Flute positioner

Abstract

A flute positioner is provided for positioning a fastener in a tool barrel, and includes a body, a throughbore extending through the body, and at least one holding member extending into the throughbore. One or more extensions may extend radially outward from the body.

1 . A tool and a flute positioner for positioning a fastener in the tool comprising: 
 a tool having a barrel;    a flute positioner comprising: 
 a body configured to be received in said tool barrel and having a sidewall;  
 a throughbore extending through said body; and,  
 at least one holding member in said throughbore and configured for engaging the fastener, said at least one holding member configured to cause at least a region of said body sidewall to bulge outward into engagement with said barrel when said at least one holding member engages said fastener and before a driving force is exerted on the fastener by said tool wherein the holding power of the positioner in said barrel is increased before a driving force is exerted on the fastener by said tool.  
   
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 1  wherein said at least one holding member is configured to cause selected regions of said sidewall to bulge outward more than other regions of said sidewall when said at least one holding member engages the fastener.  
   
   
       4 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 1  and further including at least one extension extending outwardly from said body.  
   
   
       5 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 4  wherein said body has a major axis and a length along said major axis, and wherein said at least one extension comprises a fin that has a length coincident with said body length.  
   
   
       6 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 4  wherein said body has a sidewall with a thickness, said at least one extension extending out from said body for a distance that is within about 25% of said sidewall thickness.  
   
   
       7 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 4  wherein said at least one extension comprises from 3 to 6 extensions spaced equidistantly about said body.  
   
   
       8 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 4  wherein said body and said throughbore each define a perimeter, and wherein each of said at least one holding member and each of said at least one extension has a width that extends along respective of said perimeter, and wherein said holding member width is more than twice said extension width.  
   
   
       9 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 4  wherein each of said at least one extension extends radially outward from said body by a first distance, and wherein each of said at least one holding member extends radially into said throughbore by a second distance that is greater than said first distance.  
   
   
       10 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 4  wherein said at least one holding member comprises a plurality of holding members, wherein said at least one extension comprises a plurality of extensions, and wherein said plurality of holding members and said plurality of extensions are staggered relative to one another.  
   
   
       11 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 10  wherein each of said holding members is configured to cause a region of said body that is proximate to said each holding member to bulge radially outward and into engagement with said tool barrel when said each holding member engages the fastener, while regions of said body proximate to said extensions do not substantially bulge outward into engagement with said tool barrel.  
   
   
       12 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 1  wherein said at least one holding member extends radially from said sidewall into said throughbore, includes a base adjacent to said sidewall and a concave engaging surface distal from said base, and said at least one holding member being tapered from said base to said engaging surface.  
   
   
       13 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 1  wherein said throughbore defines a perimeter and has a major axis, wherein said at least one holding member comprises a plurality of holding members spaced equidistantly about the perimeter of the throughbore, and wherein said holding members extend along said major axis for the length of said throughbore.  
   
   
       14 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 1 , wherein said throughbore defines a perimeter, and wherein said at least one holding member comprises three holding members that each extends along said perimeter for about ⅛ to about ¼ of said perimeter.  
   
   
       15 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 1  wherein said body includes a sidewall having a thickness of between about 0.1 and about 0.05 inches.  
   
   
       16 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 1  wherein each of said holding members extends into said throughbore from said body for a distance of between about 0.1 and about 0.05 inches.  
   
   
       17 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 1  wherein said body has a length of between about 0.15 and about 0.2 inches along its major axis.  
   
   
       18 . A tool and flute positioner as defined by  claim 1  wherein said body has a hardness of between about 80 and about 90 durometer.  
   
   
       19 . A tool and a flute positioner for positioning a fastener the tool comprising: 
 a tool for imparting a driving force on a fastener and having a barrel,    a flute positioner comprising: 
 a body having a substantially cylindrical sidewall and a major axis;  
 a plurality of extensions extending radially outward from said sidewall;  
 a throughbore extending through said body and along the major axis of said body; and,  
 from three to six holding members extending radially into said throughbore, said holding members spaced equidistantly about a circumference of said cylindrical sidewall and staggered with said plurality of extensions, said holding members configured for causing regions of said sidewall that are proximate to said holding members to bulge outward and into engagement with said tool barrel when they engage a fastener and before said tool imparts a driving force onto the fastener, while regions of said sidewall that are proximate to said fins do not substantially bulge outward into engagement with said tool barrel.  
   
   
   
       20 . A fastener driving tool and a flute positioner for positioning a fastener comprising: 
 a fastener driving tool having a barrel for receiving the fastener;    a flute positioner comprising: 
 a generally cylindrical sidewall having a thickness and a perimeter;  
 a plurality of flexible fins extending radially outward from said sidewall, each of said flexible fins having a width in the direction of the sidewall perimeter;  
 a throughbore defined by said cylindrical sidewall; and,  
 a plurality of holding members extending from said sidewall radially inward into said throughbore, each of said holding members having a width in the direction of said sidewall perimeter that is at least twice as large as said extension width, each of said holding members being tapered from a base adjacent to said sidewall to a distal concave engaging surface, each of said holding members configured to cause at least a region of said sidewall to bulge outward and into engagement with said tool barrel when said holding members engage a fastener.