The invention relates to a portable power tool having a motor housing and a separate handle housing fastened to the motor housing by means of an elastic vibration damper and secured thereon in a positive-locking manner.
Such a power tool is known from WO 2004/039541 A1. In order for vibrations that occur during operation of such a power tool to be kept away from the handle housing, the said publication proposes a vibration damper which comprises a holder on the motor housing side and a receiving plate on the handle housing side, between which holder and receiving plate an annular damping element is arranged in the axial direction. The three components of the vibration damper are layered upon one another in the axial direction, and a number of screw-like securing elements extend through them in the axial direction. The receiving plate is secured to the securing elements in a positive-locking manner. The rear handle held on the receiving plate is prevented from becoming detached from the motor housing in the event of the damping element being damaged.
The aforementioned arrangement requires a substantial structural space in the axial and radial directions and is of a complicated structure. The soft damping element is unprotected in the circumferential region and during operation is exposed to the severe ambient conditions prevailing in that region.
The invention is based on the object of developing a power tool of the generic type so as to ensure a damping and securing function with a simplified structure.
This object is achieved by a portable power tool having the features of claim 1.
There is proposed for this purpose a portable power tool wherein the vibration damper is constructed from a fastening sleeve assigned to the motor housing, from an elastic damping sleeve which coaxially encompasses the fastening sleeve, and from a handle holder which likewise coaxially encompasses the fastening sleeve and the damping sleeve and is assigned to the handle housing. The substantially rigid structural unit consisting of the handle holder and the handle housing is secured in a positive-locking manner, with play, directly to the substantially rigid structural unit consisting of the fastening sleeve and the motor housing. In the case of the proposed coaxial structural design of the vibration damper, the fastening sleeve, the elastic damping sleeve and the handle holder are layered in the radial direction, which permits a thin-walled structural design. The fact that the substantially rigid structural unit consisting of the handle holder and the handle housing is secured in a positive-locking manner, with play, to the likewise substantially rigid structural unit consisting of the fastening sleeve and the motor housing permits a free, elastic, vibration-damping relative deformation between the two rigid structural units, and thereby an effective vibration decoupling. The positive locking with play secures the handle housing to the motor housing without impeding the vibration decoupling. The direct, positive-locking securing system between the two aforementioned structural units makes it possible to dispense with the use of additional securing elements. In particular, the vibration damper does not need to have any geometric adaptation in order to receive such securing elements, which is conducive to reduction of its structural volume. The damping sleeve can be designed solely from the point of view of the damping effect required, without its function being impaired by separate securing elements.
In an advantageous embodiment, the handle housing overlaps the vibration damper in an axial direction in the direction of the motor housing, and is secured, with play, directly to the motor housing. In this case, the protective chain consists of only two elements, namely the handle housing and the motor housing, whilst all other elements, such as the fastening sleeve, the damping sleeve and the handle holder, have been taken out of this securing chain. The securing function achieved is not limited merely to damage in the damping sleeve, but also covers damage on the fastening sleeve or on the handle holder. Furthermore, a protective function of the vibration damper is achieved owing to the handle holder being arranged to overlap on the outside. All individual components of the vibration damper are covered outwardly by the overlapping region of the handle housing. Dirt, moisture, UV radiation or other disadvantageous ambient influences are kept away from the vibration damper.
In a preferred development, the motor housing has, away from the fastening sleeve, a radially outwardly open circumferential groove in which there engages, with play, a radially inwardly directed annular flange of the handle housing. A high bearing capacity is achieved by the arrangement of the circumferential groove in the circumferential region of the motor housing in cooperation with the annular flange. The fastening sleeve and the annular flange together form a labyrinth seal, which increases the covering protective function for the vibration damper.
In a further expedient embodiment, the handle holder has at least one radially inwardly directed securing projection which engages, with play, in a securing receiver of the fastening sleeve. The position of the handle housing relative to the motor housing is secured indirectly through direct interaction between the handle holder and the fastening sleeve, whilst the space-saving, coaxial structural arrangement, layered in the radial direction, is retained. Here, likewise, a direct, immediate positive locking with play is obtained without additional fastening elements. It is not necessary for the handle housing and the motor housing to interact directly with each other in a securing manner. The vibration damper can be arranged in the form of a ring, with a maximum radius in relation to the longitudinal axis of the appliance, in the region of the outer contour of the motor housing and the handle housing. In the case of the coaxial, radially layered structural design, the external sleeve-like handle holder effects a protective function upon the sensitive damping sleeve.
In a preferred development, the securing projection, together with a radial damping portion of the damping sleeve, is inserted in the securing receiver from the outside inwards, the radial damping portion filling the play between the securing projection and the securing receiver. Accordingly, the play is not an entirely free play, but a play which is permitted by the elastic deformation of the damping portion that projects radially inwards. Gaps, cavities or the like, in which dirt could accumulate and prevent movement, are prevented.
In a preferred development, there is provided between the handle holder and the motor housing in the axial direction an in particular extending around gap, from which an impact edge of the damping sleeve projects radially over the contour of the handle holder and of the motor housing. The damping sleeve thereby performs a multiple function. In the region of the impact edge, the rubber-elastic, soft material of the damping sleeve reduces the load on the appliance in the case of external impact loads or shock loads. The anti-slip, haptic characteristics of the damper material increase the grip of the appliance housing. At the same time, the impact edge also acts as a seal in the extending around gap between the motor housing and the handle housing, such that penetration of dirt and moisture is prevented in an effective manner. Alternatively, or additionally, it is also possible to provide an impact edge which projects over the contour of the handle holder, is arranged on the outside of the handle holder and, in particular, is realized so as to constitute a single piece with the damping sleeve and to be materially homogeneous therewith, which impact edge is conducive to improving the grip and preventing impact stresses.
In an expedient development, the damping sleeve has an axial damping portion, which is located in the axial direction between an end face of the handle holder and an end face assigned to the motor housing. In addition to the coaxially and radially layered portion of the vibration damper, which is subjected primarily to shearing stress during operation, there is also created a portion which is subjected to tensile and compressive stresses. An increased number of degrees of freedom is obtained for structural adaptation of the vibration behavior and damping behavior.
In an advantageous embodiment, the damping sleeve and the handle holder and/or the damping sleeve and the fastening sleeve are realized in a single piece, as a two-component injection-molded component. In addition to a reduction of the resource requirement for production and assembly, in particular positional tolerances of the individual components in relation to each other are avoided. Clearly defined contact surfaces between the individual components can be predefined in a structurally precise manner, and remain constant over a long operating period because penetration by dirt and moisture is avoided. In this case, openings in a sleeve portion of the handle holder and/or of the fastening sleeve are expediently filled by material of the damping sleeve. In addition to an adhesive material connection of the individual components, there is also obtained a positive locking which ensures that the individual components are permanently fixed in position in relation to each other.
In a preferred embodiment, the structural unit consisting of the handle holder and the damping sleeve is realized in the form of two half-shells, which are firmly connected to each other. In particular, a joint plane of the two half-shells is arranged, in relation to the axial direction, at an angle, in particular 90°, relative to a joint plane of two housing shells of the motor housing. The offset arrangement of the two joint planes relative to each other allows the two half-shells to be used also as a connection element for the two housing shells of the motor housing. The assembly resource requirement is reduced. Worn vibration dampers can be replaced through simple replacement of the half-shells realized as single parts. Connection of the two half-shells to each other is expediently realized through screwed connection or by slipping on an outer, circumferential clamping ring.
Exemplary embodiments are described more fully in the following with reference to the drawing, wherein:
During operation, the drive motor and the cutting disk 32 produce vibrations, which are transmitted to the motor housing 1 and components mounted thereon. In order to decouple these vibrations from the handle housing 3, the latter is fastened to the motor housing 1 by means of an elastic vibration damper 2. The rubber-elastic vibration damper 2 permits a vibrating relative movement of the motor housing 1 relative to the handle housing 3. Its elastic resilience is designed in such a way that the vibrations are transmitted to the handle 3 only after having been substantially reduced. In addition, there is a damping effect of the rubber-elastic material used in the vibration damper 2.
The position of the handle housing 3 relative to the motor housing 1 defines an axial direction 7 which, in the exemplary embodiment shown, is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis 29 of the motor housing 1. The handle housing 3 overlaps the vibration damper 2 in the axial direction 7, in the direction of the motor housing 1, and is secured, with play, directly to the motor housing 1. Further details relating thereto are explained more fully in connection with
The vibration damper 2 is comparable in its structure to a tube portion, lying in the axial direction 7, which is arranged approximately coaxially relative to the longitudinal axis 29 and extends around close to the circumferential contour of the motor housing 1 and of the handle housing 3. For this purpose, the vibration damper 2 is constructed from a fastening sleeve 4 assigned to the motor housing 1, an elastic damping sleeve 5 which coaxially encompasses the fastening sleeve 4, and a handle holder 6 which is assigned to the handle housing 3 and likewise coaxially encompasses the fastening sleeve 4 and the damping sleeve 5. The coaxial structure is so selected that the fastening sleeve 4 and the handle holder 6 with the interposed damping sleeve 5 are layered radially from the inside outwards. The handle housing 3 is fixedly connected to the handle holder 6 and, together with the latter, constitutes a structural unit which is substantially rigid overall relative to the rubber-elastic resilience of the damping sleeve. A comparable case applies in respect of the structural unit consisting of the motor housing 1 and the fastening unit 4 projecting from the end of the motor housing 1, which structural unit is likewise substantially rigid relative to the resilience of the damping sleeve 5. The vibration-decoupling and vibration-damping relative movement between the two components is substantially limited to the deformation of the damping sleeve 5.
Instead of the angle grinder shown here, other comparable portable power tools, in particular having an electric-motor drive, such as power drills or the like, can also be provided.
Arranged between the fastening sleeve 4 and the motor housing 1, relative to the axial direction 7, is a radially outwardly open circumferential groove 8, which extends around in the form of a circle and which is delimited by an end wall 35 in the axial direction 7 towards the motor housing 1 and by an extending around, outer annular flange 34 in the opposing direction towards the fastening sleeve 4.
The handle holder 6 comprises a cylindrical sleeve portion 19, adjoining the end face of which, on the side that faces away from the motor housing 1, is an extending around, outer annular flange 36 which extends radially outwards. The fastening sleeve 4 and the sleeve portion 19 of the handle holder 6 are provided with a number of openings 20, 21. According to the representations according to
The outer annular flange 36 of the handle holder 6 projects in the radial direction over the material of the damping sleeve 5 and engages without play in an inner annular groove 37 of the handle housing 3. The handle holder 6 is realized so as to be separate from the handle housing 3. Owing to the fact that the outer annular flange 36 engages without play in the inner annular groove 37, a substantially rigid and immovable connection is produced between the handle housing 3 and the handle holder 6. An embodiment allowing a variable rotational angle position of the handle housing 3 relative to the handle holder 6 about the longitudinal axis 29 shown in
It can also be seen from the representation according to
The two half-shells 22, 23 of the vibration damper 2, between which there is a joint plane 24, are separate from the motor housing 1. The two half-shells 22, 23 are each realized in a single piece, as a two-component injection-molded component, separately from the handle housing 3 (
In the exemplary embodiment shown, the two securing projections 10, together with a radial damping portion of the damping sleeve 5, are guided from the outside inwards through the securing receiver 11. The radially inwardly projecting damping portion 12 of the damping sleeve 5 thereby encompasses the securing projection 10 completely and, together with the latter, projects into the inside of the fastening sleeve 4. The radial damping portion 12 fills the play between the securing projection 10 and the securing receiver 11 and, owing to its elastic resilience, permits a relative movement of the rigid structural unit consisting of the motor housing 1 and the fastening sleeve 4 relative to the rigid structural unit consisting of the handle housing 3 (
Provided between the handle holder 6 and the motor housing 1, relative to the axial direction 7, there is an extending around gap 13, which is filled by the material, formed-on in a single piece, of the rubber-elastic damping sleeve 5. The material of the damping sleeve 5 in this case is shaped so as to constitute an extending around impact edge 15, of rounded cross-section, which projects over the contour of the handle holder 6 and of the motor housing 1. Also constituted thereby at the same time is an axial damping portion 16 of the damping sleeve 5, which damping portion lies in an elastically resilient manner between end faces 17, 18 of the motor housing 1 and of the handle holder 6, respectively. In addition to a sealing effect, absorption of compressive stresses acting in the axial direction 7 is also achieved. In addition, the space that is delimited in the axial direction 7 by the two annular flanges 38, 39 and in the radial direction by the circumferential wall of the handle holder 6 and by the fastening sleeve 4 is filled, at least approximately completely, by the material of the damping sleeve 5. In this case, the two annular flanges 38, 39 are also completely encompassed by the material of the damping sleeve 5.
It can also be seen from the representation according to
Independently of the previously described holding function of the half-shells 22, 23, it may also be advantageous, in the embodiment shown here and also in the further disclosed embodiments, to provide a single-piece, pot-shaped motor housing 1 (
An outer face of the clamping ring 28 is approximately in alignment with an outer face of the motor housing 1 and of the handle housing 3 (
The handle housing 3, which is not shown here but which is represented in
In the remaining features and references, the exemplary embodiment according to
It can also be seen from the longitudinal sectional representation according to
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2005/011601 | 10/29/2005 | WO | 00 | 4/25/2008 |
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WO2007/048435 | 5/3/2007 | WO | A |
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