, A moving part moves to one side in a second direction intersecting the first direction by the operation of the aforementioned operating part, A biasing unit that biases the moving part toward the other side in the second direction and causes the fastener to strike the moving part, An operating unit is positioned on one side of the deceleration unit in the second direction and is operated by an operator, The system comprises the operating unit, the moving unit, the biasing unit, the drive unit, the reduction unit, and a housing that supports the connecting shaft, The aforementioned housing is A first support portion, which supports the operating portion, the moving portion, and the biasing portion, and which extends in the second direction, A second support portion, which supports the drive unit, the reduction unit, and the connecting shaft, and which extends from the first support portion to the other side in the first direction, The device comprises a handle portion located on one side in the second direction from the second support portion and extending from the first support portion to the other side in the first direction, The operating section is provided so as to extend from the handle section toward the other side in the second direction, In the first direction, the one end of the deceleration unit is located on the other side of the other end of the operating unit. The second support portion is, The one side surface of the portion housing the drive unit in the second direction, which extends along the axis of the drive unit and defines a space between it and the handle portion in the second direction, In the second direction, it is positioned so as to overlap at least a portion with the operating section, and has a constricted portion that is recessed on the other side in the second direction compared to the drive section housing surface, The other end of the operating section in the second direction is positioned on the other side in the second direction relative to the drive unit housing surface. A work machine in which the handle portion is inclined with respect to the axis and the drive unit housing surface such that the other side of the handle portion in the first direction is further away from the axis of the drive unit than the one side in the first direction.

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