BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line 2-2 of the isometric view in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the housing and eccentric mass of the present invention taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an exploded plan view of the housing and eccentric mass of the present invention taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention includes a number of aspects all of which have broad and far-reaching application. Although specific embodiments are described herein, the present invention is not to be limited to these specific embodiments.
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the present invention. In FIG. 1, one embodiment of the trowel 10 is shown as having generally a body 12 having a first end 14 and a second opposite end 16 and handle 18 extending between the two ends 14, 16 for gripping. The first end 14 of the body 12 further comprises a motor cap 20 providing quick access and protection for a motor positioned within the body 12. The second end of the body 12 has pilot holes 17 allowing passage of a screw for attaching the body 12 to the spacer 24. The spacer 24 is in-turn connected to the float body 30. The body 12 also comprises a switch 26 for selectively providing power to a motor. Also included on the body 12 is a DC connector 28 for charging or providing power to a power source housed within the body 12. An adaptor body 22 is connected to the first end 14 of the body 12. In addition, the adaptor body 22 is attached to the float body 30. Both the spacer 24 and the adaptor body 22 may be separate pieces or part of the body 12. The float body 30 has a first end 32 and an opposite second end 34 and an elevated rib 36 running between the ends 32, 34 for connecting to the body 12. The float body 30 is preferably a float for finishing a surface consisting of a workable material, such as concrete or plaster. The float body 30 may be of different shapes and sizes thereby accommodating different tasks. The float body 30 may be interchangeable. It is preferred that the spacer 24 on the second end 16 of the body 12 and the adaptor body 22 on the first end 14 of the body 12 are of equal thickness. However, the spacer 24 and adaptor body 22 may have a different thickness to accommodate manufacturing and application needs. Furthermore, the thickness of the spacer 24 and adaptor body 22 may be varied jointly or separately to accommodate a different size and shape float body 30. The thickness of the spacer 24 and the adaptor body 22 may also be varied to change the pitch of the handle 18 on the body 12 with respect to the float body 30. Both the adaptor body 22 end the spacer 24 are attached to the float body 30 along the elevated rib 36. It is preferred that the body 12 be constructed of a high impact material capable of protecting the device from the abuse commonly associated with commercial grade tools. Additionally, it is preferred that the body 12 of the trowel 10 be constructed of a material that is easy to grip and non-fatiguing.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line 2-2 of the isometric view in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, one embodiment of the trowel 10 is shown as having a body 12. Within the body 12 is a power source 19. It is preferred that the power source be a rechargeable NiCad battery or any other power source which permits stand-alone operation of the trowel 10, where stand-alone operation means without a power cord being attached. Thus, any power source that is rechargeable, durable and provides stand-alone operation of the trowel is suitable as a power source. The power source 19 is in electrical communication with the motor 15 positioned in the first end 14 of the body 12. The motor is preferably a commercial or industrial grade motor. The motor also should be a high-speed motor with high-speed bearings suitable for the wears of use in a commercial or industrial setting. The motor is preferably a sealed motor if exposed to work elements, but may have an impervious casing if protected within the body of the trowel. The power source 19 is also in electrical communication with the switch 26 for selectively providing power from the power source 19 to the motor 15. The switch 26 may be a variable power switch for varying the speed of the motor 15 and subsequently the orbital rotation and vibration of the float body 30. The switch 26 may be lockable to permit sustained operation of the trowel 10 without having to depress or continually hold the switch in the on position. The power source 19 and the motor 15 are encased within the body 12 and protected from being interrogated by elements external to the trowel 10. The power source 19 and the motor 15 are both accessible within the body 12. By removing the motor cap 20 electrical communication to motor 15 from the switch 26 and the power source 19 can be verified and remedied. The body 12 of the trowel 10 may be a single piece or a multi-piece body thereby permitting easy access to the internal workings of the trowel 10. The second end 16 of the body 12 comprises pilot holes 17 for inserting a screw 25 for securing the spacer 24 to the body 12. An additional pilot hole 17 is placed within the spacer 24 for securing the float body 30 to the spacer 24 using a screw 25. The pilot hole 17 within the spacer is intentionally oversized with respect to the size of the screw 25 so as to allow transitional movement of the float body 30 with respect to the spacer 24 while yet keeping the float body 30 attached to the spacer 24. Thus, as the first end 32 of the float body 30 is translated along an orbital pathway, the second end 34 translates in reciprocating fashion along the same axis of the body 12 and about the oversized pilot hole 17 in the spacer 24. The spacer may be constructed of numerous materials and in numerous ways. It is preferred that the attachment used to affix the body 12 of the trowel 10 to the float body 30 be rigid and strong yet permit translation of the float body 30 forward and backwards with respect to a line of axis collinear with the length of the body 12.
Also illustrated by FIG. 2 is the first end 14 of the body 12 that houses the motor 15. The motor has a shaft 21 extending downward toward the float body 30 and an eccentric mass 23 attached thereto. The eccentric mass 23 is housed within the aperture 38 in the adaptor body 22. high-speed bearing may be used to the form the inner liner of the aperture 38 to ease the stress on the motor 15 and friction on the eccentric mass 23, as well as increase the efficiency of the trowel 10. Using a high-speed bearing to form the aperture 38 would also diminish the amount of wear and tear on the eccentric mass 23 gyrating within the aperture 38. The diameter of the aperture 38 in the adaptor body 22 is approximately the diameter of the eccentric mass 23, where the eccentric mass has two different stages; the first stage 52 having a first diameter 54 and the second stage 56 having a second diameter 58. The difference between the diameters of the eccentric mass 23 and the aperture 38 within the adaptor body 22 is sufficient to allow rotational movement of the eccentric mass 23 within the aperture 38. The adaptor body 22 has also a collar 40 for retaining the eccentric mass 23 within the aperture 38, as best shown by FIG. 3. Also within the adaptor body 22 are pilot holes 17. Screws 25 are placed within pilot holes 17 for securing the adaptor body 22 to the float body 30. The eccentric mass 23 is preferably attached to the shaft 21 of the motor using set screw 48, but may be attached using a keyway and key, or simply by a press-fit.
FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the housing and eccentric mass of the present invention taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2. Similarly, FIG. 4 is an exploded plan view of one embodiment of the housing and eccentric mass of the present invention taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2. Both FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 illustrate how rotation of the eccentric mass 23 within the aperture 38 in the adaptor body 22 effects orbital translation and vibration of the float body 30. In particular, the motor 15 rotates shaft 21 having the eccentric mass 23 attached thereto, using set screw 48. The eccentric mass 23 is attached to the shaft 21 by inserting the shaft 21 of the motor 15 into the aperture 42 within the eccentric mass 23. The aperture 42 in the eccentric mass 23 has an offset center 46 from the actual or true dimensional center 44 of the eccentric mass 23, as best illustrated by FIG. 4. The center offset 46 of the aperture 42 within the eccentric mass 23 affects orbital movement of the eccentric mass 23 about the true or actual dimensional center 44 of the eccentric mass 23. Movement of the adaptor body 22 and the attached float body 30 occurs as the eccentric mass 23 rotates orbitally keeping the outer periphery 50 of the second stage 56 of the eccentric mass 23 in continuous contact with the aperture wall 60 thereby pushing the adaptor body 22 radially outward along the rotating orbital point of contact between the aperture wall 60 and the outer periphery 50 of the second stage 56 of the eccentric mass 23. Thus, the rotation of the eccentric mass 23 within the aperture 38 effects translation of the adaptor body 22 along an orbital path. Additionally, the rotation of the eccentric mass 23 induces a vibration into the adaptor body 22 attached to the float body 30. Thus, when a user activates the motor 15 using the switch 26 the eccentric mass 23 begins to rotate within the aperture 38 thereby effecting orbital translation and vibration of the adaptor body 22. The orbital translation and vibration of the adaptor body 22 attached to the float body 30 effects orbital translation and vibration of the float body 30, as the adaptor body 22 is attached to the float body 30.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the orbital vibration and translation of the float body is illustrated. The movement of the rotation of the eccentric mass 23 within the aperture 38 in the adaptor body 22 causes the float body 30 to translate in an orbital manner about the actual or true dimensional center 44 of the eccentric mass 23. The float body 30 is permitted to translate back and forth with respect to the body 12 and along a line of axis that is collinear with the length of the body 12. Additionally, by offsetting the aperture 42 from the actual or true dimensional center 44 causes a vibration to resonate from the eccentric mass 23 into the float body 30. Thus, the combination of the orbital translation of the float body 30 as well as the vibration introduced in the float body 30 allows the user to efficiently and quickly close off or finish a surface of workable material such as cement, plaster, mortar, or any other shapeable, spreadable, or levelable substance.
The present invention contemplates numerous other options in the design and use of the trowel.
These and/or other options, variations, are all within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Patent Application
20080050177
