Workpiece Contact Element Teeth for Parallel Magazine Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Combustion-powered fastener driving tools face difficulties in actuating properly when the magazine is arranged parallel to the workpiece during applications like toenailing, due to inadequate engagement of the workpiece contact element, which prevents ignition and unsatisfactory fastener penetration.
Innovation Solution
A workpiece contact element with strategically positioned teeth and a nose section design that allows engagement and actuation of the tool when the magazine is parallel to the workpiece, featuring a rectangular cross-section with pointed teeth extending from the rear wall between the magazine and nosepiece, enabling secure gripping and ignition even at angled orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the workpiece contact element has teeth configured for perpendicular tool orientation, then the tool can engage the workpiece when the longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the workpiece, but the tool cannot properly actuate when the magazine is arranged parallel to the workpiece during toenailing
Solution Approach 1:
The workpiece contact element is segmented into multiple teeth (front teeth and side teeth) positioned at different locations and orientations. The front teeth engage the workpiece when the tool is perpendicular to the workpiece, while the side teeth engage the workpiece when the magazine is parallel to the workpiece during toenailing. This segmentation allows the tool to reliably actuate at different orientations.
Solution Approach 2:
The teeth are asymmetrically positioned and oriented on the workpiece contact element. The front teeth project forward from the nosepiece, while the side teeth project from the sides of the nosepiece. This asymmetric arrangement ensures that at least one set of teeth is properly oriented to engage the workpiece regardless of whether the tool is held perpendicular or at an angle during toenailing.
2Ease of manufacture
If the workpiece contact element uses a simple rectangular design, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the element cannot positively engage the workpiece at angled orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The workpiece contact element incorporates multiple discrete teeth (front teeth and side teeth) rather than a simple smooth surface. These teeth are segmented features that can be added to the rectangular nosepiece structure, maintaining relative manufacturing simplicity while dramatically improving workpiece engagement capability at various orientations including toenailing applications.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the tool housing is held at awkward application angles, then the user can access difficult-to-reach areas, but the workpiece contact element cannot properly grip the workpiece, preventing proper tool actuation
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric tooth arrangement on the workpiece contact element ensures that regardless of how the user positions the tool housing at awkward application angles, there is always a set of teeth (front or side) properly oriented to engage the workpiece surface. This asymmetric design provides reliable mechanical engagement and triggers the sliding valve to close the combustion chamber, ensuring reliable tool actuation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables reliable actuation and proper fastener penetration at various angles, including during toenailing, by ensuring positive engagement of the workpiece contact element, allowing the tool to function effectively regardless of the magazine's orientation relative to the workpiece.
Implementation Method 1
Upon ignition of a gas/air mixture in the combustion chamber, the piston/driver blade is driven down the sleeve or cylinder
Implementation Method 2
A battery-powered electronic power control unit produces the spark for ignition
Implementation Method 3
a fan located in the combustion chamber provides for both efficient combustion within the chamber, and facilitates scavenging, including the exhaust of combustion by-products
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
A combustion-powered driving tool (10) for propelling fasteners into a workpiece (12) includes a housing (14), a power source (16) located in the housing, a nosepiece (18) associated with a lower end (20) of the power source, a magazine (22) associated with the housing and constructed and arranged for storing and sequentially feeding a plurality of fasteners to the nosepiece, and a workpiece contact element (28) associated with the nosepiece and including at least one tooth (42a, 42b, 50) extending from the workpiece contact element and being constructed and arranged for engaging the workpiece to enable the tool to actuate when the magazine is arranged generally parallel to the workpiece.