EP3822029B1

EP3822029B1 - A fastening tool

Info

Publication number: EP3822029B1
Application number: EP19209318.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Luc Simonin
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 2019-11-15
Filing date: 2019-11-15
Publication date: 2023-07-12
Anticipated expiration: 2039-11-15
Also published as: FI3822029T3; EP4238702A3; EP4238702A2; EP3822029A1

Description

Technical Field of Invention

The invention concerns a fastening tool for affixing a fastener to a structure. In particular, the present invention relates to a fastening tool, such as a nail gun, including a magazine carrier arm having an improved attachment mechanism for the fastener magazine.

Background

A fastening tool is a device that is used to affix a fastener to a structure. In some examples, the fastening tool may be a nail gun used to affix a nail to a wall. In particular, the fastening tool may receive a magazine that is operably coupled to the tool via a magazine carrier. The magazine generally includes one or more fasteners that are to be driven by the fastening tool into the structure. EP3263282 , EP0170424 and EP1206337 disclose all a fastening tool comprising a housing and a magazine carrier arm to receive a magazine according to the preamble of claim 1.
It is generally known in the art to provide a fastening tool including a housing, a magazine carrier arm and a handle. The magazine carrier arm and the handle may be generally coplanar and extend perpendicularly with respect to the housing. Currently used magazine carrier arms may include a first cam member that is operably coupled to a bolt member for receiving and securing an attachment portion of the magazine. The magazine suitable for such a known magazine carrier arm includes a hook portion that is provided with a second cam member adapted to cooperate and interact with the first cam member and bolt. The hook portion of the known magazine engages with the bolt member of the magazine carrier arm, such that the magazine is hooked to the bolt member. Then, a bolt handle of the fastening tool is rotated, thereby causing rotation of the bolt member and the first cam member, so as to urge the second cam member into facing engagement with the cam member. Upon further rotation of the bolt handle, the first and second cam members interact and cooperate so as to translate the rotational movement of the bolt member (tightening screw) and bolt handle into a linear movement of the magazine (i.e. being pushed towards the housing). Thus, the magazine is urged into fixing engagement with a portion of the housing of the fastening tool. The fastening tool is then ready for use. However, this arrangement of retaining and positioning the magazine to the fastening tool using cam members is generally cumbersome as the user often has to use two hands to load the magazine to the fastening tool. Moreover, a larger magazine is required having an arm portion extending from the magazine in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the magazine (i.e. L-shape) with a cooperating cam member, thereby adding weight and size, as well as, complexity, to the magazine and fastening tool.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved retaining mechanism for operably coupling a magazine to the fastening tool. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide improved ease of use of a fastening tool, as well as, a more ergonomic design and to reduce the weight and size of the fastening tool and/or the corresponding magazine.

Summary

Aspects of the invention are set out in the independent claim. Dependent claims describe optional features.
In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a fastening tool for affixing a fastener to a structure, comprising a housing, having a first longitudinal axis, a handle connected to said housing and extending substantially perpendicular to said first longitudinal axis, and a magazine carrier arm, extending from a proximal end portion, connected to said housing, to a distal end portion along a second longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to said first longitudinal axis, configured to retainingly receive a magazine, wherein said magazine carrier arm comprises at least one latch mechanism provided at said distal end portion and adapted to couplingly engage with a catch member of the magazine so as to fixingly bias said magazine towards said housing along said second longitudinal axis, during use. This provides the advantage that the fastening tool is easier to use. In particular, this provides the advantage that the magazine may be secured, or loaded to, the fastening tool with ease. Moreover, the size and/or weight of the fastening tool and/or magazine may be reduced.
Said latch mechanism comprises a toggle latch actuatable between an open position and a closed position.
Advantageously, said toggle latch is pivotably actuatable between an open position and a closed position.
This provides the advantage that the magazine may be quickly secured to, or removed from, the fastening tool.
Said toggle latch is a spring-loaded toggle latch.
Said spring-loaded toggle latch comprises a helical spring member, mounted to said toggle latch at a first end, having a hook portion at a second end adapted to mountingly engage with said catch member, wherein said helical spring member is adapted to bias said magazine towards said housing when said toggle latch is in said closed position.
This provides the advantage that the magazine may be securely loaded to the fastening tool, in use.
Advantageously, said helical spring member comprises two helical springs in parallel arrangement and operably coupled by said hook portion.
More advantageously, said two helical springs and said hook portion may comprise a single piece of material, preferably a metal.
Advantageously, said magazine carrier arm comprises one or more guide slots on a first surface extending substantially parallel to said second longitudinal axis and configured to slidingly receive said magazine.
Advantageously, said at least one latch mechanism is provided at a second surface of said magazine carrier arm that is opposite said first surface.
Advantageously, said magazine carrier arm is coplanar with said handle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Example embodiment(s) of the invention are now described, by way of example only, hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a fastening tool, having a magazine attached to the fastening tool, according to the present invention;
Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the fastening tool and the magazine of Figure 1 when detached;
Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the fastening tool of Figure 1 with the handle and the magazine carrier arm omitted;
Figure 4 illustrates an enlarged view of the fastening tool of Figure 1 showing the latch mechanism in detail;
Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of a latching mechanism for use with the fastening tool of Figures 1 to 4;
Figure 6 illustrates an exploded view of the latching mechanism of Figure 5;
Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of a magazine for use with the fastening tool according to the present invention; and
Figure 8 illustrates the magazine of Figure 7 showing the latching mechanism of the fastening tool secured thereto.

Detailed Description

The described example embodiment relates to a fastening tool, and in particular a fastening tool including a latch mechanism for retainingly receiving a magazine on a magazine carrier arm in line with the longitudinal axis of the carrier arm.
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words 'upper', 'lower', 'upwardly and 'downwardly' designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made and are with respect to the described component when assembled and mounted. The words 'inner', 'inwardly' and 'outer', 'outwardly' refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, a designated centreline or a geometric centre of an element being described (e.g. a central axis), the particular meaning being readily apparent from the context of the description. Further, the terms 'proximal' (i.e. nearer to) and 'distal' (i.e. away from) designate positions relative to a body or a point of attachment.
Further, as used herein, the terms 'connected', 'affixed' and the like are intended to include direct connections between two members without any other members interposed therebetween, as well as, indirect connections between members in which one or more other members are interposed therebetween. The terminology includes the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.
Further, unless otherwise specified, the use of ordinal adjectives, such as, 'first', 'second', 'third' etc. merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. Like reference numerals are used to depict like features throughout.
Referring now to Figures 1 to 4, there is provided a fastening tool 100 including a housing 110, a handle 120 and a magazine carrier arm 130. As best shown in Figure 1, the housing 110 is provided generally along a first longitudinal axis A1. The handle 120 is connected to the housing 110 and generally extends substantially perpendicularly to the first longitudinal axis A1. The magazine carrier arm 130 is provided along a second longitudinal axis A2 that may be coplanar with the handle 120 and generally perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis A1. The magazine carrier arm 130 extends from a proximal end portion 132, i.e. a portion proximal the housing 110, to a distal end portion 134, i.e. a portion distal the housing 110.
The housing 110 includes a driving portion 150 that is arranged to drive a fastener from the magazine 200, when the magazine 200 is received within the driving portion 150 of the housing 110. The driving portion 150 may be formed as an opening, a recess, an open barrel or the like, at a proximal end of the magazine carrier arm 130. The housing 110 also includes any appropriate means for driving a fastener, received within the driving portion 150, into a structure such as a wall. For example, an internal combustion engine, gas generating means, or the like, may be enclosed within the housing 110 for driving the fastener into a structure, as is generally known in the art. Moreover, a trigger may also be provided and formed as part of the handle 110, for causing activation of the means for driving the fastener. In other examples, the handle 110 may include a button, a lever of the like for activation of the means for driving the fastener.
The magazine carrier arm 130 generally includes a first face 130a and a second face 130b. The first face 130a is opposite the second face 130b and both faces generally face outwardly. The first face 130a is configured to slidably receive a magazine 200 and the second face 130b is provided with at least one latch mechanism 140 at a distal end thereof and coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the magazine carrier arm 130. For example, the first face 130a of the magazine carrier arm 130 includes one or more guide slots (not shown) configured to retainingly guide a magazine onto the carrier arm 130 and into the housing 110, particularly the driving portion 150, in use. Any suitable number of guide slots may be used in any appropriate configuration.
The second face 130b of the magazine carrier arm 130 includes a latch connecting portion 160 towards the distal end portion 134. The latch connecting potion 160 is arranged to pivotably connect the latch mechanism 140 to the magazine carrier arm 130. As best shown in Figure 6, the latch connecting portion 160 includes a body 162 having apertures 164 at a first end and having mounting rods 166a, 166b at a second end. The apertures 164 are arranged to each receive a corresponding protrusion (not shown) of the magazine carrier arm 130 such that the latch connecting portion 160 can pivot or rotate about an axis generally defined by said protrusions of the magazine carrier arm 130. Additionally, as described in further detail below, the mounting rods 166a, 166b are configured to pivotably connect a toggle latch 142 to the latch connecting potion 160, such that the toggle latch 142 can pivot or rotate about an axis generally defined by the mounting rods 166a, 166b.
Referring now to Figures 4 to 6, the latch mechanism 140 is provided having a toggle latch 142, a first helical spring 144, a second helical spring 146 and a hook portion 148. The toggle latch 142 is provided with two apertures 142a, 142b that are configured to engage with mounting rods 166a, 166b of the latch connecting portion 160 in use, thereby pivotably mounting the toggle latch 142 with respect to the latch connecting portion 160.
The first spring 144 and the second spring 146 of the latch mechanism 140 are operably coupled to one another by the hook portion 148. The first spring 144 and the second spring 146 have a parallel arrangement and are connected to one another at a proximal end by the hook portion 148, which overhangs, or extends beyond, the toggle latch 142. At a distal end of each spring 144, 146, there is provided spring arms 149a, 149b which are configured to engage with, and secure to, a portion of the toggle latch 142. As will be appreciated by the skilled person, the first and second springs 144, 146 may be positioned within the toggle latch 142 in any known way, and indeed connected to the toggle latch 142 in any known way, for example, by virtue of an adhesive, clips or the like. Moreover, in other examples, the hook portion 148 may be formed within the toggle latch 142. That is, the hook portion 148 may not overhang, or extend beyond, the toggle latch 142.
The first spring 144 and the second spring 146 may be substantially identical. That is, the first spring 144 and the second spring 146 may comprise the same material, may have substantially identical, or identical, spring forces (i.e. impart an equal biasing force), may have substantially identical, or identical, pitches and/or diameters and/or number of turns, or the like.
As shown in the depicted example, the first spring 144, the second spring 146 and the hook portion 148 are integral parts and are formed from a single piece of material. In one example, the first spring 144, the second spring 146 and the hook portion 148 may comprise a single piece of metal. Any appropriate metal may be used. The material, for example the metal, may be bent into shape from a single piece of material. In other examples, the first spring 144, the second spring 146 and the hook portion 148 may comprise several components connected in any known way, for example, by welding or the like.
In another example, a single spring may be provided having a hook portion at one end thereof. The single spring and the hook portion may be integral and comprise a single piece of material. The material may be a metal. In other examples, the single spring and the hook portion may be separate components connected in any known way, for example, by welding or the like. As would be appreciated by the skilled person in the art, any number of springs may be used.
Referring to Figures 7 and 8, a magazine 200 that is configured to be retainingly received by the magazine carrier arm 130 is provided. The magazine 200 is generally loaded with one or more fasteners. That is, the magazine 200 encloses one or more fasteners within a magazine casing 210. The one or more fasteners are arranged within the magazine 200 such that they can be loaded, i.e. inserted, into the housing 110, for example at the driving portion 150, so that one fastener may be driven from the fastening tool 100 into a structure. Once a first fastener is driven from the magazine 200, the next fastener may be loaded into the housing 110, for example at the driving portion 150.
The magazine 200 includes a casing 210 that is generally defined by two half-shelves that are joined at one end, for example, along an outer edge. The casing 210 is generally rectangular and includes a first face 210a and a second face 210b. The first and second faces 210a, 210b generally face outwardly from a central axis. The magazine 200 also includes a first end 200a and a second end 200b. In use, the first end 200a is the uppermost end which is received within, or is proximal to, the driving portion 150 of the housing 110, and the second end 200b is the lowermost end which is distal to the driving portion 150 of the housing 110 and proximal to the latching mechanism 140.
A fastener outlet 220, configured to engage the driving portion 150 of the housing 110 and load fasteners therein, is provided at the first end 200a of the magazine 200. The fastener outlet 220 may include any appropriate feature(s) for loading fasteners contained within the magazine casing 210 of the magazine 200 into the driving portion 150 of the housing 110, so that they may be driven into a structure.
A catch member 230 is provided proximal to the second end 200b of the magazine 200 on the first face 210a. The catch member 230 is arranged to engage with the latch mechanism 140 of the fastening tool 100, in use. In particular, the catch member 230 includes an arm 232 having a lip 234 at a distal edge thereof. The lip 234 may be arranged to retain a portion of the latching mechanism 140, for example the hook portion 148, to the catch member 230. The catch member 230 may also include a plurality of supporting ribs 236, extending from the magazine casing 210 to the arm 232, thereby imparting an increased strength to the arm 232. Moreover, the catch member 230 may include a ramp 238 configured to guide a portion of the latching mechanism 140, for example the hook portion 148, into engagement with the catch member 230, in use. For example, the ramp 238 may direct the hook portion 148 into contact with a lower, or underside, surface of the arm 232 or the lip 234.
Additionally, the magazine 200 may also include one or more guiding features (not shown) on the first face 210a of the casing 210, which may be formed as a rail, a protrusion, a flange or the like, that is configured to cooperate with the one or more guide slots of the magazine carrier arm 130, in use. The one or more guiding features may be formed along a longitudinal axis defined by the generally elongate casing 210 of the magazine 200, i.e. extending substantially from the first end 200a to the second end 200b. The magazine 200 may include any number of guiding features in any appropriate arrangement. Referring to Figures 1 and 6, in use, the toggle latch 142 is pivotably actuated into an open position or configuration, where the toggle latch 142 is moved downwardly, away from the driving portion 150 of the housing 110. More specifically, the toggle latch 142 may be moved so that the connecting portion 160 pivots about the axis defined by the protrusions of the carrier arm 130 so that the connecting portion 160 is flipped from a first position to a second position that is further distal from the driving portion 150 of the housing 110. Thus, the toggle latch 142 is moved away from the driving portion 150 of the housing 110 as it pivots with respect to the connecting portion 160 about the axis defined by the mounting rods 166a, 166b.
The magazine 200 is then aligned with the magazine carrier arm 130 on the first face 130a. In particular, the one or more guiding features of the magazine 200, on the first face 210a of the casing 210, are aligned and engaged within the one or more guide slots located on the first face 130a of the magazine carrier arm 130. Once aligned, the magazine 200 is directed in a longitudinal direction, along the second axis A2, towards and into engagement with the driving portion 150 of the housing 110. Thus, the fastener outlet 220 of the magazine 200 is engaged with the driving portion 150 of the housing 110.
To secure the magazine 200 in position, the toggle latch 142 on the second face 130b is pivotably actuated, where the toggle latch 142 is moved upwardly towards the driving portion 150 of the housing 110, such that the hook portion 148 engages with the catch member 230, particularly the arm 232. The toggle latch 142 is further pivotably actuated into a closed position or configuration by pushing the toggle latch 142 further in a longitudinal direction, i.e. upwardly towards the driving portion 150 of the housing 110. In this manner, the toggle latch 142 pivots about the axis defined by the mounting rods 166a, 166b, and then the connecting portion 160 pivots about the axis defined by the protrusions of the magazine carrier arm 130, thereby flipping the connecting portion 160 from the second position back to the first position. This actuation causes a spring bias to be applied from the first and second springs 144, 146 to the magazine 200 via the catch member 230, thereby urging the magazine 200, in particular the fastener outlet 220, into engagement with the driving portion 150 of the housing 110. The fastening tool 100 may then be operated in the usual manner. If the magazine 200 is required to be removed from the fastening tool 100, the above methodology is followed in reverse.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiment(s) have been described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

A fastening tool (100) for affixing a fastener to a structure, comprising
a housing (110), having a first longitudinal axis;

a handle (120) connected to said housing and extending substantially perpendicular to said first longitudinal axis; and

a magazine carrier arm (130), extending from a proximal end portion, connected to said housing, to a distal end portion along a second longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to said first longitudinal axis, configured to retainingly receive a magazine,

said magazine carrier arm comprises at least one latch mechanism (140) provided at said distal end portion and adapted to couplingly engage with a catch member (230) of the magazine so as to fixingly bias said magazine towards said housing along said second longitudinal axis, during use;

wherein said latch mechanism comprises a toggle latch (142) actuatable between an open position and a closed position,

said toggle latch being a spring-loaded toggle latch characterized in that it comprises a helical spring member (144, 146), mounted to said toggle latch at a first end, having a hook portion (148) at a second end adapted to mountingly engage with said catch member, said helical spring member being adapted to bias said magazine towards said housing when said toggle latch is in said closed position.
A fastening tool according to claim 1, wherein said helical spring member comprises two helical springs in parallel arrangement and operably coupled by said hook portion.
A fastening tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said magazine carrier arm comprises one or more guide slots on a first surface extending substantially parallel to said second longitudinal axis and configured to slidingly receive said magazine.
A fastening tool according to claim 3, wherein said at least one latch mechanism is provided at a second surface of said magazine carrier arm that is opposite said first surface.
A fastening tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said magazine carrier arm is coplanar with said magazine carrier arm.