| Joinery member and fastener and process and apparatus for placement of the fastener -> Monitor Keywords |
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Joinery member and fastener and process and apparatus for placement of the fastenerRelated Patent Categories: Woodworking, Process, SecuringJoinery member and fastener and process and apparatus for placement of the fastener description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050263214, Joinery member and fastener and process and apparatus for placement of the fastener. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/759,575, filed Jan. 16, 2004, and entitled "JOINERY MEMBER AND FASTENER AND PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PLACEMENT OF THE FASTENER," which application is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] The present invention relates, in general, to joinery members which are secured together using fasteners, such as wood screws, and more particularly, relates to pocketed joinery members and the positioning of the wood screws in the screw pockets for subsequent securement of the joinery member to a second member. [0004] 2. Background Art [0005] Many commercially manufactured cabinet and furniture products are formed from a plurality of wooden, composite or plastic members which are joined together by a plurality of fasteners, most usually wood screws. In many instances, the wood screws are positioned in screw pockets or mortises formed in the joinery member adjacent to an edge of the member, which edge is then secured to a second joinery member. [0006] A typical prior art cabinetry or furniture joint is shown in FIG. 1. A first joinery member 21 is shown in abutting relation to a second member 22. First and second members 21 and 22 are secured together by a fastener, in this case a wood or pocket screw 23, which is mounted in a pocket 24 in the first joinery member. A bore 26 extends from edge 27 of the first joinery member to pocket 24, and screw 23 is positioned in bore 26 and screwed into the second joinery member 22 to secure the assembly together as a unit. Typically, a plurality of fasteners 23 will be used along the length of the two members being joined, and second member 22 may be provided with pre-drilled holes or bores which receive the screws and make driving of the same easier. Pocketed securement together of two joinery members is often employed to join face frames of various structures, but it also can be employed to secure panels together and combinations of panels and frame members. [0007] The formation of screw pocket 24 can be accomplished using various types of equipment. One of the most efficient ways of forming pocket 24 and bore 26, however, is set forth in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,719. Subsequently I have devised a hand-held screw pocket forming apparatus, which is shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,982, and pocket or mortise inserts are shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,627. [0008] If the number of members to be joined together is relatively small, the apparatus of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,603,719 and 5,063,982 can be employed, and the wood working fabricator can manually place fasteners or pocket screws 23 into pockets 26. In the do-it-yourself or low volume contexts, therefore, it is relatively easy and not too time consuming to simply manually position the pocket screws for screwing into the other joinery member using a powered or unpowered screwdriver. [0009] In high production situations, however, fabrication lines need to be partially or fully automated, and one of the most difficult tasks in a joinery production line is to automate the positioning of fasteners in the joinery members so that they can be fastened together using a power screwdriver. It is highly undesirable in high production applications, therefore, to form the pocket 24 and bore 26 automatically and yet have to employ manual labor to insert fasteners in the bores for subsequent powered screwing together of the joinery pieces. [0010] Several problems are encountered which make automating a joinery production line difficult. One is the need to move the joinery members during the process. Such movement will tend to cause fasteners to vibrate or fall out of the pockets before they can be screwed into another member to join the two members together. Another problem is the need to control the orientation and location of the pointed ends of the fasteners or pocket screws. Thus, automated placement of wood screws in small diameter bores, such as bore 26, can be difficult. Such placement requires that the pocket screw pointed end be aligned with the bore within relatively close tolerances so that the fastener will not be jammed into the end wall of the pocket adjacent to bore 26 and thereby shut down the production line. [0011] While existing pocket screws are suitable for use in high production applications, using the apparatus and process of the present invention, such conventional pocket screws or wood screws are not formed in a manner which makes them ideal for the present process and apparatus. Moreover, conventional screw pocket forming apparatus, including my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,603,716 and 5,063,982, produce pockets or mortises having a screw receiving bore 26 which also is somewhat less than ideal for use in the present apparatus and process. [0012] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and process for automated placement of fasteners, and particularly pocket screws, into joinery members for subsequent fastening together of the joinery members in a high production setting. [0013] A further object of the present invention is provide an improved pocket screw construction which enhances placement of the pocket screws in joinery members in a production line for subsequent formation of joinery assemblies. [0014] Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved pocket screw which is better suited for joining pocketed joinery members. [0015] The process, apparatus and resulting joinery member of the present invention have other objects and features of advantage which will become apparent from, or are set forth in more detail in, the accompanying drawing and following Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0016] In a broad aspect, a pocket joinery assembly is manufactured by first forming a fastener pocket in a surface of a joinery member near to and spaced from an end of the joinery member. Subsequently, one propels a fastener having a tip or point into the fastener pocket. In different preferred embodiments, one propels with a mechanical gripping apparatus or by pneumatic force applied along a fastener guide. In each embodiment, the fastener impacts and engages a fastener pocket end, which is opposite the end of the joinery member. In preferred embodiments having a bore, a fastener point does not impact the fastener pocket end. Rather, a shank portion of the fastener impacts a fastener pocket end around the bore. In preferred embodiments without a bore, a fastener point does impact the fastener pocket end because there is no bore opening. Finally, to a greater or lesser extent across a range of embodiments, one drives the fastener to a stable, engaged position wherein the fastener point or tip is intermediate between the fastener pocket and the end of the joinery member. In preferred embodiments having a bore, one drives the fastener in the bore until there is sufficient frictional engagement and the point is proximal to the end of the joinery member. In preferred embodiments without a bore, one drives the fastener through the joinery member material to a position where the point is proximal to the end of the joinery member. [0017] The result, in preferred embodiments having a bore and in preferred embodiments without a bore, is a joinery assembly with a joinery member and an embedded fastener. The joinery member has a fastener pocket formed near to an end, and a fastener having a point is embedded in the joinery member between the fastener pocket end and the end of the joinery member. With or without a bore, the fastener is in direct contact with joinery member material. With a bore, a shank portion of the fastener is in direct contact with joinery member material and a point or tip of the fastener is not, by virtue of the bore. Without a bore, by contrast, the point or tip of the fastener is in direct contact with joinery member material. [0018] One aspect of the present invention is directed to a process for forming a pocket joinery assembly including one or more steps of: forming a fastener pocket in a surface of a joinery member proximate to and spaced from an end of the joinery member; propelling a fastener having a point into the fastener pocket, whereby the fastener impacts and engages a fastener pocket end proximate to the end of the joinery member; and thereafter driving the fastener to a stable, engaged position wherein the point is intermediate the fastener pocket and the end of the joinery member. [0019] In one embodiment, the point may impact and engage the fastener pocket end. The stable, engaged position may be immediately adjacent the end of the joinery member. Propulsion may be applied by a surface force to the fastener. Propulsion may be applied by a body force to the fastener. Propelling a fastener may include propelling along a trajectory, a portion of which trajectory may be aligned with an axis of rotation of a fastener-driving head. The fastener may be a pocket screw. The joinery member may include at least one of: a wooden member, a composite member, and a plastic member. The pocket may be an arcuate pocket increasing in depth in a direction toward the end of the joinery member. [0020] Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a joinery assembly including one or more of: a joinery member having a fastener pocket formed therein proximate an end thereof; and a fastener located in the fastener pocket and having a point positioned in the joinery member intermediate a fastener pocket end and the end of the joinery member; wherein the fastener may be in direct engaging contact with joinery member material. [0021] In one embodiment, the fastener has a shank and the shank may be in direct contact with joinery member material and the point may be not in direct contact with joinery member material. The point may be in direct contact with the joinery member material. The point may be proximate to the end of the joinery member. The fastener may be a pocket screw. The joinery member may include at least one of: a wooden member, a composite member, and a plastic member. Continue reading about Joinery member and fastener and process and apparatus for placement of the fastener... Full patent description for Joinery member and fastener and process and apparatus for placement of the fastener Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Joinery member and fastener and process and apparatus for placement of the fastener patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. 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