Electric Hand Tool Housing Vibration Damping via Elastic Element

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hand-held electric tool housings face limitations in effectively damping vibrations between the handle and the main housing part, as current designs often require narrow material bridges that restrict design freedom and incur high costs, especially when using joints for vibration isolation.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a recess between the connection and movement areas with a damping element of greater elasticity than the main housing material, which allows relative movement between the handle and the housing, thereby decoupling vibrations, and utilizing multi-component injection molding to integrate the damping element without additional space or cost.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a material bridge is used to connect the handle to the housing, then structural connection is achieved, but vibration damping is insufficient when the cross-section is large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural connectionVSAvoidvibration transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter by introducing a damping element with different material properties (more elastic) than the main housing material. This allows the connection to maintain structural integrity while changing the vibrational characteristics through material selection, resolving the contradiction between strong connection and vibration damping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite structure combining the main housing material and a separate damping element material. This composite approach allows each material to perform its optimal function - the main housing provides structural strength while the damping element provides vibration isolation, simultaneously satisfying both requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the cross-section of the material bridge is reduced to dampen vibrations, then vibration damping improves, but design freedom and handling are restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration transmissionVSAvoiddesign freedom
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the connection structure into two distinct functional parts: the main housing structure and a separate damping element. This segmentation allows the damping element to be optimized specifically for vibration reduction without compromising the overall structural design freedom of the housing, as the damping function is isolated to a dedicated component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The damping element acts as an intermediary component between the handle and the main housing. It mediates the connection by providing vibration damping while allowing the main housing design to remain flexible and free from the constraints that would otherwise be imposed by vibration-damping design requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If joints are used for vibration isolation in the handle area, then vibration damping is achieved, but production costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration transmissionVSAvoidproduction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the damping element integration into the existing multi-component injection molding process used for manufacturing other housing parts. By combining the vibration damping function with an already-established manufacturing process, the solution achieves effective vibration isolation without incurring additional production costs or requiring separate manufacturing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The damping element is designed to be self-integrated into the housing structure through the multi-component injection molding process. The element serves its own installation and integration needs through the molding process itself, eliminating the requirement for separate assembly steps or additional manufacturing operations that would increase production costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 solution effectively reduces vibration transmission to the handle, maintains design freedom, and avoids high production costs by using a deformable elastomer damping element within the housing, enhancing mobility and vibration reduction without additional installation space.

Implementation Method 1

a damping element (14) which is more elastic than the material of the main housing part (2a), by which relative movements (11) between the handle (9) and the main housing part (2a) can be damped

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3778131B1Housing for an electric handheld machine tool
Publication Date: 2024.04.03 METABOWERKE
  • EP3778131B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3778131B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3778131B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a housing (2) for an electric hand tool (1) comprising a main housing part (2a) and a handle (9) rigidly connected to the main housing part (2a) in a connection area (10). A space (12) is provided between the handle (9) and the main housing part (2a) in a movement area (11) spaced apart from the connection area (10). The handle (9) has a recess (13) in an area between the connection area (10) and the movement area (11), into which a damping element (14) is inserted, which has a greater elasticity than the material of the main housing part (2a).