Power spring configurations for a fastening device
AssigneeWorkTools, Inc.
InventorJoel S. Marks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Power spring configurations for a spring energized fastening device includes a compact double torsion power spring and two opposed compact single torsion springs. Simplified structures to hold the springs in a stable pre-loaded position are disclosed. Each coil has forward extending arms including an angled portion and forward vertically coincident portions. The double torsion spring has a self-locking crossing geometry to hold a pre-loaded rest position. The opposed two springs have a bridge and a mandrel to hold the rest position. A lever presses arms of the spring between a striker and the coil including a compact nesting condition. A tab of the striker extends forward to provide a release edge and a positioning torque bias upon the striker.
Claims25
A spring energized fastening device including a housing, a power spring, a striker movable vertically at a front of the housing, and a fastener, the fastening device comprising:
- a rest condition and a pre-release condition of the fastening device, the power spring being deflected in the pre-release condition whereupon the power spring is released to eject and install the fastener from the fastening device through energy stored in the deflected power spring;
- the power spring being a torsion type including coaxial coils with at least four arms extending forward therefrom;
- wherein the four arms include a first pair of arms being outer arms near a location of the coils, the first pair crossing a second pair of arms to become inner arms forward of the crossing location;
- and
- the power spring including a normal rest position wherein the arms are substantially vertically coincident at the crossing location and the first pair of arms presses the second pair of arms at the crossing location.
A spring energized fastening device including a housing, a power spring, a fastener, and a striker movable vertically at a front of the housing, the fastening device comprising:
- a rest condition and a pre-release condition of the fastening device, the power spring being deflected in the pre-release condition wherein the power spring is released to eject the fastener from the fastening device through energy stored in the deflected power spring;
- the power spring having an assembly of two opposed separate torsion springs including coaxial coils with four arms extending forward there from, the torsion springs including a free position, a rest position and a pressed position, the coils being of a larger diameter in the free position than the rest position;
- wherein the four arms include a first pair of arms being outer arms and second pair of arms being inner arms;
- a mandrel co-extending within the coils wherein the coils are supported on the mandrel, in the rest or pressed positions of the power spring the coils are biased to spread apart from each other upon the mandrel, wherein the mandrel includes opposed flanges to each side of the spring coils to confine the coils from spreading;
- and
- wherein the mandrel includes an enlarged diameter flange, and the flange fits slidably through an inside diameter of a coil when the torsion spring is near its free position, and in the pressed position of the spring, the inside diameter is substantially less than a diameter of the flange.
A spring energized fastening device including a housing, a power spring, and a striker movable vertically at a front of the housing, the fastening device comprising:
- a rest condition and a pre-release condition of the fastening device, the power spring being deflected in the pre-release condition wherein the power spring is released to actuate an ejection action through energy stored in the deflected power spring;
- the power spring having an assembly of two opposed separate torsion springs including coaxial coils with four arms extending forward there from, the torsion springs including a free position, a rest position and a pressed position;
- the four arms include a first pair of arms being outer arms and second pair of arms being inner arms;
- a mandrel of the power spring assembly co-extending within the coils wherein the coils are supported on the mandrel, the mandrel being of a smaller outer diameter than an inner diameter of the power spring coils in the rest position of the springs;
- and
- wherein the coils are biased to twist and spread apart from each other on the mandrel in a preloaded condition of the power spring, the mandrel including protruding flanges at each end of the mandrel to confine the coils from spreading, the flanges being at least in part a larger diameter than the inner diameter of the power spring coils in the rest position of the springs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.