Abstract:
An impact device ( 10 ) employing a novel direct electric propulsion system. The device operates by placing a conductive piston ( 23 ) adjacent to an electric coil ( 18 ) then rapidly releasing electrical energy stored in a capacitor ( 17 ) to energize the coil ( 18 ) and propel the piston according to the Lorentz force principal. The system can be designed for a wide range of drive energy, and offers several performance advantages over known propulsion systems. These advantages include simple construction and operation, low manufacturing costs, low drive energy variation, and the ability to adjust drive energy while over a wide range while maintaining low energy variation at reduced levels. The system is adaptable to be powered by either corded electric, or battery, or fuel cell.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/227,885, filed Aug. 25, 2000, which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed in general to impact devices, and, in particular, to a novel propulsion system that allows simple construction with excellent tool attributes, safety, and performance. The benefits of the present propulsion system include a wide range of drive energy, low energy variance, and a high degree of energy level adjustment. The driving device also can be readily used with either a cord connected to traditional electric outlets or can also be powered by batteries or fuel cells. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The powered fastening devices presented and discussed here are indirect acting in that they all propel a piston or driver which in turn drives the fastener into the target material. Meanwhile, direct acting tools propel the fastener directly—no piston or driver is used. Direct acting tools thus require high velocity to achieve the necessary kinetic energy and thus present a dangerous and potentially lethal safety problem. Also, the present invention is directed primarily to hand held tools. Of course, the present device could be mounted in a more elaborate automated, semi-automatic, or robotic system. Also, the present device is primarily directed to driving nails and staples. Variations on the fasteners to be driven or otherwise fixed include corrugated fasteners, screws, hog rings, clips, brads, pins, and the like. 
     The predominant design for powered fastening driving tools that are currently available are pneumatic. The materials to be joined are generally wood or wood products with attachment materials such as fabrics, plastics, felts, and light gauge metals. The fasteners are generally either nails or staples. In these tools, a piston is propelled by compressed air that is stored in a reservoir contained within the tool and released by a series of valves. The moving piston picks up a fastener from a collated storage magazine and drives the fastener into the target material. A compressed air source is required and is connected to the tool by a hose in order to recharge the reservoir. Pneumatic hand tool drive energy is generally limited to around 120 joules, as the tools get too large and bulky above this level. Energy variance is affected by the variance in air pressure supplied, while energy level adjustment is difficult by means of air pressure adjustment. Instead of pressure adjustment, drive energy is adjusted by mechanical means using an internal driver stop to absorb excess energy. 
     Powder (or propellant) actuated fastener driving tools are used most frequently for driving fasteners through attachment materials and into hard surfaces such as concrete, masonry, and steel. Many common types of this tool are single fastener, single shot devices; that are, a single fastener is manually inserted into the firing chamber of the tool, along with a single propellant cartridge. After the fastener is discharged, the tool must be manually reloaded with both a fastener and a propellant cartridge in order to be operated again. Examples of this tool are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,830,254; 4,598,851; and 4,577,793. Some powder actuated tools operate in a manner similar to traditional pneumatic tools in that they contain a magazine which automatically feeds a plurality of fasteners serially to the drive chamber of the tool, while a strip of propellant charges is supplied serially to the tool to drive the fasteners. Examples of this tool are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,821,938 and No. 4,655,380. Powder actuated tools require expensive cartridges which must be reloaded intermittently. Energy level capability with these tools is high, usually 200 joules and greater. The traditional combustion process cannot readily be run at reduced energy levels, as the reduction methods interfere with the optimum combustion parameters. In addition, drive energy variance increases as energy reduction increases. 
     Another example of prior art fastener driving tools involves the combustion of gaseous fuel to propel a piston. The combustion gas is stored in a disposable canister mounted on the tool and metered into the combustion chamber by valve means. The gas ignites by an electrical spark and then the expanding combustion products propel a piston, which picks up a fastener from the magazine and drives the fastener into the target material. The practical energy range is similar to pneumatic tools, around 120 joules maximum, as above this range hand held tools tend to get large and bulky. As in powder actuated tools, the combustion process cannot readily be run at reduced energy levels since the known reduction methods interfere with the optimum combustion parameters. Thus, for energy adjustment a mechanical stop means is used to reduce energy levels. An example of this type of prior art tool is U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,722. 
     Yet another method of propelling fasteners into target materials utilizes an electric motor, a flywheel as energy storage, and various release means. In one example, energy is transferred from the motor to a flywheel storage device. When the flywheel reaches the required rotary speed, and thus energy, a driver is introduced tangentially between the flywheel and an idler roller, and is pinched between the two and rapidly accelerated. The driver then picks up a fastener from the magazine and drives it into the target material by transfer of kinetic energy. One example of this type of prior art tool is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,127. 
     In another method that utilizes an electric motor, energy is stored in a flywheel and then released by a conical clutch means that propels a driver via a cable attachment. Fastener driving is the same process as in the other electric motor tool. This device is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,270. Both electric motor based propulsion systems are highly complex and are difficult to adapt to the rigors of an industrial environment while keeping the weight at a reasonable value for a hand held tool. Energy level control, obtained by controlling the motor speed, is excellent. The energy range attainable can be somewhat greater than pneumatic tools but does not rival powder actuated tools for hand held applications. 
     Another means for propelling fasteners using hand held tools utilizes a solenoid. Here the driver functions as the rod of the solenoid that is drawn into by the coil and thus propelled. The driver then collides with the fastener and drives it into the target material. Examples of this type of prior art tools are many: one of which is Sears catalog No. 9-27235. In another type of solenoid powered tool, a multistage coil is used. Here a solenoid rod is drawn into the first coil then a switch is engaged which activates a second coil. An example of this type of tool is Chinese Patent No. 2,321,594. There are several limitations to this propulsion system. First, the solenoid system consists of heavy components in both the iron rod and the copper coil windings. The stroke of the solenoid is limited by the electric field of the coil and that, in turn, limits the length of fastener that can be driven. Since solenoids are not energy efficient devices, the energy level is limited to around 30 joules. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     Consequently, a need exists for a direct electric propulsion tool as a replacement for traditional combustion (gas or propellant), electric motor, solenoid or pneumatic tools. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a wide range of fastener driving energy that encompasses the sum of the prior art range. 
     It is further an object of the present invention to provide a simple and rugged design that is suitable for industrial and construction environments from both a survivability and maintainability view. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a drive energy reduction means that allows the proper drive energy to be adjusted for a wide range of fasteners. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the description and drawings below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a tool for driving nails that is constructed according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a tool for driving nails according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an electric circuit for use in the tool of FIG.1; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a return system for use in the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a piston for use in the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an electrical schematic circuit of an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is an electrical schematic circuit of another embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIGS. 8A-D show several different embodiments of the propulsion coil of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals indicate the same elements throughout the views. 
     Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a tool employing the principles of the present invention. The tool, generally designated at  10 , consists of a housing  11  which contains the operating components of the tool. A power source  12  is coupled to tool  10 , and may consist of either a battery, a fuel cell, or any traditional source of alternating current. Power source  12  is connected to a power supply/control board  13  within housing  11 . For a battery power source, power supply/control board  13  converts the low voltage direct current of the battery to a suitable higher voltage. For an alternating current power source (AC), power supply/control board  13  rectifies the AC and transforms it to a suitable higher voltage. Power supply/control board  13  also acts to control a current switch assembly  14  that is connected to power supply/control board  13  by a pair of conductors  15  and  16 . Current switch  14  controls the flow of energy between a capacitor  17  and a propulsion coil  18 , with the current flowing via a pair of conductors  19  and  20 . Switch  14  acts to control both the charging of capacitor  17  and also release of the energy stored in capacitor  17 . A trigger switch  22  which is acuatable by the tool operator for controlling tool operations extends from housing  11  and is electrically coupled to power supply/control board  13 . 
     Tool  10  also includes a drive piston assembly  23  which is slidably contained within a cylinder sleeve or bore  24  in housing  11 . Piston assembly  23  is composed of a metal member  25  and a fastener driving member  27  which extends from piston  23  into bore  24  and is sized to slidably extend into and out of a drive track  29  within housing  11 , where it can engage a fastener  31  to drive fastener  31  into a target material  33 . 
     The tool operation of tool  10  will now be described. An operator positions tool  10  on target material  33  and then depresses trigger switch  22  which extends from housing  11 . When trigger switch  22  is actuated, power supply/control board  13  actuates current switch  14  to release the energy stored in capacitor  17 . As current travels through propulsion coil  18 , eddy currents are induced in drive piston  23 . The eddy currents repulse drive piston  23  from coil  18  according to the Lorentz force principle and propel drive piston  23  downwardly within bore  24 . Driving member  27  of drive piston  23  contacts fastener  31  and drives it into target material  33 . 
     In this embodiment, drive piston  23  is returned to and maintained in contact with coil  18  by a vacuum operated spring assembly  40 . Referring now to FIG. 4, assembly  40  contains a tubular cylinder  42  having a closed end  44  which guides a vacuum piston  46 . A vacuum is established in interior  48  of cylinder  42 . Vacuum piston  46  is connected to drive piston  23  by a coupling rod  50 . In this embodiment, the connection is depicted as rod  50 , but may also be a cable. As drive piston  23  is propelled, the vacuum acting on vacuum piston  46  applies a nearly constant force in the opposite direction. Thus, after drive piston  23  has transferred its kinetic energy during the drive cycle, vacuum spring assembly  40  returns the drive piston  23  to its original position and in intimate contact with the face of propulsion coil  18 . Coil  18  is enclosed by a coil housing  54 , as can be clearly seen in FIG.  5 . The wire used to form coil  18  in the present invention preferably has a rectangular cross section, preferably square, which is more efficient in propelling piston  23  and also has a lower heat generation. 
     When the capacitor voltage is reduced during the nail drive, power supply/control board  13  uses energy from power source  12  to recharge capacitor  17 . When the voltage in the capacitor  17  reaches its required voltage, the drive cycle can be repeated. 
     The design of drive piston  23  consists of metal piston member  25  and device member  27 . Member  27  transfers the kinetic energy developed in drive piston  23  to fastener  31  being driven, much the same as in the prior art devices. However, the drive piston assembly  23  presents a design situation that is not encountered in prior art; that is, piston assembly  23  must be highly conductive and also not magnetic. Also, in order to improve efficiency and reduce tool recoil, the mass of drive piston  23  must be kept to a minimum. Highly conductive metals are usually weak materials, as the usual metallurgical techniques such as alloying or work hardening interfere with the electron paths in the crystalline structure. Thus, these highly conductive materials are nearly pure metals with low work hardening, such as pure aluminum and copper. However, the magnetic field generated by coil  18  can be as high as the equivalent to a pressure of 2000 psi, and thus generates large forces and subsequently large stresses. Thus, metal piston member  25  must be stronger than normal highly conductive metals. The design thus lends itself to a two piece construction. An example is a structure having a top section  25   a  that is formed from a highly conductive material, and a lower cup-like structure  25   b  that resists the high repulsive forces and transmits the energy through member  27 . This structure can be clearly seen in FIG.  5 . The material for the lower structure should be both non-magnetic and also have a high strength to weight ratio, such as titanium or aluminum alloys. A design alternative could also be a one-piece design wherein metal member  25  and driving member  27  are made into one part. 
     The strong electromagnetic field emanating from the coil affects material selection of the surrounding components. These components include the coil housing, the drive piston guide tube, and the shank that connects the drive piston to the vacuum piston. In order to attain efficiency in propelling the driver, the materials selected for these components must be essentially non-electrically conductive. If, for instance, the coil housing were to be fabricated from a conductive material such as aluminum, the field would be diverted into the coil and less would be available to propel the drive piston down the bore. Also, the current generated in the coil housing would result in wasteful resistive heating. Similar effects would result for other components in the coil area. Also, the large current flowing through the coil and induced in the drive piston top results in resistive heating in both. It is required of the components in contact with the coil and drive piston to withstand the heat generated from these components and also to conduct heat away from them. In addition, the reaction force from the repulsion of the piston acts on the coil housing and thus the coil housing material must have good strength and impact resistance. Material selections for the surrounding components include plastics and ceramics. Plastic material would be either thermosets such as epoxy, phenolic and polyester or thermoplastics such as polyester, polyimide, polysulfone, polyetherketone, polyamide, polyphenylene sulfide, liquid crystal polymers, polyetherimide, polyarylate, polycarbonate or other plastics and plastic alloys commonly known as engineering resins. These plastics could be modified with additives such as carbon and graphite to improve thermal conductivity or fibers to improve strength and toughness. Ceramic material selection would include silicon nitride, alumina, aluminum nitride, zirconia, silicon carbide, and ceramic alloys and composite materials. The thermal performance of ceramics can also be improved by addition of thermally conductive materials. 
     In FIG. 2, the present invention is depicted as a finish nailing tool. Several components which were not depicted in the tool of FIG. 1 appear in FIG.  2 : a cooling fan  60 , a fan motor  62 , a magazine  64 , and a workpiece responsive safety element  65 . Cooling fan  60  and motor  62  are used to dissipate excessive heat from coil  18 , when necessary. Magazine  64  is used to hold a collated strip of nails. Cooling fan  60  is sized to remove tool heat at a worst case scenario, as it is designed to operate at the maximum rate anticipated for its intended applications, while also operating under the worst ambient conditions. As it is desirable to operate tool  10  under battery power, it is important to conserve as much electrical energy as possible. Thus, a variable speed fan with only “as needed” operation is desirable to minimize electrical usage. A thermostatic control switch can be used to turn the fan on only when needed. Power supply/control board  13  could also be used to provide this operation for maximum battery energy conservation. 
     In FIG. 3, a block diagram of the electrical circuitry for tool  10  is depicted. Several additional elements have been added to tool  10  shown in FIG. 1. A safety switch  66  prevents operation of tool  10  unless workpiece responsive safety element  65  (FIG. 2) is pressed against target material  33  with a suitable threshold force. Finally, a power level adjustment  68  is shown to enable an operator of tool  10  to adjust the drive energy to accommodate a wide range of fasteners. In addition, a microprocessor  69  is shown mounted on power supply/control board  13 . The primary function of microprocessor  69  is to control the operation of power supply/control board  13 . However, microprocessor  69  may be used to monitor and control many different functions of the operation of tool  10 , enhancing its safety and functionality. Several potential uses of microprocessor  69  include: controlling the firing of various components mounted on power supply/control board  13 ; monitoring temperatures in tool  10  and controlling cooling fan  6 ; monitoring line voltages and shutting down tool  10  if under or over voltage conditions occur; sensing the presence of a fastener in drive track  29  to prevent dry firing of the tool; identifying size and gauge of a fastener by reading a bar code on the fastener strip and adjusting drive energy appropriately; and permitting operator identification of the medium to adjust the energy level necessary for a proper fastener drive into that medium. 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 show different embodiments for the operating circuitry of the present invention. Referring now to FIG. 6, power supply/control board  13 , which operates using 120 VAC input a fuel cell, or a DC battery, is coupled to propulsion coil  18  using capacitor  17 , which is connected in parallel to power supply/control board  13 . One side of coil  18  is connected to capacitor  17  by switch circuit assembly  14 . Switch circuit  14  consists of a triggerable normally open switch  70 , along with a diode  72  which is connected in the reverse direction in parallel with switch  70 . The other side of coil  18  is connected to the opposite side of capacitor  17  and the negative side of power source  12 . 
     The capacitor discharge circuit requires a feed forward switch which has high current carrying capacity, a high rate of turn on (dI/dt), low insertion inductance, such as a thyristor. Switch  70  comprises a MOS controlled thyristor (MCT) in the present embodiment. The MCT is preferably used in a solderable die, and the forward current is only limited by the temperature rise in the die. A size 6 die (approximately 1 cm square) has more than adequate current carrying capacity for the present application. The solderable die packaging permits direct insertion of the MCT onto a printed circuit board, this dramatically reducing the size, insertion inductance, and assembly cost for the switching element. Fast turn on diodes are also available in solderable dies and can be incorporated into a printed circuit board in much the same manner. The combination of the fast switching MCT technology and the solderable dies make the pulse switching orders of magnitude smaller than an equivalent thyristor based conventionally packaged system. 
     In operation, capacitor  17  stores electrical energy provided from power supply  13  via the capacitor charging circuit. Once capacitor  17  is fully charged, switch  70  is activated, discharging capacitor  17  and its stored energy into coil  18 . Switch  70  allows forward current flow, while diode  72  allows reverse current flow back to capacitor  17 . This circuit causes the initial capacitively stored energy to flow out of coil  18 , repelling piston  23  and causing piston  23  to accelerate, using some of the energy. Diode  72  allows unused energy remaining in coil  18  to flow back to capacitor  17 , causing capacitor  17  to partially recharge. This reduces the energy requirement for power supply  13 . This circuit design allows for: (1) increased energy efficiency from the overall system (which is an advantage when using a battery); (2) less energy dissipation in coil  18 , resulting in less coil heating; and (3) less power supplied through the power supply also resulting in less heat dissipation. 
     FIG. 7 shows an alternative arrangement for the operating circuitry for the present invention. In this configuration, diode  72  is connected in parallel with capacitor  17  with the cathode connected to the positive terminal of power supply/control  13 . Switch  70  is also connected to the cathode side of diode  72 . In this circuit, when switch  72  closes, and the energy from capacitor  17  is transferred to coil  18 . Effectively, diode  72  traps the energy in coil  18 , causing piston acceleration. Capacitor  17  is fully discharged, so that all of the initial energy stored in capacitor  17  is used in accelerating piston, or is dissipated in the circuit components. However, lower efficiency is obtained from this circuit. 
     The charging system for capacitor  17  is based upon a simple flyback, boost power supply. The input voltage of 110 VAC is rectified and filtered to provide a 50 VAC bus. Capacitor  17  is charged from the DC bus using a flyback circuit employing a single field effect transistor (FET) switch, a transformer, and an output diode. The capacitor charging range is typically 1500 VDC, but is selectable at any value from O to the rating of the capacitors and output switches. The FET is current mode controlled. The FET is turned on and current rises in the primary of the transformer. When a reference current is reached, the FET is turned off and the energy stored in the transformer is transferred to the secondary and output through a diode to capacitor  17 . The FET is switched on under the control of a clock, typically at 200 KHZ. Each switching cycle deposits a small increment of energy in capacitor  17  resulting in a rising voltage in capacitor  17 . This method of control is referred to as Pulse Current Modulation (PCM). 
     The reference current signal is provided by microprocessor  69 . Microprocessor  69  monitors the voltage at capacitor  17  and adjusts the reference current to achieve the desired rate of charge. When the target charge voltage is reached, the reference current is reduced to zero and charging stops. This approach provides control over the charging rate as well as the charge voltage. PCM control in combination with microprocessor  69  provides protection for the circuit under fault conditions. If the output is disrupted, microprocessor  69  senses that the voltage is not rising as expected (slower for an output short and faster for an open output) and shuts the supply off. 
     The tool can be operated in either a corded or cordless mode. In a corded mode, AC power is supplied to an input rectifier on board  13  where it is converted to 150 VDC to supply the fly back power supply. The AC supply can be replaced by a battery pack that supplies 150 VDC directly to the rectifier. The rectifier will feed the DC voltage directly to the DC bus permitting the tool to operate in its usual manner. The high voltage DC battery pack can be constructed either with series cells to directly generate the 150 VDC or it can be constructed with low voltage cells (say 18VDC) and a boost converter to output 150VDC. 
     The boost converter can be built into the tool permitting direct operation from a low voltage battery pack. 120 VAC operation then requires an adapter to bring the AC voltage down to low voltage DC compatible with the boost converter. 
     Capacitor  17  is preferably a film type capacitor in the present embodiment. Various designs and constructions have been developed recently for the manufacture of capacitors. The current state of the art is such that film type capacitors provide a combination of high energy density, with economical mass manufacturability, along with a robust physical design capable of the rigors of the harsh environment into which this type of tool will be subjected. As film type capacitors currently provide the highest possible energy density, this type of capacitor is the preferred choice for the present invention. 
     In general, film type capacitors are made by winding very thin films into a continuous roll, very similar to a roll of hand towels. The film, however, is actually comprised of a first layer of conductor and a second layer of insulator/dielectric material. When wound into a roll, the layers alternate between conductive and dielectric. After rolling, depending on the dielectric material used, a liquid dielectric impregnant may be introduced into the roll to enhance the electrical properties of the capacitor. Alternatively, a dry type capacitor that does not employ the dielectric fluid may be desirable for the present embodiment for several reasons, including better durability, no leakage possibility, and no threat to the environment upon disposal. In addition, with the versatility is the construction of this type of capacitor, it may be possible to integrate the capacitor directly into the tool, providing a more compact tool design with better weight balance. 
     Like most other components, both mechanical and electrical, repeated use results in some degradation in the component performance. In the case of capacitors such as the energy storage capacitors for the present invention, as the capacitor is cycled through charge-discharge-recharge due to repeated use, the capacitor degrades. The degradation results in loss of energy storage capacity at a certain charge voltage. Because fastener drive depth is directly related to energy stored, capacitor degradation can result in unacceptable tool performance. With adequate control capability, capacitor degradation over the tool life can be compensated by appropriately increasing the capacitor charge voltage, thereby maintaining consistent stored/drive energy. The prototype tool employs a microprocessor based control system which can be used to monitor and compensate the charge voltage for capacitor degradation. By actively monitoring/measuring the energy delivered to the capacitor by the charging power supply, microprocessor  69  can accurately and automatically control the stored energy at the preset level. 
     FIGS. 8A-D show several different embodiments of coil  18  windings related to piston for use in the present invention. FIG. 8A shows a device in which coil  18   a  is a “pancake” style coil which is used to inducing current into a round, flat (or tapered) conductive metal piston member  25 . The pattern of current flow induced in piston  25  is intended to be a mirror image of coil  18  current, thereby causing a relatively uniform magnetic pressure on the base of the piston. FIG. 8B shows a device in which coil  18   b  surrounds piston in the same manner as a conventional solenoid. FIG. 8C shows a device in which coil  18   c  is wound similar to a cup, which may provide improved efficiency as a result of better magnetic coupling with piston  25 . However, this design will have higher resistance than that of FIG. 8A because of a greater number of turns, which has a greater wire length. FIG. 8D shows a coil  18   d  using a variation of the coil of FIG. 8C, which may provide enhanced efficiency and performance over that shown in FIG.  8 A. 
     While this invention has been shown and described in terms of a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that this invention is not limited to this particular embodiment and that any changes and modifications can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 
     The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and many modifications and variations for the device and types of fasteners driven are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.