MOTORISED CUTTING TOOL WITH GUARD

Abstract

A portable motorised cutting tool has a motor housed in a tool body, a cutting member, a transmission linking the motor to the cutting member, and at least one guard for protecting the hand of the user, providing a passage for the hand around at least one of a control member of the tool, and a gripping handle of the tool. The tool has a cover capable of occupying a so-called “closed” position against the body of the tool, and a so-called “open” position separated from the body of the tool and giving access to a part of the tool protected by the cover in the closed position, the cover being linked to the body of the tool by the guard.

Claims

1. A portable motorized cutting tool comprising a motor housed in a tool body, a cutting member, a transmission connecting the motor to the cutting member, and at least one protective guard for the hand of the user housing a passage for the hand around at least one among a tool control member and a handle for gripping the tool characterized in that the tool comprises a cover, where the cover can occupy a position, called “closed”, against the tool body and a position, called “open”, away from the tool body and providing access to a portion of the tool protected by the cover in the closed position, wherein the cover is connected to the tool body by means of the guard in the open position and in the closed position of the cover, and the guard is rigidly bound to the cover and is mounted pivoting on the tool body in order to pivot the cover between the closed position and the opened position.

2. Cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the protected part comprise at least one among the transmission, a part of the cutting member, an attachment for the cutting member, an electric connector and a grease fitting.

3. Cutting tool according to claim 1, comprising a lock for keeping the cover in the closed position.

4. Cutting tool according to claim 3, wherein the lock comprises at least one latch and at least one retainer respectively rigidly connected with the part of the tool protected by the cover in the closed position and an inside part of the cover, where the latch can come to be held in the retainer and can be released from the retainer by flexing the guard.

5. Cutting tool according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the latch and the retainer have a closure ramp and an opening threshold.

6. Cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the tool body has a housing forming a handle.

7. Cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the tool body has a first end bearing the cutting member and a second end opposite from the first end having an articulation for the guard.

8. Cutting tool according to claim 1, comprising a safety device actuatable by one of the cover and the guard and prohibiting an activation of the cutting member when the cover is in the open position.

9. Cutting tool for pruning shear use, according to claim 1, wherein the cutting member comprises a fixed blade and a mobile blade connected to the transmission by a pivot housed under the cover in the closed position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0029] FIG. 1 is a side view of pruning shears conforming to the invention showing a closed position of the cover-guard assembly.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a side view of the pruning shears from. FIG. 1, with the cover-guard assembly in an open position.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the front of the pruning shears from FIGS. 1 and 2 from which some parts are withdrawn.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0032] The following description refers to a specific implementation of the invention for execution of pruning shears. However, and in an entirely similar way, the invention can be applied to other cutting tools, such as hedge trimmers, sheet-metal shears or saws which differ from it essentially in the shape of the cutting member.

[0033] The pruning shear from FIG. 1 has a tool body 10 comprising a plurality of parts rigidly connected together, essentially by screwing. Among these parts, the figure shows a housing 12.

[0034] The tool body, and more specifically the housing 12, have a substantially cylindrical part forming a handle 14. The diameter of the part forming handle 14 is adapted such that the user can easily grip the tool with their hand.

[0035] The pruning shears from FIG. 1 can also be provided with a remote power unit and a power cord which connect it to the remote power unit. To simplify the figures, these parts are not shown.

[0036] A trigger 16 is located to the front of the handle forming part. The trigger can be used as control member, in particular for controlling the opening and closing of a cutting member 20. The position of the trigger is adjusted on the handle 14 in such a way that the trigger can easily be actuated by a finger of the user's hand that grips the handle.

[0037] The cutting member 20 mounted on one end of the tool body 10 is provided with a fixed blade 22 and a mobile blade 24 articulated around a pivot 26. The cutting member is shown in a closed blade configuration, meaning with the mobile blade closed onto the fixed blade. A motor 28, housed in the tool body 10, is connected to the mobile blade 24 by a transmission suited to pivot the mobile blade around the pivot 26. In the example described, it involves a brushless electric motor. The transmission can comprise in particular a screw and nut mechanism with bearings transforming a rotational movement of the motor into a translational movement. Control links transmit the translational movement to a cam of the mobile blade. The transmission can also comprise a reduction gear at the output of the motor.

[0038] Conforming to the invention, the pruning shear is equipped with a guard 30 which extends the length of the handle 14 and which in part surrounds the trigger 16. The guard can be executed very simply in the form of a metal or plastic bar.

[0039] The bar is connected to a rear part 32 of the tool body 10 on which it is articulated. The guard is in particular articulated around a pin 34 forming a pivot.

[0040] The front of the guard 30 is connected to a cover 36 which is shown in closed position. In this position, the cover comes to rest against the front part of the tool body 10 where the cutting member 20 is located. In the closed position, the cover constitutes an extension of the fixed part of the housing 12.

[0041] Preferably, the cover 36 is formed in a single part with the guard, for example by molding. The cover, like the guard, can be metal parts or, preferably, plastic.

[0042] It can be observed that the cover 36 comes to cover over and protect a portion of the cutting member 20.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows the pruning shears in which the cover 36 is in the open position thereof. The cutting member is also shown open, meaning with the mobile blade 24 raised compared to the fixed blade 22.

[0044] The opening of the cover is done very simply by exerting on the guard, preferably in the median part thereof, a force shown by the arrow F visible on FIG. 1 towards the handle 14. This force has the effect of imparting a slight flexion on the guard, which is all the same sufficient for releasing a lock 40 holding the cover closed. The lock is visible in FIG. 3. More specifically, the flexion releases the latches 42 of the lock, connected to the cover 36 from retainers 44 of the lock, rigidly connected with the tool body 10. In fact, observe in FIG. 3 that the lock comprises complementarity latches and retainers, respectively on each side of the body of the tool and the cover. Thus, during application of the force F, the cover 36 is subject to a movement in the direction F1, shown in FIG. 1, forcing the latches 42 to move substantially in the direction F1 until disconnecting from the retainers 44.

[0045] The cover can be re-closed, and locked in its closed position, also by pressing on the guard 30 in the same way. In this case, a ramp for the retainers again allows a slight flexion of the guard to make locking easier. The flexion of the guard necessary for engaging the lock, and the ramps of the retainers, create a threshold for opening the cover which prevents an unintended opening.

[0046] Because of the open position of the cover on FIG. 2, meaning withdrawn from the tool body 10, a part 50 of the tool normally protected by the cover 36 in the closed position thereof can be seen more clearly.

[0047] In the example shown, the protected part 50 comprises an articulation 52 of the trigger and an electrical connector 56. The electrical connector 56 is connected to an electronic control and driving card for the motor, not shown. The main function of the electronic card is to drive the power supply for the motor as a function of the control signals issued by a position sensor of the trigger 16. The card can also exercise other functions, such as safety functions. For example, an opening sensor 54 of the cover can be connected to the electronic card to prevent activation of the cutting member when the cover is open. The opening sensor is, for example, a small switch or an optical sensor.

[0048] The connector 56, mentioned above, connects the electronic card to an external electronic equipment. Such equipment can be intended, for example, to read or configure operating or management configuration of the tool.

[0049] The protected part 50 of the tool also comprises a part of the transmission 60 connecting the motor to the cutting member 20. It can be observed that the transmission 60 comprises control links connected by a pivot 62 to a cam 58 of the mobile blade 24.

[0050] When the cover is open, all these parts become accessible; it is in that way possible to clean them, for example by blowing, grease them and/or replace them. In particular, the mobile blade 24 can be replaced when it is dulled or damaged.

[0051] When the cover is closed, the members located inside the protected part of the tool, while not being completely protected from being dirty, remain however largely protected. In the same way, the closed cover also prevents accidental access of the user's fingers to the moving internal members.

[0052] It can be noted that the previously described members of the lock 40 are also protected by the cover.

[0053] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view from the front of the pruning shears from FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 3, the cutting mechanism and the transmission thereof are removed, and the cover, in the open position thereof, is shown in partial section. Thus, in FIG. 3 it is possible to better see the latches 42 formed as a single part with the cover on an inner surface of the cover, and the retainers 44 formed on the tool body 10. Preferably a latch and a retainer are provided on each side of the cover and the tool body, relative to the plane of symmetry of the tool passing through the fixed blade 22.

[0054] It can be seen that the cover 36 has, in the front part thereof, a passage for blade 70, with sides 72 adjusted on the fixed blade 22 and a part of the mobile blade when it is closed on the mobile blade.

[0055] In the closed position of the cover, the sides 72 come closest to the fixed blade, not shown.