Power Tool Shield Assembly With Quick-Change Guard Collar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power tools, such as angle grinders, often require complex and labor-intensive manufacturing processes for guards, leading to durability issues and difficulty in easily changing guard members, which can increase the risk of operator injury due to improper use or removal of shields.
Innovation Solution
A shield assembly comprising a guard collar and guard member with a circumferential engagement interface and a lock-out scheme that allows for quick attachment and detachment, ensuring compatibility and preventing unsuitable guard members from being attached, thereby improving durability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional manufacturing processes are used for guards, then manufacturing complexity and labor intensity increase, but guard durability and ease of replacement improve
Solution Approach 1:
The guard assembly is divided into separate components: a guard collar that attaches to the tool and a guard member that attaches to the collar. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using simpler processes while maintaining overall durability through precise engagement interfaces between parts.
2Ease of operation
If traditional guard attachment methods are used, then manufacturing labor intensity increases, but guard replacement ease improves
Solution Approach 1:
The guard member features a dynamic attachment mechanism with a circumferential engagement member that can be quickly inserted into and removed from the engagement interface on the guard collar. This allows operators to easily replace guards by simply detaching and reattaching the guard member without complex tools or procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard collar serves as an intermediary component between the tool and the guard member. It provides a standardized engagement interface that simplifies the attachment process, allowing guard members to be quickly swapped without directly interfacing with the tool itself.
3Ease of operation
If simple engagement interfaces are used, then guard attachment ease improves, but compatibility control and prevention of unsuitable guards worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The circumferential engagement interface incorporates asymmetric features including a specific groove pattern and protrusion geometry that only match compatible guard members. This asymmetric design allows quick attachment of correct guards while physically preventing attachment of incompatible or unsuitable guard members, maintaining both ease of operation and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A shield assembly includes a guard collar and a guard member. The guard collar is disposed around a neck of a gear case of a power tool and includes a first engagement interface. The first engagement interface extends along an outer perimeter of the guard collar and defines a circumferential recess. The guard member includes a second engagement interface for removably engaging with the first engagement interface to secure the guard member to the guard collar. The second engagement interface includes a circumferential engagement member for mating with the circumferential recess of the first engagement interface. The guard member includes a body portion for at least partially surrounding a working member of the power tool.