CA2741022A1

CA2741022A1 - Impact tool and method of use

Info

Publication number: CA2741022A1
Application number: CA 2741022
Authority: CA
Inventors: Janet Gloutnez
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-05-06
Filing date: 2011-05-06
Publication date: 2012-11-06

Abstract

An impact tool has a base with an opening that defines an underlying target area.
A plunger is supported perpendicular to the base by a plunger guide. The plunger has an impact tip and is movable relative to the base to cause the impact tip to move in and out of the target area. A momentum source is provided that selectively propels the plunger toward the base causing the impact tip to project through the opening and strike the target area. The impact tool was developed for use when patching holes in walls, but has other uses.

Description

TITLE
[0001] Impact Tool And Method Of Use FIELD

[0002] There is described a tool developed to countersink holes in walls created by fasteners, but which may be used for other applications.

BACKGROUND

[0003] When person vacate premises nail holes are left in the walls where pictures formerly hung. Those nail holes must be filled and painted over before new occupants move in. The current method involves sanding the area and then filling the holes with a filler compound. What is required is a method and associated tool that will simplify the filling of holes.

SUMMARY

[0004] According to one aspect there is provided an impact tool which has a base with an opening that defines an underlying target area. A plunger is supported perpendicular to the base by a plunger guide. The plunger has an impact tip and is movable relative to the base to cause the impact tip to move in and out of the target area. A momentum source is provided that selectively propels the plunger toward the base causing the impact tip to project through the opening and strike the target area.

[0005] According to another aspect there is provided a method of patching fastener holes in a wall utilizing the impact tool. A first step involves positioning the opening of the base over a fastener hole in a wall. A second step involves energizing the momentum source to propel the plunger toward the base causing the impact tip to project through the opening and strike the target area, thereby forming a depression. A third step involves filling the depression with filler.

[0006] When a fastener is removed from a wall, there is left a raised lip around the opening left by the fastener. This raised lip was addressed in the prior art by sanding, thereby increasing the area to be patched. With the present method, a depression is created around the fastener hole. This depression serves to countersink that portion of the wall where the raised lip is located and to localize the area to be patched. A further benefit is that the filler forms a better bond in the depression than was formerly experienced with the prior art method.

[0007] It will be appreciated that the impact tool described above could be used for other countersink applications or other impact applications. A possible impact application not associated with the construction industry is the use as a chiropractic tool for providing a therapeutic impact to body tissue.

[0008] When the impact tool is used in accordance with the present method there is a need to avoid excessive impacts. Excessive impacts can be avoided by using a spring as the momentum source. The plunger is provided with a gripping end opposed to the impact end.
The spring is placed in a compressed state by manually gripping the gripping end and pulling the plunger away from the base. By sizing the spring, one can limit the maximum force that the impact tool is capable of delivering.

[0009] It is viewed as advantageous if the impact tool delivers a consistent impact every time. Force variations can be experienced when one pulls back on the gripping end of the plunger and releases. To ensure consistent impacts, it is preferred that the plunger have a radially projecting movable trigger and the plunger guide has a radial opening. The trigger of the plunger is received in the radial opening of the plunger guide to maintain the spring in the compressed state. The trigger is then manually pressed to selectively release the trigger from the radial opening, such that energy stored in the compressed spring is released to propel the plunger towards the base. The use of the trigger ensures that the spring is compressed to the same extent for every impact.

[0010] In the accompanying drawings the impact tip is shown as being rounded, which is the preferred impact tip configuration for this particular application. It will be appreciated, that if there was a different purpose for the impact tool, the impact tip may be changed. For example, if the impact tool was intended to impact decorative designs onto an impressionable substrate, the impact tip might be in the shape of a star, a moon, a plant, an animal, a bird, or any other design element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an impact tool.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the impact tool shown in FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view along the line A-A of the impact tool shown in FIG. 2.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the impact tool shown in FIG. 1 in a compressed state.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the impact tool shown in FIG. 1 in a compressed state.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view along the line B-B of the impact tool shown in FIG. 5.

[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of wall with a hole in it with the impact tool positioned on it in a compressed state.

[0019] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the portion of wall shown in FIG. 7 with the impact tool being removed in an uncompressed state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] An impact tool generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 through 8.

Structure and Relationship of Parts:

[0021] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, an impact tool 10 includes a base 12 defining an underlying target area 14 and a plunger 16. A momentum source for propelling plunger 16 is also provided. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in the illustrated embodiment the momentum source is a spring 18. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, plunger 16 is supported perpendicular to base 12 by a plunger guide 20. Plunger 16 is movable relative to base 12 along plunger guide 20 to allow an impact tip 22 to move in and out of an opening 24 to target area 14. In the present embodiment, impact tip 22 is rounded, however it will be understood that different shapes of impact tip 22 may be utilized dependent upon the use of impact tool 10. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, spring 18 selectively propels plunger 16 toward base 12 and causes impact tip 22 to project through opening 24 and strike target area 14. In the present embodiment, the momentum source is spring 18, however it will be understood that various types of momentum sources 18 may be used in conjunction with impact tool 10.
For example, an alternative momentum source is a hydraulic accumulator. Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, spring 18 is placed in a compressed state by gripping a gripping end 28 of plunger 16 which is opposed to impact tip 22 and pulling plunger 16 away from base 12.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 3, in order to regulate the force of impact caused by plunger 16 when spring 18 is released from the compressed state, plunger 16 has a radially projecting movable trigger 30 and plunger guide 20 has a radial opening 32 to receive trigger. Referring to FIG. 6, when trigger 30 is positioned within radial opening 32 of plunger guide 20, spring 18 is placed in a compressed state. Trigger 30 is released by manually pressing trigger 30 which causes it to slide out of radial opening 32 and release compressed spring 18. With compressed spring 18 released, energy stored in spring 18 propels plunger 16 toward base 12.
Operation:

[0023] Referring to FIG. 7, impact tool 10 can be used for patching holes 34 in a wall 36 created when fasteners such as picture hooks are removed. Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, spring 18 within impact tool 10 is moved into a compressed state by gripping gripping end 28 of plunger 16 and pulling plunger 16 away from base 12 until trigger 30 is positioned within radial opening 32. Referring to FIG. 7, impact tool 10 is positioned on wall 36 with spring 18 in a compressed state and trigger 30 positioned within radial opening 32. Base 12 of impact tool 10 is positioned against wall 36 such that hole 34 is positioned in underlying target area 14. Referring to FIG. 8, trigger 30 is released from radial opening 32 to cause impact tip 22 of plunger 16 to travel through opening 24 to target area 14 and impact wall 36 to create a depression 38 with hole 34 within depression 38. Once depression 38 is created, it may be filled with a filler to repair wall 36. This depression serves to countersink that portion of the wall surrounding hole 34 where the raised lip is located which eliminates the need to use sand paper and localizes the area to be patched. A further benefit is that the filler forms a better bond in the depression than is possible when just filling hole 34.

[0024] In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-limiting sense to 5 mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.

[0025] The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

Claims

1. An impact tool, comprising:
a base having an opening that defines an underlying target area;
a plunger supported perpendicular to the base by a plunger guide, the plunger having an impact tip, the plunger being movable relative to the base to cause the impact tip to move in and out of an opening to the target area; and a momentum source that selectively propels the plunger toward the base causing the impact tip to project through the opening and strike the target area.

2. The impact tool of Claim 1, wherein the momentum source is a spring, the plunger having a gripping end opposed to the impact tip, the spring being placed in a compressed state by manually gripping the gripping end and pulling the plunger away from the base.

3. The impact tool of Claim 2, wherein the plunger has a radially projecting movable trigger and the plunger guide has a radial opening, the trigger of the plunger being received in the radial opening of the plunger guide to maintain the spring in the compressed state, the trigger being manually pressed to selectively release the trigger from the radial opening, such that energy stored in the compressed spring is released to propel the plunger towards the base.

4. The impact tool of Claim 1, wherein the impact tip is rounded.

5. A method of patching fastener holes in a wall, comprising:
providing an impact tool, comprising:
a base having an opening that defines an underlying target area;
a plunger supported perpendicular to the base by a plunger guide, the plunger having a rounded impact tip, the plunger being movable relative to the base to cause the impact tip to move in and out of an opening in the target area; and a momentum source that selectively propels the plunger toward the base causing the impact tip to project through the opening and strike the target area;
positioning the opening of the base over a fastener hole in a wall;
energizing the momentum source to propel the plunger toward the base causing the impact tip to project through the opening and strike the target area, thereby forming a depression;
filling the depression with filler.

6. A method of patching fastener holes in a wall, comprising:
positioning a countersink tool over a fastener hole in a wall;
using the countersink tool to form a depression where the fastener hole is located;
filling the depression with filler.