Hammer Drill Lock Member Feedback Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hammer drills lack intuitive user feedback regarding the locked state of the operation member in different drive modes, leading to a deterioration in operational feeling due to the ambiguity in locking the switch in the ON position.
Innovation Solution
A hammer drill design incorporating a linked member that moves between inhibiting and allowing positions based on the selected drive mode, allowing users to intuitively recognize whether the operation member can be locked in the ON position, featuring a biasing member to maintain the lock member in the non-locking position unless intentionally moved to the locking position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lock member is moved to the first operating position in the drill mode, then the operation member can still return to the OFF position, but the user's recognition of the locked state becomes ambiguous and operational feeling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a visual feedback mechanism where the lock member has different appearances or positions that clearly indicate to the user whether locking is currently active. In hammer mode, the lock member shows a distinct state (such as protruding or aligned) that provides unambiguous feedback about the locked condition, resolving the confusion that occurred in drill mode where no such feedback existed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the locking mechanism dynamic by enabling it only in specific modes. The lock member's functionality changes based on the selected drive mode - it can lock the operation member in hammer mode but cannot lock it in drill mode. This dynamic behavior is communicated to the user through the design of the lock member's appearance or position, which changes to reflect the current mode's locking capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the lock member is designed to lock the operation member in the ON position, then the switch can be kept in the ON state, but the structure becomes more complex with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the lock member to serve multiple functions: it acts as both a visual indicator of the current drive mode and as the actual locking mechanism. The same component provides mode identification and locking control, eliminating the need for separate indicator lights or additional locking components, thus reducing overall device complexity while maintaining adaptability across different drive modes.
Data Source
AI summary
A hammer drill includes a switch, an operation member, a lock member, a mode switching member and a linked member. The operation member is normally held in an OFF position and moves to an ON position in response to an external pressing operation. The lock member moves in response to an external operation between a locking position, where the lock member is capable of locking the operation member in the ON position, and a non-locking position, where the lock member is incapable of locking the operation member. The linked member moves to an allowing position for allowing a movement of the lock member when the mode switching member is switched to a switching position corresponding to a hammer mode, and moves to an inhibiting position for inhibiting the movement of the lock member when the mode switching member is switched to a switching position corresponding to a drill mode.