Pivoting Rear Handle for Battery Access in Handheld Circular Saws

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Solution Overview

Problem

Handheld circular saws with worm-drive designs suffer from top-heavy ergonomics due to their elongated, less wide shape, making them difficult to handle, especially during 'drop cuts' and battery replacement is cumbersome.

Innovation Solution

The rear handle is pivotably mounted to allow easy access to the battery bay, enabling simple battery insertion or removal by pivoting outwards, and features a locking mechanism to secure the handle in place, enhancing ergonomics and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the rear handle is fixed in position, then the structural stability is improved, but the battery replacement becomes cumbersome and difficult to access

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery replacement easeVSAvoidhandle mounting complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rear handle is designed to be pivotable rather than fixed, allowing it to move between a working position during operation and an open position for battery access. This dynamic mounting enables easy battery replacement while maintaining structural integrity during use, directly resolving the contradiction between operational ease and structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the rear handle is made pivotable for easy battery access, then the battery replacement ease is improved, but the risk of accidental handle movement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery access easeVSAvoidhandle position stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The locking mechanism provides localized stability at specific positions (locked and unlocked states) while allowing movement in between. The lock engages at discrete positions to secure the handle, preventing accidental movement during operation, while still permitting intentional pivoting for battery access when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The locking mechanism is designed to automatically engage when the handle reaches its extreme positions during pivoting. This preliminary locking action ensures the handle is secured before operation begins, preventing accidental movement while maintaining ease of access when the user intentionally opens it for battery replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the handle is locked in position, then the operational stability is improved, but the battery access becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandle position stabilityVSAvoidbattery access ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The handle transitions from a static locked state during operation to a dynamic unlocked state for battery access. The pivotable design with locking mechanism allows the handle to be stable when locked and easily movable when unlocked, resolving the contradiction between stability and accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3389952B1Battery operated machine tool iii
Publication Date: 2021.02.17 HILTI AG
  • EP3389952B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3389952B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3389952B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a battery-powered hand-held machine tool (100), particularly a circular saw, comprising an electric motor (60) for rotationally driving a tool (90) that is arranged on said hand-held machine tool (100); a front (20) and a rear (30) handle each in terms of an advancing direction (V) of the hand-held machine tool (100); and a receiving recess (50) for receiving a replaceable battery (200), wherein the rear handle (30) is mounted such that it can pivot out laterally about a pivot axis (S) so that when the rear handle (30) is in a state (AZ) of being pivoted out, the receiving recess (50) is exposed for receiving or removing the replaceable battery (200) and, when the rear handle (30) is in a state (EZ) of being pivoted in, the reception or removal of the replaceable battery (200) into or out of the receiving recess (50) is blocked.