US 11,872,644 B2Granted

Pneumatic tool

AssigneeASC Profiles LLC

InventorsStephen B. Gabrielson, Sreelatha Nandivada, David A. Golden

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A pneumatic tool for joining steel decking includes a pneumatic actuator assembly which drives a push rod. The push rod is coupled to a linkage assembly including a rocker link having one end coupled to the frame of the tool, a punch arm having one end coupled to the frame, and a coupler link rotatably coupled to both the rocker link and the punch arm. At the bottom of the tool, a punching mechanism is formed. A trigger mechanism releases a flow of pressurized air into the actuator assembly, thereby driving the push rod out of the housing of the actuator assembly. Movement of the push rod causes the rocker link to rotate about a joint link, thereby driving the coupler link toward the punch arm and causing the punch to rotate about the joint link and mate with the fixed die.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A pneumatic tool, comprising:

a frame comprising a first joint point and a fourth joint point;
a die rigidly coupled to the frame wherein a longitudinal axis of the pneumatic tool extends along the frame and is aligned with the die, the die comprising a plurality of female die cavities;
a coupler link having a first end connected at a second joint point and a second end connected at a third joint point, wherein the second and third joint points are movable relative to the frame;
a rocker link having a first end portion rotatably coupled to the first joint point of the frame and a second end portion rotatably coupled to the coupler link at the second joint point, wherein the rocker link has a length greater than a length of the coupler link;
a punch arm having a proximal end portion rotatably coupled to the coupler link at the third joint point and a distal end portion rotatably coupled to the fourth joint point of the frame;
a punch coupled to the distal end portion of the punch arm, the punch comprising a plurality of male punch projections, each of the male punch projections being configured to mate with a corresponding one of the plurality of female die cavities;
an actuator assembly, comprising:
a housing coupled to the frame, and
a push rod having a proximal end positioned in the housing and a distal end extending out of the housing, wherein the distal end of the push rod is rotatably coupled to the coupler link and the rocker link at the second joint point, wherein the push rod defines a push rod axis that intersects the longitudinal axis at an oblique angle;
and
a trigger coupled to the actuator assembly, wherein actuation of the trigger causes the actuator assembly to drive the push rod along the push rod axis from a retracted position to an extended position, thereby moving the second joint point from one side of the longitudinal axis to an opposite side;
wherein the punch arm is rotatable between:
(a) a first state when the push rod is in the retracted position in which the punch is spaced from the die, and (b) a second state when the push rod is in the extended position in which the punch engages the die.

10 more elements

A method of crimping metal panels, comprising:

supplying pressurized gas to an inlet port of a pneumatic tool, the pneumatic tool comprising:
a frame comprising a first joint point and a fourth joint point;
a die rigidly coupled to a distal end of the frame, wherein a longitudinal axis of the pneumatic tool extends along the frame and is aligned with the die;
a coupler link having a first end connected at a second joint point and a second end connected at a third joint point, wherein the second and third joint points are movable relative to the frame;
a rocker link having a first end portion rotatably coupled to the first joint point of the frame and a second end portion rotatably coupled to the coupler link at the second joint point;
an actuator assembly comprising a housing and a push rod extending from the housing, wherein a distal end of the push rod is rotatably coupled to the coupler link and rotatably coupled to the second end portion of the rocker link at the second joint point, wherein the push rod defines a push rod axis that intersects the longitudinal axis at an oblique angle;
and
a punch arm having a proximal end portion rotatably coupled to the coupler link at the third joint point and a distal end portion rotatably coupled to the fourth joint point of the frame;
the method comprising:
positioning a first panel and a second panel between the die and a punch coupled to the distal end portion of the punch arm;
and
releasing pressurized gas from the inlet port of the pneumatic tool into a pressure chamber of the actuator assembly, thereby causing an internal diaphragm of the actuator assembly to linearly translate the push rod rotatably coupled to the coupler link and rotatably coupled to the second end portion of the rocker link;
wherein the linear translation of the push rod applies a force to the coupler link to thereby cause the punch arm to rotate, thereby moving the second joint point from one side of the longitudinal axis to an opposite side and driving a plurality of male punch projections of the punch through the first panel and the second panel, and into a corresponding one of a plurality of female die cavities in the die.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.