WO2008079058A1

WO2008079058A1 - Harness for a hand-held working tool with a secon attachment element

Info

Publication number: WO2008079058A1
Application number: PCT/SE2006/001498
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric Lennings
Original assignee: Husqvarna Aktiebolag
Priority date: 2006-12-27
Filing date: 2006-12-27
Publication date: 2008-07-03

Abstract

The present invention relates to a harness for enabling an operator (40) to carry a hand-held motor-driven tool (20) comprising a tube (21). The harness has at least one shoulder strap and a first attachment element (17) for receiving the tool (20) in a first attachment point of the harness (10). The harness (10) has a second attachment element (30) for receiving the tool (20) in a second attachment point of the harness (10). The second attachment element (30) is arranged for receiving the tool (20) when the operator (40) is not working with the tool (20).

Description

Harness for a hand-held working tool with a second attachment element

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a harness for carrying a hand-held motor-driven tool comprising a tube, the harness having at least one shoulder strap, the harness further having a first attachment element for receiving the tool in a first attachment point of the harness .

Background

In order to improve working conditions for an operator of a hand-held motor-driven tool, such as a clearing saw or a brush cutter, the hand-held motor- driven tool can be carried in a harness placed on the back, shoulders and hip of the operator, for example a forest worker. The use of a harness for carrying the tool reduces the loads on the arms of the operator since most of the weight of the tool is carried by the back, shoulders and legs of the operator instead of by the operator's arms. Thereby, the use of the tool will be less tiring, since the arms are relieved from the duty of carrying the tool and then can be used only for controlling the tool .

In WO02/096238 and WO02/096239 such a harness is shown .

Forest workers often work within rather large areas that are difficult to access, with for example a vehicle or a wagon, and they therefore often transport themselves and their equipment between different working places within the area on foot. With a harness according to WO02/096238 and WO02/096239 the forest worker has to detach the hand-held motor-driven tool from the harness, when not working with the tool or when transporting it, and then carry the tool on the shoulder or in one hand. The procedure to detach the tool involves an extra and quite strenuous movement for the worker since hand-held motor-driven tools often are quite heavy. In most cases a lot of other equipment has to be transported between the working places as well, like petrol cans, which makes the transport even more difficult and tiring.

Hence, there is a need to provide an arrangement that facilitates the periods when the operator is not working with the tool and to facilitate the carrying of a hand-held motor-driven tool between different working places e.g. within a forest area. There is also a need for an arrangement that makes the transportation of the equipment on foot more easy and efficient.

Summary

In order to solve the above problems a harness according to the preamble of claim 1 is provided and which is characterized in that the harness has a second attachment element for receiving the tool in a second attachment point of the harness when the operator is not working with the tool.

By providing a harness according to claim 1 the operator carrying the harness can, after turning off the tool, turn the tool around his/her body, when not working with the tool or when transporting the tool by foot, and attach the tube of the tool to the harness by inserting the tube into the second attachment element arranged on the harness. This results in an arrangement that makes it possible to effectively transport other equipment needed, since the operator gets both hands free.

Another advantage is that the operator does not have to detach the tool from the first attachment element of the harness when not working with the tool or when transporting the tool by foot, which saves time and energy . By arranging the second attachment element on the at least one shoulder strap an ergonomic arrangement that spares the operators back and strength is provided.

By arranging the first attachment element on the harness in the direction of the elongation of the at least one shoulder strap, to which shoulder strap the second attachment element is arranged, the tool diagonally crosses the back of the operator and extends from one shoulder of the operator to the hip on the opposite side of the operators body. This provides an ergonomic and well-balanced arrangement.

By providing the second attachment element on a part of the at least one shoulder strap close to the shoulder of an operator carrying the harness, and which part of the at least one shoulder strap is facing away from the operators body/back, the operator carries the tool on the back, when transporting it, where it least possible hinder the operator from moving freely while transporting the tool by foot, and/or when not working with the tool. In one embodiment of the invention the second attachment element is a snap-in element. By using a snap- in element it is possible for the operator to insert the tube of the tool into the element in an easy way even though the second attachment element is arranged on the part of the harness facing away from the back of the operator .

By arranging the second attachment element with a guide projection in order to facilitate the insertion of the tube of the tool into the second attachment element, it is even easier for the operator to insert the tube into the element.

By providing an element that is stationary arranged to the at least one shoulder strap the tool can be inserted into and pulled out of the element in a secure way.

By providing an element that is detachably arranged to the at least one shoulder strap it is possible to adapt the ^• element to old harnesses in an easy way and in a cost-effective way obtain a harness with the advantages of a harness according to the present invention.

In one embodiment of the invention the second attachment element is made of plastic material and by that a flexible and durable element is provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will in the following be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

Fig 1 schematically illustrates a view, seen from the side facing away from the body of the operator, of a harness in a "flatten out state" according to the invention.

Fig 2 schematically illustrates a close-up view of a second attachment element according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig 3 schematically illustrates a view from behind of an operator carrying a harness according to the invention.

Fig 3a schematically illustrates a close-up view of the second attachment element according to the invention, before a tube of a tool is inserted into the element. Fig 3b schematically illustrates a close-up view of the second attachment element according to fig 3a, wherein the tube of the tool is inserted in the element.

Description of Embodiments The present invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

In the embodiment of the invention described in the figures, a harness 10 is shown, arranged to carry a hand- held motor-driven tool 20 comprising a tube 21, for example a brush cutter, clearing saw, a pool hedge trimmer or a pool chain saw. The tool 20 is provided with a power unit 22 in one end and a cutting tool 23 in the other end. The power unit 22 is in the described embodiment an internal combustion engine, for example a two-stroke petrol engine. However, in an alternative embodiment the power unit 22 can comprise an electrical motor and a battery for driving the electrical motor. In yet an alternative embodiment the power unit 22 is an electrical motor driven by an external current source via a cable. In yet another embodiment the power unit 22 is a battery, said battery being arranged for driving an electrical motor arranged close to the cutting tool 23 at the other end of the tube 21. The tube 21 has with advantage a circular cross- section, but can also have another, for the purpose suitable, cross-section.

An operator 40, like a forest worker, is intended to wear the harness 10. The harness 10 comprises, among other things, two shoulder straps 11, a back plate 12, a relieving belt 13 and a hip pad 14.

The shoulder straps 11 are arranged to the upper part of the back plate 12 and extending from the back plate 12. When an operator carries the harness 10, the back plate 12 is put on the back of the operator, and the shoulder straps 11 extend over the shoulders of the operator 40. Each shoulder strap 11 is arranged with a buckle 11a and lib respectively. The relieving belt 13 is arranged to the lower part of the back plate 12. The hip pad 14 is attached to the harness 10 by means of a catching belt 15. A guide rope 16 is further attached between the hip pad 14 and the back plate 12 in order to make the hip pad 14 movable. The hip pad 14 is arranged with a first attachment element 17. The tool 20 is arranged to be attached to the harness 10 by means of the first attachment element 17 in a first attachment point. The first attachment element 17 is in this embodiment in the form of a hook, but can be designed in many different ways.

A waist strap 18 comprising a bracket 18a can be arranged to the harness 10 in order to further improve the fit of the harness 10.

The guide rope 16 is in a first end 16a attached to the harness 10. A second end 16b of the guide rope 16 forms together with the buckle 11a, lib and the bracket 18a a "lap-diagonal belt" comprising four points, and which parts 16b, 11a, lib and 18a are to be attached to each other over the breast of the operator 40. The harness 10 further comprises a second attachment element 30. The second attachment element 30 is arranged to receive the tube 21 of the tool 22, when the tool is to be transported or when the operator does not work with the tool. The second attachment element 30 is with advantage made of a flexible and durable material like a plastic material, such as polyamide, but can also be made of other types of flexible and durable materials. The second attachment element 30 is with advantage a snap-in element, but can be shaped in many different ways. The second attachment element 30 is arranged with a guide projection 31, which facilitates the insertion of the tube 21 of the tool 20 into the second attachment element 30. The second attachment element 30 is arranged on a part of one of the shoulder straps 11 close to the shoulder of the operator 40 carrying the harness, and which part of the shoulder strap 11 is facing away from the operators 40 body/back. The second attachment element 30 is with advantage arranged to the shoulder strap 11 arranged with the buckle 11a, in which direction of elongation the hook 17 is arranged on hip pad 14 of the harness 10. By this arrangement the first attachment element, the hook 17, is arranged in the lower part of the harness 10, and the second attachment element 30 is arranged on the opposite side of the first attachment element, the hook 17, but in the upper part of the harness 10. Brush cutters and clearing saws comprising tubes often comprises U-shaped handlebars (not shown) as well. The second attachment element 30 according to the invention makes it possible to turn the handlebar around the body of the operator 40 when not working with the tool or when transporting the tool 20 and then insert the tube 21 of the tool 20 into the second attachment element 30.

The tool 20 does not need to be detached from the hook 17 of the hip pad 14 when inserting the tube 21 of the tool 20 into the second attachment element 30. The tube 21 can be turned around the body of the operator 40 when still attached to the hook 17.

The tube 21 of the tool 20 has to be properly and securely attached to the second attachment element 30 in order to prevent the tool from falling down backwards from the operator carrying the tool, should the tool get stuck in a tree or a branch during transportation.

The detaching of the tool 20 from the second attachment element 30 by the operator 40 can be facilitated by a release device (not shown) . The release device can be in the form of for example a string or strap, arranged on one of the shoulder straps, on the part facing away from the operators breast. The operator can detach the tool from the second attachment element by pulling the strap or string and then in an easy way pull the tool out from the second attachment element. In the case that the harness is not provided with a release device, the detaching of the tool 20 from the second attachment element 30 by the operator 40 can be performed by catching hold of the upper part of the tube 21 with a hand and apply force in the appropriate direction.

The second attachment element according to the invention can be arranged on an all ready existing harness or on a newly produced harness . In one embodiment of the invention the harness 10 comprises only one shoulder strap 11.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims .

Claims

1. Harness, for enabling an operator (40) to carry a hand-held motor-driven tool (20) comprising a tube (21) and a power unit (22), the harness (10) having at least one shoulder strap (11) , the harness further (10) having a first attachment element (17) for receiving the tool (20) in a first attachment point of the harness (10) , c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the harness has a second attachment element (30) for receiving the tool (20) in a second attachment point of the harness (10) when the operator (40) is not working with the tool.

2. Harness according to claim 1, wherein the second attachment element (30) is arranged on the at least one shoulder strap (11) .

3. Harness according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second attachment element (30) is arranged to receive the tube (21) of the tool (20)

4. Harness according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the second attachment element (30) is arranged on a part of the at least one shoulder strap (11) , which part, when the harness (10) is carried by the operator (40) lies close to the back of the operator (40) , and which surface of the part of the at least one shoulder strap (11) , to which surface the second attachment element (30) is arranged, is facing away from the operators (40) back.

5. The harness according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the first attachment element (17) is arranged on the harness in the direction of an elongation of the at least one shoulder strap (11) , to which shoulder strap (11) the second attachment element (30) is arranged.

6. The harness according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the second attachment element (30) is a snap-in element .

7. The harness according to any of claims 1-6, wherein the second attachment element (30) is arranged with a guide projection (31) in order to facilitate the insertion of the tube (21) of the tool (20) into the second attachment element (30) .

8. The harness according to claim 1-7, wherein the second attachment element (30) is stationary arranged to the at least one shoulder strap (11) .

9. The harness according to claim 1-7, wherein the second attachment element (30) is detachably arranged to the at least one shoulder strap (11) .

10. The harness according to any of claims 1-9, wherein the second attachment element (30) is made of plastic material.

11. The harness according toany of claims 1-10, wherein the operator (40) is a forest worker.