Power tool

• US 9,381,638 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi KOKI Company Limited (Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Ai, Tachibana, Toshihiko, Etou, Yasuo, Onose, Miyoji, Yamaguchi, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Desai, Hemant M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Neacsu, Valentin
• Application Number:
  US13/698,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20130068492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,856 Days
• Field of Search: 173/184, 173/217
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/025 Electric hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a power tool that can be used at a position away from the external power source. The power tool includes a housing, a motor, an end tool, a battery pack, and an inverter. The housing has an upper side portion and a lower side portion. The motor is supported by the housing and driven by alternate-current power. The end tool is supported by the housing and rotatably driven by the motor. The battery pack outputs direct-current voltage. The inverter is disposed on the upper side portion and at a position higher than the motor and configured to convert the direct-current voltage outputted from the battery pack into alternate-current voltage and to supply the motor with alternate-current power.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a housing having an upper side portion, a lower side portion, a front part, and a rear part;

a first direction being oriented from the lower side portion towards the upper side portion;

a second direction being oriented from the rear part towards the front part, perpendicular to the first direction, and parallel to a traveling direction of the power tool;

an alternating-current (AC) motor supported by the housing and driven by alternating-current power;

an end tool supported by the housing and rotatably driven by the AC motor;

a battery pack that outputs direct-current voltage;

an inverter casing attachable to and detachable from the upper side portion, the inverter casing including a mount section, the battery pack being attachable to and detachable from the mount section;

an inverter accommodated in the inverter casing and configured to convert the direct-current voltage outputted from the battery pack into AC voltage and to supply the AC motor with AC power when the inverter casing is attached to the upper side portion so that the upper side portion is disposed between the inverter casing and the AC motor relative to the first direction; and

an AC power input selectively connectable to an extension cord connected to an external AC power source to supply AC power received from the extension cord to the AC motor for operation of the power tool when the inverter casing is detached from the upper side portion.

2. The power tool according to claim 1, wherein the inverter casing is located between the AC motor and the end tool relative to the second direction.

3. The power tool according to claim 1, wherein the inverter casing is located in the first direction from the end tool.

4. The power tool according to claim 1, wherein the front part has a front wall section and the rear part has a rear wall section;

and

wherein the inverter casing is offset from the rear wall section toward the front wall section relative to the second direction.

5. The power tool according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one front wheel rotatably supported by the front part and rotatable about a front rotational axis; and

at least one rear wheel rotatably supported by the rear part and rotatable around a rear rotational axis, the inverter casing being offset from the rear rotational axis toward the front rotational axis relative to the second direction.

6. The power tool according to claim 5, wherein the inverter casing is located between the rear rotational axis and the front rotational axis relative to the second direction.

7. The power tool according to claim 1, wherein the upper side portion of the housing has an uppermost surface on which the inverter casing is mounted.

8. The power tool according to claim 1, further comprising:

a holding section configured to be held by a user; and

a pair of arm sections each having a base end pivotally connected to the housing and another end connected to the holding section so that the pair of arm sections are pivotally movable relative to the housing, pivotal movement of the pair of arm section defining loci, and a pair of imaginary planes including the loci; and

wherein the inverter casing is disposed between the pair of imaginary planes.

9. The power tool according to claim 8, wherein:

the pair of arm sections is pivotally moveable relative to the housing about a pivotal axis of the pivotal movement of the pair of arm sections;

the upper side portion of the housing is provided with an engaging section;

the inverter casing is provided with an engaged section engageable with the engaging section to fix the inverter casing to the upper side portion; and

the pair of arm sections extends in a diagonal direction coplanar with the first direction and the second direction, the diagonal direction forming an acute angle relative to the first direction and an obtuse angle relative to the second direction, the engaging section being offset from each base end of each arm section relative to the second direction toward the front part.

10. The power tool according to claim 1, further comprising an inverter power outlet for outputting AC power from the inverter, wherein the AC power input is selectively connectable to the inverter power outlet to supply AC power received from the inverter to the AC motor for operation of the power tool when the battery pack is attached to the inverter casing and the inverter casing is attached to the upper side portion.

11. A power tool comprising:

a housing;

an alternating-current (AC) motor supported by the housing and driven by alternating-current power;

an end tool supported by the housing and rotatably driven by the AC motor;

a battery pack that outputs direct-current voltage;

an inverter casing attachable to and detachable from the housing, the inverter casing including a mount section, the battery pack being attachable to and detachable from the mount section;

an inverter accommodated in the inverter casing, the inverter being configured to convert the direct-current voltage outputted from the battery pack into AC voltage when the inverter casing is attached to the housing, and to supply the AC motor with AC power; and

an AC power input selectively connectable to an extension cord connected to an external AC power source to supply AC power received from the extension cord to the AC motor for operation of the power tool when the inverter casing is detached from the housing.

12. The power tool according to claim 11, further comprising an inverter power outlet for outputting AC power from the inverter, wherein the AC power input is selectively connectable to the inverter power outlet to supply AC power received from the inverter to the AC motor for operation of the power tool when the battery pack is attached to the inverter casing and the inverter casing is attached to the housing.