Gas spring fastener driver

Abstract

A fastener driver including a cylinder, a piston positioned and moveable within the cylinder, a driver blade attached to the piston and movable with the piston, a front nosepiece at least partially defining a fastener driving track through which fasteners are driven by the driver blade, a rear nosepiece at least partially defining the fastener driving track, and a magazine attached to the rear nosepiece and operable to supply the fasteners to the fastener driving track through the rear nosepiece. The rear nosepiece and the magazine are removably coupled to the front nosepiece as a unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fastener driver comprising:
 a cylinder;   a piston positioned and moveable within the cylinder;   a driver blade attached to the piston and movable with the piston;   a front nosepiece at least partially defining a fastener driving track through which fasteners are driven by the driver blade;   a rear nosepiece at least partially defining the fastener driving track; and   a magazine attached to the rear nosepiece and operable to supply the fasteners to the fastener driving track through the rear nosepiece,   wherein the rear nosepiece and the magazine are removably coupled to the front nosepiece as a unit.   
     
     
         2 . The fastener driver of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical switch operable to detect when the rear nosepiece is removed from the front nosepiece. 
     
     
         3 . The fastener driver of  claim 2 , further comprising a motor for driving movement of the piston, wherein activation of the motor is inhibited in response to the electrical switch detecting removal of the rear nosepiece from the front nosepiece. 
     
     
         4 . The fastener driver of  claim 3 , wherein the electrical switch is coupled to the front nosepiece, and wherein the rear nosepiece includes a projection engageable with the electrical switch when the rear nosepiece is coupled to the front nosepiece. 
     
     
         5 . The fastener driver of  claim 4 , wherein the projection disengages the electrical switch in response to removal of the rear nosepiece from the front nosepiece. 
     
     
         6 . The fastener driver of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a housing; and   a battery removably coupled to the housing;   wherein the magazine and the rear nosepiece are removable from the front nosepiece as a unit in response to prior removal of the battery from the housing.   
     
     
         7 . The fastener driver of  claim 6 , wherein the magazine includes a blocking member engageable with the battery to prevent removal of the magazine from the housing when the battery is coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The fastener driver of  claim 1 , further comprising a quick-release latch operable to secure the front nosepiece and the rear nosepiece together. 
     
     
         9 . The fastener driver of  claim 8 , wherein the rear nosepiece includes two hooks, respectively, positioned on opposite sides of the fastener driving track, and wherein the quick-release latch is engaged with the hooks to secure the front nosepiece and the rear nosepiece together. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a fastener driver, the method comprising:
 initiating a fastener driving operation by moving a driver blade, with a gas spring mechanism, from a retracted position toward a driven position;   stopping the driver blade at an intermediate position between the retracted position and the driven position in response to a fastener jammed in a fastener driving track defined between a front nosepiece and a rear nosepiece of the fastener driver;   detaching a battery from the fastener driver; and   removing the magazine and the rear nosepiece as a unit from the front nosepiece, after the battery has been removed.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , prior to removing the battery, blocking removal of the magazine and the rear nosepiece from the front nosepiece in response to contact between a blocking member on the magazine and the attached battery. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising actuating a switch in response to removal of the magazine and the rear nosepiece from the front nosepiece, thereby inhibiting further operation of the fastener driver. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 removing the jammed fastener in the fastener driving track; and   reattaching the magazine and the rear nosepiece as a unit to the front nosepiece.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising actuating the switch in response to reattachment of the magazine and the rear nosepiece as a unit to the front nosepiece, thereby returning the fastener driver to an operational state. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising reattaching the battery to the fastener driver after reattachment of the magazine and the rear nosepiece as a unit to the front nosepiece. 
     
     
         16 . A fastener driver comprising:
 a housing;   a cylinder;   a piston positioned and moveable within the cylinder;   a driver blade attached to the piston and movable with the piston between a first position and a second position;   a gas spring mechanism onboard the housing for driving the driver blade from the first position toward the second position;   a motor for returning the piston from the second position toward the first position, thereby compressing gas in the gas spring mechanism;   a battery removably coupled to the housing for supplying power to the motor;   a front nosepiece at least partially defining a fastener driving track through which fasteners are driven by the driver blade;   an electrical switch coupled to the front nosepiece;   a rear nosepiece at least partially defining the fastener driving track; and   a magazine attached to the rear nosepiece and operable to supply the fasteners to the fastener driving track through the rear nosepiece;   wherein the rear nosepiece and the magazine are removably coupled to the front nosepiece as a unit, and wherein the electrical switch is operable to detect when the rear nosepiece is removed from the front nosepiece.   
     
     
         17 . The fastener driver of  claim 16 , wherein the magazine and the rear nosepiece are removable from the front nosepiece as a unit in response to prior removal of the battery from the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The fastener driver of  claim 17 , wherein the magazine includes a blocking member engageable with the battery to prevent removal of the magazine from the housing when the battery is coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The fastener driver of  claim 16 , wherein activation of the motor is inhibited in response to the electrical switch detecting removal of the rear nosepiece from the front nosepiece. 
     
     
         20 . The fastener driver of  claim 19 , wherein the rear nosepiece includes a projection engageable with the electrical switch when the rear nosepiece is coupled to the front nosepiece, and wherein the projection disengages the electrical switch in response to removal of the rear nosepiece from the front nosepiece.