Gas spring fastener drive tool with removable end cap for performing maintenance or inspection.

Abstract

The cordless, hoseless fastener driver tool with compressed gas pressure chamber has a removable end cap fixedly attached to the tool via four screws. Successive removal of each screw releases the compressed gas in a controlled manner, allowing the user to safely remove the end cap and access the interior of the tool. The user can perform maintenance procedures and inspect the internal mechanical parts of the tool, such as repairing or replacing the driver, piston, and / or piston stop, as well as the cylinder sleeve or other internal components. Once the end cap is removed, the components listed above can be removed (and replaced) without the use of any additional tools.

Description

Cross - reference to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 185,516, filed on May 7, 2021, entitled "GAS SPRING FASTENER DRIVING TOOL WITH REMOVABLE END CAP FOR PERFORMING MAINTENANCE OR SERVICE".

Technical Field

[0002] The technology disclosed herein generally relates to linear fastener driving tools, and more specifically, to portable tools for driving staples, nails, or other linearly driven fasteners. At least one embodiment is disclosed as having a "main" pressurized storage chamber ("pressure chamber") used in a linear fastener driving tool. The actuating cylinder filled with compressed gas is used to rapidly push a piston through the actuating cylinder by a driving stroke movement and also to drive a fastener into a workpiece. The actuating cylinder is in fluid communication (via an end cap) with a pressure chamber that holds most of the compressed gas used to "fire" the piston. The end cap also covers the upper region of the actuating cylinder.

[0003] The end cap can be removed by a human user to access the internal components of the operating cylinder if repairs are desired or if worn or damaged parts need to be replaced. When used with the tool, the removable end cap is attached to the outer wall of the pressure chamber by multiple threaded screws, and the shape of the end cap, along with its large O-ring seal, allows the pressurized gas to begin to safely leak out while those screws are being loosened. By the time the last screw is loosened to the point where the end cap can be physically removed from the outer wall of the pressure chamber, most of the pressurized gas (e.g., above the gauge pressure) has been released and reduced to a safe pressure level, thereby eliminating the risk to the human user of any part of the tool "splattering" onto their face due to a sudden and dangerous release of pressurized gas.

[0004] Statements concerning federally funded research or development none. [Background technology]

[0005] Many conventional fastener drive tools use a piston to move a driver blade that pushes a nail or staple into a target workpiece as part of their operating cycle. These pistons are typically driven by compressed air, or sometimes by combustion gases. In the pressurized gas tool product line known as FUSION®, sold by Senco, the pressurized gas is stored in a main storage chamber and is not vented to the atmosphere. Instead, it can be reused multiple times to drive multiple drive strokes (including thousands of operating cycles per refill of pressurized gas).

[0006] Kyocera Senco Industrial Tools, Inc. ("Senco") sells a product line of automatic power tools, commonly known as nailers, which include tools that combine the power and utility of pneumatic tools with the convenience of cordless tools. One key feature of such tools is that they use pressurized gas to drive the piston that fires the nails. In some Senco tools, the pressurized gas is reused many times, so there is no need for any compressed gas hoses or combustion chambers that require fuel.

[0007] Senco's FUSION "Air Tools" are highly reliable and can typically withstand thousands of firing cycles without any significant maintenance, but they do have wear characteristics for certain components. For example, after thousands of uses, the gas pressure in the pressure chamber may slowly leak down to a level where it needs to be boosted, or the tool may begin to fail to properly drive fasteners into their target workpieces. When this happens, additional pressurized gas must be added to the pressure chamber. Furthermore, if a mechanical failure (such as a blockage) occurs in the "Air Tool," it is often necessary to disassemble the tool and remove the pressurized gas from the pressure chamber.

[0008] Another possibility is that the tool could be damaged, particularly if fasteners such as nails become jammed while being driven by the driver blade. In such a situation, the tool may need to be opened to repair or replace internal parts so that a human operator can continue to use the tool, or at the very least, the jammed nail must be removed from the driver track.

[0009] One conventional internal gas spring tool, sold by Milwaukee Electric Tool Company, requires, first, removal of both housing halves to access its filling mechanism in order to perform maintenance. Next, the filling valve must be activated to release the internal gas pressure. Then, the user must remove the screw-in pressure vessel to access and inspect either the piston stop (or "bumper") or the piston / driver blade combination. Of course, the reverse procedure must be performed to reassemble the tool.

[0010] Another conventional internal gas spring tool is sold by Hitachi, and to perform the maintenance procedure, first the plastic top cap must be removed by loosening four "outside" screws, and then both housing halves must be removed. After that, the user must release the internal gas pressure by removing the protective screw that exposes the Schrader filling valve, and then activate the filling valve. Next, the user must remove four "inside" screws to release the metal top cap. Even after all that has been accomplished, the user must use a special wrench, available only from Hitachi, to loosen a special nut covering the top of the pressure vessel. Finally, the user can access the pressure vessel to inspect either the piston stop or the piston and driver combination. Of course, to reassemble the tool, the reverse procedure must be performed. [Overview of the project]

[0011] Therefore, the advantage of the technology disclosed herein is to provide a fastener drive tool that operates on the principle of a gas spring, which can safely release pressurized gas stored inside the tool while simultaneously allowing the end cap to be safely removed.

[0012] Another advantage of this technology is that it includes an end cap fastened to the main pressurized storage chamber using a set of fasteners that can be loosened in a controlled manner, allowing the internal gas pressure to be released in a controlled manner that is safe for a normal human user without the need for special fasteners, thereby providing a fastener-driven tool that allows the user to access the internal parts of the tool to perform maintenance procedures, such as repairing or replacing worn parts.

[0013] Additional advantages and other novel features are described in part in the following description, some of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art by considering the following, or can be acquired by practicing the art disclosed herein.

[0014] To achieve the above and other advantages, according to one embodiment, a method for inspecting a fastener drive tool is provided, the method comprising (a) providing an assembled fastener drive tool, the assembled fastener drive tool comprising an outer housing, an operating cylinder comprising a cylindrical sleeve and a movable piston within the cylindrical sleeve, a storage chamber containing pressurized gas in fluid communication with the operating cylinder, the storage chamber having an outer wall, a movable driver in mechanical communication with the piston at least during the drive stroke, and an attachment / detachment from the storage chamber located near the high-pressure portion of the operating cylinder of the fastener drive tool. Providing an end cap, the end cap being removably secured to a storage chamber by a plurality of fasteners, including (b) carefully removing the end cap by loosening the plurality of fasteners in sequence, and evacuating the storage chamber to a safe pressure before the last of the plurality of fasteners is removed, and (c) directly accessing and removing at least one of (i) a movable piston, (ii) a movable driver, and (iii) a sleeve of an operating cylinder through an opening created by the removal of the end cap, without removing the outer housing and without using any tools.

[0015] In another embodiment, a method for inspecting a fastener drive tool is provided, the method comprising (a) providing an assembled fastener drive tool, the assembled fastener drive tool comprising an outer housing, an operating cylinder comprising a cylindrical sleeve and a movable piston within the cylindrical sleeve, a storage chamber containing pressurized gas and in fluid communication with the operating cylinder, a movable driver in mechanical communication with the piston at least during the drive stroke, and an end cap located near the high-pressure portion of the operating cylinder of the fastener drive tool, which is attachable to and detachable from the storage chamber, the end cap being detachably secured to the storage chamber by a plurality of fasteners, and a filling valve disposed within the end cap, the filling valve being accessible without removing any part of the outer housing, and the filling valve The Lub is provided with a filling valve that is in fluid communication with the storage chamber and is operable to release pressurized gas from the storage chamber to the external environment of the fastener drive tool, and includes (b) accessing and operating the filling valve to vent the pressurized gas from the storage chamber to a safe pressure magnitude, (c) removing the end cap by loosening a plurality of fasteners in sequence, and before the last of the plurality of fasteners is removed, exhausting any residual pressurized gas from the storage chamber to a safe pressure magnitude, and (d) directly accessing and removing at least one of (i) a movable piston, (ii) a movable driver, and (iii) a sleeve of the operating cylinder through an opening created by removing the end cap, without removing the outer housing and without using any tools.

[0016] In yet another embodiment, a fastener drive tool is provided, the fastener drive tool comprising: (a) an outer housing; (b) an operating cylinder including a cylindrical sleeve and a movable piston within the cylindrical sleeve; (c) a storage chamber containing pressurized gas, which is in fluid communication with the operating cylinder; (d) a movable driver which is in mechanical communication with the piston at least during the driving stroke; (e) a piston stop portion located at the distal end of the sleeve; (f) an end cap located proximal to the high-pressure portion of the operating cylinder of the fastener drive tool, which is attachable to and detachable from the storage chamber; and (g) a spacer having a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions, the spacer being (h) a spacer attached to the proximal end of the sleeve, the proximal end of the sleeve being near the end cap, and the spacer and projection being sized and shaped to hold the sleeve in the correct orientation relative to the end cap, and (h) a mechanical bottom structure at the distal end of the working cylinder, to which the distal end of the storage chamber and the distal end of the sleeve are mechanically connected, thereby surrounding the storage chamber to form a pressure vessel, the stack of the end cap, spacer and sleeve holds the distal end of the sleeve in mechanical communication with the bottom structure to which the working cylinder is attached without using internal fasteners.

[0017] Further advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and drawings, which describe and illustrate preferred embodiments in one of the best modes conceived for carrying out the art. As will be understood, other different embodiments of the art disclosed herein are possible, and some of its details can be modified in various obvious ways, all without departing from its principles. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be considered illustrative and not limiting in nature. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate some aspects of the technology disclosed herein and, together with the description and claims, serve to explain the principles of the technology. In the drawings,

[0019] [Figure 1] is an exploded view of the pressure vessel subassembly and end caps of a gas spring fastener driving tool, and the pressure vessel subassembly, end caps, and gas spring tool are constructed in accordance with the principles of the technology disclosed herein.

[0020] [Figure 2] is a side elevation view of the tool of FIG. 1.

[0021] [Figure 3] is a front left perspective view of the tool of FIG. 1.

[0022] [Figure 4] is a rear right perspective view of the tool of FIG. 1, showing that two end cap fasteners have been removed.

[0023] [Figure 5] is a rear right perspective view of the tool of FIG. 1, showing that all of the end cap fasteners have been removed.

[0024] [Figure 6] is a rear right perspective view of the tool of FIG. 1, showing that the end cap has been removed.

[0025] [Figure 7] is a notch view of the tool along line 7-7 of FIG. 11, showing that the end cap has been removed.

[0026] [Figure 8] is a rear right perspective view of the tool of FIG. 1, showing that the piston and driver have been removed.

[0027] [Figure 9] Figure 1 is a rear right-side perspective view of the tool, showing that the cylinder sleeve, piston, and driver have been removed.

[0028] [Figure 10] Figure 1 is a rear right-side perspective view of the tool, showing that the piston bumper, cylinder sleeve, piston, and driver have been removed.

[0029] [Figure 11] Figure 1 is a rear elevation view of the tool. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Herein, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be referred to in detail, the embodiments of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, and similar figures indicate the same elements throughout the drawings.

[0031] It should be understood that the technology disclosed herein is not limited in its application to the details of the configuration and arrangement of its components as described in the following description or shown in the drawings. Other embodiments of the technology disclosed herein are possible and can be implemented or performed in various ways. It should also be understood that the expressions and terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” and their variations herein, means to include the items listed below and their equivalents, as well as additional items. Unless otherwise specified, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” or “mounted,” and their variations herein, are used broadly and include direct and indirect connections, couples, or mounts. Furthermore, the terms “connected” or “coupled,” and their variations, are not limited to physical or mechanical connections or couples. Furthermore, the terms “communicating with” or “being in communication with” indicate that two different physical or virtual elements are exchanging signals or information with each other in some way, whether the transmission of signals or information is direct or whether there are additional physical or virtual elements between them that are similarly involved in the transmission of signals or information. Furthermore, the terms “being in communication with” can also refer to a mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic system in which one end of the “communication” (the “first end”) may be the “cause” of a certain motion (mechanical movement or hydraulic or pneumatic change in state) that occurs, and the other end of the “communication” (the “second end”) may be “affected” by that movement / change in state, regardless of whether there are intermediate components between the “first end” and the “second end”.When a product has moving parts that depend on a magnetic field, or detects changes in a magnetic field in any way, or when data is transferred from one electronic device to another by the use of a magnetic field, these situations can be referred to as "magnetically communicating" with each other, in which case one end of the "communication" can induce a magnetic field, and the other end can receive that magnetic field and be affected by (or otherwise influenced by) it.

[0032] For example, terms like "First Entrance" and "Second Entrance," which precede element names, are used for identification purposes to distinguish similar or related elements, results, or concepts, and are not necessarily intended to imply order, nor are terms like "First" or "Second" intended to exclude the inclusion of additional similar or related elements, results, or concepts unless otherwise indicated.

[0033] Furthermore, it should be understood that embodiments disclosed herein may include both hardware and electronic components or modules, although for illustrative purposes they may be illustrated and described as if the majority of the components were implemented solely in hardware.

[0034] However, those skilled in the art will recognize, based on reading the embodiments for carrying out this invention, that in at least one embodiment, an electronically based aspect of the technology disclosed herein can be implemented in software. Therefore, it should be noted that multiple hardware and software-based devices, as well as multiple different structural components, may be used to implement the technology disclosed herein. Furthermore, when software is used, the processing circuit running such software may be a general-purpose computer, while performing all functions that could otherwise be performed by a dedicated computer, which may be specifically designed to implement this technology.

[0035] As used herein, the term “circuit” can refer to an actual electronic circuit, such as an integrated circuit chip (or a portion thereof), or to a function performed by a processing circuit, such as a microprocessor or ASIC, which includes a logic state machine or another form of processing element (including sequential processing circuits). A particular type of circuit may be several types of analog or digital circuits, and such circuits may, in some cases, be implemented in software by a logic state machine or sequential processor. In other words, if a processing circuit is used to perform a desired function (such as a demodulation function) used in the technology disclosed herein, there may not be a specific “circuit” that is sometimes called a “demodulation circuit,” but there will be a demodulation “function” that is performed in software. All of these possibilities are conceived by the inventors and are within the principles of the art when considering “circuit.”

[0036] Referring here to Figure 1, a new embodiment of a FUSION-type tool is shown. The fastener drive tool has a pressure vessel subassembly ("pressure vessel S / A") which includes an operating cylinder subassembly, generally shown by reference no. 5 and generally shown by reference no. 10.

[0037] Each part of the pressure vessel S / A is shown as an operating cylinder wall (or “main part” or “sleeve”) 44, a piston stop (or “bumper”) 38, a spacer 150 having multiple tabs 152, a driver (or “hammer” or “blade”) 90 having multiple driver teeth 94, and a two-part piston having an upper part 20 and a bottom part 22. The bottom piston half 22 is attached to the driver 90 by using a pair of pins 32 and 34 inserted through a small channel, these pins also extending through an opening in the driver. The driver itself enters further into a guide body 36 (see Figure 7) through the opening in the piston stop 38, the guide body guiding the driver during its movement to drive the fastener. Note the thickened cylinder sleeve wall 68 at one end of the sleeve 44. This thickened sleeve 68 surrounds the bumper 38 when assembled inside the tool 5.

[0038] The end cap subassembly ("end cap S / A") is indicated by reference no. 80. The end cap S / A 80 includes an end cap 50, a filling valve subassembly ("filling valve S / A") 70, a plurality of end cap fasteners 82, a flange 60 for receiving the end cap fasteners, and a seal (also referred to herein as an O-ring) 56 between the end cap and the pressure chamber 30.

[0039] The end cap subassembly 80 includes an end cap 50 that is fastened to the uppermost portion of the outer wall of the pressure chamber by fasteners 82. Several fasteners are found to hold the end cap 50 to the outer wall of the pressure chamber in a pair of flanges 48 and 60. The flanges have extensions (or bosses) having openings for holding fasteners, which in this embodiment are a set of screws or bolts 82. For example, flange 60 has an opening for receiving screws 82 that hold the end cap 50 in place, and similarly, flange 48 has a screw hole for holding screws 82 that hold the end cap 50 to its flange 48.

[0040] The main storage chamber, generally indicated by reference no. 30, is also referred to herein as the “pressure chamber” or “pressure vessel.” In this embodiment, the pressure chamber 30 is primarily an annular space partially surrounding the working cylinder wall 44, and the pressurized space 30 is essentially located between the outer surface of the working cylinder wall 44 and the inner surface of the outer wall 46 of the pressure chamber (see Figure 7). The pressure vessel also includes a variable volume section above the movable piston of the working cylinder.

[0041] As described above, the tool portion indicated by reference no. 10 is the entire operating cylinder subassembly, which becomes pressurized when pressurized gas is introduced into the system. With this in mind, an additional seal is present to help maintain that pressure within the pressure chamber 30. The end cap subassembly 80 of this first embodiment has a seal (O-ring) of reference no. 56. It will be understood that the end cap 50 forms part of the entire pressure vessel.

[0042] The primary purpose of the pressure chamber is to hold additional pressurized gas for use when driving the piston subassembly in a downward or "drive stroke" direction and driving fasteners such as nails or staples. This additional pressurized gas in the pressure chamber allows sufficient force to be applied to the upper surface of the upper portion 20 of the piston while pushing the nail or staple into a target surface such as a piece of wood. This storage volume 30 representing the pressure chamber allows a lower overall gas pressure to be used for the overall operation of this fastener driving tool to provide a gas spring effect without requiring the very high pressure that would be required in the displacement volume above the piston in the working cylinder if there were no pressure chamber to hold the additional pressurized gas.

[0043] Tool 5 shows other major structural elements, including a rear housing section 140, a front housing section 142, a motor housing 160, a handle 148, a hanger (or hook) 146, a battery pack 144, and a flange 48 for receiving multiple end cap fasteners.

[0044] The overall shape and structure of the end cap and its mating flange surface to the top of the pressure chamber are designed so that a human user can safely remove the end cap by simply loosening the screw 82, even if the working cylinder and pressure chamber still contain relatively high gas pressure inside. As the human user begins to loosen the screw 82, the pressurized gas begins to safely leak out around the edge of the bottom surface of the end cap. The pressurized gas is released at a controlled rate for two main reasons: firstly, the presence of the O-ring seal 56, and secondly, the time it takes to loosen the screw to allow the gas to begin to leak out further around the outer circumference of the outer flange surfaces 48 and 60. As the screw is loosened, the pressurized gas begins to leak out, and by the time the last screw is completely removed, the internal gas pressure is at a safe level, and the end cap can then be safely and completely removed from the top of the pressure chamber 30, thereby exposing the inside of the working cylinder so that the piston and other internal components can be replaced as desired.

[0045] Referring to Figure 2, tool 5 includes a pressurized chamber section 6, an outlet end (where the nails are fired) 7, a fastener magazine section 8, and a manual trigger 9. Figure 2 shows a fully assembled end cap S / A80 fixed and attached to tool 5.

[0046] Referring to Figure 3, the fully assembled tool 5 is shown in a front perspective view. Figures 4-6 show how the end cap S / A80 can be safely disassembled from tool 5 by the end user.

[0047] Referring now to Figure 4, the first operation when removing the end cap S / A80 is shown. The user begins the disassembly process by removing one fastener 82 at a time. Figure 4 shows the two removed fasteners 82. At this point, the pressurized gas is already leaking out in a safe and controlled manner. Note that Figure 4 shows fastener 83. In this figure, fastener 83 is the “third screw” to be removed, and once completely removed, it releases enough pressurized gas to continue safely removing the last, fourth fastener 82. Note that fastener 83 can be any of the four fasteners 82, and it simply depends on the user’s preference regarding which fasteners to remove sequentially.

[0048] Referring to Figure 5, all four fasteners 82 have been removed. The pressurized gas leaks out safely, and the end cap 50 is removed safely without being "blown" into the user's face.

[0049] Figure 6 shows the end cap 50 completely removed, allowing access to the interior of tool 5. Figure 7 is a cutaway side view of tool 5. The outer wall 46 of the pressure chamber is clearly shown proximal to the sleeve 44. Between the outer wall 46 and the sleeve 44 is an open space 30, where the pressurized gas is stored when tool 5 is fully assembled. The guide body 36 is shown proximal to the bumper 38.

[0050] Multiple battery cells 170 are shown inside the battery pack 144. The motor housing 160 encloses the motor 162 and gearbox 164. When the trigger 9 is pulled by the user, the battery pack 144 supplies energy to the motor 162. When the motor 162 is activated, the piston 21 and driver 90 (which are the entire piston subassemblies 20, 22) are released from the lifter (not shown) and drive the fasteners to the base material. The motor 162 then supplies energy to the gearbox 164, lifting the piston 21 and driver 90 back to the "ready position" (schematically shown in Figure 7).

[0051] Figures 8 to 10 show further disassembly of tool 5 after the end cap S / A has been removed as shown in Figures 4 to 6. Figure 8 shows the piston 21 and driver 90 removed from tool 5 in the next step of the disassembly / maintenance performed by the user. At this point, the tool is no longer needed after the fastener 82 has been removed.

[0052] Figure 9 shows the sleeve 44 removed from tool 5 in a further stage of disassembly / maintenance. Figure 10 shows the bumper 38 removed from tool 5 in the final stage of disassembly / maintenance. At this stage, the entire outer wall 46 of the pressure chamber is visible, and its internal components, as well as any parts of tool 5 that have already been removed, can be inspected.

[0053] Referring now to Figure 11, the rear elevation view shows the end cap 50, the fastener 82, and the filling valve 70. In this embodiment, the filling valve 70 is assembled in line with the handle 148 (as seen in this figure).

[0054] In the following description, we first assume that the filling valve S / A70 is not operated by the user in order to perform the maintenance procedure being described. Instead, the user begins disassembling the fastener drive tool (i.e., the nailer 5) by removing the end cap 50. Even though the nailer 5 contains pressurized gas in its main storage chamber 30, that gas can be safely released during the following maintenance procedure to remove the end cap.

[0055] The end cap 50 is held in place against the flange 48 at the upper (or rear) end of the pressure vessel by four screws 82. These four screws are to be removed by the user one at a time. After the first two screws 82 are removed from the flange 48, presumably a large portion of the internal gas pressure will still be held within the main storage chamber 30. However, while the third screw 83 is being removed (see Figure 4), a large portion of the remaining gas pressure begins to be released, while the end cap 50 is still held in place against the flange 48 by the remaining fourth screw 82 (not shown in this figure). Therefore, by the time the fourth screw is to be removed, a large portion of the pressurized gas held within the storage chamber 30 has already been released, and the fourth screw 82 can be safely removed without the risk of the end cap 50 being "blown off" from the rear (upper) end of the tool 5 during the procedure. (See Figure 5 for the operation of that procedure.)

[0056] The flange 48 is an integral part of the pressure vessel (for example, on the left side of the outer wall 46 of the pressure chamber, as seen in Figure 7). In other words, the flange 48 includes the "rear" portion of the pressure vessel, which mainly consists of the outer wall 46 of the storage chamber. When the end cap 50 is attached to the flange 48 with all fasteners 82 fully tightened, it, together with the O-ring 56, creates a pressure seal at the rear portion (or "upper portion") of the tool 5, which surrounds the main storage chamber 30 at the rear of the tool.

[0057] The large O-ring 56 acts as a seal when the entire tool 5 is assembled (i.e., when the end cap 50 is mounted to the flange 48). As the first, second, and third screws 82 are removed from the flange 48, the internal gas pressure begins to safely leak out around the O-ring 56, as designed. By the time the third screw 82 is loosened, the gas leak becomes increasingly noticeable, and by the time the third screw is completely removed, the internal gas pressure is so significant that it is essentially equal to atmospheric pressure. This third screw 82 is the screw with reference number 83 in Figure 4, and it will be understood that any one of the four screws 82 can be its “third screw” in relation to its order in the sequence of the four screws removed by this procedure.

[0058] As an option, it will be understood that the filling valve S / A70 may instead be operated to vent (or discharge) pressurized gas from the main storage chamber 30 as needed. Once the pressurized gas has been removed through the filling valve, which is preferably a Schrader valve, the end cap 50 may be removed using the same procedure as above without leaking any further pressurized gas. (There should be only a small amount of residual pressure remaining in the pressure vessel by that point in the maintenance procedure.) In any case, the goal is to remove the end cap 50 from the flange 48 and then proceed to further operations in the maintenance procedure as follows:

[0059] Since the end cap 50 is removed from the rear end of tool 5, the desired maintenance procedure can be performed quickly and easily. The sleeve 44 of the operating cylinder partially protrudes from the rear opening of the rear housing portion 140, as seen in Figure 6. The spacer 150 is mounted on the rear end of the sleeve 44 and can be manually removed from the sleeve without the need for any tools. This “rear end” of the sleeve is specifically located near the end cap 50 and can therefore be called the proximal end of the sleeve 44. The opposite end of the sleeve can be called the distal end, which is located near the piston stop portion 38.

[0060] At this point in the maintenance procedure, the user has two main options regarding the following action: Option #1 allows the user to pull the sleeve 44 and remove the sleeve itself, or Option #2 allows the user to remove the piston / driver combination from inside the sleeve 44.

[0061] If the user wishes to replace the entire actuarial cylinder, they will likely decide to pull out the sleeve 44, i.e., perform option #1. In the tool in its "normal" state, the piston 21 and driver 90 will likely come out of the tool together with the sleeve 44. However, if the tool 5 is "stuck," the driver 90 may not be movable at this point in the maintenance procedure. If this is the case, the sleeve 44 itself must be removed, but the piston / driver combination remains "stuck" inside the tool 5. Since the gas pressure has already dissipated, the user can safely deal with "recovering" the stuck condition, which is typically caused by a fastener that was not properly fed into the driver track from the magazine 8 during the drive stroke. After the jam is cleared, the user can pull out the driver 90 and piston 21 combination, as seen in Figure 8. (Note: Figure 8 still shows the sleeve 44 in place within the rear opening of the housing portion 140, but as mentioned above, the sleeve has already been removed if the user decides to perform this option #1 procedure.)

[0062] If the user only wants to either (a) replace the piston / driver combination or (b) clear the tool jam (without replacing anything), the user may decide to perform option #2 above. In that situation, the user must push the front end of the driver 90 (the exit end of the tool 7) back into the tool far enough so that the top of the piston half 20 protrudes slightly from the top of the sleeve 44. (This exact state is not illustrated. Note: Typically, the tool is used to push the driver into the tool 5.) The user can then grasp the upper piston half 20 by hand and pull out the combination of the piston 21 and the driver 90, as shown in Figure 8. Note that the bottom piston half 22 is connected to the top of the driver 90 by using two connecting pins 32 and 34 shown in Figure 1.

[0063] Regardless of whether the user performing the maintenance procedure on tool 5 selects option #1 or option #2, the piston 21, driver 90, and the sleeve 44 of the working cylinder are readily accessible once the end cap 50 is removed, as can be seen from the drawings and the above description. Figure 9 shows that both the piston / driver and the cylinder sleeve have been removed from inside the rear housing portion 140, leaving the rest of the pressure vessel, which mainly includes the outer wall 46 of the pressure chamber (see Figure 7), which is the main structural component of the main storage chamber 30 (usually pressurized). The piston stop (or "bumper") 38 (see Figure 7) is also still in place at this stage of the maintenance procedure, as previously described.

[0064] The piston stop 38 is a typical "wear part" in gas spring fastener drive tools such as tool 5. To replace the piston stop, the sleeve 44 and the piston / driver combination (21 and 90) must first be removed by one of the procedures described above, which brings tool 5 to the state shown in Figure 9. After this state is achieved, the piston stop 38 can be easily pulled out of tool 5 without the use of any tools.

[0065] If necessary, all removed parts can be replaced with new parts, which is a typical goal of the entire maintenance procedure described herein. However, if a blockage occurs while the tool is relatively new, the goal of the maintenance procedure may simply be to remove the parts necessary to access the cause of the blockage, without replacing any parts. In either case, whether the “old” parts are reinserted into tool 5 or the “new” parts are installed, the installation maintenance procedure is relatively straightforward.

[0066] When the user is ready to reassemble tool 5, the user first installs the piston stop 38, which simply sits on the internal pressure wall of the guide body 36. As shown in Figure 7, the guide body has an upward-facing circular projection that fits around the piston stop and holds the piston stop in place once it is installed. Since the piston stop 38 fits into the enlarged diameter portion 68 of the sleeve 44 (located at the bottom of the sleeve, see Figure 10), the user can optionally first install the piston stop into the enlarged portion 68 of the sleeve and then install the combination of the sleeve and the housed piston stop inside the main storage chamber 30. (However, it should be noted that due to gravity, this optional operation may need to be performed with the tool temporarily positioned upside down.) Next, the spacer 150 is placed on the circular edge of the rear (or top) of the sleeve 44 in the position shown in Figure 10. The spacer 150 has a stepped bottom circular surface so as to be centered on the upper circular surface of the cylindrical sleeve, and remains stationary in place until the end cap 50 is reattached to the tool.

[0067] Here, the driver 90 and piston 21 combination is installed, and the driver 90 must pass through the opening of the piston stop 38. (Note that the driver / piston combination can be optionally installed before the sleeve 44 is installed, if necessary.) Once all of the above components are installed, the end cap 50 is attached to the flange 48, and then the four screws 82 are inserted into the four end cap openings and then tightened. The tabs 152 of the spacer 150 hold the sleeve 44 in the correct orientation relative to the inner wall of the end cap 50.

[0068] Finally, a pressurized gas source is placed on the filling valve to repressurize the tool's pressure chamber. In this illustrated embodiment, the pressure chamber includes a main storage chamber 30 surrounding the sleeve 44 and an internal portion of the end cap (30, see Figure 7) located "above" the piston 21. In FUSION® fastener drive tools sold by Kyocera Senco Industrial Tools, Inc. (Cincinnati, Ohio) (tools of the type shown in these figures), the pressurized gas above the piston is always in fluid communication with the gas surrounding the sleeve 44. The volume of the space "above" the piston 21 changes as the piston moves throughout its entire reciprocating stroke, and it will be understood that the variable volume space above the piston is always under pressurization in Senco FUSION tools, such as those illustrated herein.

[0069] End cap 50, piston base 22, sleeve 44, and cylindrical pressure chamber 30 Most of the metal parts of tool 5, including the above, can be made of aluminum. Any suitable material may be used, but preferably metal is specified for most of these parts. The upper part 20 of the piston can be made of plastic material, preferably Delrin. The outer housing parts 140 and 142 are typically made of tough plastic material and are mounted in a clamshell structure.

[0070] The drawings provided in this application include several other relatively new features for a FUSION-type tool that will be sold by Kyocera Senco, which are described in other patent documents mentioned below.

[0071] From the drawings and the above description, it can be seen that tool 5 can be safely disassembled without removing either the rear housing portion 140 or the front housing portion 142, thereby enabling maintenance procedures that require only a small tool such as a screwdriver or wrench to loosen and retighten the four screws 82 that hold the end cap 50 to the flange 48. This is a significant improvement over tools of the prior art, which require the removal of at least one of the housing halves before attempting any such maintenance procedure.

[0072] As a further option, the pressurized gas contained within the pressure vessel (i.e., the main storage chamber 30 defined by the outer wall 46) may be vented (or discharged) through the filling valve 70, rather than by first removing the end cap 50. Of course, in either case, the end cap must still be removed to perform one of the maintenance procedures described herein. However, the filling valve 70 is still accessible without removing any part of the housing, thereby simplifying the overall maintenance procedure.

[0073] The overall structure of the pressure chamber is designed to simplify and facilitate both the removal and installation of "maintenance parts." When tool 5 is fully assembled, the "upper" portion of the pressure vessel 46 (left side in Figure 7) abuts against the inner surface of the end cap 50, and the "bottom" portion of the pressure vessel 46 (right side in Figure 7) abuts against the flat surface of the guide body 36. In other words, the main components of the pressure vessel are held in place between the end cap and the guide body by the stacking of components, namely the stacking of the bottom structure provided by the end cap 50, spacer 150, sleeve 44, and guide body 36. This stacking of components is held in place without the use of any internal fasteners. See below for further details.

[0074] When tool 5 is fully assembled, the “bottom” portion of the sleeve 44 of the working cylinder abuts against a circular protrusion on the guide body 36. This protrusion on the guide body is also used to surround (and hold in place) the piston stop 38. The “upper” portion of the sleeve 44 is positioned to physically contact the spacer 150 during assembly. The spacer 150 is primarily circular, like a large lock washer of a special shape. The “special shape” of the spacer 150 includes multiple protruding tabs 152. During assembly of the sleeve with other components located within the working cylinder (e.g., the piston 21 and the driver 90), these tabs 152 are sized and shaped to physically contact the inner wall of the end cap 50. When the end cap 50 is tightened against the flange 48 (via the screw 82), the spacer tab 152 provides a downward force (to the right in Figure 7), which holds the sleeve 44 against the uppermost circular rim of the guide body 36, precisely in the position of the piston stop 38.

[0075] Note that the multiple tabs 152 are spaced apart along the top surface of the spacer 150 (on the left in Figure 7). The “gaps” (unnumbered) between the individual tabs 152 allow pressurized gas to flow (each) from the main storage chamber 30 into the upper part of the working cylinder (above the piston) and out from the upper part of the working cylinder (above the piston) into the main storage chamber 30. This configuration allows for constant fluid communication between the main storage chamber 30 and the upper part of the working cylinder, as in previous FUSION tools.

[0076] The entire assembly procedure for the internal components of the pressure chamber is designed to be performed without the use of any tools other than a screwdriver or wrench for tightening the screw 82, as described in the two paragraphs above. All of these internal components are sized and shaped to fit together without additional fasteners, and therefore disassembly is also simplified and can be performed without tools. Also, as described above, the entire set of internal components is easily accessible without removing any part of the outer housing (i.e., the rear housing portion 140 or the front housing portion 142). No conventional gas spring tool has a structure that provides these simplified assembly and disassembly features. This “stacked” feature of these main components, including the sleeve 44, spacer 150, piston 21, driver 90, and piston stop 38, may be unique among all types of “air tools,” not just FUSION-type gas spring tools that reuse pressurized gas in multiple drive strokes. (Most “air tools” include multiple valves that prevent easy disassembly of internal components, i.e., disassembly without tools.)

[0077] It will be understood that the bottom structure of the pressure vessel (i.e., the part of the tool that contains the pressurized gas, such as the outer wall 46 of the storage chamber and the sleeve 44 of the working cylinder) can optionally be designed as a separate part that is attached to or formed as part of other components of the tool 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom structure of the pressure vessel is formed as part of the guide body 36, which is an exemplary way of designing such a fastener driving tool. Essentially, the entire pressure vessel of the illustrated embodiment includes the guide body 36, the sleeve 44, the reciprocating piston 21 and its associated seal, the outer wall 46 of the storage chamber, the end cap 50, and the filling valve subassembly 70 which includes a smaller gas passage leading to the filling valve. Many of these main components, including “wear parts” such as the piston stop 38, the piston 21, the sleeve 44, and the driver 90, are readily replaceable by the maintenance procedures described herein. The end cap 50 and spacer 150 are also readily replaceable, but they are not typically considered “wear parts” of such a tool.

[0078] It will be understood that disassembling tool 5 is also useful for inspection to ensure that the tool is functioning properly. For example, this inspection is particularly useful after a fastener jamming event. Removing the piston 21 and driver 90 for either inspecting or repairing a jamming condition is easily achieved by simply removing the end cap 50, as described above. If the piston 21 and driver 90 appear to be free of physical damage, the user can simply reinstall them in the sleeve 44 and retighten the end cap 50 to tool 5. Otherwise, if any physical damage is detected on the piston 21 and / or driver 90, the user can replace them, install new components, and then retighten the end cap 50 to tool 5.

[0079] It should be noted that some of the embodiments illustrated herein do not, for the sake of clarity, have all of their components, which are included in some of the drawings herein. In particular with respect to prior designs, readers should refer to other U.S. patents and applications owned by Kyocera Senco for examples of such outer housings and other components. Similarly, information on "how" the electronic controller operates to control the function of the tool can be found in other U.S. patents and applications owned by Kyocera Senco. Furthermore, other aspects of the tool technology of the present invention may exist in conventional fastener-driven tools sold by the assignee, Kyocera Senco Industrial Tools, Inc., including information disclosed in prior U.S. patents and published applications. Examples of such publications include U.S. Nos. 6,431,425, 5,927,585, 5,918,788, 5,732,870, 4,986,164, 4,679,719, 8,011,547, 8,267,296, 8,267,297, 8,011,441, 8,387,718, 8,286,722, 8,230,941, and These include U.S. Patent Publications 8,602,282, 9,676,088, 10,478,954, 9,993,913, 10,549,412, 10,898,994, 10,821,585, and 8,763,874, as well as U.S. Patent Application Publications 2020 / 0156228, 2021 / 0016424, 2020 / 0070330, and 2020 / 0122308. These documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0080] As used herein, the term “proximal” may mean that one physical object is positioned close to a second physical object such that the two objects are possibly adjacent to each other, but it does not necessarily require that there be no third object positioned between them. In the art disclosed herein, it is possible that a “male positioning structure” is positioned “proximal” to a “female positioning structure.” Generally, this may mean that the two male and female structures are in physical contact with each other, or that they are “fitted” together by a particular size and shape, which essentially holds one structure oriented in a predetermined direction relative to the other and in an XY (e.g., horizontal and vertical) position, regardless of whether the two male and female structures actually contact each other along a continuous surface. Alternatively, two structures of any size and shape (whether male, female, or other) may be positioned somewhat close to each other, regardless of whether they are in physical contact with each other, but such a relationship can still be called “proximal.” Alternatively, two or more possible locations relative to a particular point can be specified in relation to the precise attributes of a physical object, such as being "near" or "at" the end of the rod, and all of these possible, near / at locations can be considered "proximal" to the end of the rod. Furthermore, the term "proximal" can also have a meaning strictly relating to a single object, which may have two ends, where the "distal end" is the end located somewhat further away from the object reference point (or region), and the "proximal end" is the other end that would be located somewhat closer to that same object reference point (or region).

[0081] It will be understood that the various components described and / or illustrated herein can be manufactured in a variety of ways, including being manufactured as part of multiple components or as a single integrated component for each of these components, without departing from the principles of the art disclosed herein. For example, the components included as enumerated elements in the following claims may be manufactured as a single integrated component, or they may be manufactured as a combined structure of several individual components assembled together. However, the “multiple component” still falls within the scope of the enumerated elements claimed for the purpose of infringement of the claims, even if the enumerated elements claimed appear to be described and illustrated herein only as a single integrated structure.

[0082] All documents cited in the "Background Art" and "Modes for Carrying Out the Invention" sections are incorporated herein by reference in the relevant parts, but no citation of any document should be construed as accepting that it is prior art to the art disclosed herein.

[0083] The above description of preferred embodiments is provided for illustrative and explanatory purposes only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the art disclosed herein to the exact form disclosed herein, and the art disclosed herein can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Any embodiment described or illustrated herein is intended as a non-exclusive embodiment, and many modifications or variations of those embodiments or preferred embodiments are possible by taking into consideration the above teachings without departing from the spirit and scope of the art disclosed herein. The embodiments are selected and described to illustrate the principles of the art disclosed herein and its practical application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to utilize the art disclosed herein in various embodiments and with various modifications suitable for specific applications conceivable. Therefore, this application is intended to cover all variations, uses, or adaptations of the art disclosed herein using its general principles. Furthermore, this application intends to cover any such deviations from the disclosure so as to fall within the scope of known or customary practices in the art to which the technology disclosed herein relates and which are included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting a fastener drive tool (5), wherein the method is: (a) To provide an assembly-type fastener drive tool, wherein the assembly-type fastener drive tool is Outer housing (140) and, A cylindrical sleeve (44) and an operating cylinder (10) containing movable pistons (20, 22) inside the cylindrical sleeve (44), A storage chamber (30) that constantly contains pressurized gas that is in fluid communication with the space above the movable piston in the operating cylinder, wherein the storage chamber (30) has an outer wall (46), A movable driver (90) that is in mechanical communication with the piston at least during the drive stroke, An end cap (50) located near the high-pressure portion of the operating cylinder of the fastener drive tool, which is attachable to and detachable from the storage chamber, wherein the end cap is detachably fixed to the storage chamber by a plurality of fasteners (82) and Including providing, (b) Remove the end cap by loosening the plurality of fasteners in sequence, and evacuate the storage chamber to a safe pressure level before the last of the plurality of fasteners is removed, (c) Through the opening created by the removal of the end cap, without removing the outer housing and without using any tools, (i) The movable piston, (ii) The movable driver, and (iii) The sleeve of the operating cylinder Directly accessing and removing at least one of them, Methods that include...

2. (a) To provide a piston stop portion (38) at the distal end of the operating cylinder, wherein the proximal end of the operating cylinder is located proximal to the end cap, (b) To directly access and remove the piston stop portion through the opening created by the removal of the end cap, without removing the outer housing and without using any tools, The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. (a) To provide a spacer (150) having a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions (152), wherein the spacer is attached to the proximal end of the sleeve when the fastener drive tool is properly assembled, the proximal end of the sleeve is located proximal to the end cap, and the spacer and the protrusions are sized and shaped to hold the sleeve in the correct orientation relative to the end cap after the fastener drive tool is properly assembled. (b) Direct access to and removal of the spacer through the opening created by the removal of the end cap, without removing the outer housing and without using any tools, The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

4. (a) Replacing at least one of the movable piston, the movable driver, the sleeve of the operating cylinder, and the spacer, (b) Replace the movable piston, the movable driver, the sleeve of the operating cylinder, and the spacer with new or original parts by following the procedure below, i.e., (i) Inserting the movable driver and the movable piston through the opening, (ii) Inserting the sleeve through the opening, wherein the sleeve is positioned on the movable piston, (iii) Attaching the spacer to the proximal end of the sleeve, (iv) Using the plurality of fasteners, attach the end cap to the storage chamber, and during this attachment operation, position the spacer in the correct orientation relative to the end cap and the sleeve after the fastener drive tool has been properly assembled. To install by, It further includes, (c) Except for the operation of attaching the end cap using the plurality of fasteners, all of the operations for installation are performed without the use of any tools. The method according to claim 3.

5. (a) Replacing at least one of the original parts with a new suitable part including at least one of the movable piston, the movable driver, the sleeve of the operating cylinder, the piston stop, and the spacer, (b) Replace the movable piston, the movable driver, the sleeve of the operating cylinder, the piston stop, and the spacer with new or original parts by following the procedure below, i.e., (i) Inserting the piston stopper through the opening, (ii) Inserting the movable driver and the movable piston through the opening, (iii) Inserting the sleeve through the opening, wherein the sleeve at least partially surrounds the movable piston and the piston stop portion. (iv) Attaching the spacer to the proximal end of the sleeve, (v) Using the plurality of fasteners to attach the end cap to the storage chamber, and during this attachment operation, positioning the spacer in the correct orientation relative to the end cap and the sleeve after the fastener drive tool has been properly assembled, To install by, It further includes, (c) Except for the operation of attaching the end cap using the plurality of fasteners, all of the operations for installation are performed without the use of any tools. The method according to claim 3.

6. (a) Removing the movable driver and the movable piston through the opening, (b) Inspect the movable piston and the movable driver, (c) Installing the movable driver and the movable piston through the opening, (d) Using the plurality of fasteners to attach the end cap to the storage chamber, and during this attachment operation, positioning the spacer in the correct orientation relative to the end cap and the sleeve after the fastener drive tool has been properly assembled, It further includes, (e) Except for the operation of attaching the end cap using the plurality of fasteners, all of the operations for installation are performed without the use of any tools. The method according to claim 3.

7. A method for inspecting a fastener drive tool (5), wherein the method is: (a) To provide an assembly-type fastener drive tool, wherein the assembly-type fastener drive tool is Outer housing (140) and, A cylindrical sleeve (44) and an operating cylinder (10) containing movable pistons (20, 22) inside the cylindrical sleeve (44), A storage chamber (30) that constantly contains pressurized gas that is in fluid communication with the space above the movable piston within the operating cylinder, A movable driver (90) that is in mechanical communication with the piston at least during the drive stroke, An end cap (50) located near the high-pressure portion of the operating cylinder of the fastener drive tool, which is attachable to and detachable from the storage chamber, wherein the end cap is detachably fixed to the storage chamber by a plurality of fasteners (82), A filling valve (70) is located within the end cap, the filling valve is accessible without removing any part of the outer housing, the filling valve is in fluid communication with the storage chamber, and the filling valve is operable to release the pressurized gas from the storage chamber to the external environment of the fastener drive tool, Including providing, (b) Accessing and operating the filling valve while the end cap is fixed to the storage chamber in order to allow the pressurized gas to be discharged from the storage chamber to a safe pressure level, (c) Remove the end cap by loosening the plurality of fasteners in sequence, and before the last of the plurality of fasteners is removed, evacuate any residual pressurized gas from the storage chamber to a safe pressure level, (d) Through the opening created by removing the end cap, without removing the outer housing and without using any tools, (i) The movable piston, (ii) The movable driver, and (iii) The sleeve of the operating cylinder Directly accessing and removing at least one of them, Methods that include...

8. (a) To provide a piston stop portion (38) at the distal end of the operating cylinder, wherein the proximal end of the operating cylinder is located proximal to the end cap, (b) To directly access and remove the piston stop portion through the opening created by the removal of the end cap, without removing the outer housing and without using any tools, The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

9. (a) To provide a spacer (150) having a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions (152), wherein the spacer is attached to the proximal end of the sleeve when the fastener drive tool is properly assembled, the proximal end of the sleeve is located proximal to the end cap, and the spacer and the protrusions are sized and shaped to hold the sleeve in the correct orientation relative to the end cap after the fastener drive tool is properly assembled. (b) Direct access to and removal of the spacer through the opening created by the removal of the end cap, without removing the outer housing and without using any tools, The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

10. (a) Replacing at least one of the original parts with a new suitable part including at least one of the movable piston, the movable driver, the sleeve of the operating cylinder, and the spacer, (b) Replace the movable piston, the movable driver, the sleeve of the operating cylinder, and the spacer with new or original parts by following the procedure below, i.e., (i) Inserting the movable driver and the movable piston through the opening, (ii) Inserting the sleeve through the opening, wherein the sleeve is positioned on the movable piston, (iii) Attaching the spacer to the proximal end of the sleeve, (iv) Using the plurality of fasteners, attach the end cap to the storage chamber, and during this attachment operation, position the spacer in the correct orientation relative to the end cap and the sleeve after the fastener drive tool has been properly assembled. To install by, It further includes, (c) Except for the operation of attaching the end cap using the plurality of fasteners, all of the operations for installation are performed without the use of any tools. The method according to claim 9.

11. (a) Attaching an external gas source to the filling valve, (b) Activating the filling valve to introduce additional pressurized gas from the external gas source into the storage chamber, (c) Refilling the storage chamber with pressurized gas through the filling valve, (d) Removing the external gas source from the filling valve, The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

12. A fastener driving tool (5), (a) Outer housing (140) and (b) A cylindrical sleeve (44) and an operating cylinder (10) including movable pistons (20, 22) inside the cylindrical sleeve (44), (c) A storage chamber (30) that always contains pressurized gas that is in fluid communication with the space above the movable piston in the operating cylinder, (d) A movable driver (90) that is in mechanical communication with the piston at least during the drive stroke, (e) A piston stop part (38) located at the distal end of the sleeve, (f) An end cap (50) located near the high-pressure portion of the operating cylinder of the fastener drive tool, which is attachable to and detachable from the storage chamber, (g) A spacer (150) having a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions (152), wherein the spacer is attached to the proximal end of the sleeve, the proximal end of the sleeve is located proximal to the end cap, and the spacer and the protrusions are sized and shaped to hold the sleeve in the correct orientation relative to the end cap, (h) A mechanical bottom structure (36) located at the distal end of the operating cylinder, wherein the distal end of the storage chamber and the distal end of the sleeve are mechanically connected to the mechanical bottom structure, thereby surrounding the storage chamber to form a pressure vessel. Equipped with, The stacking of the end cap, the spacer, and the sleeve is such that the distal end of the sleeve is mechanically connected to the bottom structure of the operating cylinder without using internal fasteners. The end cap is removably fixed to the storage chamber by a plurality of fasteners (82), An opening is created by removing the end cap, which exposes the inside of the operating cylinder, thereby (i) The movable pistons (20, 22), (ii) The movable driver (90), and (iii) The cylindrical sleeve (44) of the operating cylinder (10) A fastener drive tool (5) that allows direct access to at least one of the fasteners.

13. The tool according to claim 12, further comprising a seal (56) between the end cap and the storage chamber.

14. The tool according to claim 13, wherein the seal is an O-ring.

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