Back to results
US 8,523,037 B2Granted
Control valve assembly for fastener-driving tool
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorRicardo Segura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A new and improved trigger-actuated control valve assembly for use within a fastener-driving tool wherein upper and lower control valve housing members are adapted to be fixedly mated together by a bayonet-type connection defined by a pair of diametrically opposed lug members disposed upon the lower valve housing member and a ledge structure defined upon the upper valve housing member. In addition, the trigger-actuated control valve assembly is fluidically connected to the upper control air chamber of the fastener-driving tool by externally disposed air passages which do not comprise complex compound angles and are therefore able to be integrally cast within the fastener-driving tool housing along with a cavity for housing the new and improved trigger-actuated control valve assembly.
Claims14
A trigger-actuated control valve assembly for disposition within a fastener-driving tool housing, comprising:
- a trigger-actuated control valve housing comprising an upper housing member and a lower housing member;
- a first connector disposed upon a lower end portion of said upper housing member, and a second connector, disposed upon an upper end portion of said lower housing member, for interengaging said first connector of said upper housing member along a planar interface substantially defined between said lower end portion of said upper housing member and said upper end portion of said lower housing member such that said upper and lower housing members are disengageably connected together;
- a trigger-actuated control valve member disposed within said trigger-actuated control valve housing;
- a first valve seat defined upon said lower housing member of said trigger-actuated control valve housing;
- a first seal member operatively associated with said first valve seat;
- a second valve seat defined upon said upper housing member of said trigger-actuated control valve housing;
- a second seal member operatively associated with said second valve seat;
- a first bore defined within said upper housing member of said trigger-actuated control valve housing for permitting line pressure to enter said trigger-actuated control valve housing;
- a second exhaust bore defined within said lower housing member of said trigger-actuated control valve housing and within which said trigger-actuated control valve member is disposed;
- and
- window structure, defined within said trigger-actuated control valve housing, for fluidic communication with a substantially horizontally oriented port defined within a first lower end portion of a substantially vertically oriented air passageway which is defined within the fastener-driving tool housing and which is fluidically connected at a second upper end portion thereof with a control air chamber of the fastener-driving tool, so as to conduct said line pressure to the control air chamber of the fastener-driving tool, from said first bore, said window structure, said substantially horizontally oriented port defined within said first lower end portion of said substantially vertically oriented air passageway, and said substantially vertically oriented air passageway in order to pressurize the control air chamber prior to firing of the fastener-driving tool as a result said first seal member being engaged with said first valve seat while said second seal member is disengaged from said second valve seat, and for permitting fluidic communication from the control air chamber of the fastener-driving tool to said second exhaust bore through said substantially vertically oriented air passageway, said first lower end portion of said substantially vertically oriented air passageway, said substantially horizontally oriented port, said window structure, and said exhaust bore within which said trigger-actuated control valve member is disposed, as a result said second seal member being disengaged from said second valve seat while said first seal member is engaged with said first valve seat, so as to permit firing of the fastener-driving tool.
8 more elements
A fastener-driving tool, comprising:
- a fastener-driving tool housing;
- a trigger-actuated control valve housing comprising an upper housing member and a lower housing member;
- a first connector disposed upon a lower end portion of said upper housing member, and a second connector, disposed upon an upper end portion of said lower housing member, for interengaging said first connector of said upper housing member along a planar interface substantially defined between said lower end portion of said upper housing member and said upper end portion of said lower housing member such that said upper and lower housing members are disengageably connected together;
- a trigger-actuated control valve member disposed within said trigger-actuated control valve housing;
- a first valve seat defined upon said lower housing member of said trigger-actuated control valve housing;
- a first seal member operatively associated with said first valve seat;
- a second valve seat defined upon said upper housing member of said trigger-actuated control valve housing;
- a second seal member operatively associated with said second valve seat;
- a first bore defined within said upper housing member of said trigger-actuated control valve housing for permitting line pressure to enter said trigger-actuated control valve housing;
- a second exhaust bore defined within said lower housing member of said trigger-actuated control valve housing and within which said trigger-actuated control valve member is disposed;
- and
- window structure, defined within said trigger-actuated control valve housing, for fluidic communication with a substantially horizontally oriented port defined within a first lower end portion of a substantially vertically oriented air passageway which is defined within the fastener-driving tool housing and which is fluidically connected at a second upper end portion thereof with a control air chamber of the fastener-driving tool, so as to conduct said line pressure to the control air chamber of the fastener-driving tool, from said first bore, said window structure, said substantially horizontally oriented port defined within said first lower end portion of said substantially vertically oriented air passageway, and said substantially vertically oriented air passageway in order to pressurize the control air chamber prior to firing of the fastener-driving tool as a result said first seal member being engaged with said first valve seat while said second seal member is disengaged from said second valve seat, and for permitting fluidic communication from the control air chamber of the fastener-driving tool to said second exhaust bore through said substantially vertically oriented air passageway, said first lower end portion of said substantially vertically oriented air passageway, said substantially horizontally oriented port, said window structure, and said exhaust bore within which said trigger-actuated control valve member is disposed, as a result said second seal member being disengaged from said second valve seat while said first seal member is engaged with said first valve seat, so as to permit firing of the fastener-driving tool.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.