Electric working machine

Abstract

To provide an electric working machine or the like capable of improving both of operability and visibility when performing work while inclining.SOLUTION: An electric working machine includes: a body case; a working tool; a motor; a battery; a handle; a trigger lever; and a switch panel. The working tool is constituted to protrude forward from a front section of the body case. The motor is constituted to be housed in the body case and drive the working tool. The handle protrudes from the body case and is formed so as to be able to be gripped. The trigger lever is arranged on a lower surface of the handle so as to be able to supply power from the battery to the motor when pulled. The switch panel is arranged on an upper surface of the handle and has a power supply switch. The power supply switch is constituted to be able to drive the motor in an ON state and stop driving of the motor in an OFF state. The switch panel is constituted to be inclined obliquely downward from a right side to a left side or from the left side to the right side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric power tool. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a work machine.

[0003] The brush cutter (working machine) is equipped with a power tool driven by an electric motor, and is used by an operator to perform work using the power tool by gripping the grip. The grip is provided with an operation panel having operation buttons for operating the electric motor arranged on an operation board, and a display panel having indicator lamps arranged on a display board that show the operating status of the electric motor operated by the operation buttons, the operation panel and the display panel being arranged separately but in close proximity to each other. The brush cutter is characterized in that when the operator grips the grip in normal use of the brush cutter, the display surface of the display panel is positioned so that it faces the operator. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-096752 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, while the work machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 can improve the visibility of the display panel under normal use conditions, it does not improve operability or visibility when working while tilting the work machine, for example.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides an electric work machine or the like that can improve both operability and visibility when working while tilting the machine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electric work machine. The electric work machine includes a main body case, a power tool, a motor, a battery, a handle, a trigger lever, and a switch panel. The power tool is configured to protrude forward from a front portion of the main body case. The motor is housed in the main body case and configured to drive the power tool. The battery is detachably disposed in the main body case and configured to supply power to the motor. The handle protrudes from the main body case and is configured to be grippable. The trigger lever is disposed on the underside of the handle and can supply power from the battery to the motor when pulled. The switch panel is disposed on the upper surface of the handle and includes a power switch. The power switch is configured to drive the motor in an on state and stop driving the motor in an off state. The switch panel is configured to be inclined diagonally downward from right to left or left to right.

[0008] According to this aspect, it is possible to improve both operability and visibility when working while tilting the device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chainsaw 100. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chainsaw 100. [Figure 3] 1 is a view of the switch panel 190 seen from the rear of the chainsaw 100. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between each part of the switch panel 190 and the axis 151. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between each part of the switch panel 290 and the axis 151. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a view of the switch panel 390 seen from the rear of the chainsaw 100. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various features shown in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0011] In this embodiment, the electric working machine will be described as a chainsaw for cutting trees, boards, etc. In the following description, the cutting portion side of the chainsaw will be referred to as the front side, and the top handle side will be referred to as the upper side.

[0012] 1. Overall structure In Section 1, the overall configuration of the chainsaw 100 of this embodiment will be described.

[0013] 1 and 2 are perspective views of a chainsaw 100. The chainsaw 100 (electric work machine) includes a main body case 110, a cutting part 120 (power tool), a motor 130, a battery 140, a top handle (handle) 150, a side handle 160, a trigger lever 170, a lockout lever 180, a brake lever 185, a switch panel 190, and a thumb rest 191. The chainsaw 100 is configured so that the cutting part 120 is driven by power supplied to the motor 130 from the battery 140 attached to the main body case 110.

[0014] The main body case 110 is configured as a box made of resin.

[0015] The cutting unit 120 protrudes forward from the front of the main body case 110. The cutting unit 120 is a power tool for cutting work, and includes a guide bar 121 and a saw chain 122. The guide bar 121 is a plate-shaped member extending in the front-to-rear direction, and the rear end of the guide bar 121 is attached to the right side of the main body case 110. A ring-shaped saw chain 122 is wound around the outer periphery of the guide bar 121. The rear end of the saw chain 122 is engaged with a drive gear (not shown) connected to an output shaft 131 (described below) of the motor 130. When the motor 130 is driven to rotate the drive gear, the saw chain 122 rotates along the outer periphery of the guide bar 121.

[0016] The motor 130 is housed in the front part of the main body case 110. The motor 130 is configured to drive the cutting unit 120. The motor 130 is a known electric motor. The motor 130 includes an output shaft 131. The output shaft 131 extends in the left-right direction. In addition to the motor 130, the front part of the main body case 110 also houses a control board (not shown) that controls the driving of the motor 130, and a drive mechanism such as a drive gear connected to the output shaft 131 of the motor 130.

[0017] The battery 140 is detachably disposed at the rear of the main body case 110. A battery attachment / detachment section 141 is formed at the rear of the main body case 110 to allow the battery 140 to be attached and detached. When attaching the battery 140 to the main body case 110, the battery 140 can be attached to the battery attachment / detachment section 141 by sliding the battery 140 downward relative to the battery attachment / detachment section 141. The battery attachment / detachment section 141 is also provided with an ejection mechanism (not shown) for removing the battery 140 from the battery attachment / detachment section 141. With the battery 140 attached to the battery attachment / detachment section 141, the battery 140 can be pushed up by operating a lever provided on the top of the battery 140 to activate the ejection mechanism.

[0018] The battery 140 is a known battery, and is a vertically extending rectangular parallelepiped case that houses a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery. The height of the battery 140 is greater than the height of the rear part of the main body case 110. The battery 140 of this embodiment is larger than the type of battery that is housed in the main body case 110. The battery 140 has a sufficiently high output and charging capacity suitable for work.

[0019] The battery 140 is configured to supply power to the motor 130. A metal connection terminal (not shown) is provided on the rear surface of the battery attachment / detachment part 141. The connection terminal is electrically connected to the control board and the motor 130. When the connection terminal of the battery 140 is connected to the connection terminal of the battery attachment / detachment part 141, power is supplied from the battery 140 to the control board and the motor 130.

[0020] The top handle 150 protrudes from the main body case 110 and is configured to be grippable by an operator. More specifically, the top handle 150 is formed to extend in the front-to-rear direction at the top of the main body case 110. The front end of the top handle 150 protrudes upward from the front end of the top surface of the main body case 110. The rear end of the top handle 150 is connected to the upper end of the battery attachment / detachment part 141. When the battery 140 is attached to the battery attachment / detachment part 141, the upper end of the battery 140 protrudes above the rear end of the top handle 150. The top handle 150 is inclined slightly downward from the front end to the rear end. The top handle 150 is a part that an operator grips when holding the chainsaw 100. The operator's hand is inserted into the space between the top handle 150 and the top surface of the main body case 110.

[0021] The side handle 160 is attached to the left side of the main body case 110 and extends in the front-rear direction around the outer periphery of the main body case 110. The side handle 160 extends in the front-rear direction from the front to the rear of the left side of the main body case 110. The side handle 160 is formed by bending a cylindrical member or is a molded product. The front end of the side handle 160 is attached to the left side of the front end of the top handle 150. The rear end of the side handle 160 is located rearward and below the output shaft 131 of the motor 130 and is attached to the left wall of the battery attachment / detachment section 141. This allows the operator to hold the side handle 160 close to their body when working with the chainsaw 100 tilted, thereby enabling the operator to work stably. The portion between the front and rear ends of the side handle 160 is curved so as to bulge outward from the left side of the main body case 110.

[0022] The trigger lever 170 is disposed on the underside of the top handle 150. When the operator holds the top handle 150 and pulls the trigger lever 170, power can be supplied from the battery 140 to the motor 130.

[0023] Lockout lever 180 is disposed on the upper surface of top handle 150. When an operator holds top handle 150 and presses lockout lever 180 with the palm of their hand, the lockout lever 180 releases the lock on trigger lever 170.

[0024] The brake lever 185 is supported on both side surfaces of the main body case 110 so as to be able to swing back and forth. The brake lever 185 is formed to extend from support positions on both side surfaces of the main body case 110 toward the front of the upper part of the main body case 110. When the brake lever 185 is pulled toward the front, it allows the saw chain 122 to rotate, and when pushed forward, it activates a chain brake (not shown) to stop the rotation of the saw chain 122.

[0025] The switch panel 190 is disposed on the upper surface of the front portion of the top handle 150. The switch panel 190 includes a power switch 192 and an LED light 193 (indicator light). In addition, the thumb rest 191 is disposed near the switch panel 190.

[0026] The thumb rest 191 is an area on which the pad of the right thumb rests when the operator grips the top handle 150 with his or her right hand. The thumb rest 191 is disposed on the front-to-rear axis 151 that passes through the center of the top handle 150 in the left-to-right direction.

[0027] The power switch 192 is configured as a push button switch that, when on, enables driving of the motor 130 and, when off, stops driving of the motor 130. The power switch 192 is formed in a circular shape in a plan view. The power switch 192 switches between on and off each time it is pressed.

[0028] When the power switch 192 is pressed to turn on the motor 130 while it is stopped, power is supplied from the battery 140 to the control board (not shown), and the motor 130 enters a standby state for driving. Then, when the trigger lever 170 is pulled with the lockout lever 180 pressed, power is supplied from the battery 140 to the motor 130 via the control board, and the motor 130 starts to drive. When the finger is released from the trigger lever 170 and the power switch 192 is pressed to turn off the motor 130 without pressing the lockout lever 180, the power supply to the motor 130 is cut off, and the motor 130 stops driving.

[0029] The LED light 193 is provided to the right of the power switch 192. The LED light 193 indicates the on / off state of the power switch. The LED light 193 lights up when the power switch 192 is on, and goes out when the power switch 192 is off.

[0030] 2. Configuration of Switch Panel 190 In Section 2, the configuration of the switch panel 190 will be described.

[0031] Fig. 3 is a view of the switch panel 190 as seen from the back of the chainsaw 100. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between each part of the switch panel 190 and the axis 151.

[0032] The switch panel 190 is configured to be inclined diagonally downward from the right side (the side where the horizontal handle 160 is not attached) to the left side (the side where the horizontal handle 160 is attached). Here, the angle of inclination of the switch panel 190 is 1 to 89 degrees, preferably 15 to 75 degrees, and more preferably 30 to 60 degrees, with 0 degrees being the angle when the height from the right end to the left end of the switch panel 190 is equal (excluding the unevenness of the power switch 192 and LED light 193) when the cutting part 120 of the chainsaw 100 is in a vertical position (the state in FIG. 4). Specifically, for example, the values ​​are 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, 83, 85, 87, and 89 degrees, and may be within a range between any two of the values ​​exemplified here.

[0033] In this way, by configuring the switch panel 190 to be inclined, the top surface of the switch panel 190 faces the operator when gripping the side handle 160 and tilting the chainsaw 100 to work. Therefore, when working while tilting the chainsaw 100, the position of the power switch 192 can be more easily determined than with a non-inclined switch panel, making it easier to operate the power switch 192 and also making it easier to know whether the LED light 193 is on or off.

[0034] The LED light 193 is located on the right side (the side where the side handle is not attached) of the power switch 192. According to this embodiment, when the operator holds the side handle 160 and tilts the chainsaw 100 to work, the LED light 193 is located farther from the side handle 160 than the power switch 192. In other words, the LED light 193 is located in a position that is easier for the operator to see than the power switch 192 when the cutting part 120 is tilted horizontally. Therefore, the operator can easily know the on / off state when the operator holds the side handle 160 and tilts the chainsaw 100 to work.

[0035] The power switch 192 is located on the left side (the side where the side handle is attached) of the front-to-rear axis 151 that passes through the center of the top handle 150 in the left-to-right direction. For example, when holding the top handle 150 with the right hand, the thumb of the right hand is easier to move leftward than rightward. Therefore, the power switch 192 can be easily operated with the thumb of the hand holding the top handle 150 (the right hand in this embodiment).

[0036] The power switch 192 is disposed in a position that does not overlap the trigger lever 170 in a plan view. When an operator pulls the trigger lever 170 with his / her index finger, the operator is likely to apply force to his / her thumb at the same time. At this time, if the thumb is positioned so as to overlap the trigger lever 170 in a plan view, there is a risk of the thumb causing an erroneous operation. Therefore, by placing the pad of the thumb on the thumb rest 191 on the axis 151 while pulling the trigger lever 170 with the index finger, it is possible to prevent the power switch 192 from being erroneously operated by the thumb.

[0037] 3. How to operate the Chainsaw 100 Section 3 describes how the chainsaw 100 operates.

[0038] When cutting an object such as a tree or a board with the chainsaw 100, the operator holds the chainsaw 100 by gripping the top handle 150 with his right hand and the side handle 160 with his left hand.

[0039] When the operator turns on the power switch 192 of the chainsaw 100, pulls the brake lever 185 toward himself to release it, and then grasps the top handle 150 with his right hand, the lockout lever 180 is pressed in with the palm of his hand, unlocking the trigger lever 170. Here, by placing the pad of the thumb of his right hand, which is grasping the top handle 150, on the thumb rest 191, the operator can hold the top handle 150 stably.

[0040] Next, the operator moves the thumb of his right hand to the left and presses the power switch 192 to turn it on. This turns on the LED light 193 and puts the machine into a standby state for driving the motor 130. Then, after returning the pad of the right thumb to the thumb rest 191, the operator pulls the trigger lever 170 with the index finger of his right hand, driving the motor 130 and rotating the saw chain 122. This allows the saw chain 122 to cut the object to be cut.

[0041] During work, the operator can place his / her thumb on thumb rest 191 to cut the object to be cut. In this case, depending on the work situation, the operator can lightly place his / her thumb on thumb rest 191 to grip top handle 150 and hold it stably while performing the cutting work, or he / she can press thumb rest 191 with his / her thumb to push the object to be cut and perform the cutting work stably.

[0042] Furthermore, when cutting down trees, for example, the operator needs to work while tilting the chainsaw 100 so that the cutting part 120 is horizontal. In this case, the operator performs the cutting work while maintaining the tilt of the chainsaw 100 by pointing the side handle 160 held in the left hand upward and the top handle 150 held in the right hand to the right. During this cutting work, the operator checks the lighting status of the LED light 193, identifies the position of the power switch 192, and turns the power switch 192 on and off with the thumb of his right hand.

[0043] When stopping work, the trigger lever 170 is returned to stop driving the motor 130, and then the thumb of the right hand is moved to the left to press the power switch 192 to turn it off. Note that when work needs to be stopped urgently, the driving of the motor 130 can be stopped by pressing the power switch 192 with the thumb of the right hand to turn it off without returning the trigger lever 170.

[0044] As described above, the chainsaw 100 of this embodiment can improve both operability and visibility when working while tilting.

[0045] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the invention.

[0046] 4. Variations In Section 4, a modification of this embodiment will be described.

[0047] 5 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between each part of switch panel 290 and axis 151. Switch panel 290 includes a power switch 292 and an LED light 293. Here, thumb rest 291 is disposed in an area adjacent to switch panel 290, as an area at the front end of top handle 150. Thumb rest 291, power switch 292, and LED light 293 have substantially the same configuration as thumb rest 191, power switch 192, and LED light 193 in switch panel 190.

[0048] The power switch 292 may be located on a front-to-rear axis 151 that passes through the center of the top handle 150 in the left-to-right direction. When the top handle 150 is held in the right hand, the position where the thumb of the right hand applies the most force is on the axis 151. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the power switch 292 can be more reliably pressed with the thumb of the hand holding the top handle 150.

[0049] 6 is a view of the switch panel 390 as viewed from the back of the chainsaw 100. The switch panel 390 includes a thumb rest 391, a power switch 392, and an LED light 393. The thumb rest 391, the power switch 392, and the LED light 393 have substantially the same configurations as the thumb rest 191, the power switch 192, and the LED light 193 in the switch panel 190.

[0050] Switch panel 390 may be formed with a curved surface. When a user moves their thumb sideways while gripping top handle 150, the thumb tends to trace a curved path. Therefore, this configuration improves the operability of power switch 392.

[0051] In this embodiment, the inclination of the switch panel 190 has been described as being inclined diagonally downward from right to left, but this is not limiting. The switch panel 190 may also be configured to be inclined diagonally downward from left to right.

[0052] In this embodiment, the horizontal handle 160 is described as being attached to the left side surface of the main body case 110, but this is not limited to this. The horizontal handle 160 may also be attached across the right and left sides of the main body case 110.

[0053] In this embodiment, the chainsaw 100 is a top-handle chainsaw, and therefore the top handle 150 is described as an example of a handle in the claims, but this is not limited to this. For example, if the chainsaw 100 is a rear-handle chainsaw, the rear handle would correspond to the handle in the claims.

[0054] Here, when the chainsaw 100 is a rear-handle chainsaw, the side handle is attached from the right side to the left side of the main case 110. When this side handle is assumed to be held with the left hand, for example, the upper portion of the main case 110 and the left side portion of the main case 110 can be gripped, but the right side portion of the main case 110 cannot be gripped. Therefore, the switch panel 190 may be configured to be inclined diagonally downward from the side of the side handle that cannot be gripped (here, the right side of the main case 110) to the side of the side handle that can be gripped (here, the left side of the main case 110).

[0055] Similarly, if the chainsaw 100 is a rear-handle chainsaw, the LED light 193 may be positioned on the side of the horizontal handle that cannot be gripped (here, the right side of the main body case 110) relative to the power switch 192.

[0056] Similarly, if the chainsaw 100 is a rear-handle chainsaw, the power switch 192 may be positioned on the side of the horizontal handle that can be gripped relative to the axis 151 (here, the left side of the main body case 110).

[0057] The thumb rest 191 may be an area on the switch panel 190 where the LED light 193 is located.

[0058] In this embodiment, a chainsaw 100 to which the present invention is applied is described, but the electric working machines to which the present invention can be applied are not limited, and the present invention can be applied to various types of electric working machines such as brush cutters, hedge trimmers, blowers, etc.

[0059] 5.Other It may be provided in the following manner.

[0060] (1) An electric work machine comprising a main body case, a power tool, a motor, a battery, a handle, a trigger lever, and a switch panel, wherein the power tool is configured to protrude forward from the front of the main body case, the motor is housed in the main body case and configured to drive the power tool, the battery is detachably arranged in the main body case and configured to supply power to the motor, the handle protrudes from the main body case and is formed to be grippable, the trigger lever is arranged on the underside of the handle and can supply power from the battery to the motor when pulled, the switch panel is arranged on the top surface of the handle and includes a power switch, the power switch is configured to drive the motor in the on state and stop driving the motor in the off state, and the switch panel is configured to be inclined diagonally downward from right to left or left to right.

[0061] According to this aspect, it is possible to improve both operability and visibility when working while tilting the device.

[0062] (2) An electric working machine as described in (1) above, further comprising a side handle, the side handle being attached to a side of the main body case and extending around the outer periphery of the main body case, and the switch panel being inclined diagonally downward from the side where the side handle is not attached to the side where the side handle is attached, or from the side of the side handle that cannot be gripped to the side of the side handle that can be gripped.

[0063] According to this aspect, it is possible to improve both operability and visibility when working while gripping and tilting the side handle.

[0064] (3) In the electric working machine described in (2) above, the switch panel further includes an indicator light, which indicates the on / off state of the power switch, and the indicator light is arranged on the side of the power switch where the lateral handle is not attached or on the side of the lateral handle where it cannot be gripped.

[0065] According to this aspect, the on / off state of the power switch can be easily grasped when working while holding and tilting the horizontal handle.

[0066] (4) In the electric working machine described in (2) or (3) above, the power switch is arranged on the side where the horizontal handle is attached or on the side of the horizontal handle that can be gripped, relative to a front-to-rear axis passing through the center of the handle in the left-to-right direction.

[0067] According to this aspect, the power switch can be easily operated with the thumb of the hand holding the handle.

[0068] (5) An electric working machine according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the power switch is arranged on a longitudinal axis passing through the center of the handle in the left-right direction.

[0069] According to this aspect, the power switch can be pressed more reliably with the thumb of the hand holding the handle.

[0070] (6) The electric operating machine according to any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein the power switch is disposed in a position that does not overlap with the position of the trigger lever in a plan view.

[0071] According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent the power switch from being accidentally operated when the trigger lever is pulled.

[0072] (7) The electric operating machine according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein the switch panel is formed in a curved shape.

[0073] According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent the thumb from getting caught on the switch panel when the thumb is moved laterally.

[0074] (8) The electric working machine according to any one of (1) to (7) above, wherein the electric working machine is a chainsaw.

[0075] This aspect is suitable when the electric working machine is a chainsaw. Of course, this is not the case. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 100: Chainsaw 110: Main unit case 120: Cutting section 121: Guide bar 122: Saw chain 130: Motor 131: Output shaft 140: Battery 141: Battery attachment / detachment section 150: Top handle 151: Axis line 160: Horizontal handle 170: Trigger lever 180: Lockout lever 185: Brake lever 190: Switch panel 191: Thumb rest 192: Power switch 193: LED light 290: Switch panel 291: Thumb rest 292: Power switch 293: LED light 390: Switch panel 391: Thumb rest 392: Power switch 393: LED light

Claims

1. An electric work machine, The tool includes a main body case, a power tool, a motor, a battery, a handle, a trigger lever, and a switch panel. The power tool is configured to protrude forward from the front portion of the main body case, The motor is accommodated in the main body case and configured to drive the power tool, the battery is detachably disposed in the main body case and configured to supply power to the motor; the handle projects from the main body case and is configured to be grippable; the trigger lever is disposed on the underside of the handle, and when pulled, power can be supplied from the battery to the motor; the switch panel is disposed on an upper surface of the handle and includes a power switch; the power switch is configured to drive the motor when in an ON state and to stop driving the motor when in an OFF state; The switch panel is configured to be inclined obliquely downward from right to left or from left to right. Electric work equipment.

2. The electric operating machine according to claim 1, Furthermore, it has a horizontal handle, the side handle is attached to a side surface of the main body case and is formed to extend around the outer periphery of the main body case; The switch panel is configured to be inclined obliquely downward from the side where the horizontal handle is not attached to the side where the horizontal handle is attached, or from the side where the horizontal handle cannot be gripped to the side where the horizontal handle can be gripped. Electric work equipment.

3. The electric operating machine according to claim 2, The switch panel further includes an indicator light. the indicator light indicates the on / off state of the power switch; The indicator light is disposed on a side of the power switch where the side handle is not attached or on a side of the side handle that cannot be gripped. Electric work equipment.

4. The electric operating machine according to claim 2, The power switch is arranged on a side where the side handle is attached or a side where the side handle can be gripped, with respect to a front-rear axis passing through the center of the handle in the left-right direction. Electric work equipment.

5. The electric operating machine according to claim 1, The power switch is disposed on a longitudinal axis passing through the center of the handle in the left-right direction. Electric work equipment.

6. The electric operating machine according to claim 1, The power switch is disposed at a position that does not overlap with the trigger lever in a plan view. Electric work equipment.

7. The electric operating machine according to claim 1, The switch panel is formed into a curved surface. Electric work equipment.

8. The electric operating machine according to claim 1, The electric working machine is a chainsaw. Electric work equipment.

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