JP2011172521A - Hedge trimmer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery-type hedge trimmer easy to handle to a user. <P>SOLUTION: This hedge trimmer 10 includes a pair of shear blades 102 and 104, a body 12 driving at least either one of the shear blades 102 and 104 with a motor, and a battery 80 supplying electric power to the motor. The body 12 has a first unit 20, and a second unit 40 rotatable to the first unit 20. A pair of the shear blades 102 and 104 are attached to the first unit 20, and the battery 80 is attached to the second unit 40. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a hedge trimmer used for hedge cutting, and more particularly to a DC power type hedge trimmer using a battery as a power source.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a DC power type hedge trimmer. The hedge trimmer includes a pair of shear blades, a main body that drives at least one shear blade by a motor, and a battery that supplies electric power to the motor.

  In the DC power type hedge trimmer, the weight of the battery accounts for a large proportion of the total weight. Therefore, depending on the position where the battery is placed, the position of the center of gravity of the hedge trimmer changes greatly, and if the position where the battery is placed is inappropriate, the weight balance of the hedge trimmer will deteriorate, making it difficult for the user to use it. turn into.

  From the above viewpoint, Patent Document 1 proposes a structure in which an upper handle is disposed above the center of gravity of the hedge trimmer, a rear handle is disposed behind the center of gravity of the hedge trimmer, and a battery is disposed in front of the rear handle. Yes.

JP 2007-275063 A

  When the user trims the hedge with the hedge trimmer, the user moves the shear blade along the surface of the hedge. At this time, the posture (orientation) of the hedge trimmer is changed according to the orientation of the surface of the hedge. For example, when trimming the upper surface of the hedge, the user uses the hedge trimmer in a normal posture, and when trimming the side of the hedge, the user uses the hedge trimmer in a posture where the hedge trimmer is tilted sideways.

  When the hedge trimmer is used in a normal posture and when the hedge trimmer is used in a posture in which the hedge trimmer is tilted sideways, the position of the battery with respect to the handle changes greatly. When the battery is positioned vertically below the handle, the user can feel the weight of the battery lightly, but when the battery is positioned horizontally with respect to the handle, the user feels the weight of the battery very heavy. become. No matter how the positional relationship between the handle and the battery is designed, it is inevitable that the user will feel the battery heavy as long as the hedge trimmer is used in various postures.

  The present invention solves the above problems. The present invention provides a technique that allows a user to easily handle a hedge trimmer without feeling a heavy battery weight even when the attitude of the hedge trimmer is changed.

  The hedge trimmer embodied by the present invention includes a pair of shear blades, a main body that drives at least one shear blade by a motor, and a battery that supplies electric power to the motor. The main body has a first unit and a second unit that is rotatable with respect to the first unit. A pair of shear blades is attached to the first unit, and a battery is attached to the second unit.

  The second unit may be rotatable about one axis with respect to the first unit, or may be rotatable about two axes with respect to the first unit by, for example, a universal joint. The term “rotation” here is not limited to rotation exceeding 360 degrees, but also includes rotation (so-called swinging) within an angle range of less than 360 degrees.

  In this hedge trimmer, by rotating the first unit relative to the second unit, the direction of the pair of shear blades can be changed without changing the position of the battery. Even when the orientation of the pair of shear blades is changed in accordance with the surface (for example, the upper surface or the side surface) that the hedge is trimmed, the degree to which the position of the battery changes can be suppressed. The user can easily handle the hedge trimmer without feeling strongly the weight of the battery.

  The second unit is preferably provided with a handle that is gripped by the user. According to this configuration, even when the first unit is rotated with respect to the second unit, the position of the battery with respect to the handle does not change. Thereby, even when the first unit is variously rotated with respect to the second unit, the user does not feel the weight of the battery strongly and can easily handle the hedge trimmer.

  It is preferable that the handle described above is provided on an upper portion of the second unit. In this case, it is preferable that the battery described above is provided in the lower part of the second unit. According to this configuration, when the user holds the handle, the posture of the second unit is stabilized by the weight of the battery. As a result, the attitude of the hedge trimmer is also stabilized, and the user can easily handle the hedge trimmer.

  When the pair of shear blades extends forward from the first unit, the second unit is preferably located behind the first unit. According to this configuration, a relatively heavy battery is disposed at the rear of the main body against a pair of shear blades extending forward from the main body, and the center of gravity of the hedge trimmer is biased to one side in the front-rear direction. Can be prevented.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize an easy-to-handle hedge trimmer without the user feeling the weight of the battery strongly, regardless of whether the upper surface or the side surface of the hedge is trimmed.

External view of hedge trimmer. It is an external view of a hedge trimmer and shows a state where the second unit is rotated with respect to the first unit. The figure which shows the state which opened the 1st unit of the main body (at the time of operation of a main starting lever and a lock operation member). Sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of a main body (stop holding). Sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of a main body (at the time of starting). The circuit diagram which shows the electrical constitution of a hedge trimmer (at the time of a stop). The circuit diagram which shows the electrical constitution of a hedge trimmer (at the time of starting). The circuit diagram which shows the electrical composition of a hedge trimmer (at the time of adjustment). The figure explaining operation | movement of an interlock mechanism (at the time of operation of a main starting lever). The figure explaining operation | movement of an interlock mechanism (at the time of operation of a lock operation member).

  A hedge trimmer 10 embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The hedge trimmer 10 is a horticultural power tool used for trimming a hedge or the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hedge trimmer 10 includes a main body 12 and a blade assembly 100 attached to the main body 12. A rechargeable battery pack 80 is attached to the main body 12. The hedge trimmer 10 is an electric tool that uses the battery pack 80 as a power source.

  The blade assembly 100 includes an upper shear blade 102 and a lower shear blade 104. Although a part of the pair of shear blades 102 and 104 is not shown, the pair of shear blades 102 and 104 extends forward from the main body 12. A plurality of blade portions are formed in a comb shape on the pair of shear blades 102 and 104. The pair of shear blades 102 and 104 can cut the hedge branches and leaves by relatively reciprocating. Since the structure of the shear blades 102 and 104 is the same as a known one, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The main body 12 includes a first unit 20 and a second unit 40 that can rotate with respect to the first unit 20. As will be described in detail later, in the hedge trimmer 10, the angle of the second unit 40 with respect to the first unit 20 (in other words, the angle of the first unit 20 with respect to the second unit 40) can be adjusted in multiple stages. .

  A blade assembly 100 is attached to the first unit 20, and the blade assembly 100 extends forward from the first unit 20. The first unit 20 is provided with a chip guard 22 that prevents the cut pieces from scattering and a front handle 24 that is held by the user. The front handle 24 extends in a loop shape in a plane substantially perpendicular to the front-rear direction (that is, the longitudinal direction of the blade assembly 100). The front handle 24 is provided with a front activation lever 26. The front activation lever 26 is an operation member operated by a user in order to drive the blade assembly 100. The front activation lever 26 is supported so as to be swingable, and is operated between the stop position and the activation position by the user. The front activation lever 26 is urged toward the stop position, and is maintained at the stop position unless the user applies operating force.

  The second unit 40 is located behind the first unit 20. The rotation axis of the second unit 40 with respect to the first unit 20 generally extends in the front-rear direction, but is slightly inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the blade assembly 100. The second unit 40 is provided with a battery mounting portion 42 to which the battery pack 80 can be attached and detached, and a main handle 44 for a user to hold. The battery attachment portion 42 is provided at the lower portion of the second unit 40, and the main handle 44 is provided at the upper portion of the second unit 40. The main handle 44 is provided with a main activation lever 46. The main activation lever 46 is an operation member operated by a user in order to drive the blade assembly 100. That is, the user can activate the pair of shear blades 102 and 104 by operating both the main activation lever 46 and the front activation lever 26. The main activation lever 46 is supported so as to be swingable, and is operated between the stop position and the activation position by the user. The main activation lever 46 is urged toward the stop position, and is maintained at the stop position unless the user applies an operating force.

  The second unit 40 is further provided with a lock operation member 50. The lock operation member 50 is an operation member operated by the user in order to rotate the second unit 40 with respect to the first unit 20. The lock operation member 50 is supported so as to be able to advance and retreat, and is operated between the lock position and the unlock position by the user. The lock operation member 50 is urged toward the lock position, and is maintained in the lock position unless an operation force is applied by the user. Specifically, when the user pulls the lock operation member 50, the lock operation member 50 moves to the unlock position, and when the user releases the lock operation member 50, the lock operation member 50 moves to the lock position.

  In addition, the second unit 40 is provided with a speed adjustment dial 54. The speed adjustment dial 54 is an operation member that is operated by a user and is rotatably supported. When the user rotates the speed adjustment dial 54, the operation speed of the pair of shear blades 102 and 104 changes. That is, the user can adjust the operation speed of the pair of shear blades 102 and 104 (that is, the rotation speed of the motor 30) by adjusting the rotation of the speed adjustment dial 54. Here, the speed adjustment dial 54 is disposed inside the main handle 44 formed in a loop shape, and is surrounded by the main handle 44. Accordingly, the speed adjustment dial 54 is protected by the main handle 44 and the user's hand holding the speed adjustment dial 54. For example, an external object such as a fence branch can be prevented from coming into contact with the speed adjustment dial 54. it can. Further, for example, when the hedge trimmer 10 is dropped, the speed adjustment dial 54 is prevented from being damaged.

  FIG. 3 shows a state where the second unit 40 of the main body 12 is opened. As shown in FIG. 3, the first unit 20 has a rotating shaft portion 36 formed in a cylindrical shape, and the second unit 40 holds the rotating shaft portion 36 rotatably. Thereby, the 1st unit 20 and the 2nd unit 40 can rotate by making the central axis of the rotating shaft part 36 into a rotating shaft. A plurality of lock holes 36 a are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotation shaft portion 36. The plurality of lock holes 36 a are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotation shaft portion 36. On the other hand, the second unit 40 is provided with a lock pin 60 that engages with the lock hole 36a. The lock pin 60 is slidably held with respect to the rotation shaft portion 36. The lock pin 60 is fixed to the lock operation member 50 and moves together with the lock operation member 50. The lock pin 60 and the lock operation member 50 are urged toward the rotation shaft portion 36 by the spring member 62.

  When the lock operation member 50 is in the lock position, the lock pin 60 is inserted into one lock hole 36 a of the rotary shaft portion 36. Accordingly, the second unit 40 is locked with respect to the first unit 20, and the rotation of the second unit 40 with respect to the first unit 20 is prohibited. On the other hand, when the lock operating member 50 moves to the unlock position, the lock pin 60 is detached from the lock hole 36 a of the rotary shaft portion 36. Thereby, the lock of the second unit 40 with respect to the first unit 20 is released, and the rotation of the second unit 40 with respect to the first unit 20 is allowed. That is, the angle of the second unit 40 relative to the first unit 20 can be adjusted by pulling the lock operation member 50 to the unlock position, and the lock unit 50 relative to the first unit 20 can be adjusted by returning the lock operation member 50 to the lock position. The adjusted angle of the second unit 40 can be maintained. The angle of the second unit 40 relative to the first unit 20 can be adjusted stepwise by the angular interval between two adjacent lock holes 36a.

  The user normally holds the hedge trimmer 10 by holding the main handle 44 with the right hand and the front handle 24 with the left hand. Then, while operating the main activation lever 46 with the right hand and operating the front activation lever 26 with the left hand, the pair of shear blades 102 and 104 of the blade assembly 100 are driven. Then, by moving the blade assembly 100 along the surface of the hedge, the branches and leaves of the hedge can be pruned. At this time, the user needs to change the orientation of the blade assembly 100 so that the blade surfaces of the blade assembly 100 (more precisely, the pair of shear blades 102 and 104) are substantially parallel to the surface of the hedge. For example, when cutting the upper surface of a hedge close to a horizontal plane, the blade surface of the blade assembly 100 needs to be substantially horizontal, and when cutting the side of the hedge close to a vertical surface, the blade surface of the blade assembly 100 needs to be substantially vertical. There is.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hedge trimmer 10 can change the orientation of the blade assembly 100 by rotating the first unit 20 with respect to the second unit 40. Therefore, for example, when cutting the upper surface of the hedge, the blade assembly 100 can be adjusted in the direction shown in FIG. 1, and when cutting the side surface of the hedge, the blade assembly 100 can be adjusted in the direction shown in FIG. As apparent from the comparison between FIGS. 1 and 2, the orientation of the blade assembly 100 is adjusted to be horizontal (FIG. 1) or vertical (FIG. 2) without substantially changing the orientation of the second unit 40. Can do. The second unit 40 is provided with a relatively heavy battery pack 80. Even if the orientation of the blade assembly 100 is changed, the position of the battery pack 80 does not change, so that the user can easily handle the hedge trimmer 10 without feeling the weight of the battery pack 80 strongly.

  In particular, in the hedge trimmer 10 of the present embodiment, the battery pack 80 is attached to the lower part of the second unit 40, and the main handle 44 is provided to the upper part of the second unit 40. According to this structure, when the user holds the main handle 44, the posture of the second unit 40 is stabilized by the weight of the battery pack 80. As a result, the posture of the hedge trimmer 10 is also stabilized, and the user can handle the hedge trimmer 10 easily.

  Further, in the hedge trimmer 10 of the present embodiment, the blade assembly 100 extends long forward from the first unit 20, while the relatively heavy battery pack 80 is positioned behind the first unit 20. Is attached. According to this configuration, the weight of the blade assembly 100 that extends forward and the relatively large weight of the battery pack 80 balance each other, and the center of gravity of the hedge trimmer 10 can be prevented from being biased to one side in the front-rear direction.

  Next, the internal structure of the hedge trimmer 10 will be described. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views showing the internal structure of the hedge trimmer 10. Here, FIG. 4 shows a state in which the main activation lever 46 is in the stop position, the front activation lever 26 is also in the stop position, and the lock operation member 50 is in the lock position. That is, the blade assembly 100 is not driven. On the other hand, FIG. 5 shows a state in which the main activation lever 46 is in the activation position, the front activation lever 26 is also in the activation position, and the lock operation member 50 is in the lock position. That is, the blade assembly 100 is driven. 6 and 7 are circuit diagrams showing an electrical configuration of the hedge trimmer 10. FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 4 and shows a state where the blade assembly 100 is not driven, and FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 5 and shows a state where the blade assembly 100 is driven. In the circuit diagrams shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the portion related to the speed adjustment dial 54 is not shown.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first unit 20 includes a motor 30, a reduction gear 32 that amplifies the torque output from the motor 30, and rotational movement from the motor 30 for a pair of shear blades 102 and 104. A crank cam 34 for changing to a reciprocating motion is accommodated. Further, the first unit 20 accommodates a front activation operation interlocking switch 28 that interlocks with the front activation lever 26. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the motor 30 is connected to the battery pack 80 by the power supply circuit 90, and rotates upon receiving power supply from the battery pack 80. The front activation operation interlocking switch 28 is provided on the power supply circuit 90 and can turn on / off the power supply circuit 90. That is, when the front activation lever 26 is at the stop position, the front activation operation interlocking switch 28 is turned off and the power supply circuit 90 is shut off. On the other hand, when the front activation lever 26 is operated to the activation position, the front activation operation interlocking switch 28 is turned on, and the power supply circuit 90 is conducted.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, the second unit 40 includes a main activation operation interlock switch 48 that interlocks with the main activation lever 46, and a lock operation interlock switch that interlocks with the lock operation member 50 and the lock pin 60. 52 is accommodated. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the main activation operation interlocking switch 48 is provided on the power supply circuit 90 and can turn on / off the power supply circuit 90. That is, when the main activation lever 46 is at the stop position, the main activation operation interlocking switch 48 is turned off and the power supply circuit 90 is shut off. On the other hand, when the main activation lever 46 is operated to the activation position, the main activation operation interlocking switch 48 is turned on, and the power supply circuit 90 is conducted.

  Similarly, the lock operation interlocking switch 52 is provided on the power supply circuit 90, and the power supply circuit 90 can be turned on / off. However, the lock operation interlocking switch 52 is turned on when the lock operation member 50 is in the locked position and conducts the power supply circuit 90, and is turned off when the lock operation member 50 is operated to the unlock position. The supply circuit 90 is shut off. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, when the lock operation member 50 is operated to the unlock position and the lock operation interlocking switch 52 is turned off, even if the two start operation interlocking switches 28 and 48 are turned on, the motor 30 Will not be driven. Thus, the hedge trimmer 10 is configured such that the driving of the motor 30 is electrically prohibited when the lock between the first unit 20 and the second unit 40 is released.

  The second unit 40 is further provided with an interlock mechanism 64 that mechanically limits malfunction of the motor 30. The interlock mechanism 64 is mainly configured by a slider 66 interlocked with the lock operation member 50 and a hook 68 interlocked with the main activation lever 46. The interlock mechanism 64 can inhibit the lock operation member 50 from moving to the unlock position when the main activation lever 46 is in the activation position. Thereby, when the blade assembly 100 is driven for the motor 30, the lock by the lock pin 60 is released, and the second unit 40 can be prevented from rotating with respect to the first unit 20.

  In addition, the interlock mechanism 64 allows the main activation lever 46 to move from the stop position to the activation position even when the lock operation member 50 is in the unlock position, while the main activation lever 46 is in the activation position. In some cases, the lock operation member 50 can be prohibited from moving from the unlock position to the lock position.

  In the interlock mechanism 64 of the present embodiment, the main activation lever 46 is allowed to move from the stop position to the activation position even when the lock operation member 50 is in the unlock position. That is, if the user applies an operating force to the main activation lever 46, the main activation lever 46 is moved to the activation position. In addition, when the main activation lever 46 is operated to the activation position, the lock operation member 50 is prohibited from moving from the unlock position to the lock position. Accordingly, the lock operation member 50 is prohibited from being returned to the lock position while the main activation lever 46 is operated to the activation position, and the blade assembly 100 is prevented from being driven by the motor 30. When the lock operation member 50 is in the unlock position, the power supply circuit 90 is shut off by the lock operation interlocking switch 52 (see FIG. 8), so that the motor 30 operates regardless of the positions of the start levers 26 and 46. do not do. Since the user cannot return the lock operation member 50 to the lock position, the user can realize that the main activation lever 46 is being operated to the operation position, and after returning the main activation lever 46 to the stop position, The lock operation member 50 can be operated to the lock position.

  Hereinafter, details of the interlock mechanism 64 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 9, and 10. The slider 66 of the interlock mechanism 64 is connected to the lock operation member 50 and is configured to move in the front-rear direction in accordance with the movement of the lock operation member 50 in the vertical direction. Specifically, when the lock operation member 50 moves upward toward the unlock position, the slider 66 moves rearward toward the main activation lever 46, and when the lock operation member 50 moves downward toward the lock position, the slider 66 moves forward away from the main activation lever 46. Further, the slider 66 is formed with an opening 66a extending in the vertical direction. On the other hand, the hook 68 of the interlock mechanism 64 is formed integrally with the main activation lever 46 and is configured to move in the vertical direction in response to the swing of the main activation lever 46. Specifically, when the main activation lever 46 moves upward toward the activation position, the hook 68 also moves upward, and when the main activation lever 46 moves downward toward the stop position, the hook 68 also moves downward.

  As shown in FIG. 9, when the main activation lever 46 is operated to the operation position, the hook 68 moves upward together with the main activation lever 46. In this case, the outer surface of the hook 68 faces the slider 66 from behind, and the slider 66 is prohibited from moving backward. As a result, the lock operation member 50 connected to the slider 66 is also prohibited from moving upward toward the unlock position. Thus, in a state where the main activation lever 46 is operated to the operation position, the lock operation member 50 is prohibited from being operated to the unlock position.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, when the main activation lever 46 is in the stop position, the hook 68 is in a position moved downward together with the main activation lever 46. In this case, the slider 66 can move backward without contacting the hook 68. Therefore, the lock operation member 50 is allowed to move upward toward the unlock position. The user can adjust the angle of the second unit 40 relative to the first unit 20 by operating the lock operation member 50 to the unlock position.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which the main activation lever 46 is operated to the activation position while the lock operation member 50 is operated to the unlock position. In this case, the hook 68 moves upward and enters the opening 66 a of the slider 66. The slider 66 is in a state in which the hook 68 is hooked, and is prohibited from moving forward. As a result, the lock operation member 50 connected to the slider 66 is also prohibited from moving downward toward the lock position. Thus, in a state where the main activation lever 46 is operated to the operation position, the lock operation member 50 is prohibited from being operated from the unlock position to the lock position.

  The interlock mechanism 64 described above is an example, and the structure thereof can be changed as necessary. For example, as an example, the slider 66 may be interlocked with the main activation lever 46 and the hook 68 may be interlocked with the lock operation member 50. The combination of the slider 66 having the opening 66a and the hook 68 is a specific example of a pair of structures that can be engaged with each other, and another pair of structures that can be engaged can also be adopted. The interlock mechanism 64 only needs to be able to engage at least the lock operation member 50 in the unlock position and the main activation lever 46 (or the front activation lever 26) in the activation position.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described in detail, these are only illustrations and do not limit a claim. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above.

  In the present specification, the hedge trimmer 10 has been described in detail as an example. However, the technique disclosed in the present specification, in particular, the technique for preventing the malfunction of the hedge trimmer 10 is not limited to this type of power tool, and is used outdoors. Other horticultural power tools used, or other types of power tools can be similarly implemented.

  The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. The technology illustrated in this specification or the drawings achieves a plurality of objects at the same time, and achieving one of the objects itself has technical utility.

10: Hedge trimmer 12: Main body 20: First unit 24: Front handle 26: Front activation lever 28: Front activation operation interlocking switch 30: Motor 36: Rotating shaft portion 36a: Lock hole 40: Second unit 42: Battery mounting portion 44 : Main handle 46: Main activation lever 48: Main activation operation interlock switch 50: Lock operation member 52: Lock operation interlock switch 54: Speed adjustment dial 60: Lock pin 64: Interlock mechanism 66: Interlock mechanism slider 66 a: Slider Opening 68: interlock mechanism hook 80: battery pack 90: power supply circuit 100: blade assembly 102: upper shear blade 104: lower shear blade

Claims (4)

A pair of shear blades;
A main body for driving at least one shear blade by a motor;
A battery for supplying power to the motor;
The hedge trimmer, wherein the main body includes a first unit to which the pair of shear blades are attached, and a second unit that is rotatable with respect to the first unit and to which the battery is attached.   The hedge trimmer according to claim 1, wherein the second unit is provided with a handle to be gripped by a user. The handle is provided on the upper part of the second unit,
The hedge trimmer according to claim 2, wherein the battery is provided in a lower portion of the second unit. The first unit is located in front of the second unit;
The pair of shear blades extends forward from the first unit,
The hedge trimmer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that:

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