Gardening tool

• US 9,826,686 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chervon (HK) Limited (Chervon Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Chervon (HK) Limited (Chervon Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Yamaoka, Toshinari, Nie, Fangjie, Xu, Haishen
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US15/250,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20170049048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 56 101, 56 105, 56 108, 56 174, 563202, 180 193, 180272
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2034/6843 Control levers on the handle of the mower
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/67 hand-guided by a walking operator
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/6806 Driving mechanisms for the cutters A01D34/76
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/824 Handle arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/828 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/10 Brakes

Abstract

An gardening tool, such as a mower, includes a main body and a handle rotatably connected to the main body. The main body includes a motor. The handle includes a plurality of telescopic members slidably connected to each other. The mower further includes a operation assembly for being operated by a user to activate the motor and a control system for sending a control signal to enable or disable the operation of motor by the operation assembly when the handle is out of a accommodating state.

Claims

1. A gardening tool, comprising:

a main body having at least a functional accessory and a motor for driving the functional accessory;

a handle, rotatably connected to the main body, having at least one operation assembly for being operated by a user to control the motor when the handle is in a secure position;

a locking mechanism for locking the rotating position of the handle;

a locking member configured to engage with the locking mechanism and providing at least a locking structure to cause the locking mechanism to keep the handle at an accommodating position relative to the main body when the gardening tool is not being used; and

a control system capable of preventing the motor from being controlled by the operation assembly and halting the motor when the handle is out of the secure position, the control system comprising;

a first control device configured to be controlled by the operation assembly; and

a second control device configured to be controlled according to the rotating position of the handle wherein, when the handle rotates to a designated position relative to the main body, the second control device unlocks the first control device so that the first control device allows starting of the motor, and, when the handle rotates to the accommodating position relative to the main body, the second control device locks the first device so that the first control device is not allowed to start the motor; and

wherein the second control device comprises at least one of a switch connected to the power supply circuit and a signal source device for sending a control signal to control the motor.

2. The gardening tool as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electric power source and a power supply circuit for enabling the electric power source to provide power to the motor wherein the control system comprises a switch connected to the power supply circuit to connect the electric power source to the motor or disconnect the electric power source to the motor.

3. The gardening tool as recited in claim 2, wherein the switch is mounted to the handle and rotates with the handle synchronously.

4. The gardening tool as recited in claim 2, wherein the switch is mounted to the main body and the handle rotates relatively to the switch.

5. The gardening tool as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electric power source and a power supply circuit for enabling the electric power source to provide power to the motor wherein the control system comprises a signal source for sending a control signal to the power supply circuit to disconnect the electric power source to the motor.

6. The gardening tool as recited in claim 5, wherein the signal source is mounted to the handle and rotates with the handle synchronously.

7. The gardening tool as recited in claim 5, wherein the signal source is mounted to the main body and the handle rotates relatively to the signal source.

8. The gardening tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a plurality of telescopic members for connecting the operation assembly to the main body, and wherein, when a one of the plurality of telescopic members extends to the designated position relative to another of the plurality of telescopic members, a third control device unlocks the first control device so that the first control device is capable of starting the motor, and, when the one of the plurality of telescopic members is in a position other than the designated position, the third control device locks the first control device so that the first control device is not capable of starting the motor.

9. The gardening tool as recited in claim 8, further comprising an electric power source and a power supply circuit for enabling the electric power source to provide power to the motor wherein the control system comprises a switch and a signal source, the switch is configured to be triggered by the operation assembly to activate the motor, and the signal source sends a signal to the power supply circuit to disable the activation of the motor when the one of the plurality of telescopic members is caused to be move away from the predetermined position relative to the another of the plurality of telescopic members.

10. The gardening tool as recited in claim 8, further comprising an electric power source and a power supply circuit for enabling the electric power source to provide power to the motor wherein the control system comprises a plurality of signal sources for sending a signal to the power supply circuit to control the connection between the electric power source and the motor, the plurality of signal sources enable the operation of the operation assembly to the motor when the one of the plurality of telescopic members is caused to move to a predetermined position relative to another of the plurality of telescopic members and the one of the plurality of signal sources disable the operation of the operation assembly to the motor when the one of the plurality of telescopic members is caused to be move away from the predetermined position relative to the another of the plurality of telescopic members.

11. A mower, comprising:

a main body having at least a functional accessory and a motor for driving the functional accessory;

a handle, rotatably connected to the main body, having at least one operation assembly for being operated by a user to control the motor when the handle is in a secure position;

a locking mechanism for locking the rotating position of the handle;

a locking member configured to engage with the locking mechanism and providing at least a locking structure to cause the locking mechanism to keep the handle at an accommodating position relative to the main body when the mower is not being used; and

a control system capable of preventing the motor from being controlled by the operation assembly and halting the motor when the handle is out of the secure position, the control system comprising;

a first control device configured to be controlled by the operation assembly, and

a second control device configured to be controlled according to the rotating position of the handle wherein, when the handle rotates to a designated position relative to the main body, the second control device unlocks the first control device so that the first control device allows starting of the motor, and, when the handle rotates to the accommodating position relative to the main body, the second control device locks the first device so that the first control device is not allowed to start the motor, and

wherein the second control device comprises at least one of a switch connected to the power supply circuit and a signal source device for sending a control signal to control the motor.

12. The mower as recited in claim 11, further comprising an electric power source and a power supply circuit for enabling the electric power source to provide power to the motor wherein the control system comprises a switch connected in the power supply circuit to connect the electric power source to the motor or disconnect the electric power source to the motor.

13. The mower as recited in claim 12, wherein the switch is mounted to the handle and rotates with the handle synchronously.

14. The mower as recited in claim 12, wherein the switch is mounted to main body and the handle rotates relatively to the switch.

15. The mower as recited in claim 11, further comprising an electric power source and a power supply circuit for enabling the electric power source to provide power to the motor wherein the control system comprises a signal source for sending a control signal to the power supply circuit to disconnect the electric power source to the motor.

16. The mower as recited in claim 15, wherein the signal source is mounted to the handle and rotates with the handle synchronously.

17. The mower as recited in claim 15, wherein the signal source is mounted to main body and the handle rotates relatively to the signal source.

18. The mower as recited in claim 11, wherein the handle comprises a plurality of telescopic members for connecting the operation assembly to the main body, and wherein, when a one of the plurality of telescopic members extends to the designated position relative to another of the plurality of telescopic members, a third control device unlocks the first control device so that the first control device is capable of starting the motor, and, when the one of the plurality of telescopic members is in a position other than the designated position, the third control device locks the first control device so that the first control device is not capable of starting the motor.

19. The mower as recited in claim 18, further comprising an electric power source and a power supply circuit for enabling the electric power source to provide power to the motor wherein the control system comprises a switch and a signal source, the switch is configured to be triggered by the operation assembly to activate the motor, and the signal source sends a signal to the power supply circuit to disable the activation of the motor when the one of the plurality of telescopic members is caused to be move away from the predetermined position relative to the another of the plurality of telescopic members.

20. The mower as recited in claim 18, further comprising an electric power source and a power supply circuit for enabling the electric power source to provide power to the motor wherein the control system comprises a plurality of signal sources for sending signal to the power supply circuit to control the connection between the electric power source and the motor, the plurality of signal sources are capable of enabling the operation of the operation assembly to the motor when the one of the plurality of telescopic members is caused to move to a predetermined position relative another of the plurality of telescopic members and the one of the plurality of signal sources is capable of disabling the operation of the operation assembly to the motor when the one of the plurality of telescopic members is caused to be move away from the predetermined position relative to the another of the plurality of telescopic members.