Driving Tool Cartridge Belt Limit Switch Upstream Sensing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driving tools for fasteners on cartridge belts face limitations in flexibility and operational safety, particularly due to restrictive sensing mechanisms that only work with specific fasteners and can lead to unsafe conditions and product liability issues from unloaded driving cycles.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves shifting the sensing point of the cartridge belt limit switch upstream of the driving channel, allowing for a delayed deactivation of the tool after the last fastener is driven, ensuring the last fastener can be inserted and using the conveying drive means for simple deactivation, thereby enhancing flexibility and safety across various fastener types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sensing point is positioned in the driving channel to detect fastener presence, then the tool can detect whether a fastener is present, but the tool deactivates before the last fastener is driven and requires fastener-specific sensing designs
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing point is positioned upstream of the driving channel to detect the cartridge belt presence before the fastener reaches the driving position. This preliminary detection allows the tool to continue operating through the current driving cycle even after the fastener has been consumed, ensuring the last fastener is fully driven before deactivation occurs.
2Reliability
If the tool deactivates immediately when no fasteners remain in the driving channel, then operational safety is maintained, but the last fastener may not be fully driven and the tool requires restrictive sensing mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of cartridge belt presence upstream, allowing the current driving cycle to complete fully. This ensures the last fastener is completely driven into the workpiece before the tool deactivates, maintaining both safety and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying drive means automatically performs the deactivation function after the cartridge belt is no longer detected at the sensing point. The system uses its own conveying mechanism to trigger the deactivation sequence, eliminating the need for separate sensing and control mechanisms for each fastener type.
3Measurement precision
If a mechanical cartridge belt limit switch senses in the driving channel, then the tool can detect fastener presence, but the sensing is limited to specific fastener types and may cause fastener catching
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing point is relocated from the driving channel (one dimension) to an upstream position in the conveying path (another dimension). This spatial relocation transforms the detection mechanism into a universal cartridge belt presence detector rather than a fastener-specific sensor, reducing complexity and expanding compatibility.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2a
AI summary
The invention relates to a driving tool for driving in fasteners (1) on a cartridge belt (4), in particular nails or staples, in driving cycles out of a driving channel (2), wherein a driving cycle is combined with a conveying cycle for the cartridge belt (4) along a conveying path, wherein a mechanical cartridge belt limit switch (8) is provided which senses at a sensing point (9) in the conveying path whether the cartridge belt (4) is present, wherein, after the cartridge belt is no longer present at the sensing point (9) following a conveying cycle, the cartridge belt limit switch (8) initiates the deactivation of the driving tool. It is proposed that, after the cartridge belt is no longer present at the sensing point (9), the cartridge belt limit switch (8) can still carry out a last driving cycle or a last group of driving cycles, and the deactivation of the driving tool is initiated only after the last driving cycle or the last group of driving cycles has been completed.