Pneumatic Fastener Tool Hollow Ball Screw Reset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional linear fastener driving tools have complex and expensive reset mechanisms that add weight and are inefficient, leading to frictional losses and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic linear fastener driving tool with a hollow ball screw reset mechanism that applies force axially to the piston, minimizing side loads and friction, and allowing for efficient energy storage and reduced gear stages, along with a driver blade design optimized for impact and cyclic durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional reset mechanisms (rack-and-pinion gear systems, secondary pneumatic systems, or cam-driven rotary lifting mechanisms) are used, then the piston can be returned to the ready position, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of the reset mechanism (translating the piston to the ready position) and implements it using only a ball screw and nut assembly, eliminating complex gear systems, secondary pneumatic systems, and cam mechanisms entirely. This extraction of the core function with minimal components directly reduces device complexity while maintaining operational effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical reset mechanisms (rack-and-pinion gears, cam-driven systems) with a ball screw mechanism that uses rotational motion converted to linear motion through ball bearing recirculation. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity and improves efficiency by using rolling contact instead of sliding contact or gear intermeshing.
2Ease of operation
If conventional reset mechanisms are used, then the piston can be returned to the ready position, but the weight of the tool increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes heavy components such as rack-and-pinion gear systems, secondary pneumatic systems, and cam mechanisms that contribute to tool weight. By extracting these unnecessary components and retaining only the essential ball screw and nut assembly, the overall weight of the moving object is significantly reduced while maintaining the reset function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards complex mechanical elements that add weight without providing proportional benefit, retaining only the ball screw mechanism which efficiently performs the reset function with minimal mass. The ball bearing recirculation system recovers and reuses the balls continuously, eliminating the need for additional weight-bearing structural elements.
3Ease of operation
If conventional reset mechanisms are used, then the piston can be returned to the ready position, but frictional losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces sliding contact mechanisms (rack-and-pinion gears, cam surfaces) with a ball screw mechanism that uses ball bearing recirculation. The balls roll along the screw threads and recirculate through the nut, converting sliding friction to rolling friction. This substitution dramatically reduces frictional losses and improves energy efficiency during the reset operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of the ball bearings between compression and expansion states as they circulate through the nut and screw interface. The balls are compressed against the screw threads during engagement and then expand and recirculate, creating a continuous rolling contact mechanism that minimizes frictional energy loss compared to static sliding contacts.
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 hollow ball screw mechanism enhances mechanical efficiency, reduces frictional losses, and prolongs tool life by minimizing dust exposure and allowing for variable power settings, improving safety and usability.
Implementation Method 1
The reset mechanism includes ball bearings, the screw external threads and the nut internal threads are indirectly engaged via the ball bearings, and the screw, the nut and the ball bearings cooperate to provide a ball screw mechanism
Implementation Method 2
A pneumatic linear fastener driving tool with a hollow ball screw reset mechanism that applies force axially to the piston, minimizing side loads and friction
Implementation Method 3
the nut engages with and drives the piston toward the ready position via a force that is concentric with the centerline of the piston
Implementation Method 4
a cylinder filled with compressed gas is used quickly force a piston through a driving stroke
Implementation Method 5
During the reset operation, the piston compresses the gas within the cylinder, thereby preparing the linear fastener driving tool for another driving operation
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic fastener driving tool includes a gas cylinder, and a piston disposed in the cylinder in such a way that a centerline of the piston is coaxial with the cylinder longitudinal axis, and the piston is movable along the cylinder longitudinal axis between ready and driven positions. The tool includes a blade having a blade first end that is connected to the piston, and a blade second end that is configured to contact a fastener during a fastener driving operation. The tool includes a reset mechanism that returns the tool to the ready to fire configuration by translating the piston along the cylinder longitudinal axis to a location in which gas is compressed in the cylinder. The reset mechanism includes a ball screw device that drives the piston toward the ready position via a force that is concentric with the centerline of the piston.