Exhaust Air Guide Element for Hand Tool Operator Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Despite safety regulations and shielding elements, motor-operated hand tools like angle grinders pose a health risk due to uncontrolled exhaust air flows that can reach the operator's face, especially when no workpiece is being processed, as dust particles can bypass protective goggles and enter the eyes.

Innovation Solution

An exhaust air protection device with a flat air guide element and spacer attachment system that can be securely fastened to the hand tool, using a through hole and spacer element to stabilize and direct the air flow, preventing unwanted air currents from reaching the operator.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a shielding element is used on the hand tool, then particle-laden air is blocked to some extent, but uncontrolled exhaust air flows still occur between the housing and shielding element that can reach the operator's face

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against particle-laden airVSAvoiduncontrolled exhaust air flow
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and addresses the specific problem of uncontrolled exhaust air flow between the housing and shielding element by introducing a separate air guide element that specifically targets this gap area, rather than relying solely on the general shielding element

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The air guide element acts as an intermediary component between the housing and shielding element, specifically managing the air flow in the gap region and redirecting it away from the operator's face

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If safety goggles are worn, then eye protection is provided, but dust particles can still bypass the goggles and enter the eyes through exhaust air flow past the lower edge

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeye protectionVSAvoidadequacy of protective goggles
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The air guide element performs preliminary protection by redirecting exhaust air flow away from the operator's face before the air can reach the lower edge of the protective goggles, thus preventing particles from bypassing the goggles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Device complexity

If a flat air guide element is used, then the device is simple and can be easily attached, but adequate attachment stability must still be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of air guide elementVSAvoidattachment stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention transitions from a two-dimensional flat air guide element to a three-dimensional attachment structure by adding a spacer element with thickness, creating a volumetric attachment system that provides stable mounting while maintaining the simplicity of the flat guide surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4410492A1Exhaust air protection device and hand tool having such an exhaust air protection device
Publication Date: 2024.08.07 BENNINGHOVEN ZWEIGNEIDERLASSUNG DER WIRTGEN MINERAL TECH GMBH
  • EP4410492A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4410492A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4410492A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An exhaust air protection device (11) for a motor-operated hand tool (1) comprises a flat air guide element (12) with a through-hole (13) for attachment to the hand tool (1).