Patents by Inventor Mark C. Hughes

Mark C. Hughes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11951601
    Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center (TDC) position to a bottom-dead-center (BDC) position for driving a fastener into a workpiece and a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade from the BDC position toward the TDC position. A rotary lifter is engageable with the driver blade and configured to receive torque from the drive unit for returning the driver blade from the BDC position toward the TDC position. The lifter has a body, a drive pin coupled to the body, and a roller positioned on the drive pin. The roller includes an engagement section configured to receive an end portion of a tooth of the driver blade. The lifter includes a means for aligning the engagement section with the end portion of the tooth on the driver blade to facilitate meshing between the end portion and the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Beth E. Cholst, Troy C. Thorson, Jacob P. Schneider, Mackenzie J. Nick, Nathan Bandy, David A Bierdeman, Travis W. Leathrum, Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Mark C. Hughes, David C. Graf, Marcus Wechselberger
  • Publication number: 20230264332
    Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a housing, a nosepiece extending from the housing, a driver blade movable within the nosepiece between a ready position and a driven position the driver blade comprising a plurality of drive teeth on a first side of the driver blade and a plurality of locking projections on a second side of the driver blade, a piston coupled to the driver blade for movement therewith, a driver cylinder within which the piston is movable, a storage chamber cylinder containing pressurized gas therein and in fluid communication with the driver cylinder, a first end of the driver cylinder being affixed to a corresponding first end of the storage chamber cylinder, and a latch actuator assembly adjacent the driver blade, wherein the latch actuator assembly includes a latch to engage one of the plurality of locking projections to prevent the driver blade from moving toward the driven position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Mark C. Hughes, Jacob N. Zimmerman, Ivan N. Zozulya, Travis W. Leathrum, Troy C. Thorson, Michael B. Koeppel, Bradley S. Houskamp, Lokeshwaran Rajendran, Mitchell A. Ellena, David C. Graf, Caleb M. Schober
  • Publication number: 20230191575
    Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade and a drive unit having an output shaft for providing torque to move the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position. A rotary lifter is engageable with the driver blade and configured to receive torque from the output shaft of the drive unit in a first rotational direction for returning the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position. A kickout arrangement is defined between the lifter and the output shaft and 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. 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: David A. Bierdeman, Troy C. Thorson, Jacob P. Schneider, Mackenzie J. Nick, Nathan Bandy, Travis W. Leathrum, Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Mark C. Hughes, David C. Graf, Marcus Wechselberger, Leonard F. Mikat-Stevens, Jacob N. Zimmerman, Jason M. Julius, Rosalie C. Phillips, Beth E. Cholst
  • Publication number: 20230138234
    Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center position to a bottom-dead-center position for driving a fastener into a workpiece, a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade toward the top-dead-center position, and a rotary lifter engageable with the driver blade. The lifter having a body and a drive pin coupled to the body. A roller is positioned on the drive pin and engages with a tooth of the driver blade when moving the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position. The roller includes a first engagement section that receives an end portion of the tooth and a second engagement section. An engagement member engages the second engagement section for aligning the first engagement section of the roller with the end portion of the tooth to facilitate meshing between the end portion of the tooth and the roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: David A. Bierdeman, Troy C. Thorson, Jacob P. Schneider, Mackenzie J. Nick, Nathan Bandy, Travis W. Leathrum, Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Mark C. Hughes, David C. Graf, Marcus Wechselberger, Leonard F. Mikat-Stevens, Jacob N. Zimmerman, Jason M. Julius, Rosalie C. Phillips, Beth E. Cholst
  • Patent number: 11577372
    Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center position to a bottom-dead-center position for driving a fastener into a workpiece, a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade toward the top-dead-center position, and a rotary lifter engageable with the driver blade. The rotary lifter having a body and a drive pin coupled to the body. A roller is rotatably coupled to the drive pin and includes a non-cylindrical outer peripheral surface defining a plurality of engagement sections. A tooth of the driver blade is configured to engage one of the engagement sections when moving the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Bierdeman, Troy C. Thorson, Jacob P. Schneider, Mackenzie J. Nick, Nathan Bandy, Travis W. Leathrum, Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Mark C. Hughes, David C. Graf, Marcus Wechselberger, Leonard F. Mikat-Stevens, Jacob N. Zimmerman, Jason M. Julius, Rosalie C. Phillips, Beth E. Cholst
  • Patent number: 11571794
    Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center position to a bottom-dead-center position for driving a fastener into a workpiece, a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade toward the top-dead-center position, and a rotary lifter engageable with the driver blade. The lifter having a body and a drive pin coupled to the body. A roller is positioned on the drive pin and engages with a tooth of the driver blade when moving the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position. The roller includes a first engagement section that receives an end portion of the tooth and a second engagement section. An engagement member engages the second engagement section for aligning the first engagement section of the roller with the end portion of the tooth to facilitate meshing between the end portion of the tooth and the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Bierdeman, Troy C. Thorson, Jacob P. Schneider, Mackenzie J. Nick, Nathan Bandy, Travis W. Leathrum, Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Mark C. Hughes, David C. Graf, Marcus Wechselberger, Leonard F. Mikat-Stevens, Jacob N. Zimmerman, Jason M. Julius, Rosalie C. Phillips, Beth E. Cholst
  • Publication number: 20220234183
    Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center position to a bottom-dead-center position for driving a fastener into a workpiece, a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade toward the top-dead-center position, and a rotary lifter engageable with the driver blade. The rotary lifter having a body and a drive pin coupled to the body. A roller is rotatably coupled to the drive pin and includes a non-cylindrical outer peripheral surface defining a plurality of engagement sections. A tooth of the driver blade is configured to engage one of the engagement sections when moving the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: David A. Bierdeman, Troy C. Thorson, Jacob P. Schneider, Mackenzie J. Nick, Nathan Bandy, Travis W. Leathrum, Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Mark C. Hughes, David C. Graf, Marcus Wechselberger, Leonard F. Mikat-Stevens, Jacob N. Zimmerman, Jason M. Julius, Rosalie C. Phillips, Beth E. Cholst
  • Publication number: 20220234182
    Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center position to a bottom-dead-center position for driving a fastener into a workpiece, a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade toward the top-dead-center position, and a rotary lifter engageable with the driver blade. The lifter having a body and a drive pin coupled to the body. A roller is positioned on the drive pin and engages with a tooth of the driver blade when moving the driver blade from the bottom-dead-center position toward the top-dead-center position. The roller includes a first engagement section that receives an end portion of the tooth and a second engagement section. An engagement member engages the second engagement section for aligning the first engagement section of the roller with the end portion of the tooth to facilitate meshing between the end portion of the tooth and the roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: David A. Bierdeman, Troy C. Thorson, Jacob P. Schneider, Mackenzie J. Nick, Nathan Bandy, Travis W. Leathrum, Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Mark C. Hughes, David C. Graf, Marcus Wechselberger, Leonard F. Mikat-Stevens, Jacob N. Zimmerman, Jason M. Julius, Rosalie C. Phillips, Beth E. Cholst
  • Publication number: 20220219301
    Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center (TDC) position to a bottom-dead-center (BDC) position for driving a fastener into a workpiece and a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade from the BDC position toward the TDC position. A kickout arrangement is at least partially defined by an outer surface on one of a torque output member and a torque input member and an aperture formed in the other of the torque output member and the torque input member in which the outer surface is received. The kickout arrangement configured to permit limited rotation of the torque output member relative to the torque input member between a first position and a second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: David A. Bierdeman, Troy C. Thorson, Jacob P. Schneider, Mackenzie J. Nick, Nathan Bandy, Travis W. Leathrum, Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Mark C. Hughes, David C. Graf, Marcus Wechselberger, Leonard F. Mikat-Stevens, Jacob N. Zimmerman, Jason M. Julius, Rosalie C. Phillips, Beth E. Cholst
  • Publication number: 20220143798
    Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver blade movable from a top-dead-center (TDC) position to a bottom-dead-center (BDC) position for driving a fastener into a workpiece and a drive unit for providing torque to move the driver blade from the BDC position toward the TDC position. A rotary lifter is engageable with the driver blade and configured to receive torque from the drive unit for returning the driver blade from the BDC position toward the TDC position. The lifter has a body, a drive pin coupled to the body, and a roller positioned on the drive pin. The roller includes an engagement section configured to receive an end portion of a tooth of the driver blade. The lifter includes a means for aligning the engagement section with the end portion of the tooth on the driver blade to facilitate meshing between the end portion and the roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Beth E. Cholst, Troy C. Thorson, Jacob P. Schneider, Mackenzie J. Nick, Nathan Bandy, David A. Bierdeman, Travis W. Leathrum, Mitchell T. Neuhoff, Mark C. Hughes, David C. Graf, Marcus Wechselberger
  • Patent number: D349224
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Inventors: Mark C. Hughes, Janusz L. Holland