Portable Grinding Tool Angled Grip and Centered Gravity

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing portable grinding tools face challenges with operation on stepped surfaces due to the right-angle alignment of the grip and rotating shaft, leading to accidental trigger activation, increased user effort, and fatigue from an uneven center of gravity, making one-handed operation difficult and prone to vibration.

Innovation Solution

The portable grinding tool features a casing structure with a rotating shaft and brushless motor, where the angle between the grip and the shaft's output section ranges from 95 to 135 degrees, allowing for improved maneuverability and ergonomic handling by positioning the drive unit closer to the work surface and centering the gravity over the main body.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the grip part and rotating shaft are aligned at a right angle, then the structure is simple and compact, but the user's hand is too close to the working surface causing accidental trigger activation and making operation on stepped surfaces difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation on stepped surfacesVSAvoidcasing structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the angle parameter between the grip part and rotating shaft from the conventional 90 degrees to an obtuse angle range of 95-135 degrees. This parameter modification increases the distance between the user's hand and the working surface, preventing accidental trigger activation while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces asymmetry in the spatial relationship between the grip part and rotating shaft by using an obtuse angle instead of the symmetric right angle configuration. This asymmetric design creates better operational clearance for stepped surfaces while keeping the overall structure compact

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Ease of operation

If the battery unit is installed in the grip part, then the structure is compact, but the center of gravity shifts away from the main body causing user fatigue and making it difficult to bring the grinding piece close to the work object

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling comfortVSAvoidbattery unit installation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent relocates the battery unit from the grip part to the main body part, using the main body as a counterweight base. This repositioning balances the center of gravity closer to the main body, reducing the torque that causes fatigue and making it easier to position the grinding piece near the work object

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

3Ease of operation

If the casing is subject to torque from the rotating shaft, then the structure is simple, but the user must expend substantial holding effort making one-handed operation challenging and causing vibration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveone-handed operationVSAvoidholding effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the spatial orientation of the rotating shaft from a configuration where it creates torque around the grip axis to an obtuse angle configuration where the shaft's rotational force is distributed more favorably. This dimensional change in the shaft's output direction reduces the torque component that the user must counteract, enabling one-handed operation with less effort and vibration

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 user control and comfort by reducing the risk of accidental trigger activation, minimizing user fatigue, and allowing for easier handling and reduced vibration during operation on stepped surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

a brushless motor adapted for driving the rotating shaft to output rotational kinetic energy

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic conversion: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4209305A1Portable grinding tool and casing structure thereof
Publication Date: 2023.07.12 BASSO IND CORP
  • EP4209305A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4209305A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4209305A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A portable grinding tool includes a casing structure (3) and a drive unit (4). The casing structure (3) includes a main body part (31) defining a first axis (X1), and a grip part (32) extending from the main body part (31) along a second axis (X2). The drive unit (4) is mounted to the main body part (31) and includes a rotating shaft (41) for outputting rotational kinetic energy, the rotating shaft (41) has an output section (411) that extends along the first axis (X1) and passes out through the main body part (31). The output section (411) and the grip part (32) cooperate to define an angle (θ) included therebetween and ranging between 95 and 135 degrees.