Axe assembly

Abstract

An axe assembly is provided. The axe assembly includes an axe having a head and a handle, and a blade cover for the axe, the blade cover including a protective portion arranged to cover a sharp edge of the head. The blade cover further includes a locking mechanism releasably attachable to the head, the locking mechanism including a rotatable toggle and a receiving portion, the rotatable toggle rotatable between two positions, a first position in which the blade cover is securely fixed to the head, and a second position in which the blade cover is releasably attached to the head.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to blade covers and axe assemblies, and more particularly to blade covers having locking mechanisms. Background Technology

[0002] Axes come in many forms and for various purposes. For example, there can be a splitting axe, also known as a camping axe, or a short-handled axe. The most common form of axe typically has a long handle with a steel head. The steel head may have a sharp edge and a wide, flat end (poll). Splitting axes can be used with both hands, while short-handled axes are single-handed striking tools. These axes have a sharp edge on one side for chopping and splitting wood and a hammerhead on the other side for striking. Compared to conventional axes, short-handled axes are lighter and smaller, making them easier to store and transport.

[0003] Conventional blade covers typically conceal both the sharp edge and the hammerhead. Therefore, when using the hammerhead of an axe, the user must remove the blade cover. This exposes the sharp edge of the axe, creating a significant risk of accidentally striking something or, in the worst case, serious injury. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an arrangement that allows the hammer to be used while reducing the risk of accidental use of sharp edges.

[0005] This invention is based on the idea of ​​providing a blade cover with a locking mechanism for sharp edges and a short-handled axe assembly. The locking mechanism prevents the blade cover from falling off during hammer use and also prevents accidental use of the sharp edge. Attached Figure Description

[0006] In the following description, the invention will be given in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] Figure 1 An axe assembly according to an embodiment is shown;

[0008] Figure 2 An example of an axe with a through hole is shown;

[0009] Figure 3 A blade cover with a rotatable switching section is shown;

[0010] Figure 4 A rear view of the blade cover is shown;

[0011] Figure 5 The blade cover is shown, wherein the rotatable switching part and the receiving part are separate. Detailed Implementation

[0012] This invention relates to an axe assembly. The axe assembly includes an axe 1 and a blade cover 2. The axe 1 can be any kind of axe having a handle 10 and a tool head 11, but in this drawing, the axe 1 is illustrated as a short-handled axe.

[0013] Figure 1 An axe assembly according to an embodiment is shown, and Figure 2 An example of an axe 1 with a through hole 12 is shown. The axe 1 includes a handle 10 and a tool head 11. The tool head 11 includes a sharp edge 13 on one side and a hammer head 14 on the other side. A through hole 12 is included between the sharp edge 13 and the hammer head 14, wherein, preferably, the axis of the through hole 12 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle 10.

[0014] The tool head 11 is made of a first material, preferably steel, and at least a portion of the handle 10 is made of a second material, preferably a polymer and composite material, by injection molding, wherein the second material at least partially surrounds the tool head 11 and the through hole 12.

[0015] The tool head 11 is preferably made by forging, but other manufacturing methods, such as casting or hot rolling, can be implemented. The initial through hole can be circular or an open circle with a groove to facilitate the connection between the tool head 11 and the second material.

[0016] The handle 10 can be hollow, semi-hollow, or solid. The entire handle 10 can be made of a second material, or the gripping portion 10a of the handle 10 can be made of a third material, with the second material connecting the tool head 11 to the gripping portion 10a. The third material can be made of a softer material, such as thermoplastic elastomers and wood.

[0017] The tool head 11 may include a first groove 15 surrounding the tool head 11, which separates the hammer head 14 portion from the cheek portion 16 of the tool head 11. The tool head 11 may include a second groove 17 surrounding the tool head 11, which separates the cutting edge portion 18 from the cheek portion 16. The grooves 15 and 17 facilitate injection molding of a second material and determine the final appearance. The area between the grooves 15 and 17 defines the injection molding area, and the area outside the grooves 15 and 17 remains exposed and has the first material. The second material may form an inclined portion 19 around the through-hole 12 to soften the edges of the through-hole 12 and facilitate attachment of the cutting edge cover 2.

[0018] For better ergonomic use, the through hole 12 is preferably located within the width portion of the handle 10. However, in some embodiments, the through hole 12 may be located partially or entirely outside the width portion of the handle 10.

[0019] The through-hole 12 can have different shapes. The initial through-hole in the tool head 11 can be circular or open circle, and this through-hole is preferably manufactured by casting together with the tool head 11. However, the initial hole can also be manufactured later by drilling or machining. During injection molding of the second material, a smaller portion of the second material can be formed inside the initial through-hole, thereby changing the shape of the final through-hole. Figure 2 As shown, the second material forms two circular portions as ribs 20 on each side of the through hole 12, so that the final through hole 12 is elliptical in shape. In another embodiment, the final shape of the through hole 12 can be, for example, square, rectangle, triangle, circle, semicircle, pentagon, hexagon, etc.

[0020] Figures 3 to 5 The blade cover 2 according to an embodiment is shown. Figure 3 The blade cover 2 with the rotatable switching part 3 attached is shown. Figure 4 A rear view of the blade cover 2 is shown, and Figure 5 The blade cover 2 is shown, wherein the rotatable switching part 3 and the receiving part 4 are separate.

[0021] The blade cover 2 includes a protective portion 5 and a locking mechanism 6. The protective portion 5 is arranged to cover the sharp edge 13 of the tool head 11, and the locking mechanism 6 can be releasably attached to the tool head 11. The protective portion 5 is preferably located on one end of the blade cover 2, and the locking mechanism 6 is located on the other end of the blade cover 2 opposite to the protective portion 5. In the figures, the blade cover 2 is illustrated as a slurry with optimal rigidity and material application, but in other embodiments, the blade cover 2 may have different shapes.

[0022] The locking mechanism 6 may include a rotatable switching part 3 and a receiving part 4, the receiving part 4 being fitted to receive the rotatable switching part 3. The locking mechanism 6 is arranged to align with the through hole 12 such that when the cutting edge cover 2 is attached to the tool head 11, the through hole 12 and the rotatable switching part 3 can have a coincident axis A.

[0023] The rotatable switch 3 is configured to rotate relative to the receiving portion 4 when fastened to it, and the rotatable switch 3 includes a grip portion 31 that a user can hold between their fingers. The grip portion 31 may be a protrusion, or it may be a flat or round knob. In the figures, the grip portion 31 is illustrated as a flange extending outward from the outer surface of the rotatable switch 3. The rotatable switch 3 may additionally include a shaft 32 with a locking pin 33.

[0024] The rotatable switching part 3 is preferably fastened to the receiving part 4 by a snap-fit, but other mechanical fastening devices, such as threaded elements, can be implemented to allow the rotatable switching part 3 to rotate about axis A. Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, the receiving portion 4 includes a truncated conical surface 41, which is made of at least two parts to allow for elastic deformation, and the rotatable switching portion 3 includes a snap-locking pin 33, wherein the rotatable switching portion 3 is snapped fastened to the receiving portion 4 by guiding the snap-locking pin 33 between the at least two parts of the truncated conical surface 41 and overcoming an elastic deformation threshold. In this context, the truncated conical surface 41 refers to a truncated cone or pyramid shape having a discontinuous inner surface.

[0025] The latching pin 33 is illustrated as an elongated rod with an end having a larger cross-section than the rest of the rod, thereby preventing the latching pin 33 from disengaging from the receiving portion 4 but allowing the rotatable switching portion 3 to rotate relative to the receiving portion 4. Alternatively, the receiving portion 4 may include a tubular surface, and the latching pin 33 may include at least one outwardly pointing hook for engaging with the outer end of the tubular portion.

[0026] In another embodiment, the features of the rotatable switching part 3 and the receiving part 4 may be opposite, such that the receiving part 4 may include a snap-locking pin 33 and the rotatable switching part 3 may include a truncated conical or tubular surface.

[0027] The locking mechanism 6 may include a recess 61 configured to receive the rib 20 of the through hole 12 when the cutting edge cover 2 is attached to the tool head 11. This contact facilitates positioning the locking mechanism 6 relative to the through hole 12 at an optimal point.

[0028] The receiving part 4 includes at least one additional support element 42 for supporting the receiving part 4 to the locking mechanism 6. The additional support element 42 may be a plate that connects the outer surface of the receiving part 4 to the rear side of the locking mechanism 6. Figure 4 Four additional support elements 42 are shown that uniformly support the receiving portion 4, but other embodiments may include more or fewer additional support elements 42.

[0029] The rotatable switching part 3 is rotatable between two positions. In a first position, the blade cover 2 is securely fixed to the tool head 11, and in a second position, the blade cover 2 is releasably attached to the tool head 11. The first position is switched to the second position by rotating the rotatable switching part 3 about axis A. The rotatable switching part 3 is arranged to pass through the through hole 12 in the second position.

[0030] In the accompanying drawings, the rotatable switching part 3 is arranged to rotate approximately 90 degrees to change between a first position and a second position. However, the rotation rate can vary depending on the shape of the through hole 12. For example, the rotation rate can be 45 degrees for a triangular through hole, or 180 degrees for a semi-circular through hole.

[0031] The rotatable switching part 3 includes a first mating surface 34, and the tool head 11 includes a second mating surface 21, wherein the second mating surface 21 may be located at the edge of the through hole 12. The first mating surface 34 is arranged to abut against the second mating surface 21 in a first position. The first mating surface 34 may be the surface of a portion extending outward from the shaft 32, or the first mating surface 34 may be the surface of a hook-shaped portion of the snap-lock pin 33 of the rotatable switching part 3, or the first mating surface 34 may be a threaded element formed on the surface of the shaft 32, thereby allowing the first mating surface 34 to contact the second mating surface 21 at the edge of the through hole 12. The second mating surface 21 may be located at a rib-shaped portion 20 inside the through hole 12. In another embodiment, the second mating surface 21 may be located at an external rib-shaped portion of the through hole 12.

[0032] The first mating surface 34 can be located at a distance from the gripper portion 31, such that the second mating surface 21 can be fitted between the gripper portion 31 and the second mating surface 34. In this figure, the rib-like portion 20 of the through hole 12 is arranged to abut against the rotatable switching portion 3 in a second position. The second mating surface 21 can be either flat or threaded.

[0033] exist Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, the second mating surface 21 may include a recess 22, thereby allowing the mating protrusion 35 of the rotatable switching part 3 to slide to the desired first position.

[0034] When the first mating surface 34 and the second mating surface 21 are in contact with each other, the first mating surface 34 abuts against the second mating surface 21, and the rotatable switching part 3 is arranged to be securely fastened to the tool head 11, thereby preventing the blade cover 2 from separating from the tool head 11. When the rotatable switching part 3 is changed to the second position and the first mating surface 34 and the second mating surface 21 are no longer in contact with each other, the blade cover 2 can be separated from the tool head 11 by passing the rotatable switching part 3 through the through hole 12.

[0035] The second mating surface 21 can be formed from a second material disposed within the initial through-hole by injection molding. The second material is easier to mold into the desired shape and design, but its strength and toughness are sufficient to withstand the impacts and stresses applied to the tool head 11. Compared to steel, the second material is also lighter, thus making the final weight of the axe 1 lighter.

[0036] Lock and unlock marks 23 can be applied to a second material, for example to the tilt 19, to indicate which is the first position of the rotatable switch 3 and which is the second position of the rotatable switch 3.

[0037] The blade cover 2 can be made of the same material as the second material, or it can be made of a different thermoplastic polymer, such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE). Both polymers have good chemical and mechanical properties.

[0038] The protective portion 5 may include an edge protection strip 51 and at least one front extension 52 and at least one rear extension 54 extending from corresponding front and rear portions of the edge protection strip 51. The protective portion 5 is arranged to receive the cutting edge portion 18, and the edge protection strip 51 may conform to the shape of the sharp edge 13 to surround the toe portion 24 and heel portion 25 of the tool head 11. At least one of the side extensions 52, 54 may conform to the outer surface of the inclined portion 26 of the tool head 11 for a tight fit. However, in some embodiments, the fit may be slightly loose. The edge protection strip 51 may be reinforced by additional thickness or reinforcing elements 53 to prevent the sharp edge 13 from breaking the cutting edge cover 2. The additional reinforcing element 53 may be a cavity partially hollow along the edge protection strip 51.

[0039] In this Figures 3 to 5In the embodiment shown, the rear extension 54 can completely cover one side of the inclined portion 26, and the protective portion 5 is designed as a semi-open housing. However, in another embodiment, the rear extension 54 can only partially cover the inclined portion 26. The front extension 52 can at least partially cover the other side of the inclined portion 26 to facilitate the attachment and detachment of the tool head 11. In this context, the front side refers to the same side as the rotatable switching portion 3, and the rear side refers to the same side as the receiving portion 4.

[0040] When the tool head 11 is in the upward position and the handle 10 is in the downward position, the central vertical plane of the edge protection strip 51 can be on the same vertical plane as one of the mating surfaces 34 and 21.

[0041] The rear extension 54 can be connected to the locking mechanism 6 via the connecting portion 7. The connecting portion 7 may include a clamping portion or at least two slots 71 for attaching the blade cover 2 to the strip or band portion, thereby allowing the axe assembly to be suspended from the backpack or strip portion via the strip portion during hiking. The connecting portion 7 may include a protrusion 72 located between the two slots 71. The protrusion 72 allows for easier insertion and removal of the strip or band portion through the slots 71 without bending the strip or band portion.

[0042] Except for the rotatable switching part 3, the protective part 5, the connecting part 7, and the locking mechanism 6 can be integrally manufactured as a single component, preferably by injection molding. The rotatable switching part 3 can be manufactured as a second component that is subsequently attached to the receiving part 4.

[0043] The blade cover 2 can be attached to the axe 1 at the center of the tool head 11, thereby leaving the hammer head 14 of the axe 1 uncovered. With the blade cover of the present invention, the blade cover 2 is firmly attached to the axe 1, so that the blade cover 2 will not detach from the tool head 11 when the hammer head 14 is used.

Claims

1. An axe assembly, comprising: - an axe (1) having a tool head (11) and a handle (10), wherein the tool head (11) comprises a sharp edge (13) on one side and a hammer head (14) on the other side, and a through hole (12) between the sharp edge (13) and the hammer head (14), and - a blade cover (2) for an axe, comprising: - a protection part (5) arranged to cover the sharp edge of the tool head, characterized in that the blade cover (2) further comprises: - a locking mechanism (6) releasably attachable to the tool head, the locking mechanism (6) being arranged in alignment with the through hole (12) of the tool head (11) when attached to the tool head, and the hammer head of the tool head (11) not being covered by the blade cover (2), the locking mechanism (6) comprising a rotatable switch part (3) and a receiving part (4), the rotatable switch part (3) being rotatable between two positions, wherein in a first position of the two positions the blade cover (2) is securely fixable to the tool head, and in a second position of the two positions the blade cover (2) is releasably attachable to the tool head, wherein the rotatable switch part (3) comprises a shaft and a snap lock pin, wherein the rotatable switch part (3) is fastened to the receiving part (4) by snap fastening.

2. The axe assembly of claim 1, wherein, The protection part (5) is located on one end of the blade cover (2), and the locking mechanism (6) is located on the other end of the blade cover (2) opposite the protection part (5).

3. The axe assembly of claim 1, wherein, The protection part (5) comprises an edge protection strip (51) and at least one front side extension (52) and at least one rear side extension (54), the at least one front side extension (52) and the at least one rear side extension (54) extending from respective front and rear sides of the edge protection strip (51).

4. The axe assembly of claim 3, wherein, The rear side extension (54) is connected to the locking mechanism (6) via a connection part (7).

5. The axe assembly of claim 4, wherein, The connection part (7) comprises a clamping part or at least two slit parts (71) for attaching the blade cover (2) to a strap or strip part.

6. The axe assembly of claim 5, wherein, The connection part (7) comprises a protruding part (72) between the two slit parts (71).

7. The axe assembly of any one of claims 4-6, wherein, The protection part (5), the connection part (7) and the part of the locking mechanism (6) other than the rotatable switch part (3) are integrally manufactured as one part.

8. The axe assembly of claim 1, wherein, The receiving portion (4) comprises a frustoconical surface (41) made of at least two portions, and wherein the rotatable switching portion (3) is snap-fastened to the receiving portion (4) by guiding the snap-lock pin (33) between the at least two portions of the frustoconical surface (41).

9. The axe assembly of claim 1, wherein, The through hole (12) and the rotatable switching portion (3) have coinciding axes (A) when the blade cover (2) is attached to the tool head (11).

10. The axe assembly of claim 9, wherein, The rotatable switching portion (3) comprises a first mating surface (34) and the tool head (11) comprises a second mating surface (21) at an edge of the through hole (12), wherein the first mating surface (34) is arranged to abut on the second mating surface (21) in the first position.

11. The axe assembly of claim 10, wherein, The second mating surface (21) comprises a recess (22).

12. The axe assembly of claim 1, wherein, The tool head (11) is made of a first material and the handle (10) is made of a second material, wherein the second material at least partially surrounds the tool head (11) and the through hole (12).

13. The axe assembly of claim 10, wherein, The tool head (11) is made of a first material and the handle (10) is made of a second material, wherein the second material at least partially surrounds the tool head (11) and the through hole (12), and the second mating surface (21) is made of the second material.

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