Side Handle Leaf Spring Damper Safety Retainer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing side handles for hand-operated power tools lack effective mechanisms to prevent overload and ensure user safety while maintaining damping behavior and tool-free fastening.

Innovation Solution

A side handle design featuring a leaf spring damper with a safety retainer and a tensioning mechanism that includes a tensioning band, pull rod, and tensioning wheel, which allows for adjustable clamping and protection against overloading without compromising damping performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a leaf spring is used as a damper in the side handle, then damping behavior is achieved, but the risk of sudden failure and overload remains

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety against sudden failureVSAvoidoverload damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a safety retainer that beforehand cushions and limits the deflection of the leaf spring. The retainer features a limiting surface that prevents the leaf spring from deflecting beyond a safe threshold, thereby cushioning against potential overload and sudden failure before they can occur during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The safety retainer structure provides preliminary anti-action by creating a mechanical stop that opposes excessive deflection of the leaf spring. The limiting surface is positioned to preemptively counteract any deflection that would lead to overload, preventing the harmful effect before it can manifest.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Reliability

If the leaf spring is constrained to prevent overload, then safety is improved, but damping behavior may be impaired

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety protectionVSAvoiddamping capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The safety retainer is designed with local quality by providing constraint only in the critical region where excessive deflection occurs. The limiting surface engages the leaf spring only when deflection approaches the safety threshold, while leaving the rest of the leaf spring free to perform its damping function throughout the normal operating range.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The constraint system is dynamic in nature - the safety retainer remains inactive during normal damping operations and only engages when the leaf spring deflection reaches the limiting surface. This dynamic activation ensures that damping capability is preserved during normal operation while safety protection is automatically applied when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If a complex fastening mechanism is used to secure the leaf spring, then reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture and assembly deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure fasteningVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The safety retainer is merged with the existing handle rod structure, integrating the safety function into the main component rather than adding a separate complex fastening system. The retainer is formed as part of the handle rod assembly, combining multiple functions into a single integrated structure that is both reliable and easy to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The handle rod structure serves multiple functions - it provides structural support, houses the damping mechanism, and incorporates the safety retainer function. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate complex fastening components, simplifying both manufacture and assembly while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

The design enhances mechanical stability, particularly against torsion loads, and ensures user safety by preventing sudden failure of the leaf spring, while maintaining tool-free fastening and damping efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a damper (6), which connects the handle rod (2) to the fastening mechanism (3) and decreases a transfer of vibrations of hand-operated power tool (5) to handle rod (2)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

The damper (6) has at least one longitudinal side, which is oriented at an inclination to the fastening axis, of a leaf spring (23)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10537984B2Side handle

Publication Date: 2020.01.21 HILTI AG

AI summary

A side handle for a hand-operated power tool includes a handle rod disposed along a handle axis and a fastening mechanism, where the side handle is releasably fastenable to the hand-operated power tool by the fastening mechanism. The fastening mechanism includes a tensioning band that engages around a fastening axis and a tensioning mechanism. The tensioning mechanism has a pull rod that is anchored to the tensioning band and is displaceable along the handle axis and a tensioning wheel that is rotatable about the handle axis and engages in an external thread of the pull rod. A damper connects the handle rod to the fastening mechanism and includes a leaf spring with a longitudinal side oriented in an inclined manner to the fastening axis where the leaf spring has a slot. A splint is fastened to the pull rod and engages in the slot.