Fastening tool with modified driver travel path

Abstract

Fastening tool for driving a fastener such as a staple into a substrate a predetermined distance. The tool includes a housing and a driver reciprocally mounted in the housing and moveable with respect to the housing, the driver having a driving surface for engaging a fastener such as a staple. A magazine assembly is associated with the housing for positioning and aligning the fastener in the path of the driver so that when actuated, the driver strikes the fastener and forcibly ejects it from the magazine into the substrate to a predetermined extent so as to adjust or control the holding power of the fastener about the object.

1 . A fastening tool for applying one or more fasteners about an object and into a substrate, said tool comprising: 
 a housing;    a driver mounted in said housing for reciprocal movement in a drive path;    an actuator for actuating said driver;    a magazine assembly associated with said housing, said magazine assembly being configured to accommodate one or more fasteners, including a forwardmost fastener, each fastener having a crown with an underside, said magazine assembly having a nose end and a tail end spaced from said nose end;    a pusher in said magazine assembly for urging fasteners contained therein towards said nose end such that said forwardmost fastener is aligned in said drive path;    wherein the length of said drive path is predetermined to cause said driver to travel a predetermined distance in said drive path upon actuation of said actuator so as to drive said forwardmost fastener into said substrate and about said object, said predetermined distance being sufficient to cause said fastener to connect said object to said substrate such that said object remains permanently movable beneath said fastener.    
   
   
       2 . The fastening tool of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more fasteners are staples.  
   
   
       3 . The fastening tool of  claim 2 , wherein each of said staples has a pair of legs comprising a resin coating that melts at a temperature caused by the friction created when said legs penetrate said substrate.  
   
   
       4 . The fastening tool of  claim 1 , wherein said magazine assembly is detachably secured to said housing.  
   
   
       5 . The fastening tool of  claim 1 , further comprising an impact pad in said housing in said drive path, and wherein said length of said drive path is predetermined by causing said driver to contact said impact pad to thereby prevent said driver from further travel in said drive path.  
   
   
       6 . The fastening tool of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more fasteners each comprise a wire ribbon having a first extremity and a second extremity, said ribbon having a first edge and a second edge, said first extremity being cut away so as to form a first angle such that said first edge projects further than said second edge, said second extremity being cut away so as to form a second angle such that said second edge projects further than said first edge.  
   
   
       7 . The fastening tool of  claim 6 , wherein said first and second angles are each about 45°.  
   
   
       8 . A fastening tool for fastening an object to a substrate, said tool comprising: 
 a housing;    a driver mounted in said housing for reciprocal movement in a drive path;    an actuator for actuating said driver;    a magazine assembly associated with said housing, said magazine assembly containing one or more fasteners including a forwardmost fastener, said magazine assembly having a nose end and a tail end spaced from said nose end;    a pusher in said magazine assembly for urging said one or more fasteners towards said nose end such that said forwardmost fastener is aligned in said drive path;    wherein the length of said drive path is predetermined to cause said driver to travel a predetermined distance in said drive path upon actuation of said actuator so as to drive said fastener into said substrate while permanently maintaining a distance between said substrate and said underside of said fastener that is greater than the distance that said object extends away from said substrate when so connected.    
   
   
       9 . The fastening tool of  claim 8 , wherein said fastener is a staple.  
   
   
       10 . The fastening tool of  claim 9 , wherein each of said staples has a pair of legs comprising a resin coating that melts at the temperature caused by the friction created when said legs penetrate said substrate.  
   
   
       11 . A method of connecting an article to a substrate, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a fastening tool comprising: 
 a housing;  
 a driver mounted in said housing for reciprocal movement in a drive path;  
 a magazine assembly associated with said housing, said magazine assembly containing one or more fasteners including a forwardmost fastener, said magazine assembly having a nose end and a tail end spaced from said nose end;  
   b) determining the desired holding power of said fastener about said article;    c) configuring the length of said drive path based upon said desired holding power;    d) properly positioning said fastening tool about said article to be fastened; and    e) actuating said driver thereby causing said driver to travel said configured length in said drive path and strike said forwardmost fastener and propel said forwardmost fastener out of said housing and into said substrate about said article to such an extent that said article is connected to said substrate with said desired holding power and remains permanently movable beneath said fastener.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one fastener is a staple.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said fastening tool further comprises an impact pad in said housing in said drive path, and wherein said desired holding power is achieved based upon the thickness of said impact pad.  
   
   
       14 . A fastening tool for fastening an object to a substrate, said tool comprising: 
 a housing;    a driver mounted in said housing for reciprocal movement in a drive path;    an actuator for actuating said driver;    a magazine assembly associated with said housing, said magazine assembly containing one or more fasteners including a forwardmost fastener, said magazine assembly having a nose end and a tail end spaced from said nose end;    a pusher in said magazine assembly for urging said one or more fasteners towards said nose end such that said forwardmost fastener is aligned in said drive path;    wherein the length of said drive path is predetermined to cause said driver to travel a predetermined distance in said drive path upon actuation of said actuator so as to drive said fastener into said substrate and about said object and connect said object to said substrate at a predetermined holding power.    
   
   
       15 . The fastening tool of  claim 14 , wherein said predetermined holding is such that said object remains permanently movable on said substrate.  
   
   
       16 . The fastening tool of  claim 14 , wherein said fasteners are staples.  
   
   
       17 . The fastening tool of  claim 14 , wherein said one or more fasteners each comprise a wire ribbon having a first extremity and a second extremity, said ribbon having a first edge and a second edge, said first extremity being cut away so as to form a first angle such that said first edge projects further than said second edge, said second extremity being cut away so as to form a second angle such that said second edge projects further than said first edge.  
   
   
       18 . The fastening tool of  claim 14 , wherein said object is communications cable.  
   
   
       19 . The fastening tool of  claim 14 , wherein said each said fastener comprises a wire ribbon having a first extremity and a second extremity, and wherein each said extremity comprises a resin coating that melts at or below the temperature created upon insertion of said fastener into said substrate.