JP3209567U - Sealing device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a sealing device for a tank of a compact tool that prevents a gripping part from being unintentionally opened and is easier to grip when releasing or tightening a cap. A longitudinal axis is defined and includes a body portion and a pivot member, and in a protruding position, the gripping portion extends outwardly of the body portion, thereby loosening the sealing device; In the sealing device 2 for assisting tightening, the pivot member can be restrained by the holding member at the protruding position, the first portion of the holding member is fixed to the pivot member, and the second portion of the holding member is the main body portion. And the sealing device includes a biasing member 11, the threshold position is configured between the retracted position and the protruding position of the pivot member, and the pivot member is between the threshold position and the protruding position. When in position, the retaining member, which is an elastic member, biases the pivot member to the protruding position. [Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a sealing device for a tank such as a fuel tank or a lubricating oil tank. More particularly, it relates to a sealing device for a portable compact tool tank.

  Internal combustion engines are widely used in various compact tools such as, but not limited to, chainsaws, hedge trimmers, grass trimmers, blowers, mowers and the like. Engine-driven compact tools have a tank, such as a fuel tank or a lubricant tank with a replenishment opening. A conventional sealing device for a threaded tank fill has a screw cap that is engageable with a thread in the corresponding refill opening. The screwed cap tightly seals the supply opening against the outside air by tightening the cap on the supply opening.

  Many conventional sealing devices are provided with a grip portion that is undesirable for the user. Further, the cap portion protruding outward when the cap is in the sealing position is used for the user to hold. In addition, caps with openable grips are also used in compact tools. The releasable gripping part is opened to make it easier for the user to grip when releasing or tightening the cap.

  These caps are better than conventional caps, but suffer from the problem that the openable gripping part is unintentionally opened. Unintentional opening of the releasable grip can cause breakage of the cap or unintentional release of the cap. Accordingly, there is a need for a sealing device for a tank such as, but not limited to, a compact tool fuel tank or lubricant tank. Further, there is a need for a sealing device that is easier for the user to grip when releasing or tightening the cap.

  In view of the above, it is an object to solve or at least reduce the problems described above. In particular, it is an object to provide means for sealing a replenishment opening of a tank, such as a fuel tank or a lubricant tank of a compact power tool. The sealing means may be opened so that the user can easily grasp it.

  This object can be realized by a sealing device for sealing the replenishment opening of the tank in the compact power tool according to claim 1. The sealing device has a main body portion and a pivot member. The body portion may be configured to engage with the refill opening. The body portion also defines a longitudinal axis. The pivot member may be pivotable about a pivot axis for movement between the retracted position and the protruding position, and may be pivotably connected to the body portion. The pivot member has a grip portion extending outward from the main body portion so that the pivot member can be gripped at the protruding position. This assists the user when loosening or tightening the sealing device. In the sealing device, the pivot member can be restrained by the holding member at the protruding position, the first portion of the holding member is fixed to the pivot member, and the second portion of the holding member is fixed to the main body portion. It is characterized by. In addition, the sealing device further includes a biasing member configured to bias the pivot member to the retracted position.

  Such a sealing device can be easily tightened and loosened by the protruding gripping portion. When the tank is opened or sealed, it is easy for the user to use because the gripping part can be restrained in the protruding position, even if he or she is wearing a glove, for example . At the same time, when the pivot member is released from the constrained protruding position, the biasing member biases the pivot member to the retracted position. Thereby, the sealing device can automatically provide a flat outer surface when the pivot member is not in the extended position. Further, when operating the power tool, the pivot member is again biased to the retracted position when the branch moves the pivot member if, for example, an object such as a branch is caught on the pivot member. Rather, if the pivot member remains away from the retracted position, there is a risk of damage to the sealing device or unintentional loosening of the sealing device. The body may have a threaded portion for engaging a corresponding threaded portion of the refill opening. Furthermore, the main body and the replenishment opening may have other engaging means other than screws, such as plug couplings, snap means, etc., in another embodiment.

  According to claim 2, there is provided an embodiment in which the holding member includes a first fixing member attached to the pivot member and a second fixing member attached to the main body. The first fixing member and the second fixing member are attached to engage each other when the pivot member is in the protruding position.

  The securing members may be configured to engage each other when the user moves the pivot member to the projected position. In that way, some torque is required to move the pivot member to the restraining protruding position, so that a branch that can be caught on the pivot member is moved to the protruding position where the pivot member can be restrained. It cannot be moved. Furthermore, the fixing member may provide a strong holding function for the pivot member in the protruding position when the user loosens or tightens the sealing device. The amount of torque required to release the fixing members from each other is greater than the amount of torque provided by the biasing member that biases the pivot member to the retracted position.

  In a further embodiment, the holding member may be an elastic member. Thereby, the elasticity of the member may be set with the force required to move the pivot member to a constrained protruding position.

  In one embodiment, the threshold position is configured for a pivot member between the retracted position and the projecting position and a position of the pivot member between the threshold position and the projecting position, and the elastic member is , Urging the pivot member to the protruding position.

  By biasing the pivot member to the protruding position, the protruding position can be easily reached when the pivot member is moved. The pivot member is held in the protruding position by an elastic member that continuously biases the pivot member to the protruding position until the user moves the pivot member past the threshold position.

  In another embodiment, the elastic member may be a spring attached to the pivot member at one end and attached to the body at the other end. In yet another embodiment, the elastic member may be a conical compression spring.

  By providing a spring as an elastic member, when the pivot member is in a position between the threshold position and the protruding position, the spring can provide a biasing function to the protruding position in the pivot member. When the pivot member is in the extended position, the spring may hold the pivot member in the extended position by the force of the spring.

  In an embodiment according to claim 7, the biasing member may be the same as the elastic member, and due to the position of the pivot member between the threshold position and the retracted position, the elastic member moves the pivot member to the retracted position. Energize.

  This may be provided when the elastic member is a spring attached to the pivot member and the body portion. When the pivot member is in one of the threshold positions, the spring biases the pivot member to the retracted position. When the pivot member is in the other of the threshold positions, the spring biases the pivot member to the protruding position and then grips the pivot member for the user when loosening or tightening the sealing device. Hold in the protruding position to support. The structure of the sealing device can be simple and cost effective if the pivot member is biased to both the retracted position and the protruding position with the same member. The position of the threshold position may be set by the design of the spring and pivot member. Further, the required torque for moving the pivot member to or from the protruding position may be set by the spring force.

  Embodiments are provided in which the pivot member may be pivotable about or together with at least one pin, wherein the at least one pin may be secured to the body. In this case, the biasing member may be a torsion spring provided around the at least one pin for biasing the pivot member and returning it to the retracted position.

  If the holding member or the elastic member does not provide such an urging function, the torsion spring may provide the urging function of the pivoting member toward the storage position. Thereby, the pivot member may be biased to return to the retracted position whenever it is moved unintentionally. The torque applied by the torsion spring to bias the pivot member back to the retracted position is less than the torque required to move the pivot member from the protruding position.

  In a further embodiment, the pivoting member may have a counter part arranged on the opposite side of the pivot axis with respect to the gripping part. A recess may be provided in the body portion for receiving the counter portion when the pivot member is moved from the retracted position to the protruding position.

  In one embodiment, the counter portion may be configured to be depressed to assist in moving the pivot member from the retracted position. Furthermore, a part of the counter part may protrude a predetermined distance beyond the surface surrounding the body part in the retracted position of the pivot member.

  Thereby, it becomes easy for the user to rotate the pivot member from the retracted position even when the user is wearing a glove, for example. It is envisaged that he or she will not be able to grip the end of the gripping portion of the pivot member in order to move it from the retracted position. In order to lift the gripping part from the storage position, it is sufficient to push the counter part.

  In one embodiment, the gripping part may extend radially from the pivot axis by a distance A, and the counter part is at least 0.25A, preferably at least 0.35A from the pivot axis. May extend only in the radial direction, and more preferably in the radial direction by a distance of at least 0.45A.

  With such an extension of the counter part, the counter part is not too small when the user needs to push the counter part in order to lift the gripping part of the pivot member. If the extension part of the counter part is too small, the surface area of the counter part will be too small for the user to push and the force required to push the counter part to lift the grip part will be too great. .

  In a further embodiment, the pivot member may have a fixed portion that protrudes into the body portion at the retracted position of the pivot member. Next, the elastic member is fixed to the fixed portion of the pivot member. Further, the elastic member may be fixed to the fixing portion so as to be pivotable.

  Further, to facilitate movement of the pivot member from the retracted position and gripping of the grip portion in the extended position, at least a portion of the pivot member, in one embodiment, pivots facing the opposite side of the body portion. A surface structure may be provided on the surface of the member. The surface structure may be a groove, a recess, a rib or the like.

  The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a tank with a sealing device for a chainsaw according to an embodiment of the invention. 1 shows a perspective view of a sealing device with a gripping part in a storage position according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows a perspective view of a sealing device with a gripping part in a protruding position according to an embodiment according to the invention. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a sealing device with a gripping part in a retracted position according to an embodiment of the invention. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a sealing device with a gripping part in a protruding position according to an embodiment according to the invention. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a sealing device including a grip portion in the vicinity of a threshold position according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. However, the invention herein may be embodied in many different forms, but rather, these embodiments are intended to be thorough and complete, and to those skilled in the art. The scope of the present invention is shown in detail. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like descriptions.

  FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an operating part 1 of, for example, a chain saw according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Although the exemplary embodiment is shown to be used with a chainsaw, the present invention can be incorporated into any suitable portable compact power tool type and is not limited to the use of only a chainsaw, And it should be understood that it can be incorporated into various types of embodiments. The operation unit 1, which will be referred to as “compact power tool 1” below, may be used for landscaping or forestry applications. The compact power tool 1 may be driven by an internal combustion engine (not shown). Furthermore, the internal combustion engine may be a gasoline engine or a diesel engine. In the embodiment according to the present invention, the tank may be a fuel tank of an internal combustion engine. The fuel tank may have a replenishment opening (not shown) with a thread for engaging a corresponding thread on the sealing device 2. The sealing device 2 may be used to seal the replenishment opening in a manner that is sealed against the outside air by clamping the sealing device 2 to the replenishment opening.

  FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the sealing device 2. The sealing device 2 has a body part 20 with a threaded part 4 for engaging with a corresponding threaded part of the supply opening. The supply opening may be sealed by tightening the main body 20 of the sealing device 2 to the supply opening of the fuel tank of the compact power tool 1. The sealing device 2 has a substantially flat upper surface. In addition, the sealing device 2 has a skirt 5 that defines a fluid tight seal when the sealing device 2 is fully engaged with the refill opening. Referring to FIG. 2, the pivot member 6 is defined to be pivotable about a pin 7 passing through the pivot axis XX '.

  The pivot member 6 is pivotally connected to the main body 20 for switching between a retracted position and a protruding position.

  Further, the pivot member 6 has a grip portion 3 for providing ease of gripping to a user of the compact power tool 1. The shape of the grip portion 3 may be a semicircle. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the gripper 3 can have any suitable shape. Further, the pivot member 6 has a counter portion 8 located on the opposite side of the pivot axis XX ′ with respect to the grip portion 3. The counter unit 8 has a surface structure such as a groove, a rib or a recess on the surface of the pivot member 6 facing the opposite side of the main body unit 20. Referring to FIG. 2, in the retracted position of the pivot member 6, the counter portion 8 crosses the surface surrounding the main body portion 20 in the longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis Y of the main body portion 20 and is separated by a distance. Protruding. This makes it easy to push the counter part 8 and open the grip part 3. The gripping part 3 extends from the pivot axis XX 'by a distance A (as shown in FIG. 4), and the counter part 8 extends from the pivot axis XX' by a distance B. The distance B is at least 0.25 × A from the pivot axis XX ′. As an example, if the distance A is 2 cm, the distance B is at least 0.5 cm. In other embodiments, the distance B may be a distance of at least 0.35 × A or 0.45 × A from the pivot axis XX ′. In that case, if the distance A is 2 cm, the distance B is at least 0.7 cm or 0.9 cm. Preferably, regardless of the extension distance A of the gripping part 3, the counter part extends at least 0.5 cm from the pivot axis XX '.

  The recessed part 10 is formed in the outer periphery of the holding part 3, as shown in FIG. The grip 3 may be opened by inserting a fingertip into the recess 10. The counter part 8 may be further pushed down into the sealing device 2 to assist in moving the pivot member 6 from the retracted position. For example, when the user wears a glove, he or she moves the grip portion 3 from the retracted position and allows the grip portion 3 to be gripped by the recess 10. Can be pressed.

  Furthermore, the sealing device 2 may have an elastic member that holds the pivot member 6 in the protruding position. The elastic member may be fixed to the pivot member 6 and the main body. In various embodiments according to the present invention, the elastic member may be a spring, preferably a compression spring or a conical compression spring. The elastic member will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the sealing device 2 with the gripping part 3 in the protruding position. The sealing device 2 has a biasing member 11 that surrounds the pin 7 as shown in FIG. A first end portion of the urging member 11 is fixed to the grip portion 3, and a second end portion 12 of the urging member 11 is fixed to the main body portion 20. The biasing member 11 biases the pivot member 6 to the retracted position as long as the pivot member 6 is in the protruding position. The urging member 11 may be a torsion spring provided around the pin 7 to urge the pivoting member 6 to return to the retracted position. Further, the biasing member 11 may be a compression spring or a conical compression spring. In the embodiment according to the present invention, the elastic member and the biasing member 11 may be similar members.

  FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the sealing device 2 with the gripping part 3 in the retracted position. The sealing device 2 includes a pivot member fixing unit 13 and a main body fixing unit 14. The pivot member fixing unit 13 includes a pivot member 6 having one or more fixing members connected to the main body 20 and one or more fixing members connected to the main body fixing unit 14. In particular, the fixing member of the pivot member fixing unit 13 engages with a corresponding member of the main body fixing unit 14 to hold the pivot member 6 in the protruding position. In the protruding position, the grip portion 3 of the pivot member 6 extends outward from the main body portion 20 in order to be able to grip. The user can easily loosen or tighten the sealing device 2 using the grip portion.

  Referring to FIG. 4, the counter unit 8 extends in the longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis Y of the main body 20 at a distance from the surrounding surface of the main body 20 at the retracted position of the pivot member 6. Protruding. Since the counter portion 8 protrudes beyond the main body portion 20, it is easy to push the counter portion 8 and lift the grip portion 3. The main body 20 of the sealing device 2 has a recess 15 for receiving the counter unit 8. In particular, the counter portion 8 of the pivot member 6 moves into the recess 15 when the pivot member 6 moves from the retracted position to the protruding position.

  The sealing device 2 also has a seal ring 16. The seal ring 16 may be made of an elastic rubber material, which prevents, for example, fuel leakage when the sealing device is attached to the opening of the tank of the compact power tool.

  FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the sealing device 2 with the gripping part 3 in the protruding position. In the protruding position, the fixing member of the pivot member fixing unit 13 and the fixing member of the main body fixing unit 14 form a snap fixing means. The fixing member of the pivot member fixing unit 13 may be a flexible member, and the fixing member of the main body portion fixing unit 14 may be a seat portion for holding the flexible member. The fixing member of the main body fixing unit 14 may be a flexible member, and the fixing member of the pivot member fixing unit 13 may be a seat for holding the flexible member. The required torque for releasing the fixing means is larger than the torque urged by the urging member 11, and thus the pivoting member 6 is held in the protruding position. Thereby, the pivot member 6 must be released by the user from the protruding position and is not released by itself. The required torque for the fixing means engaged in the restraining position is also larger than the torque that can normally be generated by a branch or the like that can be caught by the gripping means during operation of the power tool.

  FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the sealing device 2 comprising a pivot member 6 arranged between the threshold position and the retracted position. The threshold position is configured between the retracted position and the protruding position of the pivot member 6. The elastic member 17 is also a holding member that can hold the pivoting member 6 in the protruding position. When the pivoting member 6 is between the threshold position and the protruding position, the elastic member 17 biases the pivoting member 6 to the protruding position. Thus, even a small rotation of the pivot member 6 from the threshold position to the projecting position causes the pivot member 6 to be biased to the projecting position. Similarly, when the pivot member 6 passes the threshold position and is moved to the retracted position, the elastic member 17 biases the pivot member 6 to the retracted position. Thereby, the function of the biasing member 11 is incorporated in the elastic member 17.

  The elastic member 17 may be a spring, and is preferably a compression spring or a conical compression spring. The first portion of the spring 17 is fixed to the bottom of the recess 15 of the main body 20. The second part of the spring 17 is fixed to the fixed part 18 of the pivot member 6 so as to be pivotable as shown in FIG. The fixed portion 18 protrudes into the main body portion 20 at the retracted position of the pivot member 6. At the connection point between the spring 17 and the fixed part 18, there is a fixed axis 19 on which the spring 17 is pivotally fixed to the fixed part 18. The fixed axis 19 is parallel to the pivot pin about which the pivot member 6 rotates. When the pivoting member 6 is in a position between the threshold position and the retracted position, the spring 17 causes the fixing part 18 and the counter part 8 to move above the pivoting pin 7 on the same side in the figure. Pushing to the right, the pivot member 6 is pushed to the retracted position.

  When the pivot pin 7 around which the pivot member rotates and the fixed axis 19 are collinear with the longitudinal center of the spring 17, the pivot member 6 is in the threshold position. In the position of the pivoting member between the threshold position and the protruding position, the spring pushes the fixing part 18 and the fixing axis 19 upward and to the left of the pivoting pin 7 in the figure. The counter part 8 is then pressed into the recess 15 of the main body part 20 on the lower side opposite the right side of the pivot pin 7. This is due to the distance between the counter unit 8 defined by the fixed unit 18 and the fixed axis 19. Thereby, the grip part 3 protrudes from the main body part 20 and is held in that position by the spring 17. The necessary torque for moving the pivot member to the protruding position through the threshold position is set by the spring force of the spring 17. Furthermore, the position of the threshold position between the storage position and the protruding position may be set by the configuration of the spring 17 and the fixed portion 18.

  In the drawings and specification, preferred embodiments and examples of the invention have been disclosed and specific terms have been employed, but are used in a general and descriptive sense only, not for limitation. The scope of the present invention will be explained in the following claims for utility model registration.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Sealing device 3 Gripping part 6 Pivoting member 7 Pin 8 Counter part 13 Holding member 14 Holding member 15 Recessed part 16 Seal ring 17 Elastic member 18 Fixing member 19 Fixed axis 20 Main-body part Y Longitudinal axis

Claims (13)

A sealing device (2) for sealing a replenishment opening of a tank in (1) a compact power tool, the sealing device comprising:
A body (20) for defining a longitudinal axis (Y) and engaging with the replenishment opening;
A pivot member pivotable about a pivot axis (XX ′) for movement between the retracted position and the projecting position, and pivotally connected to the body portion (20) and having a grip portion (3) (6), and in the projecting position, the gripping part (3) extends outward from the main body part (20) so that the gripping part (3) can be gripped, thereby the sealing device (2). Assisting loosening and tightening, the pivot member having a counter part (8) arranged on the opposite side of the pivot axis in relation to the grip part (3), and the body part Has a recess for receiving the counter part when the pivot member moves from the retracted position to the protruding position,
The sealing device (2) further comprises a biasing member (11) configured to bias the pivot member (6) to the retracted position,
Sealing device (2), characterized in that the pivoting member (6) can be restrained in the protruding position by means of holding members (13, 14; 17, 18, 19).   The first part (13; 18, 19) of the holding member is fixed to the pivot member (6), and the second part (14, 17) of the holding member is attached to the main body (20). The sealing device (2) according to claim 1, which is fixed.   The holding member is an elastic member (17) attached to the pivot member (6) at one end (18, 19) and attached to the main body (20) at the other end. The sealing device (2) described.   The elastic member (17) is a spring having one end (19) attached to the pivot member (6) and the other end attached to the body (20). The sealing device (2) described.   The sealing device (2) according to any one of claims 3 and 4, wherein the elastic member (17) is a conical compression spring.   The sealing device (2) according to claim 1, wherein a threshold position is arranged between the retracted position and the protruding position with respect to the pivot member (6).   When the biasing member (11) is the same as the elastic member (17) and the pivot member (6) is at a position between the threshold position and the retracted position, the elastic member (17 7. The sealing device (2) according to claim 6, wherein) biases the pivot member (6) to the retracted position.   8. The counter according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the counter part (8) is configured to be depressed to assist the pivot member (6) moving from the retracted position. Sealing device (2).   When the pivot member (6) is in the retracted position, at least a portion of the counter part (8) is beyond the surface surrounding the body part (20) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (Y). The sealing device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the sealing device (2) protrudes by a predetermined distance.   The grip portion (3) extends from the pivot axis (XX ′) by a distance A perpendicular to the pivot axis (XX ′), and the counter portion (8) is pivoted. 10. Sealing device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, extending from an axis (XX ') at least 0.25xA perpendicular to the pivot axis (XX'). .   The first portion of the elastic member (17) is pivotally fixed to the fixed portion (18) of the pivot member (6), and the fixed portion (18) is fixed to the pivot member (6). The sealing device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the sealing device (2) protrudes into the main body (20) in the storage position.   At least a part of the pivot member (6) has a surface structure on the surface of the pivot member (6) facing the opposite side of the main body (20), and the surface structure is a groove, a recess or The sealing device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a rib.   The sealing device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the compact power tool (1) is any one of a chain saw, a hedge trimmer, a glass trimmer, a blower and a mower. .