Lifter mechanism for a powered fastener driver

A powered fastener driver comprising:

• a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center position to a driven or bottom-dead-center position for driving a fastener into a workpiece;
• a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position;
• a torque input member configured to receive torque from the drive unit;
• a torque output member in selective driving connection with and downstream of the torque input member, the torque output member configured to receive torque from the torque input member in a first rotational direction for returning the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position;
• and
• a kickout arrangement at least partially defined by
• an outer surface on one of the torque output member and the torque input member, and
• an aperture formed in the other of the torque output member and the torque input member in which the outer surface is received, the kickout arrangement configured to permit limited rotation of the torque output member relative to the torque input member between a first position and a second position,
• wherein the torque output member is in the first position relative to the torque input member when returning the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position, and
• wherein the kickout arrangement permits the torque output member to rotate relative to the torque input member from the first position to the second position, without torque being applied to the torque input member in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction, after the driver blade reaches the top-dead-center position to release the driver blade and initiate a fastener driving operation.