Electromagnetic Setting Tool Drive for High-Speed Piston Acceleration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing setting tools for driving fastening elements into substrates lack efficiency and quality, particularly in ensuring high-speed and precise insertion of fastening elements.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held setting tool with a stator and working piston, driven by a capacitor and piston coil system, utilizing a diode for rapid discharge and a stator coil for enhanced magnetic field generation, along with soft magnetic materials for increased magnetic field penetration and mechanical robustness, to accelerate the working piston along a working axis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a capacitor and piston coil system is used to drive the working piston, then the speed and acceleration of the piston are improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for rapid discharge switching circuits and diodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the capacitor discharge process through a switching circuit that can rapidly connect and disconnect the piston coil from the capacitor. This dynamic switching enables precise control of the magnetic field generation timing, allowing the piston to achieve high speeds while the system can reset and recharge the capacitor for subsequent operations, thus managing the complexity through controlled dynamic operation rather than static continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The drive system operates in periodic cycles: the capacitor charges over a longer period, then rapidly discharges through the piston coil to generate a magnetic field impulse that accelerates the piston. After discharge, the circuit resets and the capacitor recharges for the next cycle. This periodic operation pattern, enabled by the switching circuit and diode, allows the system to achieve high instantaneous piston speeds while managing energy storage and circuit complexity through rhythmic operation
2Manufacturing precision
If a diode is added for rapid discharge control, then the precision and control quality are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The diode serves as an intermediary component in the discharge circuit, enabling one-way current flow control. It automatically directs the capacitor's discharge current through the piston coil when the switching circuit activates, then prevents reverse current flow during the recharge phase. This passive intermediary component provides precise control of the magnetic field generation timing without requiring complex active control electronics, thereby improving setting quality while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The diode provides self-service functionality by automatically controlling the direction of current flow based on the circuit's operational state. When the capacitor discharges, the diode naturally conducts current in the forward direction through the piston coil; when the capacitor recharges, the diode automatically blocks reverse current. This self-regulating behavior provides precise discharge control and protects the circuit components without requiring external control mechanisms, improving manufacturing precision while keeping the device relatively simple to manufacture
3Force
If soft magnetic materials are used for stator and piston frames, then the magnetic field intensity and penetration are improved, but the weight of the tool increases
Solution Approach 1:
Soft magnetic materials are applied locally only to the stator frame and piston frame components that require enhanced magnetic field generation and penetration. These materials are concentrated in the regions where magnetic flux concentration is most beneficial for generating the electromagnetic force that accelerates the piston, rather than using soft magnetic materials throughout the entire tool structure. This localized application improves magnetic field intensity where needed while minimizing the overall weight increase of the tool
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 tool ensures high efficiency and quality in driving fastening elements into substrates by generating a strong magnetic field for accelerated piston movement, improving the insertion process with enhanced magnetic field intensity and mechanical stability.
Implementation Method 1
the piston coil being electrically connectable to the capacitor in order during rapid discharge of the electrical piston coil capacitor to have a current flowing through it and to generate a magnetic field which accelerates the working piston relative to the stator
Implementation Method 2
the drive having a diode which is arranged on the working piston and is electrically connected to the piston coil... the diode is electrically connected in parallel with the piston coil. The diode is preferably designed as a free-wheeling diode for the rapid discharge of the capacitor
Implementation Method 3
the drive has a stator coil which is arranged on the stator and is electrically connectable to the capacitor in order during rapid discharge of the capacitor to have a current flowing through it and to generate a magnetic field which accelerates the working piston relative to the stator
Implementation Method 4
the stator has a stator frame of a soft magnetic material which surrounds the stator coil. A further advantageous configuration is characterized in that the working piston has a piston frame of a soft magnetic material which surrounds the piston coil
Data Source
AI summary
A tool for working a substrate, the tool having a stator and a working piston, which is intended to move relative to the stator along a working axis and toward the substrate or to hit a fastening element in order to drive the fastening element into the substrate, also having a drive, which is intended to drive the working piston along the working axis onto the substrate, the drive having a capacitor and a piston coil arranged on the working piston, the piston coil being electrically connectable to the capacitor in order during rapid discharge of the capacitor to have a current flowing through it and to generate a magnetic field which accelerates the working piston relative to the stator, the drive having a diode which is arranged on the working piston and is electrically connected to the piston coil.