Tools – Wrench – screwdriver – or driver therefor – Machine
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-11
2001-05-15
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3723)
Tools
Wrench, screwdriver, or driver therefor
Machine
C081S057370, C081S431000, C081S435000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230594
ABSTRACT:
When driving screws into workpiece, it is often desirable to adjust the depth of the screwheads relative to the workpiece surface. For example, in some situations one may desire to drive the head below the surface of the workpiece, fill the resulting recess with putty, and then paint over the workpiece surface, thereby providing an enhanced appearance free from visible screwheads. Other times, it desirable to leave screw heads slightly raised during the initial driving. Then, one can go back and fully tighten all of the screws at once.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,753 presents one solution to meet this desire. The '753 patent discloses a depth setting member rotatably secured to the housing by a pin aligned parallel to the screwing axis. The depth setting member has a forwardly facing helical surface. A rod extending rearwardly from the front end of the tool engages the depth setting member to thereby limit the relative movement relative driving motion of the bit. One of the problems with such an arrangement is that the entire depth setting assembly is exposed outside of the housing. Thus, the assembly can be accidentally moved out of place rather easily, thereby causing the operator to drive the screw to an inappropriate depth.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a screwdriving device with a depth setting feature which is easy to operate, yet difficult to accidentally move out of position. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, there is provided a power-operated screwdriving device configured to be used with a rotary power source and a supply of screws releasably mounted on a collation. The screwdriving device comprises a housing structure constructed and arranged to be engaged with the rotary power source. A feeding assembly defines a drive track carried by the housing and provides a workpiece engaging surface. The drive track is configured to receive a lead screw from the supply of screws.
A rotatable screw engaging bit member is constructed and arranged to be operatively connected to the rotary power source such that the rotary power source rotates the screw engaging bit member during a screwdriving operation wherein the workpiece engaging surface is engaged with a surface of a workpiece and the lead screw is driven into the workpiece. The rotatable screw engaging bit member is movable relative to the drive track and the workpiece engaging surface such that, when the workpiece engaging surface is engaged with the surface of the workpiece, rotation of the bit member and relative movement between the bit member and the drive track drives the lead screw into the workpiece during the screwdriving operation.
Screw depth setting structure provides a feeding assembly engaging surface. The screw depth setting structure is positioned and configured such that the feeding assembly engaging surface engages the feeding assembly to thereby limit the relative movement occurring between the screw engaging bit member and the workpiece engaging surface during the screwdriving operation. The workpiece engaging surface and the rotatable screw engaging bit member are constructed and arranged such that, when the feeding assembly is engaged with the feeding assembly engaging surface, a distance between a screw engaging end portion of the bit member and the workpiece engaging surface determines the depth to which the lead screw will be driven relative to the surface of the workpiece during the screwdriving operation. A manually engageable screw depth adjusting member is disposed exteriorly of the housing structure and operatively connected to the screw depth setting structure. The screw depth adjusting member is constructed and arranged such that manual operation thereof moves the screw depth setting structure through a range of adjustable positions to thereby adjust the depth to which the lead screw will be driven to the surface of the workpiece during the screwdriving operation.
In addition, in order to effectively drive screws of varying lengths, it is advantageous to be able to adjust the position of the workpiece engaging surface relative to the end of the screw in order to accommodate different screw lengths. In particular, it is desirable to minimize the distance between the penetrating end of the screw and the workpiece so as to prevent movement of the screw before engagement with the workpiece. U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,965 illustrates an adjustable nosepiece assembly for such a purpose. However, the nosepiece is adjusted by unscrewing a threaded member, adjusting the nosepiece, and then retightening the threaded member. The small screw can be difficult to rotate when a user's hands are wet or greasy, thus making adjustment difficult to achieve.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a screwdriving device which has a workpiece contacting structure which is easily and quickly adjusted for accommodating screws of varying lengths. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power-operated screwdriving device configured to be used with a rotary power source and a supply of screws releasably mounted on a collation. The screwdriving device comprises a housing structure constructed and arranged to be engaged with the rotary power source. A feeding assembly defines a drive track constructed and arranged to receive a lead screw from the supply of screws. A rotatable screw engaging bit member is constructed and arranged to be operatively connected to the rotary power source such that the rotary power source rotates the bit member during a screwdriving operation wherein the workpiece engaging surface is engaged with a surface of a workpiece and the lead screw is driven into the workpiece.
The feeding assembly including a body and an adjustable workpiece contacting structure mounted on the body. The workpiece contacting structure provides a workpiece engaging surface. The workpiece contacting structure is constructed and arranged to be moved relative to the body through a range of adjustable positions to enable the workpiece contacting structure to be positioned in accordance with a length of the lead screw proximal a penetrating end of the lead screw to thereby minimize a distance between the penetrating end and the surface of the workpiece prior to driving the lead screw into the workpiece. A contacting structure locking structure is movable rectilinearly between (1) a locking position wherein the locking structure engages the workpiece contacting structure to thereby limit movement of the workpiece contacting structure relative to the body within the range of adjustable positions and (2) an unlocked position wherein the locking structure is unlocked from the workpiece contacting structure to thereby allow the workpiece contacting structure to be moved through the range of adjustable positions. The rotatable screw engaging bit member is movable relative to the drive track and the workpiece engaging surface such that, when the workpiece engaging surface is engaged with the surface of the workpiece, rotation of the screw engaging bit member and relative movement between the screw engaging bit member and the drive track drives the lead screw into the workpiece during the screwdriving operation.
Furthermore, another problem that can arise in collated screwdriving devices is that the collation and lead screw is allowed to move within the drive track as the bit member engages the screw. Therefore, in order to resolve this problem, another aspect of the present invention provides a power-operated screwdriving device configured to be used with a rotary power source and a supply of screws releasably mounted on a collation. The screwdriving device comprises a housing structure constructed and arranged to be engaged with the rotary power source. A feeding assembly defines a drive track constructed and arranged to receive a lead screw from the supply of screws. A rotatable screw engaging bit member is constructed and arranged to be operatively connected to the rotary power source such that the rotary power s
Buzzeo David J.
Jalbert David B.
Russell James A.
McDonald Shantese
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP
Scherbel David A.
Stanley Fastening Systems, L.P.
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