HANDLE SYSTEM FOR A HANDHELD POWER TOOL

• US 20130097876A1
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Inventors: Fong, Carl-Johan, Valfridsson, Stefan, Gejervall, Ulrik, Nybacka, Matias
• Granted Patent: US 9,855,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 30/277.4
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 3/053 motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49876 by snap fit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and devices for mounting and securing a handle (110) on a power driven hand tool (100) The power driven hand tool (100) is provided with a main body (104) comprising a housing (106) with a drive unit for driving a working member of the tool (100), a handle (110) for user operation of the tool (100), and a connecting part (112) for connecting the handle (110) with the main body (106). Further, a front end of the handle (110) may be inserted into a rear end of the connecting part (112) in a first rotational position in relation to the connecting part (112), and the handle (110) may be rotated into a second rotational position in relation to the connecting part (112). In the second rotational position, the handle (110) and the connecting part (112) are locked to each other by means of an automatic locking mechanism.

Claims

1. A power driven hand tool comprising:

a main body comprising a housing with a drive unit for driving a working member of the tool,

a handle for user operation of the tool, and

a connecting part for connecting the handle with the main body, wherein the handle and the connecting part are arranged in such a way that a front end of the handle is insertable into a rear end of the connecting part in a first rotational position in relation to the connecting part, and in such a way that the handle is rotatable into a second rotational position in relation to the connecting part, in which second position the handle is lockable to the connecting part via an automatic locking mechanism.

2. A power driven hand tool according to claim 1, wherein the first rotational position of the handle relative to the connecting part is a non-operating position.

3. A power driven hand tool according to claim 1, wherein the second rotational position of the handle relative to the connecting part is located at one end of a predefined continuous angular range of positions and wherein the continuous angular range of positions comprises one or more operating positions.

4. A power driven hand tool according to claim 3, wherein the one or more operating positions comprise a central position, and wherein the first rotational position is substantially an upside-down position of the handle in relation to the central position and to the connecting part.

5. A power driven hand tool according to claim 1, wherein the automatic locking mechanism is a snap locking mechanism.

6. A power driven hand tool according to claim 1, wherein the front end of the handle has a substantially tubular shape and is provided with a protrusion extending outwards in a substantially radial direction, the connecting part is provided with a corresponding recess, and the recess and the protrusion are arranged in such a way that the protrusion can slide in the recess at insertion of the handle into the connecting part.

7. A power driven hand tool according to claim 6, wherein the protrusion and the recess are configured to restrict the position of the handle at insertion into the connecting part to a non-operating position in relation to the connecting part.

8. A power driven hand tool according to claim 6, wherein the recess of the connecting part extends in a substantially axial direction of the connecting part.

9. A power driven hand tool according to claim 8, wherein the automatic locking mechanism is a snap locking mechanism and wherein the snap locking mechanism is arranged in such a way that the handle, after insertion into the connecting part, can be rotated such that the protrusion passes the snap locking mechanism and thereby reaches a predefined continuous angular range of positions including one or more possible operating positions.

10. A power driven hand tool according to claim 9, wherein the one or more operating positions comprise a central position, and the snap locking mechanism is provided approximately 90°

from the central operating position.

11. A power driven hand tool according to claim 1, wherein the hand tool is a hedge trimmer.

12. A handle for user operation of a power driven hand tool, the power driven hand tool comprising a connecting part for connecting the handle to the tool,

wherein a front end of the handle is configured to be inserted into the connecting part in a first rotational position in relation to the connecting part, and that the handle is rotatable into a second rotational position in relation to the connecting part, in which second position the handle is lockable to the connecting part via an automatic locking mechanism.

13. A handle according to claim 12, wherein the first rotational position of the handle relative to the connecting part is a non-operating position.

14. A handle according to claim 12, wherein the second rotational position of the handle relative to the connecting part is located at one end of a predefined continuous angular range of positions and wherein the predefined continuous angular range of positions comprises one or more possible operating positions.

15. A handle according to claim 14, wherein the one or more operating positions comprise a central position, and wherein the first rotational position is substantially an upside-down position of the handle in relation to the central position and to the connecting part.

16. A handle according to claim 12, wherein the front end of the handle has a substantially tubular shape and is provided with a protrusion extending outwards in a substantially radial direction, and wherein the protrusion is configured to slide in a corresponding recess provided in the connecting part at insertion of the handle into the connecting part.

17. A handle according to claim 16, wherein the automatic locking mechanism is a snap locking mechanism arranged in the connecting part, and wherein the handle, after insertion into the connecting part, can be rotated such that the protrusion passes the automatic locking mechanism, and thereby reaches a predefined continuous angular range of positions comprising one or more operating positions.

18. A method of assembling a handle and a connecting part of a power driven hand tool, the method comprising:

inserting a front end of the handle into a rear end of the connecting part in a first rotational position in relation to the connecting part; and

rotating the handle into a second rotational position in relation to the connecting part, in which second position the handle is lockable to the connecting part via an automatic locking mechanism.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the first rotational position of the handle relative to the connecting part is a non-operating position.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the second rotational position of the handle relative to the connecting part is located at one end of a predefined continuous angular range of positions comprising one or more possible operating positions,

wherein the front end of the handle has a substantially tubular shape and is provided with a protrusion extending outwards in a substantially radial direction, and wherein the connecting part is provided with a corresponding recess, and the recess and the protrusion are arranged in such a way that the protrusion can slide in the recess at insertion of the handle into the connecting part,

wherein the protrusion and the recess are configured to restrict the position of the handle at insertion into the connecting part to a non-operating position in relation to the connecting part,

wherein the automatic locking mechanism is a snap locking mechanism, and wherein the snap locking mechanism is arranged in such a way that the handle after insertion into the connecting part can be rotated such that the protrusion passes the snap locking mechanism and thereby reaches a predefined continuous angular range of positions comprising one or more possible operating positions.

21-25. -25. (canceled)