Gas combustion type driving tool

A gas combustion type driving tool is provided with a fuel container storing portion, a lid that covers an opening of the fuel container storing portion, a connecting section which is formed in the fuel container storing portion and to which a nozzle of a fuel container is connected; and a cover member that covers the connecting section. The fuel container storing portion is adapted so that the fuel container stored within the fuel container storing portion is attachable and detachable by opening the lid. The connecting section is adapted to be exposed to an outside of the tool by opening the cover member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gas combustion type driving tool.

2. Related Art

In a gas combustion type driving tool, a fuel container such as a gas can filled with a liquefied fuel gas is mounted within the tool, the flammable gas supplied from the fuel container is injected into a closed combustion chamber, a mixed gas constituted of the flammable gas and an air within the combustion chamber is generated, and a fastening member is driven into a work-piece using combustion pressure generated when the mixed gas is ignited.

The fuel container is stored in a fuel container storing portion formed within a housing, and the fuel container is attachable and detachable with respect to a main body of the tool. The fuel container is replaced when the fuel in the fuel container is used up.

The fuel container storing portion includes a connecting section to which a nozzle of the fuel container is connected. The fuel in the fuel container is supplied through this connecting portion.

Conventionally, the connecting section is structured such that it cannot be cleaned or replaced unless the driving tool is disassembled. Thus, a maintenance of the connecting section is difficult for a user.

US2007/0074706 discloses a tool in which the connecting section is formed in a cover member for covering the fuel container storing portion and the nozzle of the fuel container can be connected to this connecting section.

In the tool of US2007/0074706, since the connecting section is formed in the cover member, when the cover member is opened, the connecting section is exposed and thus the connecting section can be easily cleaned or replaced. However, although the cleaning or replacement of the connecting section is easy, the connecting section is always exposed whenever the fuel container is mounted into or removed from the driving tool. Therefore, there is found a disadvantage that a foreign substance such as dust is easy to stick to the connecting section. Also, when the cover member is opened and closed, a pipe line communicating with the connecting section is caused to move. This frequently applies a load to the pipe line, resulting in the degraded durability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One or more embodiments and modifications thereof provide a gas combustion type driving tool structured such that a connecting section for connecting a fuel container can be easily cleaned or replaced and a foreign substance is hard to stick to the connecting section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Description will be given below of an embodiment and modifications thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The embodiment and the modifications described herein are not intended to limit the invention but only to exemplify the invention, and all features or combinations of the features of the embodiment and the modifications are not always essential to the invention.

As shown inFIGS. 1 to 3, a gas combustion type driving tool10according to this embodiment includes a body housing11with a cylinder13stored therein, and a grip housing12disposed continuously backwardly of the body housing11. A striking piston15is slidably stored within the cylinder13, while a driver for driving a nail is connected to the lower surface side of the striking piston15.

On the lower portion of the body housing11, there is mounted a nose portion16for driving and guiding the nail toward a work-piece, while a driver14connected to the striking piston15is slidably stored in and can be guided by the nose portion16. A magazine18storing a large number of nails therein is disposed laterally of the nose portion16. When the nails within the magazine18are sequentially supplied to the nose portion16and are then driven by the driver14, the nails are driven out from an injection port17formed in the leading end of the nose portion16into the work-piece.

Upwardly of the cylinder13, there is formed a combustion chamber19where a flammable gas and the air can be mixed to generate a mixed gas and also the mixed gas can be burned. To form this combustion chamber19, a movable sleeve22may be disposed such that it is slidable with respect to the cylinder13. Specifically, the annular movable sleeve22is disposed to cover multiple openings formed in the upper portion of the side surface of the cylinder13to thereby form within the movable sleeve22a closed space communicating with the interior of the cylinder13, and this closed space is used to form the combustion chamber19. Here, when the nose portion16is pressed against the work-piece, the movable sleeve22can be slid upwardly to thereby close the combustion chamber19.

Within the combustion chamber19, the flammable gas and the air are mixed to generate the mixed gas. When this mixed gas is burned to generate a combustion gas and the pressure of the combustion gas is applied to the striking piston15, the striking piston15can be driven up to a bumper23disposed at a bottom dead center portion within the cylinder13.

In a cylinder head21for covering the upper end of the cylinder13, there is formed a supply port (not shown) which faces the interior of the combustion chamber19and is used to supply the flammable gas into the combustion chamber19. A gas supply pipe is connected to this supply port, whereby a gas fuel injected from an electromagnetic valve device24can be guided to the combustion chamber19.

The electromagnetic valve device24is used to supply the gas fuel to the combustion chamber19and includes an electromagnetic valve for controlling the supply amount of the gas fuel. This electromagnetic valve device24is connected to a fuel container25filled with liquefied gas fuel. Thus, while measuring the fuel supplied from the fuel container25, it can inject a given amount of flammable gas into the combustion chamber19.

As the flammable gas is injected into the combustion chamber19by the electromagnetic valve device24, a rotary fan35provided on the cylinder head21is rotated, whereby the flammable gas supplied into the combustion chamber19is mixed with the air existing within the combustion chamber19to thereby generate a mixed gas having a given air-fuel ratio.

Also, on the cylinder head21, there is provided an ignition device (not shown) used to ignite the mixed gas generated within the combustion chamber19for combustion. This ignition device is constituted of an ordinary ignition plug which can raise the voltage of a battery38mounted on the rear end portion of a grip portion12aup to a high voltage and can discharge this high voltage to thereby generate sparks. This ignition device can be actuated when a trigger39provided on the base portion of the grip portion12ais operated. When the ignition device is actuated and the sparks are generated within the combustion chamber19, a combustion gas of a high pressure is generated within the combustion chamber19and the impact of the combustion gas causes the striking piston15to slide, thereby driving a nail.

Here, the grip portion12a, as shown inFIG. 1and so on, extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the combustion chamber19and thus, by gripping this grip portion12a, an operator is able to hold the gas combustion type driving tool10stably.

Also, the fuel container25of this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 2, is formed to have a cylindrical shape. This cylindrical fuel container25is disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the combustion chamber19such that it extends substantially parallel to the axis of the combustion chamber19.

The tubular fuel container25is stored in a fuel container storing portion26formed in the side surface of the grip housing12. This fuel container storing portion26, as shown inFIG. 2, is formed as a cylindrical space where the cylindrical fuel container25can be stored tightly.

On the upper end of the fuel container storing portion26, there is provided a lid27which can be opened and closed. The upper surface of the fuel container25stored in the fuel container storing portion26can be covered with the lid27. The lid27is rotatably supported on the grip housing12through a lid hinge27band can be opened and closed in the longitudinal direction end portion of the fuel container storing portion26. That is, as shown inFIG. 5, when the lid27is opened, the upper surface of the fuel container storing portion26is opened, whereby the fuel container25stored in the fuel container storing portion26can be taken out or the fuel container25can be stored into the fuel container storing portion26.

Here, a pressure member27amade of high polymer material such as rubber is fixed to the back surface of the lid27. This pressure member27a, when the lid27is closed, can press the fuel container25against a connecting section29awhich will be discussed later. Here, although the pressure member27amay also be replaced with a metal-made spring or the like, an elastic member made of high polymer material can absorb impacts faster and thus can prevent a gas can or the like against damage when absorbing the impacts.

Also, on the side of the fuel container storing portion26, as shown inFIG. 2, there is provided a cover member28which covers the side surface of the fuel container25stored in the fuel container storing portion26. This cover member28, as shown inFIG. 6, is fixed to the grip housing12by a bolt30and, when its fixed state by the bolt30is removed, it can be removed from the grip housing12.

Specifically, the cover member28, as shown inFIG. 6, includes an engaging portion28bformed in one end of its long and narrow semi-cylindrical portion28a, and a bolt hole28cformed in the other end thereof. To mount the cover member28onto the grip housing12, with the engaging portion28bcaught on the engaged portion12bof the grip housing12, the bolt30may be inserted through the bolt hole28cand then may be fastened and fixed to a bolt mounting portion11b. Also, to remove the cover member28from the grip housing12, the bolt30may be removed and the engaging portion28bmay be removed from the engaged portion12b, whereby the cover member28can be removed easily.

When the cover member28is removed in this manner, as shown inFIG. 7, the whole of the fuel container storing portion26is exposed. And, a connecting unit29provided in the deep portion of the fuel container storing portion26is exposed in such a manner that it can be maintained and also can be removed from the grip housing12.

The connecting unit29includes a connecting section29afor connecting the nozzle25aof the fuel container25, while it can be removably mounted on the grip housing12. The connecting unit29includes therein a short pipe line and, in the opposite end to the connecting section29a, an electromagnetic valve side connecting section29b. This electromagnetic valve side connecting section29bcan be mounted into a connecting unit insertion port33formed in the grip housing12and thus can be connected to a gas pipe line disposed in the deep portion of the connecting unit insertion port33. Thus, when the fuel container25is connected to the connecting section29a, the fuel within the fuel container25can be supplied through the pipe line within the connecting unit29, electromagnetic valve side connecting section29band gas pipe line within the grip housing12to an electromagnetic valve device24.

Here, since the connecting unit29is simply fitted loosely into the connecting unit insertion port33formed in the grip housing12, in the opened state of the cover member28, the unit29is easy to slip off due to its own weight or the like. However, since the cover member28is provided, the unit29can be pressed against the inner surface of the cover member28and thus can be supported within the fuel container storing portion26.

As described above, in accordance with the embodiment, a gas combustion type driving tool may include: a fuel container storing portion26; a lid27that covers an opening of the fuel container storing portion26; a connecting section29awhich is formed in the fuel container storing portion26and to which a nozzle25aof a fuel container25is connected; and a cover member28that covers the connecting section29a. The fuel container storing portion26may be adapted so that the fuel container25stored within the fuel container storing portion26is attachable and detachable by opening the lid27. The connecting section29amay be adapted to be exposed to an outside of the tool by opening the cover member28.

According to this structure, by simply opening the cover member28, the connecting section29acan be cleaned or replaced, thereby being able to enhance the operation efficiency of the maintenance greatly. Also, to replace the fuel container25, the lid27may be opened without opening the cover member28, so that the connecting section29ais not exposed. Due to this, a foreign substance is difficult to stick to the connecting section29a.

In the above structure, the connecting section29amay be formed in a connecting unit29which is adapted to be removable by opening the cover member28.

According to this structure, by removing the connecting unit29, the connecting section29acan be cleaned or replaced further easily.

In the above structure, the connecting unit29may be supported within the fuel container storing portion26by the cover member28.

According to this structure, the connecting unit29is easy to mount and remove.

In the above specific embodiment, the fuel container storing portion26is disposed in the side portion of the grip housing12. However, this is not limitative but the fuel container storing portion26may also be disposed in other portions. For example, the fuel container storing portion26may be disposed in an interior of the grip portion12a, or may be disposed along the magazine18, or may be disposed within the interior of a bridge portion31interposed between the grip portion12aand magazine18.

Also, in the above specific embodiment, the cover member28is formed removably. However, this is not limitative. For example, as shown inFIGS. 8(a) to 8(d), the cover member28may be rotatably fixed to the grip housing12through a hinge32and may be opened and closed by rotating it. The hinge32, as shown inFIGS. 8(a) and 8(b), may be provided on the longitudinal direction end portion of the grip housing12, or, as shown inFIGS. 8(c) and 8(d), may be provided on the transverse direction end portion.

In the above specific embodiment, the whole of the side portion of the fuel container25is covered with the cover member28. However, this is not limitative. For example, as shown inFIG. 9(a) to 9(c), there may be provided a cover member28which covers only the connecting unit29neighboring portion.

In the above modifications shown inFIGS. 8(a) to 8(d) and 9(a) to 9(c), the description and illustration of the lid27are omitted. However, the lid27may be disposed in a proper portion with design or the like taken into consideration. For example, the lid27can be structured to cover the longitudinal direction end portion of the fuel container25.

In the above embodiment, the lid27and cover member28are structured as separate members. However, this is not limitative. The cover member28may also be structured to serve also as the lid27. For example, with such structure as shown inFIGS. 8(a) to 8(d), by opening the cover member28, the connecting section29acan be exposed in a maintenance allowable manner and also the fuel container25can be mounted and removed.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS