Hybrid Cordless Cap Tool Spring Energy Harvesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tools for applying caps and fasteners in the construction industry are either unwieldy due to air hoses or prone to jamming and require different swing strokes, leading to inefficiencies and increased labor costs.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid tool that utilizes stored mechanical energy from a biasing element and an onboard power source, such as a rechargeable battery, to advance caps and fasteners, allowing for efficient operation without consuming power for cap advancement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a pneumatically operated tool with air conduits is used to advance caps and nails, then the tool is powerful and durable, but the tool becomes unwieldy and gains weight due to the attached air hose
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the air hose and pneumatic system from the tool, transitioning to a self-contained battery-powered system. This eliminates the external air supply dependency while maintaining the driving force needed to advance caps and nails through electric motor power.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the pneumatic mechanical system (air hoses and compressors) with an electrical system (battery and electric motor). This substitution maintains the functional capability of advancing fasteners while eliminating the weight and unwieldiness associated with pneumatic components.
2Strength
If a pneumatically operated tool with air conduits is used to advance caps and nails, then the tool is powerful and durable, but the air hose can be cut or damaged requiring repair and causing downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the vulnerable air hose from the system, replacing it with an integrated battery-powered electric motor system. This eliminates the external conduit that is prone to cutting and damage, significantly improving tool reliability and eliminating repair downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a self-contained system where the battery and electric motor are integrated into the tool housing, requiring no external air supply infrastructure. The tool becomes self-sufficient and immune to external hose damage, enhancing operational reliability.
3Ease of operation
If a hammer type tool is used to advance caps and nails through impact, then the tool is freed from air hose dependency, but the tool may fail to properly advance caps or nails when not swung hard enough
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the manual impact mechanism (requiring user swing force) with an electric motor-driven system. This substitution provides consistent, controlled force to advance caps and nails reliably, eliminating the variability and potential failure associated with manual swinging while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the force delivery parameter from variable manual impact to controlled electric motor force. This ensures consistent advancement force regardless of user strength or technique, improving reliability while keeping the operation simple and straightforward.
4Ease of operation
If a hammer type tool is used to advance caps and nails through impact, then the tool is freed from air hose dependency, but the tool may inadvertently jam when dropped
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the gravity-dependent manual impact system with an electric motor-driven system that uses controlled electromagnetic force. This substitution eliminates the jamming issue that occurs when manual tools are dropped, as the electric system maintains proper force vectors and component alignment regardless of tool orientation or accidental drops.
5Extent of automation
If conventional tools use power sources to advance both caps and fasteners, then the operation is automated, but the power source is consumed rapidly requiring frequent recharging
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the power requirements into two distinct functions: the battery-powered electric motor handles only the high-force fastener driving operation, while the cap advancement mechanism uses stored mechanical energy from the spring. This segmentation optimizes power usage by assigning each function to the most efficient energy source, reducing overall battery consumption while maintaining full automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the energy delivery parameter for cap advancement from electrical to mechanical (stored spring energy). This parameter change reduces battery power consumption while maintaining automated operation, as the spring mechanism provides sufficient force for cap advancement without requiring electrical input.
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 tool efficiently secures substrates by conserving battery power for fastener driving, reducing downtime and labor costs, and enabling multiple uses without the need for frequent recharging.
Implementation Method 1
energy stored in a biasing element, such as a spring, the energy harvested upon engagement of the tool with a surface
Implementation Method 2
energy stored in a power source, such as a battery, to advance the fastener through the cap thereby applying the fastener/cap combination to a substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A construction tool and method for use for administering a fastener and an associated cap to secure fabrics, paper, sheets, and/or panels to a substrate is provided. The tool can be a hybrid tool that utilizes a) energy stored in a spring, the energy harvested upon engagement of the tool with a surface, to move a cap and/or a fastener to an advancement station, and b) energy stored in a power source, such as a battery, to advance the fastener through the cap and apply the fastener/cap combination to a substrate. The hybrid tool can utilize both energy harvested from mechanical motion and energy stored in an onboard power source to function. A related method of using the tool is provided.