GB2483148A

GB2483148A - Edge trimmer trolley

Info

Publication number: GB2483148A
Application number: GB201114324A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lee Dewson; Keith Park
Original assignee: Chevron HK Ltd
Current assignee: Chevron HK Ltd
Priority date: 2010-08-27
Filing date: 2011-08-19
Publication date: 2012-02-29
Anticipated expiration: 2031-08-19
Also published as: FR2964010B3; DE202011051061U1; GB2483148B; GB201114324D0; CN102379187B; CN102379187A; FR2964010A3

Abstract

An edge trimmer trolley 100 is detachably connected with the motor housing of an edge trimmer. The edge trimmer trolley includes a base 11, a rolling device 12 and a clamping device 14, wherein the rolling device is mounted on the base, and the clamping device is also mounted on the base and equipped with a clamping element 141 for clamping at least a portion of the motor housing. The rollers may be tapered and the bottom surfaces of the rollers and the clamping device are located at the same side of the base. The edge trimmer trolley of the present invention can be quickly installed on or uninstalled from the edge trimmer, and can be adjusted for trimming.

Description

EDGE TRIMMER TROLLEY

FIELD OF TI-IE INVENTION

This invention relates to gardening tools, and more particularly, to an edge trimmer trolley.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A string trimmer is common in portable gardening tools and is mostly used for lawn trimming. With the increasing awareness and requirements of the people for vegetation ecology and urban garden, string trimmers are also used more and more widely. Generally, the string trimmer can also be used as an edge trimmer for edging mode conversion, the motor housing of the edge trimmer is mostly placed on the lawn for support, and the edge trimmer is moved by operating the handle, which results in the wear of the motor housing and increase intensity of human labor which requires the larger physical strength.

To overcome the above mentioned problems, edge trimmers provided with a guide device have been proposed by those skilled in the art. Such edge trimmers are mostly provided with rollers mounted on the motor housing. However, such edge trimmers have at least the following shortcomings: the rollers are non-detachable and the rollers will increase the weight of the machine as a whole when it is used as a string trimmer; and the heights of the rollers are constant and non-adjustable, therefore, the operator can adjust the height to be trimmed only by their arm strength when the height of the lawn to be trimmed changes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an edge trimmer trolley, which can be installed or uninstalled quickly, and can be adapted for adjusting the height to be trimmed.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an edge trimmer trolley, which is detachably connected with the motor housing of the edge trimmer.

The edge trimmer trolley comprises a base, a rolling device and a clamping device, wherein the rolling device is mounted on the base, and the clamping device is mounted on the base and equipped with a clamping element for clamping at least a portion of the motor housing.

In this invention, the rolling device includes two rollers and the axes of the rollers are perpendicular to the moving direction of the edge trimmer trolley in use.

Further, the rollers can be tapered rollers whose bottom surfaces and the clamping device are located at the same side of the base. Due to these tapered rollers, when the edge trimmer trolley is mounted on the edge trimmer and is actually used, an angle is -formed--bet-ween-the-trimm-i-ng-eiement-and-the-di-tch-or-surface--to--be --trjmm-e-dwhi-ch can prevent the trimming element of the edge trimmer from contacting with the stones or soils on the uneven ditch or surface, and can avoid the damage to the trimming element.

In this invention, the clamping device further includes a mounting base connected with the clamping element, and the mounting base can move in a height direction along a side of the base adjacent to the rollers.

In this invention, the edge trimmer trolley further includes an adjusting assembly for adjusting and fixing the relative position of the mounting base and the side of th base. Further, the base includes a sliding groove disposed along the height direction, and the adjusting assembly is a locking device for locking the relative position of the mounting base and the sliding groove, the numbers of the sliding groove and the locking device are two.

In this invention, for convenienèe adjustment of the height for the operator, the base is provided with a gauge and the mounting base is provided with an indicator which is aligned with at least one scale on the gauge.

In this invention, the edge trimmer trolley includes a protection guide mounted on the mounting base. When the edge trimmer trolley is in use, the protection guide is positioned between the trimming element and the rolling device of the edge trimmer, and the lower edge of the protection guide is lower than the lowest point of the rolling device in the height direction, therefore, the trimming element can avoid from contacting with the stones or soils during trimming the lawn and further to be prevented from damage.

In this invention, the clamping device is adapted to the shape of the outer housing of the edge trimmer motor and upper surface of the base is provided with a recess adapted to the outer surface of the motor housing of the edge trimmer.

Furthermore, in order to improve the stability of the edge trimmer mounted on the edge trimmer trolley, the clamping device includes at least a protrusion, and the motor housing includes at least an aperture for receiving the protrusion.

trolley and the edge trimmer, the periphery of the motor housing is provided with a spring loaded button.

is In this invention, the edge trimmer trolley can be quickly installed on or uninstalled from the edge trimmer via a clamping device, and the operation is simple.

Further, the edge trimmer trolley of the present invention also includes can adjust the height to be trimmed according to the requirements of the operator, so that the height to be trimmed can be adjusted no longer merely by the arm strength of the operator, and the intensity of human labor can be reduced. In addition, the protection guide and the tapered rollers can prevent the edge trimmer trolley from contacting with the stones or soils during edging the lawn and further protect the trimming element from being damaged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a schematic exploded view showing the edge trimmer trolley according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the edge trimmer trolley in Fig. 1 installed on the edge trimmer; Fig. 3 is another schematic perspective view illustrating the edge trimmer trolley in Fig. 2 installed on the edge trimmer; and Fig. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the edge trimmer trolley in Fig. 3 detached from the edge trimmer.

S

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To make the above mentioned and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the preferred embodiment will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic exploded view showing the edge trimmer trolley according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the edge trimmer trolley in Fig. 1 installed on the edge trimmer, wherein the direction X, the direction Y and the direction Z are defined in Fig. 2 for the ease

of description.

is Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the edge trimmer trolley 100 includes a base 11, a left roller 12, a right roller 13 and a clamping device 14 mounted on the base 11. The rollers 12, 13 are respectively mounted on the opposite sides of the base 11. The clamping device 14 has a clamping element 141 for clamping at least a portion of the motor housing 201 of the edge trimmer. In this embodiment, the rolling device includes the rollers 12, 13, however, in other embodiments, the rolling device can also be other elements with rolling function such as track, etc., which are not limited in the present invention.

Further, in this embodiment, the rollers can be tapered rollers, and the axes of the tapered rollers are perpendicular to the moving direction Y of the edge trimmer trolley in use. Further, the bottom surfaces of the tapered rollers and the clamping device 14 are located at the same side of the base 11, so that the edge trimmer trolley can be adapted to the motor housing 201 of the edge trimmer 200 better so as to facilitate the operation of the operator. In addition, with the tapered rollers, when the edge trimmer trolley is mounted on the edge trimmer and is actually used, an angle is formed between the trimming element 203 and the ditch or surface to be trimmed, which can prevent the trimming element 203 of the edge trimmer from contacting with the stones or soils on the uneven ditch or surface, and can avoid the damage to the trimming element.

s The clamping device 14 further includes a mounting base 142 connected with the clamping element 141, and the mounting base 142 can slide in a vertical direction along a side F of the base 11 adjacent to the rollers. In this embodiment, the slide of the mounting base 142 in the vertical direction along the side F can be implemented in a specific way as below: The edge trimmer trolley 100 further includes two locking devices, and the first locking device includes a bolt 161 and an adjusting knob 162, the second locking provided with sliding grooves ha, lib in the vertical direction and the mounting base 142 is provided with stepped holes 181, 182 in communication with the sliding grooves ha, lib. The stepped holes 181, 182 include large holes 181a, 182a and small holes 181 b, 1 82b, respectively, and the bolt 161 successively passes through the sliding groove ha, the small hole 181b and the large hole 181a, while the adjusting knob 162 is placed in the large hole 181a and is threaded fit with the bolt 161, the bolt 171 successively passes through the sliding groove 1 ib, the small hole 182b and the large hole 182a, while the adjusting knob 172 is placed in the large hole 182a and is threaded fit with the bolt 171.

For height adjustment, the locking knobs 162 and 172 are firstly rotated,toward the outside of the large holes 181a and 182a. Simultaneously, since the pressing force between the bolts 161, 171 and the adjusting knobs 162, 172 is reduced, the close fitting relationship between the side F and the mounting base 142 is released forthwith, and then the bolts 161, 171 can move up and down in the sliding grooves 11 a, 11 b, respectively. To the required height, the adjusting knobs 162 and 172 are rotated toward the inside of the large holes 181 a, 1 82a till the pressing force between the bolts 161, 171 and the adjusting knobs 162, 172 is sufficient to fix the mounting base 142 at the desired height on the side F. Further, in this embodiment, in order to facilitate the height adjustment by the operator, the base 11 is provided with gauges Si, S2, and the mounting base 142 is provided with indicators P1, P2, so that the operator can determine whether the s adjustment meets the requirement for trimming height or not only by adjusting the indicating indicators P1, P2 to align with a certain scale on the gauges Si, S2.

In this embodiment, the numbers of the sliding grooves, the stepped holes, the adjusting assemblies or the gauges are respectively two, and the sliding grooves, the stepped holes, the adjusting assemblies and the gauges are symmetrically distributed with respect to the longitudinal center line of the side F, respectively. In other embodiments, the edge trimmer trolley 100 can have only a sliding groove, a numbers ofthe sliding groove, the through-hole, the adjusting assembly and the gauge can be more than two, and the numbers and locations of the sliding groove, the stepped hole, the is adjusting assembly and the gauge are not limited in the present invention.

In addition, in this embodiment, the edge trimmer trolley 100 further includes a protection guide 15 mounted on the mounting base 142. When the edge trimmer trolley 100 is in use, the protection guide 15 is positioned between the blade and the rolling device of the edge trimmer, and the lower edge of the protection guide is lower than the lowest point of the rolling device in the direction Z, which can prevent the trimming element of the edge trimmer contacting with the stones or soils during trimming so as to avoid the damage to the trimming element.

In this embodiment, the clamping element 141 is. arced to be adapted to the shape of the motor housing 201 of the edge trimmer.

Further, the upper surface of the base 11 is provided with a recess 11 C adapted to the outer surface of the motor housing 201 of the edge trimmer 200. Furthermore, in order to improve the stability of the edge trimmer mounted on the edge trimmer trolley, the clamping element 141 includes multiple protrusions 141a, and the motor housing 201 includes multiple apertures 201 a for receiving the protrusions 141 a.

In this embodiment, in order to strengthen the connection relation between the edge trimmer trolley 100 and the edge trimmer 200, the side of the conical motor housing 201 is provided with an elastic button 202. Fig. 3 is another schematic perspective view illustrating the edge trimmer trolley in Fig. 2 installed on the edge s trimmer; and Fig. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the edge trimmer trolley in Fig. 3 detached from the edge trimmer. Now, referring to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, firstly, when releasing the installation of the edge trimmer trolley with the edge trimmer 200, the edge trimmer trolley 100 only needs to be fixed, and the elastic button 202 is pressed downward to apply a force in the direction of arrow A on the motor housing 201.

Under the action of this force, the clamping element 141 passes over the elastic button 202. Since the motor housing 201 is conical and the cross-sectional diameter clamping element 141 passes over the elastic button 202, the motor housing 201 doesn't bear the clamping force from the clamping element 141, and then the is installation of the edge trimmer trolley with the edge trimmer 200 can be released by pulling up the edge trimmer 200. Conversely, when installing the edge trimmer trolley 100 on the edge trimmer 200, the edge trimmer trolley 100 is fixed and the elastic button 202 is pressed downward to apply a force in the opposite direction of arrow A onto the motor housing 201. Under the action of this force, the clamping element 141 passes over the elastic button 202, and then the edge trimmer trolley 100 can be stably mounted on the edge trimmer 200 by releasing the elastic button 202.

In this embodiment, disposing the elastic button 202 on the motor housing 201 of the edge trimmer 200 is aimed to install the edge trimmer trolley 1 OOon the edge trimmer 200 more steadily, but this invention is not limited hereto. If the motor housing 201 is not provided with the elastic button 202, the installing and uninstalling procedure of the edge trimmer trolley 100 on the edge trimmer 200 are respectively as follows: When installing the edge trimmer trolley 100 on the edge trimmer 200, the operator needs to fix the edge trimmer trolley 100 and apply a force in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 3 to the edge trimmer 200, so that the conical motor housing 201 can be gradually clamped by the clamping element 141 under the action of the applied force. Conversely, when uninstalling the edge trimmer trolley from the edge trimmer 200, only the edge trimmer trolley 100 is required to be fixed and then a s force is applied in the opposite direction of arrow A on the edge trimmer 200 to remove the edge trimmer trolley 100 from the edge trimmer 200. It is certain that in the above mentioned operations, the operator can also fix the edge trimmer 200 and apply the force in different directions on the edge trimmer trolley 100 to achieve the installation or uninstallation according to the same principle as above, the specific procedure is not described in detail herein.

In summary, the edge trimmer trolley of the present invention can be quickly so the operation is simple. Further, the edge trimmer trolley of the present invention also has the height adjustment mechanism for adjusting the trimming height according to the is height of the lawn, so that the trimming height can be adjusted no longer merely by the arm strength of the operator, and the intensity of human labor can be reduced. In addition, the protection guide and the tapered rollers of the trolley can prevent the blade or trimming line of the edge trimmer from contacting with the stones or soils during trimming the lawn so as to avoid the damage to the blade or trimming line.

The above mentioned specific embodiment is only the preferable embodiment of the present invention, and it is not used to limit the scope of this invention. Any equivalent modifications or changes based on the disclosure of the present invention should be regarded as falling within the technical scope of this invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is: 1. An edge trimmer trolley, which is detachably connected with a motor housing of the edge trimmer, and the edge trimmer trolley comprising: s abase; a rolling device mounted on the base; and a clamping device mounted on the base and equipped with a clamping element for clamping at least a portion of the motor housing.
2. The edge trimmer trolley according to claim 1, wherein the rolling device includes two rollers and the axes of the rollers are perpendicular to the moving direction of the edge trimmer trolley in use.
3. The edge trimmer trolley according to claim 2, wherein the rollers are tapered rollers whose bottom surfaces and the clamping device are located at the same side of the base.is
4. The edge trimmer trolley according to claim 1, wherein the clamping device further includes a mounting base connected with the clamping element, and the mounting base can move in a height direction along a side of the base adjacent to the rollers.
5. The edge trimmer trolley according to claim 4, wherein the edge trimmer trolley further includes an adjusting assembly for adjusting and fixing the relative position of the mounting base and the side of the base.
6. The edge trimmer trolley according to claim 5, wherein the base includes a sliding groove disposed along the height direction, and the adjusting assembly is a locking device for locking the relative position of the mounting base and the sliding groove.
7. The edge trimmer trolley according to claim 6, wherein the numbers of the sliding groove and the locking device are respectively two.
8. The edge trimmer trolley according to claim 4, wherein the base is provided with a gauge and the mounting base is provided with an indicator which is aligned with at least one scale on the gauge.
9. The edge trimmer trolley according to claim 4, wherein further includes a protection guide mounted on the mounting base, when the edge trimmer trolley is in use, the protection guide is positioned between the trimming element and the rolling s device of the edge trimmer, and the lower edge of the protection guide is lower than the lowest point of the rolling device in the height direction.
10. The edge trimmer trolley according to claim 1, wherein the clamping device is adapted to the shape of the motor housing.
11. The edge trimmer trolley accordingto claim 1, wherein the clamping device includes at least a protrusion, and the motor housing includes at least an aperture for receiving the protrusion.
12. The edge trimmer trolley according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the base is provided with a recess which is adapted to the outer surface of the motor housing.
13. The edge trimmer trolley aécording to claim 1, wherein the periphery of the motor housing of the edge trimmer is provided with a spring loaded button. I0