US 12,479,074 B2
Lifter mechanism for a powered fastener driver
David A. Bierdeman, New Berlin, WI (US); Troy C. Thorson, Cedarburg, WI (US); Jacob P. Schneider, Cedarburg, WI (US); Mackenzie J. Nick, Theresa, WI (US); Nathan Bandy, Wauwatosa, WI (US); Travis W. Leathrum, Milwaukee, WI (US); Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Waukesha, WI (US); Mark C. Hughes, Waukesha, WI (US); David C. Graf, Greendale, WI (US); Marcus Wechselberger, Milwaukee, WI (US); Leonard F. Mikat-Stevens, Milwaukee, WI (US); Jacob N. Zimmerman, Pewaukee, WI (US); Jason M. Julius, Waukesha, WI (US); Rosalie C. Phillips, Milwaukee, WI (US); and Beth E. Cholst, Wauwatosa, WI (US)
Assigned to MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION, Brookfield, WI (US)
Filed by MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION, Brookfield, WI (US)
Filed on Feb. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/108,917.
Application 18/108,917 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/719,869, filed on Apr. 13, 2022, granted, now 11,577,372.
Application 17/719,869 is a continuation of application No. 17/665,150, filed on Feb. 4, 2022, granted, now 12,179,326.
Application 17/665,150 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/584,060, filed on Jan. 25, 2022, granted, now 11,951,601.
Application 17/584,060 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/154,389, filed on Jan. 21, 2021, granted, now 11,618,145.
Application 17/154,389 is a continuation of application No. 17/052,463, granted, now 11,331,781, issued on May 17, 2022, previously published as PCT/US2020/037692, filed on Jun. 15, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/901,973, filed on Sep. 18, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/861,355, filed on Jun. 14, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0191575 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. B25C 1/04 (2006.01); B25C 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC B25C 1/047 (2013.01) [B25C 1/041 (2013.01); B25C 1/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A powered fastener driver comprising:
a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center position to a driven or bottom-dead-center position for driving a fastener into a workpiece;
a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position, the drive unit including an output shaft;
a rotary lifter engageable with the driver blade, the rotary lifter configured to receive torque from the output shaft of the drive unit to rotate the rotary lifter about a rotational axis of the output shaft in a first rotational direction for returning the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position; and
a kickout arrangement defined between the lifter and the output shaft, the kickout arrangement configured to permit limited movement of the lifter relative to the output shaft between a first position and a second position, the kickout arrangement having a curvilinear slot defined in the rotary lifter in which a portion of the output shaft is received,
wherein movement of the rotary lifter from the first position toward the second position causes the slot to move relative to the output shaft, while the output shaft remains within the slot,
wherein the curvilinear slot has an origin that defines an axis of the origin about which the rotary lifter is configured to rotate to shift the rotary lifter from the first position to the second position, relative to the output shaft, and
wherein the axis of the origin is non-colinear to the rotational axis of the output shaft, and
wherein an outer surface of the portion of the output shaft received by the curvilinear slot is configured to selectively engage segments of the curvilinear slot to apply the torque to the lifter.