Hand-held Tool Power Saving and Fastener Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hand-held tools, such as nailing machines, face issues with increased weight due to existing blank striking preventive mechanisms and electronic components, leading to inconvenience and potential damage from battery terminal breakage during impact, along with inefficient power management and complex mounting processes for electronic parts.

Innovation Solution

A hand-held tool design incorporating a power-saving mechanism that switches between active and wait modes based on fastener ejection detection, using a lightweight battery connected through conductors to a circuit substrate in a floating state, and a modular detecting mechanism for residual fastener quantity with a counter and warning system, reducing weight and complexity while ensuring impact resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a blank striking preventive mechanism is provided on a hand-held tool, then blank striking can be prevented, but the weight of the hand-held tool increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblank striking preventionVSAvoidhand-held tool weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential function of blank striking prevention by using a simple sensor to detect fastener presence rather than implementing a complex preventive mechanism. The sensor only detects whether a fastener is present, and the control unit simply prevents operation when absent, achieving prevention with minimal added weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical preventive mechanisms with an electronic sensing system. Instead of using mechanical interlocks or physical barriers to prevent blank striking, the system uses a sensor to detect fastener presence and controls the operation accordingly, significantly reducing the mechanical weight while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If a battery is mounted onto a circuit substrate by soldering, then electrical connection is established, but the terminal portion is easy to break due to impact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connectionVSAvoidterminal portion strength

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies beforehand cushioning by designing the battery mounting structure to absorb impact before it reaches the soldered terminal. The battery is mounted in a way that allows movement or includes cushioning elements that prevent impact forces from being transmitted to the fragile solder joints, preventing terminal breakage while maintaining electrical connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary element between the battery terminal and the circuit substrate. This intermediary could be a flexible connector, spring contact, or cushioning material that mediates the connection, allowing electrical contact while absorbing impact forces that would otherwise break the terminal portion during tool operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If electronic parts are mounted using conventional methods, then functional requirements are met, but the mounting process is complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectronic part functionalityVSAvoidmounting process efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple electronic components into integrated modules or assemblies that can be mounted as single units. By combining the sensor, control unit, and associated circuitry into integrated packages, the number of separate mounting operations is reduced, simplifying the mounting process while maintaining all necessary functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent designs electronic components with universal mounting features that can be installed using standardized procedures. The sensor and control unit are designed to accommodate various mounting configurations and can be installed using general-purpose techniques rather than specialized processes, improving productivity while ensuring reliable functionality across different applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8701956B2Hand-held tool, fastener residual quantity detecting mechanism, fastener residual quantity detecting method, and power saving method

Publication Date: 2014.04.22 MAX CO LTD

AI summary

A hand-held tool, in which multiple fasteners are successively fed, is provided with: an ejection detecting portion for detecting an ejection of the fasteners; and a control portion for switching from a power saving wait mode of small power consumption to an active mode capable of executing normal processing when the ejection detecting portion detects the ejection of the fasteners, and for switching from the active mode to the wait mode when the normal processing is ended.