Operating Lever Mechanism for One-Hand Trigger Unlocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric handheld working machines face challenges in maintaining operationality comparable to engine-driven types while adhering to stricter safety standards, particularly in unlocking the trigger lever, which often requires complex and strength-depleting operations.
Innovation Solution
An operating lever mechanism with a trigger lever, slide member, and grip lever that allows unlocking through two coordinated actions: operating the grip lever and sliding the slide member, without using the thumb, thus maintaining grip strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a button on the side surface of the handle is pushed to unlock the trigger lever, then erroneous unlocking is prevented, but the operator must perform complicated operations in different directions while gripping the handle by one hand
Solution Approach 1:
The grip lever and slide member are combined into a single integrated mechanism. When the operator grips the handle, the grip lever automatically moves in the gripping direction and simultaneously drives the slide member to slide, unlocking the trigger lever. This merging eliminates the need for separate operations in different directions while maintaining the two-action safety requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip lever serves multiple functions: it acts as both the gripping interface for the operator's hand and the unlocking mechanism for the trigger lever. By making the grip lever multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for a separate button operation, reducing operational complexity while maintaining safety.
2Ease of operation
If the thumb leaves the grip of the handle to push the button, then the button can be pushed, but the grip strength of the one hand gripping the handle is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The unlocking function is merged with the gripping action itself. The grip lever is positioned such that when the operator's hand grips the handle, the lever is automatically actuated in the gripping direction, which simultaneously drives the slide member to unlock the trigger lever. This eliminates the need to move the thumb away from the grip, maintaining both grip strength and unlocking functionality.
3Reliability
If two-step operation is required to unlock the trigger lever, then safety standard is met, but the operationality comparable with engine-driven type is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The two required actions (grip lever operation and slide member sliding) are merged into a single natural gripping motion. When the operator grips the handle with their hand, the grip lever moves in the gripping direction and simultaneously drives the slide member to slide, achieving both safety requirements through one intuitive action rather than two separate operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the operator to perform two separate deliberate actions to unlock, the patent inverts the approach by making the unlocking happen automatically as a result of the natural gripping motion. The safety requirement is met not by adding complexity but by making the system respond to the inherent gripping action.
Data Source
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AI summary
An operating lever mechanism (1) includes: a trigger lever (2) to actuate an electric working device; a slide member (3) provided to be able to slide in a direction in which the handle (H) extends, the slide member (3) being configured to lock the trigger lever (2) when the slide member (3) is not operated, and to unlock the trigger lever (2) when the slide member (3) is slid; and a grip lever (4) operated by gripping the handle (H) by one hand, the grip lever (4) being configured not to allow the slide member (3) to slide when the grip lever (4) is not operated, and to allow the slide member (3) to slide when the grip lever (4) is operated. The slide member (3) is slid while the handle (H) is gripped by the one hand and the grip lever (4) is operated, and therefore the trigger lever (2) is unlocked.