US 12,083,657 B2
Fastening tool having a magnetic contact trip assembly
James D. Schroeder, Dallastown, PA (US); Merrill A. Myers, III, Parkville, MD (US); Dylan Parker, Towson, MD (US); Alex Dignan, Towson, MD (US); Vivekkumar Kumar, Ellicott City, MD (US); and Alastair Valentine, Baltimore, MD (US)
Assigned to Black & Decker Inc., New Britain, CT (US)
Filed by Black & Decker Inc., New Britain, CT (US)
Filed on May 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/744,985.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/213,962, filed on Jun. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0410358 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. B25C 1/00 (2006.01); B25C 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25C 1/008 (2013.01) [B25C 5/00 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fastening tool for driving a fastener into a workpiece, the fastening tool comprising:
a contact trip disposed at a first end of the fastening tool and configured to move toward a second end of the fastening tool opposite of the first end when the contact trip engages the workpiece;
a magnet configured to generate a magnetic field, wherein the magnet is coupled to the contact trip such that movement of the contact trip causes the magnet to move;
a magnetometer configured to:
detect a change in the magnetic field generated by the magnet when the magnet moves relative to the magnetometer; and
based on the detected change in the magnetic field, generate a signal indicating when the contact trip engages the workpiece; and
a depth adjustment mechanism connected to the contact trip such that movement of the contact trip causes the depth adjustment mechanism to move, the depth adjustment mechanism coupling the magnet to the contact trip.