Operation lever mechanism for electrically-driven type hand-held work machine

Abstract

To ensure operability about equal to that of an engine type while complying with a safety standard of an unlocking operation in an operation lever mechanism electrically-driven type hand-held work machine.SOLUTION: The operation lever mechanism comprises: a trigger lever that starts an electrically-driven work part; a slide member that is provided so as to slide in an extending direction of a handle, locks motion of the trigger lever during a non-operation, and unlocks the trigger lever by a sliding operation; and a grip lever that is operated by gripping the handle by one hand and inhibits a sliding operation of the sliding member during the non-operation while enabling the sliding operation of the sliding member during an operation. The trigger lever is unlocked by sliding the sliding member in a state where the handle is gripped by one hand to operate the grip lever.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an operating lever mechanism for an electric handheld working machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Handheld implements such as brush cutters, hedge trimmers, and chainsaws are equipped with a trigger lever on the handle that the operator holds in their hand to activate the working part. To prevent unintended movement by the operator and ensure safety, this trigger lever is generally equipped with a mechanism that locks the lever when not in use. Furthermore, compared to engine-powered implements, where the idling state can be determined by the engine sound, electric handheld implements have the problem of making it difficult for the operator to determine whether or not they are ready to be started immediately. For this reason, safety measures are required by standards for electric handheld implements, such as a trigger lever that cannot be unlocked unless an intentional two-step operation is performed (see IEC Standard 62841-1).

[0003] A conventional technology that complies with the above-mentioned standard is a mechanism that prevents the lock release lever from being pushed in by simply gripping the handle, in order to avoid accidental unlocking. A mechanism has been proposed that makes it possible to push in the lock release lever by adding the operation of pressing a button on the side of the handle (see Patent Document 1 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9,636,792 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the conventional technology mentioned above, the direction of operation for pressing the button on the side of the handle and the direction of operation of the unlock lever, which is performed by gripping the handle, are different. Therefore, although the mechanism is designed to make it difficult for accidental operation to occur, the operator must perform two operations in different directions while gripping the handle with one hand, forcing a complicated operation for the operator to unlock the trigger lever.

[0006] In particular, if you want to operate buttons separately while holding the steering wheel with one hand, you need to use your thumb to operate the buttons. If you remove your thumb from the steering wheel to operate the buttons, your grip strength when holding the steering wheel with one hand decreases. Therefore, with conventional technology, when the aircraft is heavy, the grip strength decreases and it becomes difficult to stably support the heavy weight with one hand, making it difficult to operate the buttons smoothly.

[0007] In recent years, there has been a trend toward electrifying engine-powered handheld work machines due to concerns about the environment and noise. As mentioned above, engine-powered handheld work machines allow the operator to recognize when the machine is idling, so safety measures for the trigger lever are not as strict as for electric-powered work machines. Therefore, engine-powered handheld work machines can be unlocked relatively easily and the trigger lever can be operated. When electrifying, an unlocking operation that complies with the safety standards for electric-powered work machines is required, but users demand that the operability be comparable to that of engine-powered work machines while still complying with the safety standards.

[0008] The present invention was proposed to address these problems. Specifically, the objectives of the present invention are to provide an operating lever mechanism for an electric handheld working machine that meets safety standards for unlocking operations while ensuring operability equivalent to that of an engine-powered working machine, and to enable the trigger lever to be unlocked with good operability without reducing grip strength when holding the handle with one hand. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve such problems, the present invention has the following configuration. An operating lever mechanism provided on the handle of an electric handheld working machine, the operating lever mechanism comprising: a trigger lever for starting an electric working unit; a slide member that is slidable in the extension direction of the handle, that locks the movement of the trigger lever when not in operation and unlocks the trigger lever by sliding it; and a grip lever that is operated by gripping the handle with one hand and disables the sliding operation of the slide member when not in operation and enables the sliding operation of the slide member when in operation, wherein the trigger lever is unlocked by sliding the slide member while gripping the handle with one hand and operating the grip lever. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the above-mentioned features, unlocking the trigger lever requires two operations: operating the grip lever and sliding the slide member. However, the grip lever, slide member, and trigger lever can be easily operated while holding the handle with one hand. Furthermore, the trigger lever, grip lever, and slide member can be operated without using the thumb, allowing the trigger lever to be unlocked with ease without reducing grip strength while holding the handle with one hand. This allows the operating lever mechanism of an electric handheld work machine to meet safety standards for unlocking operations while ensuring operability equivalent to that of an engine-powered machine. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view (side view) of an operating lever mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal structure of the operating lever mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention (in a non-operated state). [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal structure of the operating lever mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention (in a state when the grip lever is operated). [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal structure of the operating lever mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention (in a state where the grip lever and the slide member are operated). [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal structure of the operating lever mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention (in a state where the grip lever, the slide member, and the trigger lever are operated). [Figure 6] 1 is an explanatory diagram (side view) showing an electric handheld working machine equipped with an operating lever mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals in different drawings denote parts with the same functions, and duplicated descriptions in each drawing will be omitted as appropriate.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the operating lever mechanism 1 is provided on the handle H of an electric handheld working machine (not shown), and includes a trigger lever 2, a slide member 3, and a grip lever 4. The handle H can be held with one hand OH as shown by the imaginary line, and the thumb of the hand OH is kept in contact with the handle H to ensure gripping force.

[0014] The trigger lever 2 is an operating member for starting an electric working unit (not shown) of an electric handheld working machine. The operator holds the handle H with one hand OH and presses the trigger lever 2 into the handle H with the index finger or the like (ON operation), thereby starting the electric working unit.

[0015] The slide member 3 is provided so as to be slidable in the extension direction of the handle H (toward the hand tip), locks the movement of the trigger lever 2 when not in operation, and unlocks the trigger lever 2 by sliding it. The slide member 3 is provided on the underside of the handle H, similar to the trigger lever 2, so that the operator can perform the sliding operation with the middle or ring finger while holding the handle H with one hand OH.

[0016] The grip lever 4 is operated by the operator gripping the handle H with one hand OH, and when not in operation, it disables the sliding operation of the slide member 3, and when in operation, it enables the sliding operation of the slide member 3. The grip lever 4 is located in a position (above the handle H) where it can be operated with the palm of the operator, and the grip lever 4 is operated by a single action of gripping the handle H.

[0017] With this operating lever mechanism 1, the trigger lever 2 is locked by the slide member 3 when not in operation, and when the operator slides the slide member 3 while gripping the handle H with one hand OH and operating the grip lever 4, the lock on the trigger lever 2 is released, enabling operation of the trigger lever 2. As a result, the lock on the trigger lever 2 is not released unless two operations in different directions are performed by operating the grip lever 4 and sliding the slide member 3, so even if an operator or the like inadvertently tries to move the trigger lever 2 alone, the lock is not released and the trigger lever 2 cannot be operated.

[0018] Furthermore, to unlock the trigger lever 2, it is necessary to operate the grip lever 4 and slide the slide member 3, but the operation is not complicated because the grip lever 4 is operated by a single action of gripping the handle H. Furthermore, the slide member 3 can be slid with the middle or ring finger while gripping the handle H without releasing the thumb, so it can be easily operated without reducing the grip strength of the handle H.

[0019] 2 to 5 show the internal structure of the handle H. A specific example of the mechanism of the operating lever mechanism 1 will be described with reference to these figures. The trigger lever 2 has a pivotal support portion 2A provided at an intermediate position inside the handle H, and an actuating portion 2B provided at one end extending from the pivotal support portion 2A toward the inside of the handle H. In addition, an operating portion 2C is provided at the other end protruding from the pivotal support portion 2A toward the outside of the handle H.

[0020] The pivot support portion 2A of the trigger lever 2 has an axial hole through which an axial protrusion H1 provided inside the handle H is inserted, and rotatably supports the trigger lever 2 around the axial protrusion H1. When the trigger lever 2 is operated (ON operation) by pushing the operating portion 2C protruding outside the handle H into the inside of the handle H, the operating portion 2B swings around the pivot support portion 2A, and the operating portion 2B presses the switch portion M1 of the electric actuator M, activating an electric working unit (not shown).

[0021] A torsion spring (not shown) is wound around the shaft protrusion H1 of the handle H, with one arm of the torsion spring fixed inside the handle H and the other arm of the torsion spring fixed to the trigger lever 2. As a result, the trigger lever 2 is spring-biased so that the operating portion 2C protrudes from the handle H and the actuating portion 2B is separated from the switch portion M1, i.e., in a non-operated state. Due to this spring bias, when the force applied to the trigger lever 2 is released, the trigger lever 2 is automatically operated to the off position.

[0022] The operating portion 2C of the trigger lever 2 has a trigger-shaped portion 2C1 on which a finger is hooked to perform the on operation described above, as well as an escape groove portion 2C2 and an interference end portion 2C3 associated with the slide member 3 described below. The escape groove portion 2C2 is open to the inside of the handle H, and the interference end portion 2C3 extends vertically along the escape groove portion 2C2.

[0023] The slide member 3 engages with a guide groove H2 that is formed inside the handle H and extends linearly along the longitudinal direction (towards the hand's distal end) of the handle H, and is disposed so as to be able to slide freely along this. One slide end of the slide member 3 is on the proximal side of the hand gripping the handle H, and the other slide end is on the distal side of the hand gripping the handle H. The slide member 3 is spring-biased by a coil spring H3 so that the proximal slide end stays in a non-operating position.

[0024] The slide member 3 has a protruding operation portion 3A that protrudes downward from the handle H and is operated with a finger. An unlock hole 3B is formed on the hand side of the protruding operation portion 3A, and a lock abutment portion 3C is also formed on the hand side. When the slide member 3 is in the non-operating position, the tip of the interference end 2C3 of the trigger lever 2 abuts against the lock abutment portion 3C, locking the trigger lever 2. When the slide member 3 is slid to the slide end on the hand side, the interference end 2C3 of the trigger lever 2 becomes insertable into the lock release hole 3B, and further, the lock abutment portion 3C of the slide member 3 becomes insertable into the relief groove portion 2C2 of the trigger lever 2, thereby unlocking the trigger lever 2. Furthermore, when the slide member 3 is moved to the slide end on the hand side, the protruding operation portion 3A that protrudes below the handle H comes into proximity with the operation portion 2C of the trigger lever 2.

[0025] The grip lever 4 has a pivotal support 4A at one end, which is pivotally supported by a shaft protrusion H4 inside the handle H. The operating part 4B of the grip lever 4 is provided extending in the longitudinal direction of the handle H (towards the hand's tip) and protruding from the upper side of the handle H. A torsion spring (not shown) is wound around the shaft protrusion H4, with one arm of the torsion spring fixed inside the handle H and the other arm of the torsion spring fixed to the grip lever 4. As a result, the grip lever 4 is spring-biased to a non-operating state in which the operating part 4B protrudes from the handle H.

[0026] The grip lever 4 is provided with a stopper portion 4C that stops the sliding operation of the slide member 3. When the grip lever 4 is not operated, the stopper portion 4C is in a position that stops the movement of the slide member 3 in the sliding direction, and when the grip lever 4 is operated, the stopper portion 4C moves to a position that allows the movement of the slide member 3 in the sliding direction.

[0027] The stopper portion 4C may be positioned so as to directly stop the movement of the slide member 3, but in the example shown, an interlocking member 5 that is interlocked with the movement of the slide member 3 is provided inside the handle H, and the stopper portion 4C stops the movement of the slide member 3 in the sliding direction via the interlocking member 5.

[0028] When the grip lever 4 and slide member 3 are not being operated, the interlocking member 5 causes its own movement, which is accompanied by the movement of the slide member 3, to interfere with a part of the grip lever 4 (stopper portion 4C), thereby preventing the slide member 3 from sliding. When the grip lever 4 is being operated, the interlocking member 5 releases its interference with a part of the grip lever 4 (stopper portion 4C), thereby enabling the slide member 3 to slide.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows the trigger lever 2, slide member 3, and grip lever 4 in a non-operated state. In this state, the stopper portion 4C of the grip lever 4 abuts against the stopper surface 5A of the interlocking member 5, preventing the slide member 3, which engages with the interlocking member 5, from moving in the sliding direction. In this state, the interference end portion 2C3 of the trigger lever 2 abuts against the lock abutment portion 3C of the slide member 3, preventing the trigger lever 2 from moving in the operating direction (locked state). Therefore, even if you try to operate the trigger lever 2 alone in this state, the trigger lever 2 cannot be moved. This locked state prevents the trigger lever 2 from being accidentally operated.

[0030] 3 shows a state in which an operator operates the grip lever 4 by gripping the handle H with one hand. When the grip lever 4 is operated, the stopper portion 4C of the grip lever 4 moves closer to the slide member 3 and stops when it comes into contact with the sliding surface 3D of the slide member 3. In this state, the stopper portion 4C of the grip lever 4 is disengaged from the stopper surface 5A of the interlocking member 5, and the slide member 3 becomes ready for the operator to slide.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a state in which an operator grips the handle H with one hand and operates the grip lever 4 with the palm while sliding the slide member 3 with the middle finger or the like. The slide member 3 can be slid even when the stopper portion 4C of the grip lever 4 abuts the sliding surface 3D of the slide member 3. The sliding surface 3D is parallel to the sliding direction so that the slide member 3 can still be slid. When the operator slides the slide member 3 to the end of the slide closer to the operator's hand, the interlocking member 5 tilts in conjunction with the slide member 3, allowing the stopper portion 4C of the grip lever 4 to be inserted into the space below the stopper surface 5A of the interlocking member 5. When the operator further pushes the grip lever 4 while the slide member 3 is slid closer to the operator's hand, the stopper portion 4C of the grip lever 4 enters the rear side of the sliding surface 3D of the slide member 3, and the slide member 3 is held at the end of the slide closer to the operator's hand. In this state, the interference end 2C3 of the trigger lever 2 faces the unlock hole 3B of the slide member 3, and the lock abutment portion 3C of the slide member 3 faces the escape groove portion 2C2 of the trigger lever 2, so that the trigger lever 2 is in an operable state (unlocked state).

[0032] 5 shows a state in which an operator holds the handle H with one hand, operates the grip lever 4 with the palm of his / her hand, and slides the slide member 3 with his / her middle finger or the like (unlocked state), while turning on the trigger lever 2. When the trigger lever 2 is turned on in this state, the interference end 2C3 of the trigger lever 2 enters the lock release hole 3B of the slide member 3, and the lock abutment portion 3C of the slide member 3 enters the escape groove portion 2C2 of the trigger lever 2, causing the trigger lever 2 to rotate around the shaft protrusion H1, and the end of the trigger lever 2 presses the switch portion M1 of the electric actuator M. This activates the electric actuator M, and starts the electric working unit.

[0033] In the state shown in Figure 5, if only the trigger lever 2 is set to the non-operated state, the trigger lever 2 is returned to the non-operated state (turned off) by the spring force and the switch unit M1 is set to the off state, but as long as the operator continues to grip the handle H with one hand, the slide member 3 is maintained in the slidable state, so the trigger lever 2 remains unlocked and the trigger lever 2 can be repeatedly turned on and off. When the operator releases his grip on the handle H, the trigger lever 2, slide member 3 and grip lever 4 are returned to the non-operated state (the state shown in Figure 2) by the spring force, so the trigger lever 2 is again locked.

[0034] To summarize the above explanation, the operating lever mechanism 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has the following features.

[0035] First, the trigger lever 2 is unlocked by sliding the slide member 3 while holding the handle H with one hand and operating the grip lever 4, so two operations in different directions are required to unlock the trigger lever 2, which complies with the safety standard (IEC standard 62841-1). Furthermore, operating the grip lever 4, one of the two operations, can be performed with the essential action of holding the handle H with one hand, so the only additional operation required to unlock the lock is to slide the slide member 3, eliminating the need for complicated operations.

[0036] Furthermore, the grip lever 4 maintains the state after the sliding operation of the slide member 3 by gripping the handle H with one hand. As a result, as long as the handle H is kept gripped with one hand, the unlocked state of the trigger lever 2 is maintained, and the on / off operation of the trigger lever 2 can be repeatedly performed in this state. This eliminates the need to perform the complicated unlocking operation each time the trigger lever 2 is turned on or off.

[0037] Furthermore, when the grip lever 4 and slide member 3 are not operated, the interlocking member 5 causes its own movement, which is accompanied by movement of the slide member 3, to interfere with a part of the grip lever 4, thereby disabling operation of the slide member 3, and when the grip lever 4 is operated, the interlocking member 5 releases the interference between itself and that part of the grip lever 4, thereby enabling operation of the slide member 3. In this way, the interlocking member 5 intervenes to enable or disable operation of the slide member 3 in accordance with the operation or non-operation of the grip lever 4, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the grip lever 4 and the slide member 3 compared to when the grip lever 4 directly interferes with the slide member 3.

[0038] Furthermore, the interlocking member 5 is interlocked with the sliding operation of the slide member 3, and maintains the state of the slide member 3 when operated relative to the state when the grip lever 4 is operated. With this, the grip lever 4 is operated by the force with which the handle H is gripped with one hand, and the interlocking member 5 utilizes that gripping force to maintain the state of the slide member 3 when operated, so there is no need to hold the slide member 3 tightly with the fingers that operate it, and the load on the fingers can be reduced.

[0039] In addition, the trigger lever 2, slide member 3, and grip lever 4 are spring-biased to a non-operated state. As a result, when the operator releases his / her hand from the handle H, the spring force returns the trigger lever 2, slide member 3, and grip lever 4 to their non-operated states, and the trigger lever 2 is locked again. Therefore, once the operator releases his / her hand from the handle H, it is possible to reliably prevent the trigger lever 2 from being accidentally operated, causing the electric working unit to start.

[0040] Furthermore, the trigger lever 2 is located in a position where it can be operated with the index finger while gripping the handle H with one hand, the slide member 3 is located in a position where it can be operated with the middle or ring finger while gripping the handle H with one hand, and the grip lever 4 is located in a position where it can be operated with the palm while gripping the handle H with one hand. This means that the trigger lever 2, slide member 3, and grip lever 4 can be operated in this state by gripping the handle H with one hand with the thumb in contact with the handle H, and the levers can be operated in a stable state while maintaining the grip force on the handle H.

[0041] Furthermore, the slide member 3 unlocks the trigger lever 2 when the protruding operation part 3A, which is operated with a finger, approaches the trigger lever 2. As a result, the protruding operation part 3A of the slide member 3 is always in close proximity to the proximal side of the unlocked trigger lever 2. As a result, when the trigger lever 2 is operated with the index finger, the presence of the protruding operation part 3A in close proximity to the proximal side of the trigger lever 2 prevents the middle finger or ring finger from being pulled into the trigger lever 2. Therefore, the trigger lever 2 can be operated safely.

[0042] 6 shows an electric chainsaw 100 as an example of an electric handheld working machine equipped with the above-described operating lever mechanism 1. The chainsaw 100 has the above-described handle H attached to the top of the main body 101, and the handle H is provided with a trigger lever 2, a slide member 3, and a grip lever 4. The chainsaw 100 shown in the figure has an auxiliary handle 102 that connects the handle H to the rear of the main body 101, an electric working unit 103 with a chain-type cutting blade attached to the front of the main body 101, and a battery 104 that serves as the power source for the electric working unit 103 mounted to the rear of the main body 101.

[0043] The operating lever mechanism 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the chainsaw 100 described above, but can also be effectively equipped in other electric handheld working machines that have an electric working part and require safety by preventing accidental start-up, such as brush cutters, hedge trimmers, and power cutters that rotate disc blades.

[0044] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments can be combined by utilizing each other's technologies as long as there are no particular contradictions or problems in their purposes, configurations, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1:Operating lever mechanism, 2: Trigger lever, 3: Slide member, 4: Grip lever, 5: Interlocking member, 2A, 4A: Axial support, 2B: Actuation section, 2C, 4B: Operation section, 2C1: trigger-shaped portion, 2C2: relief groove portion, 2C3: interference end portion, 3A: Protruding operation part, 3B: Lock release hole, 3C: Lock contact part, 3D: Sliding surface, 4C: Stopper part, 5A: Stopper surface, H: Handle, H1, H4: Shaft protrusion, H2: Guide groove, H3: Coil spring, M: Electric actuator, M1: Switch, OH: One-handed

Claims

1. An operating lever mechanism provided on a handle of an electric handheld working machine, a trigger lever for activating the electric working unit; a slide member that is slidably provided in the extension direction of the handle, that locks the movement of the trigger lever when not in operation, and that unlocks the trigger lever by sliding it; a grip lever that is operated by gripping the handle with one hand, disabling the sliding operation of the sliding member when not in operation, and enabling the sliding operation of the sliding member when in operation; An operating lever mechanism for an electric handheld working machine, in which the trigger lever is unlocked by sliding the slide member while gripping the handle with one hand and operating the grip lever.

2. 2. The operating lever mechanism for an electric handheld working machine according to claim 1, wherein the grip lever maintains the state after the sliding operation of the slide member by gripping the handle with one hand.

3. An interlocking member that interlocks with the movement of the slide member is provided inside the handle, 2. An operating lever mechanism for an electric handheld working machine as described in claim 1, wherein when the grip lever and the slide member are not being operated, the interlocking member causes its own movement accompanying the movement of the slide member to interfere with a part of the grip lever, thereby making it impossible to operate the slide member, and when the grip lever is being operated, the interlocking member releases its interference with the part of the grip lever, thereby making it possible to operate the slide member.

4. 4. The operating lever mechanism for an electric handheld working machine according to claim 3, wherein the interlocking member is interlocked with the sliding operation of the slide member to maintain the state of the slide member when operated relative to the state of the grip lever when operated.

5. 2. The operating lever mechanism for an electric handheld working machine according to claim 1, wherein said trigger lever, said slide member and said grip lever are spring-biased to a non-operating state.

6. The trigger lever is provided at a position where it can be operated with an index finger while holding the handle with one hand, The slide member is provided at a position where it can be operated with a middle finger or a ring finger while the handle is held in one hand, 2. The operating lever mechanism for an electric handheld working machine according to claim 1, wherein the grip lever is provided at a position where it can be operated with the palm of the hand while gripping the handle with one hand.

7. 7. The operating lever mechanism for an electric handheld working machine according to claim 6, wherein the slide member unlocks the trigger lever when an operating protrusion operated by a finger comes close to the trigger lever.

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