Hose Feeding Device for Continuous Nail Setting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nail setting devices face downtime due to limited nail magazine capacity, requiring frequent magazine replacements and disrupting continuous production, especially in automated systems where a large number of nails need to be sequentially driven into components.
Innovation Solution
A feed device with a hose line connecting a remote supply unit to the nail setting tool, using an ejector pump for continuous nail feeding, and a buffer section to ensure uninterrupted operation, allowing nails to be transported and fed over a longer distance, and a switchable diverter for seamless supply unit switching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If nails are stored in a magazine attached to the nail-setting device, then nails can be fed quickly to the device, but the magazine capacity is limited requiring frequent replacements and causing downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from local storage (magazine attached to nail-setting device) to remote storage (supply unit located away from the device), using a hose line to bridge the spatial gap. This dimensional change in storage location enables significantly larger nail storage capacity while maintaining quick feeding capability through the flexible hose connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose line acts as an intermediary element connecting the remote supply unit to the nail-setting device. This mediator enables nail transport over longer distances and allows the system to overcome the limitation of attached magazines by providing a flexible connection that maintains feeding efficiency while enabling remote, high-capacity storage.
2Loss of time
If a magazine with large nail capacity is used, then fewer replacements are needed, but the magazine becomes bulky and difficult to handle and replace
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the large-capacity storage function from the nail-setting device itself and places it in a separate, stationary supply unit. This separation allows the magazine to be large and stationary (optimizing capacity) while the mobile component becomes the small nail-setting device with hose connection (optimizing handling ease).
Solution Approach 2:
By relocating storage to a different spatial dimension (remote stationary location vs. attached portable location), the system achieves large capacity without compromising the portability and ease of handling of the nail-setting device.
3Productivity
If nails are transported over a longer distance to the nail-setting device, then continuous feeding is enabled, but reliable transport over longer distances becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The hose line, as a flexible conduit, enables reliable nail transport over longer distances by providing a flexible, adaptable connection that can accommodate movement and positioning variations. The flexibility of the hose maintains feeding reliability while enabling extended transport distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose line serves as an intermediary that bridges the gap between remote storage and the nail-setting device, enabling continuous feeding over longer distances while maintaining transport reliability through its flexible, adaptable connection.
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
Enables continuous feeding and driving of nails into components without frequent interruptions, improving production efficiency by allowing the nail setting device to operate for extended periods without manual intervention, especially in automated systems.
Implementation Method 1
using an ejector pump for continuous nail feeding
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a feeding device (3) for feeding nails to a nail-setting tool (2), which has a hose (13) with a front connection for attachment to a nail-setting tool (2) and with at least one rear connection for attachment to a dispensing unit (14) for nails, so that nails can be fed to the nail-setting tool (2) in a longitudinal direction one after the other through the hose (13). The present invention further relates to a nail-setting tool (2), in particular a pneumatic nailer, and to an arrangement comprising a nail-setting tool (2) and a feeding device (3).