Hammer Drill Handle Vibration Damping via Segmented Guide

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hammer drill designs suffer from vibration transfer to the operator's hands due to inadequate vibration dampening mechanisms, leading to potential hand injury and increased complexity and cost from unnecessary movement coordination within the housing.

Innovation Solution

A vibration dampening mechanism using two distinct points of contact between the handle and the body, with a tubular guide and a resilient cushion, that adjusts to increase support against bending forces as pressure is applied, ensuring minimal sideways movement and efficient vibration absorption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a movement co-ordination mechanism is provided within the housing to ensure unison movement of handle ends, then the handle movement is coordinated, but the housing space is consumed and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandle movement coordinationVSAvoidmovement co-ordination mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The movement co-ordination function is extracted from the housing and transferred to the handle itself. The guide mounted on the handle provides the co-ordination mechanism, removing the need for corresponding mechanisms in the housing and freeing up housing space while maintaining handle movement coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of mounting guides on the housing and having bars slide within them, the invention inverts the arrangement by mounting the guide on the handle and having bars slide within the guide. This reversal transfers the co-ordination mechanism from the housing to the handle, reducing housing space requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If guides make contact along the whole length of bars to ensure smooth sliding, then sliding is smooth, but manufacturing tolerances require reduced bar dimensions allowing sideways movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmooth slidingVSAvoidbar dimensional accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The contact between the bar and guide is segmented into discrete points rather than continuous contact along the entire length. Two distinct contact points provide sufficient support against bending forces while eliminating the need for continuous contact, thereby maintaining manufacturing tolerances and preventing sideways movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of providing contact along the whole length of the bar (excessive action), contact is provided at two specific points (partial action). This partial contact is sufficient to support the bar against bending forces and prevent sideways movement, while being easier to manufacture and maintain precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Strength

If constant contact support is provided along the bar length, then support against bending force is constant, but the amount of contact is excessive and increases complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport against bending forceVSAvoidcontact mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support mechanism is segmented from continuous contact into two distinct contact points. This segmentation maintains the necessary support against bending forces while simplifying the overall mechanism and reducing the amount of contact required, thereby reducing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of providing constant contact support along the entire bar length (excessive action), support is provided at two specific points (partial action). This partial support is sufficient to maintain strength against bending forces while reducing device complexity and the amount of contact required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 mechanism effectively reduces vibration transfer to the handle, enhancing operator comfort and reducing the risk of hand injury while maintaining structural integrity and cost-effectiveness by optimizing the contact points and using a helical spring for damping.

Implementation Method 1

a resilient cushion, which biases the handle away from the body and which acts to dampen vibration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

a resilient cushion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

the resilient cushion... acts to dampen vibration... A first rigid plastic tubular insert... A second rigid plastic tubular insert

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring force: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP2289669B1A hammer drill
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 BLACK & DECKER CORP
  • EP2289669B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2289669B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2289669B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A hammer drill comprising: a body 2 in which is mounted a motor 48 and a hammer mechanism 46 which is driven by the motor 48 when the motor 48 is activated; a tool holder 8 mounted on the front of the body 2 and which is capable of holding a cutting tool 12, the hammer mechanism 46, when driven by the motor 48, capable of imparting impacts to the cutting tool 12, when held by the tool holder 8; a rear handle 4, moveably mounted on to the rear of the body 2 via at least one movement control mechanism and which is capable of moving towards or away from the body 2; a biasing mechanism 104 which biases the rear handle 4 away from the body 2; wherein each movement control mechanism comprises: a first mount; a rod 106, having a longitudinal axis 107, rigidly connected at one of it ends to the first mount; a second mount which slidingly engages with the rod 106 at two distinct points only along its length to allow the rod 106 to slide relative to the second mount in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 107 whilst preventing the rod 106 from moving relative to second mount in a direction perpendicular to longitudinal axis 107; wherein one mount 70, 133, 136 is attached to the body 2 and the other mount 92 is attached to the rear handle 4.