Fuel Cell Adapter Assembly for Combustion Fastener Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly process of known combustion-powered fastener driving tool fuel cells is inefficient and time-consuming, requiring a manual three-step process to attach the fuel cell adapter to the fuel cell, and it can be difficult to remove the adapter once attached, with the fuel cell cap serving no purpose after removal and typically being discarded.
Innovation Solution
A combustion-powered fastener driving tool fuel cell assembly that allows the fuel cell adapter and cap to be removably attached to the fuel cell in a single efficient step, using a fuel cell with a sealing member and a fuel cell adapter with tapered engagement ridges and a cap with engagement hands to securely engage the adapter, facilitating easy attachment and detachment without rotation, enabling manual or automatic operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a manual three-step process is used to attach the fuel cell adapter to the fuel cell, then the adapter can be securely attached, but the assembly process becomes inefficient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple attachment steps into a single operation by designing the fuel cell adapter with integrated engagement features that simultaneously attach to both the fuel cell body and the seal, eliminating the need for separate threading and sealing steps
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel cell adapter is segmented into distinct functional features including external threads for engagement, a seal member for sealing, and engagement ridges for alignment, allowing each feature to perform its function independently in a single attachment motion
2Reliability
If the fuel cell adapter is designed for secure attachment, then it can be reliably connected, but it becomes difficult to remove the adapter once attached
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is designed to be dynamically reversible, featuring threads and engagement features that provide strong attachment in one direction while allowing controlled disengagement through reverse motion, enabling both secure connection and easy removal
3Ease of operation
If the fuel cell cap is removed after use, then it serves no further purpose, but it is typically discarded creating waste
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel cell cap is designed as a reusable component that can be easily removed and reused with subsequent fuel cells, transforming it from a disposable item into a recoverable and repeatedly used element, thereby reducing material waste
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a combustion-powered fastener driving tool fuel cell assembly including a fuel cell, fuel cell adapter, and fuel cell adapter cap for a combustion-powered fastener driving tool. The fuel cell, the fuel cell adapter, and the fuel cell adapter cap enable both the fuel cell adapter and the fuel cell adapter cap to be attached to a fuel cell and particularly a sealing member of the fuel cell in one efficient step. This single step process can be done manually or automatically, and is substantially more efficient and less time-consuming than the known fuel cell assemblies.