Tool-Free Flexible Seal for Hand Tool Dust Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing suction devices for motor-driven hand tools, such as hammer drills, face challenges in maintaining airtightness and user-friendly maintenance, particularly due to inaccessible and tool-dependent sealing mechanisms that wear out quickly under heavy use and exposure to dust and vibrations.

Innovation Solution

A suction device design featuring a flexible, manually accessible, and tool-free replaceable sealing means, such as a flat annular disk gasket, positioned near the attachment opening, which can be rotated for extended use and held in a self-centering receptacle with slight prestress, ensuring reliable sealing and easy maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the sealing means is positioned deep inside the suction device, then the sealing is more protected, but the sealing means becomes inaccessible for maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing protectionVSAvoidsealing accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing means is repositioned from a deep internal location to a location on the peripheral surface of the housing body, changing its spatial dimension from hidden to accessible. This allows the sealing means to be easily reached by users without disassembling the device, while still maintaining its sealing function through the peripheral positioning around the dust collection container opening.

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

2Reliability

If the sealing means is glued or insolubly fixed, then the sealing is more secure, but the sealing means cannot be easily replaced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing securityVSAvoidsealing replaceability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing means is designed with dynamic characteristics - it can be easily removed and reinstalled by users without tools. The sealing mechanism transitions from a static, permanently fixed state to a dynamic, user-replaceable state, allowing the sealing means to be removed, cleaned, or replaced as needed while maintaining secure sealing during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing means is designed to be self-serviceable by the end user. Users can independently remove, clean, and reinstall the sealing means without requiring technical expertise or special tools. This empowers users to maintain the sealing function themselves, reducing service costs and improving ease of repair.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Duration of action of stationary object

If the sealing means is made robust for heavy use, then the sealing durability is improved, but the sealing means becomes harder to remove and replace

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing durabilityVSAvoidsealing replaceability
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing means exhibits different properties in different aspects: it is made robust and durable for withstanding heavy use, vibrations, and dust exposure during operation, while simultaneously being designed with a simple peripheral structure that allows easy manual removal. The local quality of the sealing edge provides durability, while the overall peripheral design enables ease of replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Stability of the object's composition

If the sealing means is positioned away from edges, then the sealing is more stable, but the sealing means becomes inaccessible for manual removal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing stabilityVSAvoidsealing accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing means is positioned on the peripheral surface of the housing body, utilizing the outer dimensional space rather than deep internal positioning. This peripheral placement provides both stability for sealing function and accessibility for user interaction, allowing users to easily reach and remove the sealing means from the external surface without compromising sealing stability.

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

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enhances maintenance accessibility, reduces maintenance and disposal costs, and provides a reliable seal, extending the sealant's lifespan and improving user convenience by allowing tool-free replacement and reorientation for continued functionality.

Implementation Method 1

a flexible sealing means (30) in the axial direction in which the dust collection container (20) can be attached or attached to the housing body (4).can be removed from the housing body (4), which rests sealingly against the housing body (4)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the sealing means (30) is arranged in a self-centering receptacle (32) in a loosely floating manner

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical containment: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentEP1923174B1Suction device for a powered hand tool
Publication Date: 2010.05.12 METABOWERKE
  • EP1923174B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1923174B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

There is a flexible seal at the point where the dust extraction line (10) has an inlet opening into the dust collection container. The flexible seal rests and seals against the body of the casing (4). When the dust collection container is released from the body, the seal is made accessible for manual removal, without tools. The seal is preferably spaced by 10 mm at most, from the edge of the body casing. This edge borders an opening for insertion or attachment of the dust collection container.