Spring Anvil Assembly Decoupling for Portable Impacting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing impacting apparatuses face issues such as complexity, high cost, unreliability, poor ergonomics, non-portability, high reaction force, short life, safety hazards, and inefficiency due to reliance on fuel cells, air hoses, or heavy mechanical springs.
Innovation Solution
A portable impacting apparatus powered by rechargeable batteries, using a motor to actuate a spring anvil assembly with either a mechanical or gas spring, which reduces size and weight, and features a drive mechanism that decouples to allow efficient energy storage and release, enhancing safety and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a pneumatic impacting apparatus is used, then rapid delivery of fasteners and quick assembly is achieved, but the device requires an air compressor and air hoses which tether the user and reduce portability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the air compressor and air hose components from the impacting apparatus, creating a self-contained portable device that uses an internal spring mechanism instead of external pneumatic supply, thereby eliminating the tethering constraint while maintaining impacting capability
2Ease of operation
If a fuel cell impacting device is used, then portability is achieved, but the design becomes complicated and expensive requiring both electricity and fuel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the fuel cell, battery, and spark ignition system from the device, replacing them with a simple mechanically-actuated spring mechanism that requires no consumable fuel or electrical power source, thereby eliminating the complexity of dual power systems
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism is manually cocked by the operator through a simple motion, storing potential energy that automatically drives the impacting action, making the device self-powered without requiring external electricity or fuel cartridges
3Speed
If a flywheel mechanism is used, then very quick impacting is achieved, but the tool becomes very heavy and large
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a rotating flywheel to store and release energy, the patent inverts the approach by using a linear spring that is compressed and then released to drive the impacting anvil, achieving similar energy storage and release functionality with significantly reduced weight and size
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a spring mechanism that functions similarly to pneumatic systems in storing and releasing energy, but uses mechanical elasticity instead of compressed gas, eliminating the need for heavy flywheels while maintaining rapid impacting capability
4Power
If a mechanical spring is used to store potential energy, then impacting energy is achieved, but the spring must be very heavy and bulky and suffers from fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes a spring mechanism designed to optimize the strength-to-weight ratio, potentially employing materials or configurations that reduce weight while maintaining the necessary energy storage capacity for effective impacting
Solution Approach 2:
The spring system is designed to operate within optimal stress ranges that prevent fatigue failure, using dynamic loading and unloading cycles that extend the service life of the spring while maintaining impacting power
5Productivity
If a multiple impact design is used, then continuous impacting is achieved, but efficiency is reduced due to constant motion reversal
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism is designed to maintain continuous contact with the anvil during the impacting cycle, eliminating the need for complete motion reversal and maintaining momentum throughout the operation, thereby reducing energy loss and improving efficiency
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 solution provides a cost-effective, portable, and safe impacting apparatus with improved ergonomics, reduced reaction force, and increased efficiency, overcoming the limitations of prior art by using a battery-powered motor to drive a spring anvil assembly with minimal reactionary force and efficient energy transfer.
Implementation Method 1
uses a motor to actuate a spring anvil assembly with either a mechanical or gas spring
Implementation Method 2
The spring anvil assembly can include either a mechanical spring or a gas spring that is coupled to a piston
Implementation Method 3
powered by rechargeable batteries, using a motor to actuate a spring anvil assembly
Implementation Method 4
the stroke of the piston of the spring anvil assembly is less than one half the total movement of the spring anvil assembly... the pressure increase during the piston movement is less than 30% of the initial pressure, thus yielding a more constant torque
Data Source
AI summary
An impacting apparatus includes a spring anvil assembly and a drive mechanism that alternatively engages a the spring anvil assembly to actuate the spring anvil assembly to store potential energy in the spring anvil assembly, and which drive mechanism alternatively disengages the spring anvil assembly to allow the spring anvil assembly to launch and accelerate toward an impact target to deliver impact energy from the spring anvil assembly to the impact target. In an embodiment, the spring anvil assembly is biased to a start position by one of the impact target and the weight of the apparatus. The spring anvil assembly may comprise a gas spring or a spring, for example. The apparatus is capable of delivering multiple impacts to an impact target.