Black Decker Inc.

James J Kenney

Paul Gerard Gross

Craig Alan Schell

Ashok Samuel Baskar

Charles L Bradenbaugh

Alan Berry

Lee Michael Brendel

Larry Eugene Gregory

John E Buck

Daniel L Krout

Li Xu

Todd A Hagan

Dustin L DeMarr

Nathan J Cruise

Robert Alan Berry

Jan Carl Denner

Brent Beukema

Jeffrey A Elligson

William D Sauerwein

Howard T White

Seth M Robinson

Troy A Cayon

Steven R Colello

Weiyuan Xu

William A Sauerwein

William Xu

A powered tool follower assembly can include a solenoid plunger that is movable longitudinally in a direction aligned with a drive axis in response to energization of the solenoid and a biasing mechanism with a spring axis extending transversely to the drive axis. A lever arm can extend between the plunger and the biasing member and couple the plunger to the biasing mechanism. A pinch roller can be disposed between the lever arm and the driver. Energization of the solenoid can move the plunger longitudinally, causing relative movement between the lever arm and the drive wheel that forces the pinch roller into engagement with the driver and transfers a biasing force from the compression spring through the lever arm and pinch roller to the driver to pinch the driver between the pinch roller and the flywheel and drive the driver along the driver axis.

Powered hand-held fastening tool

Electric connector

A powered hand-held fastening tool includes a housing defining a handle, a frame, a motor-driven flywheel journaled to the frame, and an elongated driver that is selectively coupled to the flywheel to drive a fastener into a workpiece. The flywheel and driver have complementary sloped surfaces that mesh with each other to transmit energy from the flywheel to the driver to accelerate the driver along the driver axis. A follower assembly for selectively coupling the driver to the flywheel includes a solenoid actuator.

A contact trip adjustment assembly includes a forward trip member, adjustment pinion, adjustment nut, adjustment knob, and spring. The forward trip member can engage a workpiece and include a plurality of threads disposed about a first axis. The forward trip member can be axially translatable along the first axis between preset and actuated positions. The adjustment pinion can be rotatably disposed about the first axis and include a first gear. The adjustment nut can be coupled to the adjustment pinion for common rotation about the first axis. The adjustment nut can be axially slidable relative to the adjustment pinion and can be threadably engaged with the threads of the forward trip member. The adjustment knob can be rotatably disposed about a second axis and can include a second gear meshingly engaged with the first gear. The spring can bias the forward trip member toward the preset position.

Depth adjustment mechanism for a fastening tool

A powered hand-held fastening tool includes a housing defining a handle, a frame, a motor-driven flywheel journaled to the frame, and an elongated driver that is selectively coupled to the flywheel to drive a fastener into a workpiece. A follower assembly for selectively coupling the driver to the flywheel includes a solenoid actuator, a biasing mechanism, a lever arm connected between the solenoid actuator and the biasing mechanism, and an intermediate member having journaled thereto a pivot roller and a pinch roller. Upon energization of the solenoid the lever arm is moved in a direction parallel to the drive axis, thereby applying a force on the pivot roller perpendicular to the drive axis, causing the pinch roller to press the driver against the flywheel and initiate the drive stroke. The intermediate member pivots about the pivot roller to release the pressure on driver upon completion of the drive stroke.

Fastening tool

A driving tool with a housing, a motor received in the housing, a control unit and a trigger. The housing defines a handle. The control unit is configured to operate the motor and has a microswitch, an actuator arm and a spring. The actuator arm is biased by the spring toward the microswitch. The spring is configured to move the actuator arm against the microswitch to cause the microswitch to operate in an actuated switch state. The trigger is coupled to the handle and is movable between a first trigger position and a second trigger position. The trigger has a switch arm that cooperates with the actuator arm to form a lost-motion coupling that permits a predetermined amount of movement of the trigger from the first trigger position to the second trigger position before coupling the switch arm to the actuator arm. The actuator member does not contact the microswitch when the trigger is in the second trigger position so that the microswitch operates in a nominal switch state.

Driving tool with controller having microswitch for controlling operation of motor

A power tool that includes a structure; a flywheel coupled to the structure; a driver that is translatable along a driver axis; and a follower assembly having an actuator and an activation arm assembly. The actuator is coupled to the activation arm assembly. The activation arm assembly is coupled to the structure and includes a pinch roller. Actuation of the actuator causes the pinch roller to translate toward and engage the driver to initiate driving engagement between the driver and the flywheel.

Power take off for cordless nailer

A cordless nailer is provided having a magazine assembly with improved features. An improved latch mechanism for clearing nail jams is provided that reduces wear on the latch. A driver retention feature is provided to retain a drive blade from accidentally escaping the nailer. A pusher assembly is provided having a simplified and efficient construction. A pusher retention feature is provided that prevents the driver blade from impacting a nail pusher. A nail retention feature is provided to allow easy loading and unloading of nails into the nailer. Finally, a method of assembling the magazine assembly is provided.

Magazine assembly for nailer

A hand-held tool with a backbone, a motor assembly that is mounted to the backbone, and a plastic housing. The motor assembly can include a driver and can be selectively actuatable to translate the driver along an axis. The plastic housing can be coupled to the backbone and can shroud at least a portion of the backbone.

Structural backbone/motor mount for a power tool

A power tool with a flywheel, an activation arm, a driver, a cam and a clutch. The activation arm can have a first arm, a second arm, which can be pivotally mounted to the first arm, and a roller that can be coupled to the second arm. The driver can be disposed between the roller and the flywheel. The cam can be moveable in a predetermined direction for causing the activation arm to rotate about a pivot to drive the roller against the driver so that the driver frictionally engages the flywheel. The clutch can cooperate with the cam to inhibit the cam from moving in a direction opposite the predetermined direction in response to a reaction force that is applied by the driver onto the activation arm.

Cam and clutch configuration for a power tool

A driving tool that includes a frame, a motor assembly and a resilient member. The motor assembly is coupled to the frame and includes an electric motor, a flywheel driven by the electric motor, a pinch roller and a driver disposed between the flywheel and the pinch roller. The pinch roller is selectively movable from a first position to a second position to drive the driver into engagement with the flywheel. The driver is movable between a returned position and an extended position. The resilient member is coupled to the frame and biases the driver away from the flywheel to reduce or eliminate contact between the flywheel and the driver when the flywheel is at rest, the driver is in the returned position and the pinch roller is in the first position. A method for operating a driving tool is also provided.

Profile lifter for a nailer

A driving tool with a flywheel, a driver, an actuator and a roller that is moveable between an unactuated position and an actuated position. Positioning of the roller in the actuated position forces an engagement surface on the driver into contact with a rotating edge of the flywheel to transfer energy from the flywheel to the driver so that the driver will translate along an axis. The actuator at least partially initiates movement of the roller from the unactuated position to the actuated position.

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Baltimore, MD, United States of America

James J Kenney