Dosing Lever Cam Design for Consistent Cold-Weather Fuel Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing combustion powered fastener driving tools experience inconsistent fuel dispensing due to dosing lever engagement issues, particularly in cold weather, leading to variations in combustion and tool operation.

Innovation Solution

A dosing lever design with beveled portions and flat contact surfaces that prevent engagement with the fuel cell door and ensure smooth interaction with the combustion chamber ring, ensuring consistent and repeatable fuel delivery to the combustion chamber.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional dosing lever is used in cold weather, then the tool can operate, but the dosing lever gets stuck causing inconsistent fuel dispensing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel dispensing consistencyVSAvoiddosing lever engagement smoothness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The dosing lever engagement surface is replaced with a cam surface featuring a curved profile. This cam surface interacts with a corresponding cam follower on the fuel cell door, providing smooth, guided movement that prevents the lever from getting stuck during engagement and disengagement, thereby ensuring consistent fuel dispensing operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The geometry of the dosing lever engagement surface is modified to include specific angular parameters (cam profile angles). This parameter change transforms the linear engagement motion into a controlled rotational cam motion, eliminating sticking issues and ensuring reliable operation across varying temperature conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If the dosing lever engages with the fuel cell door, then the mechanism is simpler, but it causes inconsistent fuel doses due to engagement interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing lever mechanismVSAvoidfuel dose consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The dosing lever is designed to engage with the cam surface rather than directly with the fuel cell door. This extraction of the direct engagement path eliminates the interference problem where the dosing lever would catch on the fuel cell door edge, while maintaining the necessary mechanical linkage through the cam-follower interface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cam surface acts as an intermediary between the dosing lever and the fuel cell door. Instead of direct contact, the cam surface mediates the engagement process, providing a controlled, stick-free interaction that ensures consistent dosing lever positioning and reliable fuel dispensing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

The solution provides consistent and repeatable fuel doses to the combustion chamber, maintaining tool performance even in extreme cold conditions.

Implementation Method 1

A combustion chamber ring is configured to engage the dosing lever to move the dosing lever between the actuated and non-actuated positions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical engagement: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

a fuel cell metering valve of a fuel cell, the fuel cell metering valve configured to dispense a dose of fuel from the fuel cell

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFuel metering: Valve

Implementation Method 3

a spark generator to deliver a spark and ignite the fuel/air mixture in the combustion chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpark ignition: Electric Spark

Implementation Method 4

ignite the fuel/air mixture in the combustion chamber to start the fastener driving cycle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 5

high-pressure combustion gases that expand and act on the piston to force the driving assembly to move through the cylinder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure to mechanical force conversion: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP4436749B1Dosing lever for fastener driving tool
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC
  • EP4436749B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4436749B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4436749B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A combustion powered fastener driving tool including a dosing lever that reduces the likelihood of causing inconsistent amounts of fuel to be dispensed by the fuel supply assembly of the tool.