GB2462438A

GB2462438A - Garden cutting device

Info

Publication number: GB2462438A
Application number: GB0814329A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carol Ann Wills; Robert Graham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-08-06
Filing date: 2008-08-06
Publication date: 2010-02-10
Also published as: GB0814329D0

Abstract

A multi-plane garden cutting device 10 comprises a housing 12, an electric motor 20 housed in the housing 12, a cutter 22 supported for rotation by the housing 12 and drivable by the electric motor 20, a handle 28 for single-handed operation by a user, and a clippings container 30 which is provided in or on the housing 12, such that the device can be used in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane without or substantially without spillage from the clippings container 30.

Description

Garden Cutting Device The present invention relates to a garden cutting device which can be utilised in at least a vertical plane.

Garden cutting devices are well known and typically range from lawnmowers to hedge trimmers. However, a lawnrnower is heavy and cumbersome, and can only be used on relatively level ground. It is also problematic to access beneath low overhanging plants without damaging the plants, due largely to its size.

In the case of hedge trimmers, although such a device can be used vertically, for safe use two hands must be used. This makes manipulation difficult and a reasonable degree of physical strength is required by the user. Furthermore, clippings are not collected, thereby providing extra work once cutting has been completed, and a mains power supply is also required, limiting range.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems.

According to the present invention, there is provided a multi-plane garden cutting device comprising a housing, an electric motor housed in the housing, a cutter supported for rotation by the housing and drivable by the electric motor, a handle for single-handed operation by a user, and a clippings container which is provided in or on the housing, such that the device can be used in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane without or substantially without spillage from the clippings container.

Preferable and/or optional features of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 13, inclusive.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a garden cutting device, in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the garden cutting device; and Figures 3a to 3c show the garden cutting device in use.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a garden cutting device 10 which comprises a wedge-shaped or substantially wedge-shaped housing 12 having two large diameter wheels 14 externally mounted at a rear thereof and two smaller diameter wheels 16 internally mounted adjacent to a front or leading edge 18 thereof, an electric motor 20 housed in the housing 12, a cylinder-type multi-bladed cutter 22 supported for rotation by the housing 12, a drive train 24 in the housing 12 which connects an output of the electric motor 20 to the cutter 22, an electrical energy supply 26 for energising the electric motor 20, a handle 28 which is demountably attached to the housing 12, and a clippings container 30.

The leading edge 18 of the, typically plastics, housing 12 is thin, sharp or narrow, and a body 32 of the housing 12 tapers upwardly to a thick or deep trailing edge 34. An upper surface 36 of the housing body 32 is smoothly curved from the front edge 18 to the rear edge 34, and lowermost peripheral edges 38 of the housing body 32 lie in an in use horizontal or substantially horizontal plane. The housing 12 has a leading-edge to trailing-edge length in a range of 20 centimetres (cm) to 50 cm and, more preferable, approximately 30 cm, and a width in the range of 15 cm to 40 cm, and more preferably approximately 20 cm.

The wheels 14, 16 project slightly below the lowermost peripheral edges 38 of the housing body 32 and are freely rotatable. Although four independent wheels 14, 16 are provided, two opposing wheels may be combined to form a roller. Furthermore, although each wheel is independent and freely rotatable, one or more of the wheels may be connected to one of the other wheels, and/or a motorised drive mechanism may be provided to drive the wheels.

The, typically metal, cutter 22 includes a plurality of spaced parallel cutting blades 40 provided in a helical fashion along the cutter 22. However, a planar rotary cutter which rotates around an axis perpendicular or at right angles to the surface being cut can also be envisaged. In this case, the cutting element may be one or more fixed blades, or may be of the strimmer variety being a reel of variable length plastics cord.

To drive the cutter 22, the electric motor 20 is utilised, conveniently being provided, for example, in front of the cutter 22 and adjacent to the leading edge 18 of the housing 12.

An output shaft of the electric motor 20 extends in fixed spaced parallel relationship with the rotational axis of the cutter 22. The drive train 24, in this embodiment, is in the form of a chain or band which extends around the output shaft of the motor 20 and a drivable shaft of the cutter 22. However, the drive train may include, for example, gearing, clutch and/or a torque limiter, as necessity dictates.

The electrical energy supply 26, in this case, is a, preferably Lithium-ion, rechargeable battery which is demountably provided in the housing 12, for example, behind the cutter 22. The battery can be recharged in situ or removed for recharging. Recharging in situ is preferably undertaken via a plug-in mains charger having an internal transformer. It is feasible that electrical energy supply can, additionally or alternatively, be via an electrical cord connected to a mains outlet. However, this restricts the manoeuvrability and range of the garden cutting device 10, and thus the onboard battery which allows wireless operation is preferred. It is also envisaged that generative charging of the battery could be undertaken via the wheels as the garden cutting device is being pushed by the user, thus prolonging battery life.

Clippings are collected in the clippings container 30, provided at the rear or trailing edge 34 of the housing 12. The housing 12 includes an internal passage or opening which leads into the container from the cutter 22. The clippings container 30, in this embodiment, is demountable from the housing 12 for emptying. However, the clippings container may be integrally formed as part of the housing. In this latter case, the housing includes an openable and closable cover to allow emptying.

The demountable clippings container 30 is securely held to the housing 12 in a manner which allows the housing 12 to be positioned horizontally, vertically and at orientations therebetween, without the clippings container 30 becoming detached. This is not possible with a traditional or standard lawnmower. As one example, connection means can be a key-and-keyway tongue and groove connection which allows the clippings container 30 to be slidably connected to the housing 12. A pip-and-ridge or releasable detent can also be included to prevent accidental or undesirable relative sliding once the clippings container 30 is fully seated on the housing 12. Alternative connection means is a hook and snap-detent which allows one edge of the clippings container to be hooked onto the housing body whilst the other edge is then snap engaged with the housing via the detent following a pivoting movement.

A plurality of the handles 28 are provided, with at least one being short and one being long or elongate. The shorter handle 28a is adapted for a user who is close to the surface being cut, such as by kneeling, and the longer handle 28b is adapted for a user who is further from the surface being cut, such as by standing.

Further interchangeable handles can be provided. For example, a handle having an extended longitudinal extent for use whilst kneeling in order to reach beneath overhanging plants may be provided.

As an alternative to a removable handle, a telescopic handle may be provided.

The garden cutting device is light and compact. At least two handles of different lengths are preferably provided. One handle is short, allowing use of the garden cutting device when kneeling down or close to the cutting surface, and one handle is long allowing use whilst standing or when farther from the cutting surface. Each handle is releasably connectable to the housing body. For example, a twist and lock mechanism can be utilised. Each handle allows the garden cutting device to be operated and manoeuvred easily by a single hand of the user.

Due to the secure connection of the clippings container, the garden cutting device can be utilised in multiple planes, including the vertical, whilst still allowing collection of the clippings. This allows trimming of edges of a lawn, easily accessing beneath overhanging plants without damaging them, and also trimming hedges and bushes. The small and compact form factor provides a lightweight and cost-effective device, which can be quickly and conveniently used with little or no setup time in a single hand by women and men alike. Furthermore, the use of a rechargeable battery enables wire-and location-free operation.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A multi-plane garden cutting device comprising a housing, an electric motor housed in the housing, a cutter supported for rotation by the housing and drivable by the electric motor, a handle for single-handed operation by a user, and a clippings container which is provided in or on the housing, such that the device can be used in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane without or substantially without spillage from the clippings container.
2. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clippings container is supportable by and detachable from the housing.
3. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the clippings container includes connection means for preventing unintentional disengagement when the housing is at least in an in use vertical condition.
4. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clippings container is integrally formed as part of the housing.
5. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing is wedge-shaped or substantially wedge-shaped for lifting overhanging plants.
6. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle is removably mountable on the housing.
7. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle is selectable from amongst a plurality of handles having different lengths.
8. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing includes a plurality of wheels provided on the housing.
9. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an onboard electrical supply for electrically energising the motor.
10. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the onboard electrical supply is a rechargeable battery.
11. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the onboard electrical supply is removably mountable on or in the housing.
12. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is handheld and wireless.
13. A multi-plane garden cutting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is dimensioned to be manipulatable with a single hand when in at least an in use vertical condition.
14. A multi-plane garden cutting device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.