HAND-GUIDED POWER TOOL AND COUPLING OF A HAND-GUIDED POWER TOOL

Abstract

A hand-guided power tool, particularly grass clippers, includes at least one rod holder and tool holder and a guide rod connected with the rod holder. A coupling is provided between the tool holder and the rod holder and has a swivel guide that permits the tool holder and the rod holder to rotate relative to each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a view of a preferred embodiment of an inventive hand-guided power tool, in an exploded view;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the power tool in the assembled state with a guide rod, in a starting position;

FIGS. 3 a, b, c show a front view of a preferred embodiment of a coupling in a neutral starting position (FIG. 3a), in an end position in which it is swiveled by 90° relative to a guide rod holder, in one direction (FIG. 3b) and in another direction (FIG. 3c); and

FIGS. 4 a, b show a depiction of a preferred embodiment of inventive hand-guided grass clippers from above, in a starting position (FIG. 4a), and swiveled into an end position (FIG. 4b).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Identical elements in the figures are labeled with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of an inventive, hand-guided power tool designed as grass clippers with a rod holder 10 and a forked tool holder 11. A guide rod 12—which is not shown in FIG. 1—can be connected with rod holder 10. A not-shown tool, e.g., a cutting tool, can be clamped or snapped into tool holder 11.

A coupling is located between tool holder 11 and rod holder 10. According to the present invention, the coupling includes a swivel guide that makes it possible for tool holder 11 and rod holder 10 to rotate relative to each other. The coupling is connected with tool holder 11 using a fastening element 26 such that a unit is formed that is capable of swiveling relative to rod holder 10.

The coupling includes an essentially plate-shaped base element 14 and a locking element 15. Each of the elements 14, 15 includes a swivel guide. With plate-shaped base element 14, two guide grooves 16, 18, which cross to form an “X”, are provided as the swivel guide; guide grooves 16, 18 are engaged with two corresponding pegs 17, 19 of rod holder 10. Pegs 17, 19 extend axially away from the end face of rod holder 10 and engage in the coupling. The swivel mechanism is explained in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

In the installed state, locking element 15 is located on the tool holder-side of base element 14 and is connected—together with base element 14—with tool holder 11 via fastening element 26. Locking element 15 includes a second swivel guide composed of two guide grooves 23, 24, which is incongruent with the swivel guide of base element 14, over at least a portion of the area.

The fastening element includes two recesses which correspond with pegs 17, 19. In the connected state, rod holder 10, sub-elements 14, 15 of the coupling, and tool holder 11 are adjacent and aligned with each other around the circumference. Base element 14 includes a flat projection 27 on the lower edge, which serves as a cover in the installed state. In the installed state, two spring elements 28, 28′ are located in two recesses in base element 14, which extend vertically relative to the working surface and which extend laterally.

Rod holder 10 includes two connecting devices 21, 21′ on the sides for detachably connecting wheels 22, 22′, as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows the power tool in the installed state, with a guide rod 12 located on the free end of rod holder 10. Guide rod 12 can also be designed as a telescoping rod, so that the length can be adjusted in a flexible manner. The depiction in FIG. 2 shows the power tool in a non-swiveled starting position of tool holder 11. In the working state, a device central axis 20 is located parallel to the working surface.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of a preferred embodiment of a coupling of a power tool. FIG. 3a shows a neutral starting position. FIGS. 3b and 3c show an end position in which the coupling is swiveled by 90° relative to a guide rod holder, in one direction, and in the opposite direction.

In FIG. 3a, fastening element 26, locking element 15, base element 14, and rod holder 10 are located one behind the other in the plane of the illustration, and they are connected via pegs 17, 19. It is clear that the swivel guide of locking element 15 designed as guide grooves 23, 24 is incongruent with the swivel guide of base element 14 designed as guide grooves 16, 18, over at least a portion of the area. Guide grooves 16 and 18, and 23 and 24, cross each other and form an “X”; the point of intersection is displaced downward, in the direction toward projection 27, relative to device central axis 20. Guide grooves 16 and 18, and 23 and 24, are curved outwardly; their radius of curvature corresponds approximately to a swivel radius of the pivotable unit around one of the pegs 17, 19. In the top view, guide grooves 16 and 18, and 23 and 24, are designed as two crossing sabers.

In the starting position, pegs 17, 19 engage in the upper, spread-apart ends of X-shaped guide grooves 16, 18, 23, 24. The pivotable unit, which is composed at least of base element 14, locking element 15, and not-shown tool holder 11, is capable of being swiveled laterally relative to rod holder 10.

The swivel motion to the right (FIG. 3b) is designed such that peg 17 forms an axis of rotation, and the pivotable unit is guided along guide grooves 18, 24 such that guide grooves 18, 24 run along peg 19. The axis of rotation of the swivel motion is positioned eccentrically relative to device central axis 20. Detent elements 25 are created using bulges formed on the outer ends of guide grooves 23, 24 of locking element 15. As soon as the pivotable unit has reached an end position, when swiveling, that is displaced by 90° relative to rod holder 10, the pivotable unit snaps into place. When it swivels back, initial resistance must be overcome in order to swivel the pivotable unit out of the end position back in the direction toward the starting position.

The rotation in the opposite direction (FIG. 3c) takes place in a similar manner; the swivel motion can be guided along peg 17 in guide grooves 16, 23, and it can be swiveled around the other peg 19 as the axis of rotation. Relative motions between base element 14 and locking element 15 are compensated using spring elements 28, 28′. During assembly, base element 14 and locking element 15 can be preloaded relative to each other using spring elements 28, 28′. Pivot pegs 17, 19 remain in their positions when the swivel motions take place.

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of an alternative, particularly preferred embodiment of hand-guided power tool in the form of grass clippers. Grass clippers include a rod holder 10, with which a guide rod 12 is connected, and which includes connecting devices that cannot be seen from the side, and via which wheels 22, 22′ are clipped on. A not-shown drive unit and transmission unit are located in a device body 13. Device body 13 is designed as a handle bar on its housing surface, thereby making it easier to manually initiate the swivel motion. The grass clippers are shown in a starting position in FIG. 4a. FIG. 4b shows the pivotable unit swiveled into an end position at the right, with the swivel motion being carried out as described above.

A diameter and width of wheels 22, 22′ are dimensioned such that, when the pivotable unit has been swiveled into the end position, wheels 22, 22′ can run freely on the working surface. A cutting tool 29 of the grass clippers is positioned vertically to the working surface when in the swiveled state, thereby making it possible to trim the edges of a lawn. Cutting tool 29 is located inside a wheel axis, so that wheels 22, 22′ can run, at least partially, while cutting tool 29 trims corners/edges of the lawn. Wheels 22, 22′ are located close to cutting tool 29. Guide rod 12 is connected with rod holder 10 such that it does not come in contact with wheels 22, 22′, either in the starting position or after it has been swiveled into the end position.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a hand-guided power tool and coupling of a hand-guided power tool, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hand-guided power tool, comprising at least one rod holder; a tool holder; at least one guide rod connected with said rod holder; and a coupling located between said tool holder and said rod holder, said coupling having a swivel guide that permits said tool holder and said rod holder to rotate relative to each other.

2. A hand-guided power tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said coupling is composed of at least one plate-shaped base element.

3. A hand-guided power tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said swivel guide is configured with at least one guide groove, said rod holder having a peg which engages in said at least one guide groove.

4. A hand-guided power tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said rod holder includes two axially extending pegs which engage in said coupling, one of said pegs being guided in a guide groove, while said tool holder connected with said coupling is pivotal around the other of said pegs as an axis of rotation.

5. A hand-guided power tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said swivel guide has two longitudinal guide grooves which cross and form an “X”

6. A hand-guided power tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said swivel guide is configured to permit a swivel motion having an axis of rotation which is located eccentrically relative to a central axis of the hand-guided power tool.

7. A hand-guided power tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said tool holder and said rod holder are swivelable laterally via said coupling at an angle of at least 45° relative to each other and around a central axis of the hand-guided power tool.

8. A hand-guided power tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said coupling includes a plate-shaped locking element with a second swivel guide which is incongruent with a swivel guide of a base element, over at least a portion of an area.

9. A hand-guided power tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said rod holder includes connecting devices for a detachable connection of wheels.

10. A coupling of a hand-guided power tool, comprising at least one base element; at least one locking element, wherein each of said at least one base element and said at least one locking element includes at least one groove.

11. A coupling as defined in claim 10, wherein said guide groove of said locking element is incongruent with said guide groove of said base element over at least a portion of an area.

12. A coupling as defined in claim 10, wherein said locking element includes at least one detent element for locking in an end position.

13. A coupling as defined in claim 10, further comprising means for forming two guide grooves.