Flush Clamping Lever for Electric Tool Side Handle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing side handles for electric hand-held power tools are ergonomically suboptimal, often hindered by protruding control parts and require lengthy adjustments, leading to user discomfort and inefficient assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A side handle design with a clamping unit featuring a flush control element, a rotating clamping lever, and a tension band holder that allows for easy attachment and detachment, enabling comfortable gripping and reducing assembly time through a system that accommodates different machine neck diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a protruding operating element (knurled knob) is used for clamping, then the clamping function is achieved, but the gripping area is hindered and ergonomics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The operating element is extracted from the gripping area and integrated into the clamping unit structure. The clamping lever is positioned such that when clamped, it lies flush with the gripping area surface, removing the protruding control part that hindered gripping comfort while preserving the clamping function.
Solution Approach 2:
The operating element is merged with the clamping unit structure rather than being a separate protruding component. The clamping lever is integrated into the clamping mechanism, combining the operating element function with the clamping structure to eliminate protrusions into the gripping area.
2Ease of operation
If a long clamping screw is used for clamping, then the clamping function is achieved, but material and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The excessive length of the clamping screw is eliminated by repositioning the clamping mechanism. The clamping lever provides mechanical advantage that allows a shorter clamping screw to achieve the same clamping force, extracting the unnecessary material and reducing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping lever introduces dynamic mechanical advantage to the clamping system. By using the lever arm principle, a shorter screw can generate sufficient clamping force through the lever's rotational motion, replacing the need for a long screw and reducing material usage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the operating element requires multiple rotations for adjustment, then the clamping range is achieved, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping lever provides dynamic mechanical advantage that amplifies the operator's input force and motion. A single rotation of the clamping lever through its limited angular range produces the full adjustment range, eliminating the need for multiple rotations and reducing assembly time while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping lever's rotational path and the cam mechanism create a curved motion trajectory that converts a limited angular rotation into a full adjustment range. The cam profile is designed to translate the lever's rotation into the required clamping band movement, achieving complete adjustment in one rotation.
4Ease of operation
If a clamping band with through-hole is used, then the clamping function is achieved, but assembly complexity increases for different tool diameters
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping band is designed as a universal component without through-holes, working with the cam-actuated clamping lever mechanism. This universal design allows the same clamping band to be used with tools of different diameters by simply rotating the lever, eliminating the need for different sized bands with specific hole configurations and simplifying the assembly process.
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
The design enhances user comfort by eliminating protruding control parts, reduces material and weight, and simplifies assembly by allowing for quick attachment and detachment, while accommodating various tool diameters, thus achieving ergonomic and cost-effective solutions.
Implementation Method 1
the clamping lever is arranged on the side handle so that it can rotate about a rotation axis with respect to the gripping area
Implementation Method 2
The clamping lever is arranged on the side handle so that it can rotate about a rotation axis with respect to the gripping area. The rotation of the clamping lever about the rotation axis is limited to 360 degrees, preferably to 180 degrees.
Implementation Method 3
The clamping unit has two cylindrical-segment-shaped clamping bodies, each oriented coaxially with a clamping screw of the clamping unit running along the rotational axis
Implementation Method 4
The clamping unit preferably has a clamping band holder and a clamping band provided for gripping the machine neck
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The invention relates to a side handle for an electric hand-held power tool, the side handle having a gripping region, which is designed to be gripped by a user, and a clamping unit by means of which the side handle can be releasably fastened to a machine neck of the hand-held power tool, the clamping unit having an operating element by means of which the clamping unit can be tightened and slackened, and the operating element, when the clamping unit is in the tightened state, being substantially flush with the surface of the gripping region. The operating element is preferably designed as a clamping lever.