Patent Publication Number: US-2018043518-A1

Title: Power tool

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION 
     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of Chinese Patent Application No. CN 2016106487960, filed on Aug. 10, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to power tools and, more particularly, to a power tool for impacting fasteners. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Nailers are a kind of power tool, which can also be called nail guns. The nailer can generate an impacting force and impact nails through a striking pin. 
     The currently known nailer has only one motor. The motor stores energy for a driving device. The striking pin is fixed by a fixing device. The driving device and the fixing device are connected by a linkage device, so it realizes the linkage of the driving device and the fixing device. When the driving device moves to a predetermined position or the stored energy reaches an extent, the striking pin is released. This mechanical linkage structure is complex and has low reliability. 
     The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect of the disclosure, a power tool for impacting fasteners includes a housing, a striking pin for impacting fasteners, a driving device for driving the striking pin to perform an action of impacting fasteners, a first driving source for providing power to the driving device, a locking element for locking the striking pin, and a second driving source for driving the locking element to lock and/or release the striking pin, which is independent of the first driving source. 
     Further, the driving device may include a first cylinder being formed with a first chamber for containing air, and a first piston slidably disposed within the first cylinder for fixing the striking pin and driving the striking pin to move. 
     Further, the driving device may include a first cylinder being formed with a first chamber for containing air, a second cylinder being formed with a second chamber for containing air, the second chamber is communicated with the first chamber, a first piston slidably disposed within the first cylinder for fixing the striking pin and driving the striking pin to move, and a second piston slidably disposed within the second cylinder, which can be driven by the first driving source to do a reciprocating motion. 
     Further, the locking element may have a first position and a second position, when in the first position, the locking element engages with the striking pin so as to lock the striking pin, when in the second position, the locking element disengages with the striking pin so as to release the striking pin. 
     Further, the locking element may engage with the striking pin so as to lock the striking pin and the second driving source can drive the locking pin to release the striking pin. 
     Further, the power tool may include a controller for controlling the second driving source to drive the locking pin so as to release the striking pin, which is electrically connected with the second driving source. 
     Further, the power tool may include a battery pack where a controller is electrically connected with the second driving source and the battery pack. 
     Further, the power tool may include a biasing element being capable of biasing the locking element to lock the striking pin. 
     Further, the power tool may include a battery pack which provides electricity to the first driving source and the second driving source. 
     Further, the power tool may include a magazine for storing the fasteners. 
     The device that is the subject of the present disclosure has advantages. By way of example only, when the locking element is driven by the independent second driving source and the second driving source is electronic controlled to realize the release of the locking element, the structure is simple and reliable. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an exemplary power tool. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the power tool in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a locking element of the power tool in  FIG. 2  which is in a first position. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a first piston, a second piston, a first cylinder and a second cylinder in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the structure in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the locking element of the power tool in  FIG. 2  which is in a second position. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the structure in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of another embodiment of a power tool. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the power tool in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view of a locking element of the power tool in  FIG. 9  which is in a first position. 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the locking element in  FIG. 9  which is in the first position. 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the locking element in  FIG. 9  which is in a second position. 
         FIG. 13  is a partial enlarged view of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 14  is a partial enlarged view of  FIG. 12 . 
     
    
    
     The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention hereinafter claimed, its application, or uses. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , a power tool  100  is a nailer which may be called a nail gun. The power tool  100  is capable of generating an impact force so as to impact or eject a nail into a workpiece. 
     The power tool  100  includes a striking pin  10 , a driving device  20 , a first driving source  30 , a housing  40 , a locking element  50 , a second driving source  60 , a battery pack  41  and a magazine  43 . 
     The striking pin  10  is used to impact fasteners, for example nails. The driving device  20  is used to drive the striking pin  10  to perform the action of impacting the fasteners. The first driving source  30  is used to provide power to the driving device  20 . Specifically, the first driving source  30  is a motor. The battery pack  41  provides electricity to the first driving source  30 . The power tool  100  can also be called an electric power tool. The housing  40  is configured to mount the first driving source  30 . The battery pack  41  is detachably connected with the housing  40 . The power tool  100  includes a handle  42  for a user to grip which is formed by the housing  40 . The battery pack  41  is connected with one end of the handle  42 . The power tool  100  can also be called a hand-held power tool. 
     The locking element  50  is used to lock the striking pin  10 , which has a first position and a second position. In the first position, the locking element  50  locks the striking pin  10 , and the driving device  20  cannot drive the striking pin  10  to move. In the second position, the locking element  50  releases the striking pin  10 , and the striking pin  10  can move. 
     The second driving source  60  is independent of the first driving source  30 , which means that the second driving source  60  is not the same as the first driving source  30 , or the first driving source  30  acts as an independent power source and the second driving source  60  acts as another independent power source. The second driving source  60  is used to drive the locking element  50  to release the striking pin  10 . Specifically, the second driving source  60  is a solenoid or an electromagnet. The battery pack  41  provides electricity to the second driving source  60 . The power tool  100  further includes a controller  44 . The controller  44  is used to control the second driving source  60 , so that the second driving source  60  can drive the locking element  50  to release the striking pin  10 . The controller  44  is electrically connected with the second driving source  60  and the battery pack  41 . In another embodiment, the second driving source can be used to drive the locking element to lock the striking pin. In a further embodiment, the second driving source can drive the locking element to lock the striking pin and also can drive the locking element to release the striking pin. 
     The magazine  43  is used to store a plurality of fasteners. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , a biasing element  70  is used to bias the locking element  50 , so that the locking element  50  can lock the striking pin  10 . The biasing element  70  may be a leaf spring, a spring or rubber with elasticity, or the like. Preferably, the biasing element  70  is a spring. 
     The driving device  20  includes a first cylinder  21  and a first piston  22 . The first cylinder  21  is formed with a first chamber  211  for containing air. The first piston  22  is slidably disposed within the first cylinder  21 . The striking pin  10  is fixedly connected with the first piston  22  and driven by the first piston  22  to move. Each time the first piston  22  drives the striking pin  10  to do an up and down movement, a nail is ejected. 
     The driving device  20  further includes a second cylinder  23  and a second piston  24 . The second cylinder  23  is formed with a second chamber  231  for containing air. The second chamber  231  is communicated with the first chamber  211 . The second piston  24  is slidably disposed within the second cylinder  23  and driven by the first driving source  30  to do a reciprocating motion. The first cylinder  21  has an inner diameter which is less than the inner diameter of the second cylinder  23 . The first piston  22  has a direction of motion which is substantially parallel to the direction of motion of the second piston  24 . The direction of motion of the second piston  24  is substantially parallel to the direction of motion of the striking pin  10 . 
     The power tool  100  further includes a transmission mechanism  80 . The second piston  24  is driven by the first driving source  30  to do the reciprocating motion through the transmission mechanism  80 . 
     The first driving source  30  drives the second piston  24  to move is a direction depicted by an arrow in  FIG. 4 , and the locking element  50  is in the first position to lock the striking pin  10 . The air between the first piston  22  and the second piston  24  is compressed. Or it can be said that the air in the first piston  22  and the second piston  24  is compressed. When the second piston  24  moves to the leftmost position, the air in the first piston  22  and the second piston  24  is compressed to a maximum. At this moment, the second driving source  60  drives the locking element  50  to move to the second position so as to release the striking pin  10 . The compressed air expands to push the first piston  22  and the striking pin  10  to move so that the striking pin  10  realizes the action of impacting the fastener once. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the locking element  50  is in the first position and engaged with the striking pin  10  so as to realize the locking of the striking pin  10 . The striking pin  10  is formed with a gap. The locking element  50  is at least partially extended into the gap to stop the striking pin  10  from moving. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6-7 , the locking element  50  is in the second position and disengaged with the striking pin  10  so as to release the locking of the striking pin  10  whereupon the striking pin  10  is moved and generates the impact force under the action of the compressed air. 
     The second driving source  60  drives the locking element  50  to move from the first position to the second position. Specifically, the locking element  50  has a direction of motion which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of the striking pin  10 . The first driving source  30  is a motor. The direction of motion of the locking element  50  is substantially perpendicular to a rotating axis of the first driving source  30 . 
     The power tool  100  further includes a connecting element  51  and a moving element  52 . The moving element  52  is driven by the second driving source  60  to move so as to press the spring. Specifically, the second driving source  60  drives the moving element  52  to move towards the second driving source  60 . The moving element  52  drives the connecting element  51  to rotate. The moving element  52  and the locking element  50  are connected with two ends of the connecting element  51  respectively. The rotation of the connecting element  51  drives the locking element  50  to move. 
     When the second driving source  60  stops driving the moving element  52  to move towards the second driving source  60 , or when the second driving source  60  drives the moving element  52  to move towards a direction that is far from the second driving source  60 , the biasing element  70  biases the moving element  52  to drive the connecting element  51  to rotate, and finally drive the locking element  50  to move from the second position to the first position. So, it realizes that the locking element  50  engages with the striking pin  10  so as to lock the striking pin  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8-9 , a power tool  100 ′ includes a striking pin  10 ′, a driving device  20 ′, a first driving source  30 ′, a housing  40 ′, a battery pack  41 ′, a handle  42 ′, a magazine  43 ′ and a controller  44 ′. The striking pin  10 ′, the driving device  20 ′, the first driving source  30 ′, the housing  40 ′, the battery pack  41 ′, the handle  42 ′, the magazine  43 ′ and the controller  44 ′ have the same structure as the corresponding parts in  FIGS. 1-2 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9-12 , the power tool  100 ′ further includes a locking element  50 ′ and a second driving source  60 ′. The locking element  50 ′ has a first position and a second position. Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 13 , the locking element  50 ′ is in the first position and engages with the striking pin  10 ′ so as to realize the locking of the striking pin  10 ′. The power tool  100 ′ further includes a biasing element  70 ′. The biasing element  70 ′ biases the locking element  50 ′ to make the locking element  50 ′ lock the striking pin  10 ′. Preferably, the biasing element  70 ′ is a spring. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 12 and 14 , the locking element  50 ′ is in the second position and disengages with the striking pin  10 ′ so as to release the locking of the striking pin  10 ′. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10-14 , the second driving source  60 ′ is a motor. The controller  44 ′ controls the second driving source  60 ′ to drive a connecting element  51 ′ to slide. The connecting element  51 ′ is driven by the motor to slide along a rotating axis of the motor. So, the connecting element  51 ′ drives the locking element  50 ′ to move from the first position to the second position so as to release the striking pin  10 ′, which makes the striking pin  10 ′ generate an impacting force. After the striking pin  10 ′ is released or when it is needed to lock the striking pin  10 ′ again, the controller  44 ′ controls the second driving source  60 ′ to cancel the driving force acting on the connecting element  51 ′ or to drive the connecting element  51 ′ to move so as to make the locking element  50 ′ move from the second position to the first position under the action of the biasing element  70 ′. The locking element  50 ′ finishes engaging with the striking pin  10 ′ again under the action of the biasing element  70 ′ so as to realize the locking of the striking pin  10 ′. The locking element  50 ′ slides along a sliding direction which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of the striking pin  10 ′. 
     The above illustrates and describes basic principles, main features and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the above embodiments do not limit the invention hereinafter claimed in any form. Rather, technical solutions obtained by equivalent substitution or equivalent variations are all intended to fall within the scope of the claimed invention.