Chain Guard Chip Deflector for Long-Reach Saw Chip Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wood chips from chain saws attached to a long reach pole often disperse towards the operator, interfering with their work and making it difficult to continue cutting.

Innovation Solution

A chain guard with a chip deflector and cover that deflects and channels wood chips away from the operator, featuring a design with upper and lower portions and curved surfaces to direct chips out of the operating area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If no chip deflector is used, then the chain saw structure is simple, but wood chips disperse toward the operator interfering with work

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewood chip interferenceVSAvoidchain guard structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A chip deflector is introduced as an intermediary component between the chain saw blade and the operator. This deflector intercepts wood chips generated during cutting and redirects them away from the operator's position, serving as a mediator that resolves the conflict between maintaining simple structure and protecting against chip interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful function of wood chip dispersion is extracted and isolated from the main cutting operation. By adding a dedicated chip deflector component, the patent separates the chip management function from the cutting function, allowing each to be optimized independently while resolving the interference problem.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If a chip deflector is added, then wood chips are deflected away from the operator, but the chain guard structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuninterrupted operationVSAvoidchain guard structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chain guard is segmented into functional portions: a main body structure and an integrated chip deflector portion. This segmentation allows the deflector to be designed as a distinct functional element that can be optimized for chip redirection while maintaining integration with the overall guard structure, thereby improving reliability without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The chip deflector is merged with the chain guard body to form an integrated protective assembly. By combining the guard function and chip deflection function into a single integrated structure, the patent achieves reliable chip management while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity through unified design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11370044B2Chain guard with chip deflector

Publication Date: 2022.06.28 HUBBELL INC

AI summary

The present disclosure provides chain guards for chain saws attached to the end of a long reach pole. The chain guards include a chip deflector and a deflector cover that deflects and channels wood chips away from an operator. The chip deflector includes one or more curved surfaces configured to deflect the wood chips out of the chain guard and away for the operator while minimizing binding of the wood chips with the chain.