NZ617550B2 - Stud miss indicator for fastener driving tool - Google Patents

Abstract

stud miss indicator system for a fastener driving tool includes at least one sensor (30) generating at least one signal based on forces generated by a fastener driving operation, a software program (32) configured for receiving the at least one signal, for evaluating the at least one signal as to a fastener being either improperly driven or properly driven, and the program generating at least one appropriate output signal (38, 40, 42, 44) reflective of the evaluation. The software program (32) may be independent of a tool control program such that the tool is operative regardless of the status of the sensor-generated output signal. a fastener being either improperly driven or properly driven, and the program generating at least one appropriate output signal (38, 40, 42, 44) reflective of the evaluation. The software program (32) may be independent of a tool control program such that the tool is operative regardless of the status of the sensor-generated output signal.

Description

STUD MISS INDICATOR FOR FASTENER DRIVING TOOL RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims priority pursuant to 35 USC 119(e) from US Serial No. 61/488,990 filed May 23, 2011.

OUND The present invention s generally to fastener g tools, and particularly to such tools being powered electrically, by compressed gas, combustion or powder.

Combustion—powered tools are known in the art, are also referred to as combustion nailers, and one type of such tools, also known as IMPULSE® brand tools for use in driving fasteners into workpieces, is described in commonly assigned patents to Nikolich US. Pat. Re. No. 32,452, and US. Pat. Nos. 4,522,162; 4,483,473; 4,483,474; 4,403,722; 5,197,646; 5,263,439 and 6,145,724, all of which are incorporated by nce herein. Similar combustion—powered nail and staple driving tools are available commercially from ITW—Paslode of Vernon Hills, Illinois under the IMPULSE® and PASLODE® brands.

Combustion nailers incorporate a tool housing ing a small internal combustion engine. The engine is powered by a canister of pressurized fuel gas, also called a fuel cell. A battery—powered electronic power distribution unit produces a spark for ignition, and a fan located in a combustion r provides for both an ent combustion within the chamber, while facilitating processes ancillary to the combustion ion of the device. Such ancillary processes include: inserting the fuel into the combustion chamber; mixing the fuel and air within the chamber; and removing, or scavenging, combustion by— products. The engine includes a reciprocating piston with an elongated, rigid driver blade ed within a single cylinder body.

Upon the pulling of a trigger switch, which causes the spark to ignite a charge of gas in the combustion r of the engine, the combined piston and driver blade is forced downward to impact a positioned fastener and drive it into the workpiece. The piston then returns to its original, or pre—firing position, through differential gas res within the cylinder. Fasteners are fed magazine— style into the nosepiece, where they are held in a ly positioned orientation for receiving the impact of the driver blade.

Other fastener driving tools operate similarly in that a reciprocating driver blade drives fasteners fed to a nosepiece by a biased magazine. The power source varies, with pneumatic, electric and powder operated tools being well known in the art.

Combustion s and other types of d fastener driving tools are used in construction framing, where building panels such as plywood, wallboard, roof sheathing or other construction panels are secured to framing studs with fasteners, typically nails. A common m for installers is making sure that the fastener is driven into a stud to effectively secure the panel in place. ers not ng the stud represent a wasted , as well as wasted materials, and wasted fuel in the case of the combustion tool.

Many installers employ separate stud finders to facilitate location of the studs, which entails additional effort and inconvenience in carrying and maintaining an extra battery—powered device. Also, the installer cannot always easily see the stud finder’s readout while working, and the use of these s slows production, so sional installers do not typically use separate stud finders. Alternatively, other installers measure the spacing of the studs from a corner or panel edge, often using a chalk line, since studs are conventionally built on 16 inch centers or some other standard depending on the geographic location.

However, the latter method is not foolproof, and studs are still missed by driven fasteners.

Also, conventional fastener driving tools are available with built in stud finders. Such devices locate the stud, but do not indicate whether the fastener was properly driven into both the panel and the supporting stud, or improperly, only into the panel. As such, the available techniques for accurately driving fasteners are not consistently accurate, and the problem of misdirected fasteners persists in the context of framing construction.

SUMMARY The above-listed needs are met or exceeded by the present stud miss indicator for a fastener tool, which preferably features an accelerometer electronically connected to the tool to measure the difference in signals generated respectively when a tool drives a fastener into solid ate, such as decking ed to a stud, resulting in a proper fastener application, and also when the fastener is driven into a substrate backed by air. The latter condition occurs when the fastener does not engage the stud, or engages the stud incompletely, ing in an improper fastener application. A m in the tool analyzes the accelerometer signal and provides a perceptible warning le, tactile and/or visual) which indicates to the user whether or not the fastener has been driven into the stud.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a stud miss indicator system for a fastener g tool, comprising: at least one sensor electronically connected to the tool and configured for generating at least one signal based on impact forces generated by a fastener driving operation; a processor connected to said at least one sensor and having a software program constructed for receiving the at least one signal generated by the sensor, ting the at least one signal as to a fastener being either improperly driven or properly driven; and generating at least one appropriate output signal reflective of the evaluation; and said software program being independent of a tool control program, such that the tool is operative regardless of the status of said sensorgenerated output signal.

There is also sed a fastener tool, comprising: at least one sensor electronically connected to the tool and configured for sensing the amount of force generated during the fastener driving operation; wherein the at least one sensor is an accelerometer constructed and arranged for sensing the amount of impact forces generated during the fastener driving operation; a computer processor ly connected to said at least one sensor and having a software program constructed for evaluating signals generated by said at least one sensor, for determining whether the fastener driving ion was favorable or rable, and for generating an appropriate output signal; and said software m is configured such that said at least one output signal is ted when the fastener is either properly or improperly driven, the output signal being differentiated as to the nature of the output.

There is also disclosed a stud miss indicator system for a er driving tool including at least one sensor generating at least one signal based on forces generated by a fastener driving operation, a software program configured for receiving the at least one signal, for evaluating the at least one signal as to a fastener being either improperly driven or properly driven, and the program generating at least one appropriate output signal reflective of the evaluation.

There is disclosed a fastener tool, including at least one sensor configured for sensing the amount of force generated during a fastener driving operation, a sor connected to the at least one sensor and having a software program constructed for evaluating signals generated by the at least one sensor and determining whether the er driving operation was favorable or unfavorable, and for generating an appropriate output signal.

BRIEF PTION OF THE DRAWINGS is a perspective view of a fastener tool suitable for use with the present system; and is a flow chart depicting the present fastener drive sensing system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the present stud miss indicator system 10 is schematically shown d to a fastener g tool or fastener tool, generally designated 12 and constructed according to the general disclosure of the patents incorporated by reference. It will be understood that while the t discussion relates to a depicted tion tool, the present application is directed to powered er driving tools regardless of their power source, and including pneumatic, electrical, powder activated tools and the like. More specifically, the tool 12 includes a housing 14 defining a power source enclosure 16, and a ece 18 depending from the ure and having a ally reciprocating workpiece contact element 20. The housing 14 also defines a handle 22 with a trigger 24 and a mount for a magazine 26, constructed and arranged for storing a supply of fasteners (not shown) to be urged toward, and driven from, the nosepiece 18.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, included in the system 10 is at least one sensor 30, ably an accelerometer or similar sensor conventionally ble and capable of sensing shock, impact or other forces such as those generated during a fastener driving operation. The sensor 30 is mounted to the tool 12 at a desired location that is suitable for measuring the impact forces generated in the fastener driving s. Further, the sensor 30 is constructed and arranged for generating at least one signal ponding to the sensed forces.

Presently contemplated mounting locations for the sensor 30 include at least one of the housing 14 on or near the power source enclosure 16, the nosepiece 18, or the magazine 26; however any location is suitable provided that the sensor can properly measure the forces generated during the fastener driving operation.

As seen in the sensor 30 is connected to a software program 32, incorporated into a programmable microprocessor, other computer chip or the like, which is preferably part of a central processing unit (CPU) 34 constructed and arranged for ing other tool functions, and is conventionally located in the tool handle 22 (. Other locations for the CPU 34 are considered suitable ing on the application. More specifically, the software program 32 is programmed for receiving the at least one signal generated by the sensor 30 and for evaluating and distinguishing those signals between high (improperly driven er), versus low (properly driven) “g” forces generated during the fastener driving operation. An appropriate output signal is generated by the software program 32 that is reflective of the evaluation of the sensor signals. When the fastener is improperly , the tool 12 absorbs excess energy ed by the driving function which is not absorbed in the course of driving the fastener into the workpiece. This excess energy results in greater 66 77 g force readings.

Once the program 32 ines the type of signal (high or low “g” forces), an output or alarm signal is generated from an output 36 of the microprocessor 34 and is connected to an indicating device, preferably, at least one of an audible alarm 38, a vibrating device 40, a visual indicator 42 such as an illuminated light or an LED, or a visual display 44 on a screen 46 located on the tool 12.

It is contemplated that the software program 32 is configured such that the output is generated both when the impact sensor signal data is favorable or low ner properly driven) as well as rable or high (fastener improperly ), and different types of alarm or indicator signals are triggered depending on the nature of the output signal. For example, a first color such as a green visual indicator 42 is illuminated when the signal data is favorable, and a second, distinct color such as a red indicator is nated when the signal data is unfavorable.

Naturally, the particular colors may vary to suit the situation. Different audible alarms 38, vibrating alarm pulses 40, and visual display messages 44 are also contemplated depending on whether the signal is tive of a favorable or an rable fastener driving operation. Alternatively, the program 32 is configured such that the output 36 is generated to trigger an indication such as an alarm (visual, audible and/or tactile) only when the impact signal is interpreted to be unfavorable (fastener is improperly driven).

Thus, by using the present stud miss indicator system 10, an operator of a fastener g tool can more efficiently determine r or not a fastener was properly driven into the immediate workpiece, such as a d board or structural panel and into an ying stud. If the system indicates that a stud was missed, the user can rapidly correct the error by correctly driving a supplemental fastener.

While a particular embodiment of the stud miss indicator for fastener driving tool has been described herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the invention in its broader aspects and as set forth in the following claims.

While various embodiments of the present ion have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without ing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present ion should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments. hout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or ation derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates

Claims (7)

WHAT IS CLAIMED:

1. A stud miss tor system for a fastener driving tool, comprising: at least one sensor electronically connected to the tool and configured for generating at least one signal based on impact forces ted by a fastener driving operation; a processor connected to said at least one sensor and having a software m constructed for receiving the at least one signal ted by the sensor, evaluating the at least one signal as to a fastener being either improperly driven or properly driven; and generating at least one appropriate output signal reflective of the evaluation; and said software program being ndent of a tool control program, such that the tool is operative regardless of the status of said sensor-generated output signal.

2. The stud miss indicator system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is an accelerometer.

3. The stud miss indicator system of claim 1 wherein said at least one output signal is at least one of audible, visual and vibratory.

4. The stud miss indicator system of claim 3 wherein said at least one output signal is sent to an indicating device including at least one of a buzzer, a first color warning light, and a second color warning light, said lights being at least one of illuminated or ted on a display.

5. The stud miss indicator system of claim 1 wherein said software program is constructed such that said at least one output signal is generated only when the fastener is improperly .

6. The stud miss indicator system of claim 1 wherein said software program is constructed such that said at least one output signal is generated when the fastener is either properly or improperly driven, the output signal being entiated as to the nature of the output.

7. A stud miss indicator system for a fastener driving tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. WO 62297 WO 62297 FIG. 2