Fastening Driver Coupling for Stepless Energy and Lower Wear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fastening devices experience high wear due to high contact forces during energy release, leading to reduced lifespan and robustness, and lack a mechanism for stepless adjustment of driving energy.

Innovation Solution

A device with a coupling unit that moves linearly to adjust driving energy from a minimum to a maximum value, allowing for continuous energy regulation, and includes a decoupling mechanism to reduce wear and recoil, using a gas spring as the energy storage device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a gas spring with piston is used for energy storage and release, then high driving energy can be achieved, but high contact forces cause high wear on drive mechanism components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving energyVSAvoiddevice lifespan
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The drive mechanism is segmented into multiple components: coupling unit, energy transfer element, and anvil assembly. These segments allow the force to be distributed and managed separately, reducing wear on any single component while maintaining high driving energy output.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The energy transfer element acts as an intermediary between the gas spring and the anvil assembly. It receives energy from the gas spring and transfers it to the anvil, reducing direct contact forces between the gas spring piston and the anvil, thereby reducing wear on critical components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Power

If a mechanical energy storage device with piston is used, then high power output is achieved, but the device dimensions in the driving direction become relatively large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower outputVSAvoiddevice dimensions
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The energy transfer element is nested within the coupling unit, and the anvil assembly is integrated with the energy transfer element. This nested arrangement allows multiple components to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, reducing the overall length of the device in the driving direction while maintaining high power output capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The drive mechanism utilizes radial expansion and axial compression of the gas spring instead of purely linear piston movement. This dimensional change allows energy storage and release in a more compact configuration, reducing the device length in the driving direction while maintaining high power output.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the coupling unit moves linearly to adjust driving energy, then stepless adjustment of driving energy is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy adjustment rangeVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling unit serves multiple functions: it couples the energy transfer element to the anvil assembly, allows linear movement for energy adjustment, and maintains mechanical connection during operation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate adjustment mechanisms, achieving stepless energy adjustment without proportionally increasing device complexity.

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 solution provides a compact, lightweight device with reduced wear and recoil, enabling adjustable driving energy for various applications, including concrete and steel nails, with improved operational reliability and safety.

Implementation Method 1

a gas spring as the energy storage device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas spring: Spring

Implementation Method 2

potential energy is stored through the movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic potential energy: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4711088A1Device and method for driving a fastening element into a base
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 HILTI AG
  • EP4711088A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4711088A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4711088A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a device 20 for driving a fastening element into a substrate, comprising a housing 21, an energy storage device 22 for storing energy, an energy transfer element 30 for transferring energy from the energy storage device 22 to the fastening element, wherein the energy transfer element 30 is configured to move in the housing 21 in a driving direction 25, and an energy transfer unit 34 for transferring energy from the energy storage device 22 to the energy transfer element 30. It is a coupling device 40 with at least one coupling unit 41, which is in operative connection with the energy transfer element 30 at least in the first position, and the at least one coupling unit 41 is configured to move linearly in the housing 21 at least in the direction towards the energy storage device 22 in order to introduce a predefined driving energy into the energy storage device 22.Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for driving in a fastening element.