Handheld Power Tool Damping Unit for Vibration Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Handheld power tools face challenges in effectively damping vibrations and oscillations, which can damage electronics and energy storage units, reducing their service life and user comfort.

Innovation Solution

A handheld power tool design featuring a damping unit with flexible, elastic damping elements between the machine housing and coupling housing, where the electronics unit is partially or fully housed within the coupling housing, effectively reducing vibration transmission and enhancing stability and assembly efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If vibrations and oscillations are transmitted from the machine housing to the coupling housing, then the drive unit can operate effectively, but the electronics unit and energy storage unit are damaged and their service life is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive unit operationVSAvoidelectronics unit and energy storage unit service life
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A damping unit is introduced as an intermediary element between the machine housing and the coupling housing. This damping unit absorbs and dissipates vibrations and oscillations generated by the drive unit, preventing them from reaching the electronics unit and energy storage unit in the coupling housing, thus protecting these components while allowing the drive unit to operate effectively

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The damping unit converts the harmful vibrations and oscillations generated by the drive unit into beneficial damping effects. By strategically placing damping elements in the damping unit, the harmful mechanical vibrations are transformed into controlled energy dissipation, protecting the sensitive components while maintaining drive unit functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Volume of moving object

If the electronics unit is housed within the coupling housing, then space efficiency is improved, but the electronics unit is exposed to vibrations and oscillations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace efficiencyVSAvoidvibration exposure to electronics unit
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The damping unit serves as a protective intermediary between the machine housing (source of vibrations) and the coupling housing (containing the electronics unit). This intermediary structure allows the electronics unit to be housed within the coupling housing for space efficiency while simultaneously protecting it from vibration exposure through the damping elements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a damping unit is introduced between the machine housing and coupling housing, then vibration transmission is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration transmissionVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The damping unit is segmented into multiple damping elements that can be individually positioned and optimized. This segmentation allows the vibration damping function to be achieved through distributed, modular components rather than a single complex structure, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective vibration reduction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The damping elements are strategically placed at specific locations within the damping unit where vibrations are most problematic. This local quality approach ensures that damping is applied precisely where needed, avoiding the need for complex damping structures throughout the entire device, thus reducing overall complexity while maintaining effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 design extends the service life of electronics and energy storage units, reduces user exposure to vibrations, and improves ease of use, assembly, and maintenance efficiency while maintaining space neutrality.

Implementation Method 1

a damping unit which at least partially dampens the transmission of vibrations and/or oscillations from the machine housing to the coupling housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

The damping elements are flexible and consist, in particular, entirely of a flexible material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3500405B1Hand-held power tool and method for damping a hand-held power tool
Publication Date: 2020.12.16 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3500405B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3500405B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3500405B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a hand-held power tool (10), in particular an oscillating hand-held power tool, comprising a drive unit (12); at least one machine housing (14) which is designed as an outer housing and in which the drive unit (12) is received; at least one coupling housing (16) which is designed as an additional outer housing, which is connected to the machine housing (14) in an assembled state, and which is provided for coupling to an energy storage unit (18); an electronic unit (20) which is arranged at least partly within the coupling housing (16); and a damping unit (22) which at least partly damps the transmission of vibrations and/or oscillations from the machine housing (14) to the coupling housing (16) during the operation of the drive unit (12).