Power tool

Abstract

Power tool with: a main body section comprising: a battery compartment configured to form a gap open upward with respect to a battery in a state where the battery is inserted from above, and a cover attached to the battery compartment so as to cover the battery from above, the cover being configured to expose the gap to the outside when attached to the battery compartment; and an electric working section provided at a front side of the main body section and configured to operate with power supplied from the battery.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to a power tool. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] JP 2022-21 558 A discloses a chainsaw.

[0003] This chainsaw includes an engine, a housing in which the engine is arranged, a battery pack detachably attached to the housing and electrically connected to the engine, and a cover openably connected to the housing and constructed to cover the battery pack.

[0004] With this chainsaw, the housing is sealed when the battery pack is covered. While this prevents rainwater or similar substances from coming into contact with the electrical connections to the battery pack, heat generated by the battery pack can accumulate inside the housing, which could cause the battery pack to shut down for safety reasons. SHORT EXPLANATION

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the present disclosure provides a power tool configured so that water such as rainwater does not come into contact with the connection terminals to which the battery is electrically connected, while suppressing the accumulation of heat generated by the battery. Means of solving the problem

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a power tool includes: a main body portion including: a battery compartment configured to form a gap open upward with respect to a battery in a state where the battery is inserted from above, and a cover attached to the battery compartment so as to cover the battery from above, the cover configured to expose the gap to the outside when attached to the battery compartment; and an electric working portion provided at a front side of the main body portion and configured to work with power supplied from the battery.

[0007] Such an arrangement can prevent water, such as rainwater, from coming into contact with the connection terminal and suppress the accumulation of heat generated by the battery. BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES Fig. Figure 1 is a left side view showing the overall structure of the chainsaw. Fig. 2 shows the chainsaw from above. Fig. 3 shows the chainsaw from below. Fig. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of a section along line AA in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows another embodiment of the cover. Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of the cover. DETAILED EXPLANATION

[0008] The following figures serve to illustrate the embodiment of the power tool. The various features shown in the following embodiments can be combined with one another.

[0009] The following shows a chainsaw for cutting trees, boards and the like as an example of a power tool.

[0010] Fig. Figure 1 is a left side view showing the overall structure of the chainsaw.

[0011] In this explanation, the vertical direction or height direction, the longitudinal direction and the left-right direction or transverse direction are defined as shown in the figure.

[0012] Specifically, in the chainsaw 1, the vertical direction is defined as the direction perpendicular to a flat and horizontal support surface when the chainsaw is standing on it. Furthermore, the longitudinal direction is defined as the direction orthogonal to the vertical direction, and the left-right direction is defined as the direction orthogonal to both the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction.

[0013] The chainsaw 1 includes a main body portion 2, an electric working portion 3, an air intake portion 4, a handle portion 5, and a battery 6.

[0014] The electric working section 3 is provided at the front of the main body section 2 and is configured to be powered by electric power from the battery 6 when the operator performs a task with the chainsaw 1. Through this operation, the electric working section 3 acts directly on the workpiece. The work performed by the operator here is, for example, cutting trees, boards, and the like.

[0015] The electric working section 3 includes a guide bar 31, a saw chain 32, and a lever 33. The guide bar 31 is a plate-shaped member extending longitudinally and having its rear end fixed to the main body section 2. The annular saw chain 32 is wound around the outer circumference of the guide bar 31.

[0016] Although this is Fig. 1 is not shown, the main body portion 2 includes the control board, the drive gear or drive pinion, the motor controller and the like.

[0017] The saw chain 32 is engaged with the drive pinion. The drive pinion is driven by the motor.

[0018] The control board executes a control process that controls the rotation of the motor by operating the lever 33.

[0019] In the above structure, when the operator operates the lever 33, the motor controlled by the control board rotates the drive gear, and the resulting rotational force causes the saw chain 32 to rotate along the outer circumference of the guide bar 31.

[0020] The main body portion 2 is molded from a plastic material or the like and serves as a housing (also referred to as a "shell") containing the aforementioned motor and other components. The main body portion 2 includes a bottom portion 21, a battery compartment 22, and a rear handle 23.

[0021] The bottom surface portion 21 is the portion that comes into contact with the support surface when the chainsaw 1 is placed on a flat support surface. In the present embodiment, the bottom surface portion 21 comprises a flat surface that comes into contact with the support surface, but the chainsaw 1 can stand stably on the support surface even if it comes into contact with the support surface at multiple sides or points.

[0022] The battery 6 is inserted into the battery compartment 22 from above for installation. The rear handle 23 is provided on the rear side of the main body section 2 and is a section gripped by the operator when performing electrical work. The rear handle 23 is an elongated, rod-shaped section in the longitudinal direction and is designed with dimensions selected to be easily grasped by the operator's hand.

[0023] The air inlet portion 4, which includes an air inlet opening 41, forms a passage through which air introduced from the air inlet opening 41 is guided as cooling air into the interior of the main body portion 2.

[0024] The handle section 5 includes the front handle 51 and a front hand guard 52. The front handle or handle section 51 is provided at the front of the main body section 2 and is a section to be gripped by the operator during electrical work. The front handle section 51 extends from the top to the left side of the main body section 2 and is configured to allow the operator to change the grip when cutting the object vertically or horizontally.

[0025] The front hand guard 52 protects the operator's hand gripping the front handle 51 from injury and also serves as a brake for stopping the electric working section 3.

[0026] As explained above, the operator of the chainsaw 1 carries the main body portion 2 by holding the front handle 51 and the rear handle 23 and rotates the saw chain 32 to work on a workpiece, for example, a tree.

[0027] In the chainsaw 1, the side of the saw chain 32 where work is performed is defined as the front side, and the side of the rear handle 23 held by the operator is defined as the rear side. The directions toward the front and toward the rear are defined as the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, from the rear to the front, the left direction and the right direction are defined as the left-right direction and the transverse direction, respectively.

[0028] The battery 6 has an elongated outer shape. This battery 6 is inserted into the receiving space 220 of the battery compartment 22 from the top side, with its longitudinal direction serving as the insertion direction. Hereinafter, when the battery 6 is inserted into the battery compartment 22, the end located at the top side is referred to as the upper end 61, and the end located at the bottom side is referred to as the lower end 62. On the other hand, the battery 6 is removed upward along the removal direction, which is opposite to the insertion direction.

[0029] The battery compartment 22 comprises a receiving space 220 into which the battery 6 can be inserted from above and which removably holds the battery 6 inserted into the receiving space 220. The receiving space 220 comprises the first opening 221 on the top side, through which the battery 6 passes when inserted, and a second opening 222 on the bottom side opposite the first opening 221. The second opening 222 is dimensioned to allow a worker's finger to pass through.

[0030] According to this aspect, when an operator inserts a finger into the second opening 222 and presses the lower end 62 of the battery 6, a force in the removal direction (upward) can be applied to the battery 6, making the battery 6 easier to remove than in the case where the second opening 222 is not provided. Furthermore, since the provision of the second opening 222 is simpler than, for example, the provision of a removal mechanism including a spring portion and a lever, the battery can be easily removed from the chainsaw 1 with a simpler structure.

[0031] The first opening 221 is the position where the receiving space 220 at the upper end 61 of the battery 6 opens outward. The second opening 222 is the position where the receiving space 220 at the lower end 62 of the battery 6 opens outward. That is, when the battery compartment 22 of the main body portion 2 is positioned with the bottom surface portion 21 facing downward, the second opening 222 is positioned lower than the first opening 221. With this configuration, the battery 6 can be inserted into the receiving space 220 by its own weight. Therefore, the battery 6 can be inserted more easily than when the positional relationship between the first opening 221 and the second opening 222 is reversed.

[0032] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the main body portion 2 is provided with an anti-slip portion 24 at the rear of the first opening 221 (battery compartment 22). The anti-slip portion 24 is formed by a ridge or a plurality of ribs extending in the left-right direction. The anti-slip portion 24 is a portion that comes into contact with the operator's thumb when gripping the rear grip 23 and with the operator's fingers when removing the battery 6, and is configured to reduce the likelihood of the operator's fingers slipping.

[0033] The corrugation 24 is not limited to a plurality of ribs, but may, for example, be a surface with a plurality of projections, a plurality of depressions, or a file-like structure such as a knurling or wave pattern.

[0034] In addition, as in Fig. 3, the main body portion 2 is provided with an exhaust port 25 at the front of the second opening 222. The exhaust port 25 discharges the air (cooling air) drawn in from the air inlet port 41 to the outside and used to cool heat-generating components such as a motor and a control board arranged within the main body portion 2.

[0035] As explained above, the battery compartment 22 includes a second opening 222 located at the bottom 62 of the battery 6. In this configuration, the length (dimension) of the battery 6 in the left-right direction is greater than the length (dimension) of the second opening 222 in the left-right direction. In other words, part of the lower end 62 of the battery 6 is covered by the bottom surface portion 21.

[0036] Thus, the second opening 222 has a shape and size such that the battery 6 inserted into the receiving space 220 is prevented from falling through the bottom surface portion 21 or the like. According to this aspect, the structural strength of the main body portion 2 can be more easily ensured than in a case where the second opening 222 has a shape and size that allows the battery 6 to fall through, as is the case with the first opening 221.

[0037] In addition, the outlet opening 25 is located between the electrical working section 3 and the second opening 222. According to this aspect, foreign matter such as sawdust generated during operation can be prevented from entering the receiving space 220 through the air exiting from the outlet opening 25.

[0038] By aligning the direction of the air exiting from the outlet opening 25 towards the side on which the electrical working section 3 is arranged in the left-right direction (in Fig. 3 downwards), the penetration of foreign bodies such as sawdust into the receiving space 220 can be further prevented.

[0039] As in Fig. 4, the battery compartment 22 forms a gap 223 between the battery 6 and the battery compartment 22 when the battery 6 is inserted (received) into the receiving space 220. The gap 223 is open toward the top of the battery compartment 22 at the first opening 221 and also open downward into the battery compartment at the second opening 222. In other words, the gap 223 penetrates the main body portion 2 (battery compartment 22) at the top and bottom even when the battery 6 is received in the receiving space 220.

[0040] In addition, the upper main body portion 2 includes a cover 29 attached to the battery compartment 22 to cover the battery 6 from above, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4. The cover 29, in a state mounted on the battery compartment 22, is configured to expose the gap 223 to the outside, covering the side of the upper end 61 of the battery 6 without covering the top of the gap 223.

[0041] According to this structure, water W, such as rainwater, is drained from the bottom of the battery compartment 22 to the outside through the gap 223. Therefore, adverse effects (e.g., short circuits or corrosion) on the battery 6 and other electrical components can be adequately prevented. Furthermore, the heat H generated by the battery 6 does not accumulate in the battery compartment 22 but is drained from the top to the outside, thus sufficiently preventing malfunction of the battery 6.

[0042] In addition, the cover 29 is attached to the battery compartment 22 in a rotatable and / or pivotable manner. This design allows the battery 6 to be attached to and removed from the battery compartment 22 relatively easily.

[0043] The cover 29 includes a cover body 291 covering the battery 6, and a leg 292 connected to the cover body 291 and fixed to the battery compartment 22. In the present embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the lower end of the leg 292 is pivotally attached to a rotary shaft portion 292a on the main body portion 2 (battery compartment 22).

[0044] As a result, the cover 29 is configured to rotate or pivot between the first position in which the battery 6 is covered and the second position in which the cover is pivoted forward to expose the battery 6 to the outside. According to this configuration, in the first position, the cover body 291 of the cover 29 can cover the battery 6 and the electrical components arranged below the battery 6, thereby more effectively preventing adverse effects of water W on the electrical components.

[0045] In the present embodiment, the battery compartment 22 includes a connection terminal 27 disposed in front of the gap 223, the connection terminal being electrically connected to the battery 6. According to this structure, it is particularly easy to protect the connection terminal 27, which is susceptible to adverse effects from water W.

[0046] In addition, as in Fig. 1, the cover body 291 of the cover 29 in the first cover position covers the area near the top surface 28 of the main body portion 2 (the front boundary between the battery compartment 22 and the battery 6), thereby effectively preventing contact of the water W with the connection terminal 27.

[0047] Furthermore, as in Fig. 4, the pivot point O of the cover 29 is positioned longitudinally between the connecting terminal 27 and the gap 223. With this structure, it is easy to prevent water W from entering the front boundary between the battery compartment 22 and the battery 6 even when the cover 29 is pivoted from the first position to the second position.

[0048] The cover 29 is provided so that a position of its tip is located in front of the end of the position of the battery case 22 (top surface 28 of the main body 2) on the connection terminal 27 side. According to this structure, the pivot point O of the cover 29 is located on the connection terminal 27 side, whereby the intrusion of water between the battery 6 and the battery case 22 can be prevented or suppressed even if the water adhering to the cover 29 due to the rotation of the cover 29 flows in front of the main body portion 2.

[0049] The cover 29 can also be used in the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 shown structures.

[0050] The Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 each show other embodiments of the cover.

[0051] The Fig. The cover 29 shown in Fig. 5 is constructed such that it can be mounted into the battery compartment 22 by sliding the cover 29 in the vertical direction.

[0052] The Fig. The cover 29 shown in Fig. 6 includes a rotating shaft 292a at a position that matches the gap 223 in the battery compartment 22. The cover 29 is configured to rotate or pivot rearward between the first position in which the battery 6 is covered and the second position in which the battery 6 is exposed.

[0053] Although the above-described embodiment describes a chainsaw as an example of a power tool, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The power tool may be, for example, a hedge trimmer, a power cutter, a blower, or the like. In other words, as long as a battery is mounted in the battery compartment of the main body portion and the tool includes an electric working portion powered by electric power supplied by this battery, any power tool may be used.

[0054] Furthermore, it can be embodied by any of the following aspects. (1) A power tool comprising: a main body portion including: a battery compartment configured to form a gap open upward with respect to a battery in a state where the battery is inserted from above, and a cover attached to the battery compartment so as to cover the battery from above, the cover configured to expose the gap to the outside when attached to the battery compartment; and an electric working portion provided at a front side of the main body portion and configured to work with power supplied from the battery. (2) Power tool according to aspect (1), wherein the cover is rotatably and / or pivotably attached to the battery compartment. (3) A power tool according to aspect (2), wherein the cover is configured to be rotatable and / or pivotable between a first position in which the battery is covered and a second position in which the cover moves forward to expose the battery to the outside. (4) Power tool according to one of the aspects (1) to (3), wherein the gap in the battery compartment is also open downwards. (5) The power tool according to any one of aspects (1) to (4), wherein the battery compartment has a connection terminal arranged in front of the gap and electrically connected to the battery. (6) A power tool according to aspect (5), wherein the cover is rotatably and / or pivotably attached to the battery compartment and its pivot point is arranged in a longitudinal direction between the connection terminal and the gap. (7) The power tool according to any one of aspects (1) to (6), wherein the cover comprises: a cover body covering the battery; and a leg connected to the cover body and fixed to the battery compartment.

[0055] Of course, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0056] Finally, various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, which serve as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. The novel embodiment may be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Embodiments and variations thereof are included within the spirit and scope of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention as claimed and its equivalents. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2022-21 558 A

[0002]

Claims

[1] Power tool with: a main body section comprising: a battery compartment configured to form a gap open upward with respect to a battery in a state where the battery is inserted from above, and a cover attached to the battery compartment so as to cover the battery from above, the cover being configured to expose the gap to the outside when attached to the battery compartment; and an electric working section provided at a front side of the main body section and configured to operate with power supplied from the battery. [2] Power tool according to claim 1, wherein the cover is rotatably and / or pivotably attached to the battery compartment. [3] The power tool of claim 2, wherein the cover is configured to be rotatable and / or pivotable between a first position in which the battery is covered and a second position in which the cover moves forward to expose the battery to the outside. [4] Power tool according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gap in the battery compartment is also open downwards. [5] Power tool according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the battery compartment comprises a connection terminal arranged in front of the gap and electrically connected to the battery. [6] Power tool according to claim 5, wherein the cover is rotatably and / or pivotably attached to the battery compartment and its pivot point is arranged in a longitudinal direction between the connection terminal and the gap. [7] Power tool according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cover comprises: a cover body covering the battery; and a leg connected to the cover body and attached to the battery compartment.

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