Handle joint and handle set for bush cutter

Abstract

To provide a handle joint that allows for easy attachment and detachment of a handle to and from a shaft of a bush cutter while ensuring safety of bush cutting work.SOLUTION: A handle joint 5 includes: a bonding part 6 which is bonded to a handle; a cylindrical body 7 surrounding an outer periphery of a shaft of a bush cuter; and a cramp mechanism 8 for applying cramping force to the cylindrical body 7 as a force in the direction of decrease in the diameter of the cylindrical body 7. The cylindrical body 7 includes a first part 71 and a second part 72 which can be divided in the radial direction of the cylindrical body 7. The first part 71 is fixed to the bonding part 6, and the second part 72 is combined with the first part 71. The cramp mechanism 8 includes a manually operable operation part 80, and can be switched between a cramped state in which cramping force is applied to the cylindrical body 7 and a released state in which the cramp force to the cylindrical body 7 is released according to a manual operation on the operation part 80. The cramp mechanism 8 is provided in a pair at an interval in the extension direction of the cylindrical body 7 and with the bonding part 6 therebetween.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a handle joint that connects a shaft and a handle of a brush cutter, and a handle set for a brush cutter that includes the handle joint. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a handle joint that connects the shaft and handle of a brush cutter (see connecting member 40b in FIG. 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7249606 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional handle joints are firmly fixed to the shaft and handle of the brush cutter with screws, bolts, etc., for safety reasons during brush cutting work. Since special tools such as a screwdriver and wrench are required to disassemble this type of handle joint, it is not envisaged that the handle will be removed when transporting the brush cutter. A brush cutter with the handle attached to the shaft is bulky, making it difficult to fit into the trunk or loading compartment of a car.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and has an object to provide a handle joint that allows the handle to be easily attached and detached from the shaft of a brush cutter while ensuring safety during brush cutting work, and a brush cutter handle set that is equipped with the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a handle joint according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: A handle joint for connecting a shaft and a handle of a brush cutter, a joint portion joined to the handle; A cylindrical body surrounding the outer periphery of the shaft; a clamping mechanism that applies a clamping force to the cylindrical body in a direction in which the cylindrical body contracts in order to fix the cylindrical body to the shaft; The cylindrical body has a first portion and a second portion that can be separated in a radial direction of the cylindrical body, The first portion is fixed to the joint, the second portion is combined with the first portion; The clamp mechanism includes: An operation unit that can be manually operated by a user, a clamping state in which the clamping force is applied to the cylindrical body and a release state in which the clamping force on the cylindrical body is released in response to the manual operation of the operation unit, A pair of the tubular members are provided with a gap therebetween in the extending direction of the tubular body, sandwiching the joint portion.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, a handle joint according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises: A handle joint for connecting a shaft and a handle of a brush cutter, A joint portion joined to the shaft; A cylinder surrounding the outer periphery of the handle; a clamping mechanism that applies a clamping force to the cylindrical body in a direction in which the cylindrical body contracts in order to fix the cylindrical body to the handle, The cylindrical body has a first portion and a second portion that can be separated in a radial direction of the cylindrical body, The first portion is fixed to the joint, the second portion is combined with the first portion; The clamp mechanism includes: An operation unit that can be manually operated by a user, a clamping state in which the clamping force is applied to the cylindrical body and a release state in which the clamping force on the cylindrical body is released in response to the manual operation of the operation unit, A pair of the tubular members are provided with a gap therebetween in the extending direction of the tubular body, sandwiching the joint portion.

[0008] the second part is coupled to the first part by a hinge mechanism; the cylinder is changeable between a closed state in which the second portion is closed relative to the first portion and an open state in which the second portion is open relative to the first portion, When the clamp mechanism is in the clamped state and the cylinder is in the closed state, the shaft and the handle can be connected to each other, When the clamping mechanism is in the released state and the cylinder is in the open state, the handle may be capable of being removed from the shaft.

[0009] the operating portion is a lever provided on an outer periphery of the cylindrical body, the lever is capable of changing, in response to the manual operation, between a locked state in which the lever is in contact with an outer periphery of the cylindrical body and a released state in which the lever is further away from the outer periphery of the cylindrical body than in the locked state; The clamp mechanism may be configured to change to the clamped state when the lever is in the locked state, and to change to the released state when the lever is in the released state.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, a brush cutter handle set according to a third aspect of the present invention comprises: The handle joint; The handle; an attachment that enables the handle, which has been removed from the shaft through the manual operation of the operating portion of the handle joint, to be attached to the shaft; the handle includes a main portion that intersects with the shaft when the handle is attached to the shaft at the handle joint, The attachment includes a pair of handles, each of which can be attached to the shaft with the main portion oriented along the shaft. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a handle joint that allows the handle to be easily attached to and detached from the shaft of a brush cutter while ensuring safety during brush cutting work, and a brush cutter handle set including the handle joint. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic top view of a brush cutter set in a usable state according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the handle joint according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the handle joint according to the embodiment, in which the cylindrical body is in an open state, the clamp mechanism is in an unlocked state, and the lever is in a released state. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the brush cutter set according to the embodiment in a portable state; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, the brush cutter set 1 comprises a brush cutter 2 and a brush cutter handle set 3. The brush cutter handle set 3 comprises a handle 4, a handle joint 5, and an attachment 9. Fig. 1 is a schematic top view of the brush cutter set 1 in a "usable state" in which the handle 4 is attached to the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2 by the handle joint 5 and a user is able to perform brush cutting work.

[0015] (Brush cutter 2) The brush cutter 2 includes a shaft 20, a rotary blade (not shown), a prime mover 21, a throttle (not shown), and a throttle wire 22.

[0016] A user of the brush cutter 2 operates the brush cutter 2 to cut grass, small trees, etc. In Fig. 1, forward Fd, backward Bd, left Ld, and right Rd are shown as directions from the user's perspective, and in Fig. 2, upward Ud and downward Dd are also shown. Unless otherwise specified, the directions forward, backward, left, right, upward, and downward used in the following explanation refer to the directions from the user's perspective when performing brush cutting work with the brush cutter set 1 in a usable state.

[0017] The shaft 20 extends in the front-to-rear direction of the user of the brush cutter 2. The shaft 20 is a pipe-shaped member, and a rotating shaft (not shown) is provided inside the shaft 20 for rotating the rotary blade in response to the power of the prime mover 21. A position closer to the prime mover 21 than the longitudinal center of the shaft 20 is set as a handle attachment position 20a where the handle 4 is attached. The shaft 20 has a suspended part (not shown) that is suspended from a brush cutter band (not shown) at a location closer to the prime mover 21 than the handle attachment position 20a. The brush cutter band may be of a well-known configuration that is wrapped around at least one of the user's pelvis and waist.

[0018] The rotary blade (not shown) is located at the front end of the shaft 20. The rotary blade is a circular saw formed in a disk shape, for example a tipped saw. The rotary blade in this embodiment rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the user.

[0019] The prime mover 21 is located at the rear end of the shaft 20 and rotates the rotary blade. The prime mover 21 is composed of an engine or a motor, and rotates the rotary blade via a rotating shaft provided inside the shaft 20. A throttle (not shown) is provided to allow the user to operate the prime mover 21, and is attached to the handle 4. In this embodiment, the throttle is attached to a left grip 4L of the handle 4, which will be described later. The throttle is electrically connected to the prime mover 21 by a throttle wire 22. By gripping the throttle, the user operates the rotational movement of the rotary blade via the prime mover 21. A fixing member 23 is provided on the shaft 20 to fix a portion of the throttle wire 22 to the shaft 20.

[0020] (Handle 4) 2, the handle 4 includes a main portion 40, a left curved portion 410, a left bent portion 411, a right curved portion 420, and a right bent portion 421. The handle 4 is formed from a pipe material made of, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, or the like.

[0021] The main part 40 is a part that intersects with the shaft 20 and extends in the left-right direction as seen by the user when attached to the shaft 20 at the handle joint 5. The main part 40 in this embodiment extends linearly. The main part 40 has an attachment part 40a that is attached to the shaft 20 via the handle joint 5.

[0022] The left curved portion 410 is a portion that is continuous with the left end of the main portion 40 as seen from the user, and curves and extends upward from the user. Specifically, the left curved portion 410 has a shape that curves from the left end of the main portion 40, continues further leftward, and extends diagonally upward and behind the user. The left curved portion 411 is a portion that is continuous with the upper end of the left curved portion 410, and curves and extends toward the front of the user. A left grip 4L to be held by the user's left hand is provided on the left curved portion 411.

[0023] The right curved portion 420 is a portion that is continuous with the right end of the main portion 40 as seen from the user, and curves and extends upward from the user. Specifically, the right curved portion 420 has a shape that curves from the right end of the main portion 40, and extends diagonally upward and behind the user, while continuing to move further rightward. The right curved portion 421 is a portion that is continuous with the upper end of the right curved portion 420, and curves and extends toward the front of the user. The right curved portion 421 is provided with a right grip 4R to be held by the user's right hand.

[0024] The attachment portion 40a of the handle 4 is set at a position biased toward the left curved portion 410 from the center in the left-right direction of the main portion 40, and the portion of the main portion 40 between the attachment portion 40a and the right curved portion 420 functions as a pressed portion that is pressed by the user's leg. The method of using the handle 4 with this special shape is described in detail in Japanese Patent No. 7249606 by the same applicant as the present application.

[0025] The handle joint 5 described below can be used with any handle that is disposed so as to cross the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2, and is not limited to the handle 4 having a special shape.

[0026] (Handle joint 5) The handle joint 5 is configured to connect the shaft 20 and the handle 4 of the brush cutter 2, and is made of, for example, metal. The handle joint 5 of this embodiment connects the shaft 20 and the handle 4 that passes over the shaft 20.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the handle joint 5 includes a joint portion 6, a cylindrical body 7, and a clamp mechanism 8. As shown in FIG.

[0028] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the handle joint 5 when the cylinder 7 is in a closed state, the clamp mechanism 8 is in a clamped state, and a lever described below is in a locked state. Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the handle joint 5 shown in Fig. 3, taken along a plane perpendicular to the second axis A2, at the position where the clamp mechanism 8 is provided. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the handle joint 5 when the cylinder 7 is in an open state, the clamp mechanism 8 is in an unlocked state, and the lever is in a released state. The various states will be described later.

[0029] The joint portion 6 is a portion that is joined to the handle 4. As shown in Fig. 3, the joint portion 6 has a cylindrical hole 60 centered on the first axis A1. When the brush cutter set 1 is in a usable state, the main portion 40 of the handle 4 (more specifically, the attached portion 40a) is located within the hole 60.

[0030] The joint 6 includes a first joint 61 closer to the cylindrical body 7 and a second joint 62 that is combined with the first joint 61. The first joint 61 and the second joint 62 are divided in the radial direction of the hole 60. The first joint 61 and the second joint 62 are fastened by screws and bolts (not shown) and sandwich the main part 40 of the handle 4 at the hole 60. The main part 40 sandwiched between the first joint 61 and the second joint 62 is along the first axis A1. The handle 4 may be divided into a left part (hereinafter, left part) and a right part (hereinafter, right part) at the attachment part 40a as viewed from the user. The joint 6 may be capable of adjusting the inclination angle of the left part and the right part of the handle 4 about the first axis A1.

[0031] The cylindrical body 7 surrounds the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2 when the brush cutter set 1 is in a usable state. The cylindrical body 7 is formed around a second axis A2 that intersects with the first axis A1. For example, the first axis A1 and the second axis A2 are perpendicular to each other. Therefore, the handle 4 is attached to the shaft 20 so that the main part 40 is perpendicular to the shaft 20. It is sufficient that the first axis A1 and the second axis A2 are in a roughly perpendicular relationship. In other words, the main part 40 and the shaft 20 do not necessarily need to be perpendicular to each other, and may be inclined relatively to each other slightly (for example, by a few degrees) from the perpendicular relationship as long as it does not impede the ease of use of the brush cutter 2 for the user.

[0032] The cylindrical body 7 has a first portion 71 and a second portion 72 that can be divided in the radial direction of the cylindrical body 7. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the first portion 71 and the second portion 72 each have a semicircular cross section.

[0033] The first portion 71 is a portion fixed to the first joint portion 61 of the joint portion 6. For example, the first portion 71 is formed integrally with the first joint portion 61.

[0034] The second portion 72 is combined with the first portion 71 by a hinge mechanism 73 having a hinge shaft 73a. The hinge shaft 73a is along the second axis A2 and connects the first portion 71 and the second portion 72 to each other so that they can be opened and closed. The first portion 71 and the second portion 72 can be opened and closed relative to each other along an arc centered on the hinge shaft 73a.

[0035] The hinge mechanism 73 enables the cylinder 7 to be changed between a "closed state" in which the second portion 72 is closed relative to the first portion 71, as shown in FIG. 4, and an "open state" in which the second portion 72 is open relative to the first portion 71, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0036] The first part 71 and the second part 72 each have meshing parts 71a, 72a at the end on the side where the hinge mechanism 73 is not provided, which mesh with each other when the cylindrical body 7 is in the closed state. The meshing parts 71a, 72a are each formed in a stepped shape. The meshing parts 71a, 72a can prevent the first part 71 and the second part 72 from shifting from each other in the radial direction of the cylindrical body 7 when the cylindrical body 7 is in the closed state. Note that the first part 71 and the second part 72 do not necessarily have to be provided with the meshing parts 71a, 72a.

[0037] The clamping mechanism 8 is a mechanism that applies a clamping force to the cylindrical body 7 in a direction in which the cylindrical body 7 contracts in diameter in order to fix the cylindrical body 7 to the shaft 20. A pair of the clamping mechanisms 8 are provided, spaced apart in the direction in which the cylindrical body 7 extends (i.e., the direction in which the second axis A extends), sandwiching the joint 6 therebetween. Since the pair of clamping mechanisms 8 have the same configuration, the structure of one of the clamping mechanisms 8 will be described below.

[0038] The clamping mechanism 8 includes an operating unit 80 that can be manually operated by a user, and a connecting unit 81. Depending on the manual operation of the operating unit 80, the clamping mechanism 8 can be changed between a "clamping state" in which a clamping force is applied to the cylindrical body 7, and a "release state" in which the clamping force on the cylindrical body 7 is released.

[0039] In this embodiment, the operating unit 80 is a lever provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 7. The connecting portion 81 is a member that connects the operating unit 80 and the second part 72 of the cylindrical body 7. A support portion 72b that rotatably supports the connecting portion 81 is formed at the end of the second part 72 on the side where the hinge mechanism 73 is not provided. One end of the connecting portion 81 is connected to the support portion 72b by a hinge mechanism (not shown), and the other end is connected to the base end of the operating unit 80 by a hinge mechanism (not shown).

[0040] The lever as the operating unit 80 can be changed, in response to manual operation, between a "locked state" in which it follows the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 7 as shown in Fig. 4 and a "released state" in which it is further away from the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 7 than in the locked state as shown in Fig. 5. The clamp mechanism 8 changes to the clamped state when the lever as the operating unit 80 is in the locked state as shown in Fig. 4, and changes to the released state when the lever is in the released state as shown in Fig. 5.

[0041] As described above, the clamp mechanism 8 in the clamped state applies a clamping force to the cylindrical body 7 in a direction in which the cylindrical body 7 contracts in diameter. That is, the clamp mechanism 8 applies a clamping force to the cylindrical body 7 when the lever as the operating unit 80 is manually operated from the released state to the locked state. Although a detailed structure is not shown in the drawings, various well-known clamp mechanisms can be used for the clamp mechanism 8 that applies a clamping force to the cylindrical body 7 with the lever in the locked state in this way. For example, the clamp mechanism 8 can have a structure similar to (i) a seat clamp mechanism using a bicycle quick release lever, (ii) a tightening mechanism by latching a buckle (an example of a lever) of ski boots, or the like.

[0042] It goes without saying that, when the clamp mechanism 8 is in the clamped state, (i) the inner diameter of the cylindrical body 7, (ii) the distance between the ends of the first portion 71 and the second portion 72 on the side where the hinge mechanism 73 is not provided (in this embodiment, the distance between the meshing portions 71a and 72a), etc. are adjusted so that the cylindrical body 7 is fixed to the shaft 20 with sufficient clamping force. Also, the cylindrical body 7 may have a slit-shaped cutout (not shown) formed along the second axis A2 so that the diameter of the cylindrical body 7 is reduced in response to the clamping force and the cylindrical body 7 is suitably fastened to the shaft 20.

[0043] Here, a method for attaching and detaching the brush cutter 2 to and from the shaft 20 will be described.

[0044] First, the handle joint 5 is prepared with the main part 40 of the handle 4 joined to the joint 6, and the lever as the operating part 80 of each of the pair of clamp mechanisms 8 is manually set to the release state and the cylindrical body 7 is opened, thereby setting the handle joint 5 in the released state as shown in Fig. 5. Then, the joint 6 of the handle joint 5 is aligned with the handle attachment position 20a of the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2, and the shaft 20 is inserted into each of the cylindrical bodies 7 of the pair of clamp mechanisms 8. While setting the cylindrical body 7 in the closed state, the lever as the operating part 80 is manually set to the locked state. As a result, the pair of clamp mechanisms 8 apply a clamping force to the cylindrical body 7, and the cylindrical body 7 is fixed to the shaft 20, as shown in Fig. 4. In other words, the connection between the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2 and the handle 4 is completed.

[0045] On the other hand, when removing the handle 4 from the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2, the levers serving as the operating parts 80 of the pair of clamp mechanisms 8 are manually operated to release the handle joint 5 shown in Fig. 4, thereby releasing the clamp mechanisms 8 and opening the cylinder 7 as shown in Fig. 5. This allows the shaft 20 to be removed from the handle joint 5.

[0046] As described above, the handle joint 5 allows the handle 4 to be attached to and detached from the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2 by manually operating the operating unit 30, making this attachment and detachment easy. Furthermore, as a pair of clamp mechanisms 8 are provided with the joint 6 in between, even if one of the clamp mechanisms 8 is released for some reason during brush cutting work, it is possible to prevent the handle 4 from immediately detaching from the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2. As such, the clamp mechanism 8 has a fail-safe design, ensuring safety during brush cutting work.

[0047] In order to prevent the handle 4 from wobbling relative to the shaft 20 during brush cutting operation, the pair of clamp mechanisms 8 are preferably provided as close to the joint 6 as possible. "As close to the joint 6 as possible" means, for example, that each of the pair of clamp mechanisms 8 is adjacent to the joint 6 to the extent that manual operation of the respective operating parts 80 of the pair of clamp mechanisms 8 is not impeded.

[0048] (Attachment 9) The attachment 9 is configured so that the handle 4, which has been removed from the shaft 20 as described above, can be attached to the shaft 20 as shown in Fig. 6 via manual operation of the operating section 80 of the handle joint 5. Fig. 6 shows the brush cutter set 1 in a "portable state" in which the bulk of the brush cutter set 1 has been reduced and it is easy to transport.

[0049] 6, the attachment 9 has a pair of handles 4 that can be attached to the shaft 20, with the main part 40 oriented along the shaft 20. When the brush cutter set 1 is brought into a portable state, the handle 4 is oriented such that the grip (left grip 4L in this embodiment) to which the throttle wire 22 is attached faces the prime mover 21, and the main part 40 is oriented along the shaft 20.

[0050] Each of the pair of attachments 9 is, for example, a resin pipe clamp, and is fixed to the shaft 20 in advance as shown in Fig. 1. Each of the pair of attachments 9 has a recess that fits into the handle 4, and grips or clamps the handle 4 by the flexure and elasticity of the recess. The portions of the handle 4 that fit into the pair of attachments 9 are, for example, the left bent portion 411 and the right bent portion 421 shown in Fig. 2.

[0051] Each of the pair of attachments 9 may be fixed to the handle 4 in advance, and may have a recess that fits into the shaft 20, and may grip or clamp the shaft 20. Furthermore, each of the pair of attachments 9 may have a recess that fits into the handle 4 and the shaft 20, respectively, and may be easily attached to and detached from both the handle 4 and the shaft 20.

[0052] In the portable state, the clamping force required is not as strong as in the previously described usable state in which brush-cutting work is possible, and so in the above example, the attachment 9 is a plastic pipe clamp. However, the structure of the pair of attachments 9 may be any structure as long as one of the handle 4 and the shaft 20 can be fixed to the other in the manner shown in Fig. 6. For example, the attachment 9 may be a metal pipe clamp, a tie using a fitting hole or a hook-and-loop fastener, a clip, or the like.

[0053] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and drawings, and can be modified (including the deletion of components) as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0054] (Modification) The above has described the handle joint 5 in which the joint 6 is joined to the handle 4 and the tubular body 7 surrounds the shaft 20, but the handle joint 5 in a modified example may have a structure in which the joint 6 is joined to the shaft 20 and the tubular body 7 surrounds the handle 4, inversely to this relationship. The function of the handle joint 5 in the modified example is the same as that of the above embodiment if the relationship between the handle 4 and the shaft 20 in the above embodiment is reversed. A method of attaching and detaching this modified example to the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2 will now be described.

[0055] First, the handle joint 5 having the shaft 20 joined to the joint 6 is prepared, and the levers as the operating parts 80 of each of the pair of clamping mechanisms 8 are manually set to the release state and the cylindrical bodies 7 are manually set to the open state, thereby setting the handle 4 in a released state. Then, the joint 6 of the handle joint 5 is aligned with the mounting part 40a of the handle 4, and the handle 4 is inserted into each of the cylindrical bodies 7 of the pair of clamping mechanisms 8, and the levers as the operating parts 80 are manually set to the locked state while the cylindrical bodies 7 are closed. As a result, the pair of clamping mechanisms 8 apply a clamping force to the cylindrical bodies 7, and the cylindrical bodies 7 are fixed to the handle 4. That is, the connection between the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2 and the handle 4 is completed. On the other hand, when the handle 4 is to be removed from the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2, the levers as the operating parts 80 of each of the pair of clamping mechanisms 8 are manually set to the release state, thereby setting the clamping mechanisms 8 in a released state and the cylindrical bodies 7 in an open state, relative to the handle joint 5. As a result, the handle 4 can be removed from the handle joint 5.

[0056] Even with the handle joint 5 of the modified example, the handle 4 can be attached to and detached from the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2 by manually operating the operating unit 30, making the attachment and detachment easy. In addition, since a pair of clamp mechanisms 8 are provided with the joint 6 in between, even if one of the clamp mechanisms 8 is released for some reason during brush cutting work, the handle 4 can be prevented from immediately coming off the shaft 20 of the brush cutter 2. In this way, the clamp mechanism 8 has a fail-safe design, so safety during brush cutting work can be ensured. Note that even when the handle joint 5 of the modified example is used, the brush cutter set 1 can be made portable by utilizing the attachment 9.

[0057] (Other variations) Although the above describes an example in which the handle joint 5 connects the shaft 20 to the handle 4 that passes above the shaft 20, the handle joint 5 may also connect the shaft 20 to the handle 4 that passes below the shaft 20.

[0058] The throttle wire 22 may be provided on the right grip 4R. Even in this case, when the brush cutter set 1 is brought into a portable state, the handle 4 is oriented such that the grip on which the throttle wire 22 is provided faces the prime mover 21, and the main portion 40 is oriented along the shaft 20.

[0059] In the above, an example has been shown in which the first portion 71 and the second portion 72 of the cylindrical body 7 are combined by the hinge mechanism 73, but the manner of combination is not limited to this and can be changed arbitrarily. For example, the first portion 71 and the second portion 72 may be combined by fitting together, or may be separated when the cylindrical body 7 is in the open state.

[0060] In the above, an example has been given in which the operating unit 80 of the clamping mechanism 8 is a lever, but the operating unit 80 can be changed as desired as long as it can change the clamping mechanism 8 between a clamped state and a released state in response to a manual operation performed. For example, the operating unit 80 may be a thumb screw (knurled screw, wing bolt, etc.) that can be operated by the user's hand. In other words, the clamping mechanism 8 may be structured such that, when the user tightens the thumb screw by hand, it changes to a clamped state in which a force is applied to the cylindrical body 7 in a direction in which the cylindrical body 7 contracts in diameter. On the other hand, the clamping mechanism 8 may be changed to a released state when the user loosens the thumb screw by hand.

[0061] The term "the handle joint 5 has a pair of clamp mechanisms 8" means that the two or more clamp mechanisms 8 provided on the handle joint 5 include a pair of clamp mechanisms 8, and is not a concept limited to only a pair of clamp mechanisms 8. Similarly, the term "the brush cutter set 1 has a pair of attachments 9" means that the two or more attachments 9 provided on the brush cutter set 1 include a pair of attachments 9, and is not a concept limited to only a pair of attachments 9.

[0062] In the above description, in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, descriptions of well-known technical matters have been omitted as appropriate.

[0063] Various embodiments and modifications of the present invention are possible without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. The above-described embodiments are for the purpose of explaining the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention. That is, the scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the scope of the invention equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1...Brush cutter set 2. Brushcutter 20...shaft, 20a...handle mounting position 21... prime mover, 22... throttle wire, 23... fixing material 3...Handle set for brush cutter 4…Handle 40: main portion, 40a: mounting portion 410...left curved part, 411...left bent part, 4L...left grip 420…Right curved part, 421…Right bent part, 4R…Right grip 5…Handle joint 6…Joint part, A1…1st axis 60...hole, 61...first joint, 62...second joint 7...Cylinder, A2...Second axis 71...first part, 72...second part, 71a, 72a...meshing part, 72b...support part 73... hinge mechanism, 73a... hinge shaft 8... clamp mechanism, 80... operating part, 81... connecting part 9…Attachment

Claims

1. A handle joint for connecting a shaft and a handle of a brush cutter, a joint portion joined to the handle; A cylindrical body surrounding the outer periphery of the shaft; a clamping mechanism that applies a clamping force to the cylindrical body in a direction in which the cylindrical body contracts in order to fix the cylindrical body to the shaft; The cylindrical body has a first portion and a second portion that can be separated in a radial direction of the cylindrical body, The first portion is fixed to the joint, the second portion is combined with the first portion; The clamp mechanism includes: An operation unit that can be manually operated by a user, a clamping state in which the clamping force is applied to the cylindrical body and a release state in which the clamping force on the cylindrical body is released in response to the manual operation of the operation unit, A pair of the cylindrical members are provided with a gap therebetween in the extension direction of the cylindrical body, with the joint portion sandwiched therebetween. Handle joint.

2. A handle joint for connecting a shaft and a handle of a brush cutter, A joint portion joined to the shaft; A cylinder surrounding the outer periphery of the handle; a clamping mechanism that applies a clamping force to the cylindrical body in a direction in which the cylindrical body contracts in order to fix the cylindrical body to the handle, The cylindrical body has a first portion and a second portion that can be separated in a radial direction of the cylindrical body, The first portion is fixed to the joint, the second portion is combined with the first portion; The clamp mechanism includes: An operation unit that can be manually operated by a user, a clamping state in which the clamping force is applied to the cylindrical body and a release state in which the clamping force on the cylindrical body is released in response to the manual operation of the operation unit, A pair of the cylindrical members are provided with a gap therebetween in the extension direction of the cylindrical body, with the joint portion sandwiched therebetween. Handle joint.

3. the second portion is coupled to the first portion by a hinge mechanism; the cylindrical body is changeable between a closed state in which the second portion is closed relative to the first portion and an open state in which the second portion is open relative to the first portion, When the clamp mechanism is in the clamped state and the cylinder is in the closed state, the shaft and the handle can be connected to each other, When the clamping mechanism is in the released state and the barrel is in the open state, the handle can be removed from the shaft. A handle joint according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the operating portion is a lever provided on an outer periphery of the cylindrical body, the lever is capable of changing, in response to the manual operation, between a locked state in which the lever is in contact with an outer periphery of the cylindrical body and a released state in which the lever is further away from the outer periphery of the cylindrical body than in the locked state; the clamp mechanism changes to the clamp state when the lever is in the locked state, and changes to the released state when the lever is in the released state; A handle joint according to claim 3.

5. A handle joint according to claim 1 or 2; The handle; an attachment that enables the handle, which has been removed from the shaft through the manual operation of the operating portion of the handle joint, to be attached to the shaft; the handle includes a main portion that intersects with the shaft when the handle is attached to the shaft at the handle joint, The attachment is a pair of handles that can be attached to the shaft with the main portion oriented along the shaft. Brushcutter handle set.

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