Power Tool Shear Accessory Brace Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power tool accessories, such as shear accessories, often lack sufficient support, making one-handed operation impossible due to bulky and difficult-to-attach braces that are costly and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A power tool accessory with a brace that includes a collar, a clamp assembly, and an arm assembly, allowing the accessory housing to be selectively rotated relative to the collar while securely attached to the power tool housing, enabling single-handed operation and adjustable orientation without removing the accessory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If an external handle is added to the accessory housing to provide support, then the accessory gains sufficient structural support, but one-handed operation becomes virtually impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into two separate components: a collar that attaches to the accessory housing and a clamp assembly that attaches to the power tool housing. The arm assembly connects these two components, distributing the support function across multiple segmented elements rather than adding a single bulky handle to the accessory housing.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding support in the form of a handle extending from the accessory housing (one-dimensional addition), the invention uses an arm assembly that extends in a different spatial dimension, connecting the collar on the accessory to the clamp on the power tool housing, thereby providing support without interfering with hand grip.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a brace is added to clamp the accessory housing to the power tool housing, then sufficient support is provided, but the brace becomes bulky and difficult to attach and maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The brace is segmented into three distinct components: a collar with a locking mechanism, an arm assembly with pivotal connections, and a clamp assembly with adjustable clamping surfaces. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and facilitates easier attachment and adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm assembly incorporates pivotal connections that allow it to adjust its angle and position dynamically. The locking mechanism enables the structure to transition from an adjustable state during attachment to a rigid fixed state during operation, providing adaptability without permanent bulkiness.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the accessory housing is rigidly fixed to prevent rotation, then stable coupling is achieved, but the ability to adjust orientation is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The collar incorporates a locking mechanism that allows the accessory housing to be rotated freely when unlocked, then rigidly fixed when locked. This dynamic transition between movable and fixed states enables both orientation adjustment and stable coupling at different stages of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The user is able to adjust the orientation of the accessory housing before locking it in place. The preliminary action of rotating the housing to the desired angle occurs while the locking mechanism is unlocked, after which the housing is secured in the predetermined optimal position.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A power tool shear accessory (100) includes an accessory housing (102), an input shaft (104), a working tool (106), and a brace (130). The input shaft (104) is driven by a power tool (10) and drives the working tool (106). The brace (130) rigidly connects the accessory housing (102) to a power tool housing (12). The brace (130) includes a collar (132) coupled to the accessory housing (102), a clamp assembly (140) that may be rigidly connected to the power tool housing (12), and an arm assembly (134) connecting the collar (132) to the clamp assembly (140). The collar (132) allows selective rotation of the accessory housing (102) relative to the collar (132) while the brace (130) rigidly couples the accessory housing (130) to the power tool housing (12). The arm assembly (134) may have a single arm. The clamp assembly (140) may be coupled to a base of a handle of the power tool (10) with arm assembly at an angle to a working axis of the power tool (10).