Fastener Driver Rack and Pin Lubrication for Wear Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional fastener driving machines lack a mechanism for lubricating pins and racks, leading to wear and tear during engagement and release, requiring frequent manual lubrication which is complex and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A fastener driving machine equipped with a lubricant feeding mechanism that impregnates a felt with lubricant, allowing it to be fed to the pins and racks, ensuring continuous lubrication and reducing abrasion over time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If no lubrication mechanism is provided for pins and racks, then the device structure remains simple, but the pins and racks become worn during repeated engagement and release

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistance of pins and racksVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lubricant is preliminarily stored in the lubricant storage portion before operation begins. The felt portion is pre-saturated with lubricant, so that lubrication is automatically provided from the start of operation without requiring preliminary manual lubrication or complex lubrication control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The lubricant feeding mechanism is designed to automatically feed lubricant to the pins and racks during their engagement and release operations. The felt portion rotates with the wheel and automatically contacts the pins, transferring lubricant without requiring external intervention or complex control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If manual lubrication is performed frequently to reduce wear, then the wear of pins and racks is reduced, but the maintenance becomes complicated and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistance of pins and racksVSAvoidmaintenance complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The lubricant feeding mechanism enables the device to lubricate itself automatically during normal operation. The felt portion continuously contacts the pins and racks, transferring lubricant automatically without requiring manual intervention, thus eliminating complicated maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The lubricant feeding mechanism operates continuously during the engagement and release cycles of the pins and racks. The felt portion rotates with the wheel and continuously transfers lubricant, ensuring uninterrupted lubrication rather than periodic manual application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If a lubricant feeding mechanism is introduced, then continuous lubrication is achieved and wear is reduced, but the device structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct lifetimeVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lubricant storage portion is merged with the wheel structure, and the felt portion is integrated as a rotating lubrication element. This combination eliminates the need for separate lubrication systems while achieving continuous lubrication during the wheel's rotation and the pins' engagement cycles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The wheel serves multiple functions: it drives the engagement of pins with racks and simultaneously rotates the felt portion to distribute lubricant to the pins and racks. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated lubrication components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 machine achieves improved maintainability and extended product lifetime by maintaining lubrication of pins and racks, reducing the need for frequent manual lubrication and minimizing wear.

Implementation Method 1

a lubricant feeding mechanism configured to feed lubricant to the driver blade and the pins

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentEP3603891B1Driving machine
Publication Date: 2023.04.26 KOKI HLDG CO LTD
  • EP3603891B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3603891B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3603891B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A fastener driving machine provided with a mechanism to lubricate pins or racks is realized. A fastener driving machine 1 includes a driver blade 30, pins 44, and a lubricant feeding mechanism 50. The driver blade 30 can reciprocate in a first direction and a second direction opposite to each other, and hits a fastener when the driver blade 30 moves in the first direction. The pins 44 respectively engage with racks 31 provided on the driver blade 30 to move the driver blade 30 in the second direction. The lubricant feeding mechanism 50 supplies lubricant to the racks 31 and the pins 44.