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EP-4741105-A1 - COMBUSTION TOOL

EP4741105A1EP 4741105 A1EP4741105 A1EP 4741105A1EP-4741105-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a combustion tool (100, 200, 300, 400) comprising a fuel cartridge (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60) an electrical power supply means (101, 201, 301, 401) and an electrical device (11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71) operationally connected to the electrical power supply means (101, 201, 301, 401) to prepare a fuel (C) in the fuel cartridge (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60) for its combustion.

Inventors

  • BOUBEKEUR, Kevin
  • BAUDRAND, Olivier
  • RICORDI, CHRISTIAN

Assignees

  • Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20250731

Claims (15)

  1. A combustion tool (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800) comprising a fuel tank (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 560, 660, 760, 860, R), an electrical supply means (101, 201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, AS) and an electrical device (11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 571, 661, 671, 771, 871) operationally connected to the electrical supply means to prepare a fuel (C) in the fuel tank for combustion.
  2. combustion tool (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800) according to claim 1, wherein the electrical device (11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 571, 661, 671, 771, 871) can be operated to heat or activate the fuel.
  3. Combustion tool (200) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fuel reservoir (20, 30, 40, 50) comprises a cartridge, the electrical device (21, 31, 41, 51) is associated with the fuel cartridge and both are removable from a body (202) of the combustion tool.
  4. Combustion tool (100, 300, 400, 500, 600) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fuel reservoir (10, 60, 560, 660) comprises a cartridge which can be removed from a body (102, 302, 402, 502, 602) of the combustion tool while the electrical device (11, 61, 71, 571, 661, 671) remains mounted on or in the body.
  5. Combustion tool (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical device (11) includes a heating device designed to make thermal contact with the fuel reservoir (10).
  6. Combustion tool (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrical device (21) includes a heating device fixed to a surface of the fuel tank (20).
  7. Combustion tool (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrical device (31) comprises a heating device and the fuel reservoir (30) comprises a body (32) comprising or formed of an electrically resistive material and functioning as a heating element of the heating device.
  8. combustion tool (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the electrical device (11, 21, 31, 61, 71, 571, 661, 671, 771, 871) is external to the fuel tank (10, 20, 30, 60).
  9. combustion tool (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 6 and 7, wherein the electrical device (41, 51) is located at least partly inside the fuel tank (40, 50).
  10. Combustion tool (200, 300, 400) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, 8 and 9, wherein the electrical device (51, 61, 71) comprises a vaporizer, for example an ultrasonic actuator and/or a piezoelectric actuator (79).
  11. Combustion tool (500, 600, 700, 800) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the electrical device (571, 661, 671, 771, 871) comprises a converter configured to separate or crack the fuel into two or more of its constituent elements.
  12. Combustion tool (800) according to claim 11, comprising a filling module (880) including the reservoir (R) and the electrical device (871), wherein the filling module can be removably connected to a fuel cartridge (860) mounted on or in a body (802) of the combustion tool to fill it.
  13. Combustion tool (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the combustion tool comprises a nailer or a stapler.
  14. A fuel cartridge (20, 30, 40, 50) for a combustion tool (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, the fuel cartridge comprising an electrical device (21, 31, 41, 51) for preparing a fuel (C) in the cartridge for its combustion.
  15. A fuel cartridge (760, 860) for a combustion tool (700, 800) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 8 and 11 to 13, the fuel cartridge containing a carbon-free fuel.

Description

Technical field of the invention The present invention relates generally to combustion tools. More specifically, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to combustion tools that use fuels that may require preparation before combustion. Technical background Combustion-powered nail and staple driving tools are well-known and typically consist of a body containing an internal combustion engine. The engine is fueled by a pressurized fuel gas reservoir, which may include a fuel canister. Summary of the invention One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a combustion-powered nail and/or staple driving tool, comprising a body containing an internal combustion engine, powered by a fuel reservoir, which may include a fuel cartridge, the fuel preferably being carbon-free, for example hydrogen or ammonia, in order to reduce and/or eliminate carbon oxide emissions. The fuel reservoir may be a pressurized combustible gas reservoir. Another object of the present invention is to provide a more reliable and efficient combustion tool. The invention relates to a combustion tool comprising a fuel reservoir and an active device for preparing fuel in the fuel reservoir for combustion. The active device may include an electrical device. The combustion tool may include a power supply. The electrical device may be operationally connected to the power supply. The invention also relates to a combustion tool comprising a fuel tank, a means of power supply and an electrical device operationally connected to the means of power supply to prepare a fuel in the fuel tank for its combustion. The electrical device can be electrically connected to the means of power supply. The electrical device can be activated to heat or ignite the fuel The fuel can be prepared in different ways, depending on the nature of the fuel and its vapor pressure. The tool may include a combustion nailer, and as explained above, combustion nailers typically use gaseous fuels stored in the tank as pressurized liquids. During metering, the fuel vaporizes, which lowers its temperature and that of the surrounding components. In this case, moderate heating may be sufficient to prepare the fuel for ignition. In some examples, the fuel tank can be removed from the body of the combustion tool. The electrical device can be connected to the fuel tank. Both can be detached from the combustion tool body. The reservoir may include a cartridge. More specifically, in some examples the tank includes a cartridge, the electrical device is associated with the fuel tank and both are removable from a body of the combustion tool. The invention also relates to a fuel reservoir, for example a cartridge, comprising an active device for preparing fuel in the reservoir for combustion. The reservoir can be for a combustion tool as described above. The invention also relates to a fuel cartridge for a combustion tool as described above, the fuel cartridge comprising an electrical device for preparing fuel in the cartridge for combustion. The reservoir, cartridge, or electrical device may include one or more electrical contacts. The tool may include one or more electrical contacts, for example, to engage the electrical contact(s) of the reservoir, cartridge, or electrical device. At least one of the contacts may include spring-loaded contacts. When the electrical device is associated with the tank or cartridge, it can be electrically connected to the power supply via electrical contacts that engage with electrical contacts on the tool, by example when inserting the electrical device into the tool or into a part of it. The electrical device can also remain mounted on or in the combustion tool or its body. More specifically, the fuel tank may include a cartridge that can be removed from the body of the combustion tool while the electrical device remains mounted on or in the body. The electrical system may include a heating device. The heating device may include a heating element. The heating element may be electrically connected to the power supply. The heating device can be used to make thermal contact with the tank or cartridge. More specifically, the electrical device may include a heating device designed to make thermal contact with the fuel tank. The tool may include a resilient material, such as a foam material. The resilient material may stress the heating device or heating element in thermal contact with the fuel tank or cartridge. The electrical device can be attached to a surface of the tank or cartridge. More specifically, the electrical device may include a heating device attached to a surface of the fuel tank. The heating device or heating element may include one or more printed circuit boards. The printed circuit board(s) may be affixed to an external surface of the combustion tool or to its body. The heating device or heating element may include a sticker or label, which may incorporate the printed circuit board(s). The heating element, for example, the p