PORTABLE ELECTRIC PRUNING SHEARS WITH CONTACTLESS SECURITY SYSTEM

Abstract

A portable electric pruning shears including: a longitudinal body intended to be held by one hand of a user, called the holding hand, a cutting tool arranged at a distal end of the body, an electric motor for operating the cutting tool, and a security system provided to protect the user;
wherein the security system includes: an emitter for emitting at least one electromagnetic wave and a receiver for receiving at least one electromagnetic wave emitted by the emitter, one of which is embedded by said portable electric pruning shears and the other one of which is intended to be worn by the other hand of the user, called the free hand, and a control unit for acting on the operating of the cutting tool as a function of the wave(s) received by the receiver.

Claims

1. A portable electric pruning shears comprising: a longitudinal body intended to be held by one hand of a user, called the holding hand; a cutting tool arranged at a distal end of said body; an electric motor for operating said cutting tool; and a security system provided to protect said user; wherein said security system comprises: an emitter for emitting at least one electromagnetic wave and a receiver for receiving at least one electromagnetic wave emitted by said emitter, one of which is embedded by said portable electric pruning shears and the other one of which is intended to be worn by the other hand of the user, called the free hand; and a control unit for acting on the operating of the cutting tool as a function of the wave(s) received by said receiver.

2. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the emitter comprises several emitting modules, each emitting a different wave in a different direction.

3. The pruning shears according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one, in particular each, emitting module comprises an emitting coil.

4. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the emitter is intended to be worn by the free hand of the user.

5. The pruning shears according to claim 4, characterized in that the emitter is integral with a glove, or wristband, intended to be worn by the free hand of the user.

6. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the emitter is powered with an embedded battery, in particular a rechargeable embedded battery.

7. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiver comprises several receiving modules, each receiving a wave incident in a different direction.

8. The pruning shears according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one receiving module comprises a receiving coil.

9. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiver is integral with, or embedded in, the body of the pruning shears.

10. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiver is integral with, or embedded in a removable piece of a casing of said body.

11. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiver is powered with a power supply of the pruning shears.

12. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit acts on the electrical motor, or on a controller of the pruning shears, in order to trigger a command stopping the operating of the cutting tool, and/or opening the cutting tool.

13. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit is programmed to: calculate a distance of the emitter with respect to the receiver based on the wave(s) received by the receiver, compare said distance to at least one predetermined threshold value; and act on the operating of the cutting tool, when said distance is below said threshold value.

14. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit is programmed to: calculate a position of the emitter in a tridimensional coordinate system of the receiver, based on the wave(s) received by the receiver; compare said position to a predetermined volume in said tridimensional coordinate system of the receiver; and act on the operating of the cutting tool, when said position is comprised in said predetermined volume.

15. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit is programmed to: calculate a speed, called approaching speed, at which the emitter approaches the receiver; and act on the operating of the cutting tool as a function of said approaching speed.

16. The pruning shears according to claim 13, characterized in that the threshold distance value, and/or a size of the predetermined volume varies as a function of the approaching speed.

17. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit of the security system is integrated in a controller of the pruning shears.

18. The pruning shears according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting tool comprises a moving blade and a fixed blade.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES AND EMBODIMENTS

[0115] Other advantages and characteristics will become apparent on examination of the detailed description of an embodiment which is in no way limitative, and the attached figures, where:

[0116] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a non-limitative example of a portable electric pruning shears according to the invention;

[0117] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of another non-limitative example of a portable electric pruning shears according to the invention;

[0118] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of another non-limitative example of a portable electric pruning shears according to the invention;

[0119] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of another non-limitative example of a portable electric pruning shears according to the invention;

[0120] FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b are schematic representations of another non-limitative example of a portable electric pruning shears according to the invention; and

[0121] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of a non-limitative example of device that can be used as an emitter or as a receiver.

[0122] It is well understood that the embodiments that will be described below are in no way limitative. In particular, it is possible to imagine variants of the invention comprising only a selection of the characteristics described hereinafter, in isolation from the other characteristics described, if this selection of characteristics is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention with respect to the state of the prior art. Such a selection comprises at least one, preferably functional, characteristic without structural details, or with only a part of the structural details if this part alone is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention with respect to the prior art.

[0123] In the figures, elements common to several figures retain the same reference.

[0124] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a non-limitative example of a portable electric pruning shears according to the invention.

[0125] The pruning shears 100, represented in FIG. 1, comprises a longitudinal body 102 intended to be held by one hand of a user (not illustrated in FIG. 1).

[0126] At one end of the longitudinal body 102, called proximal end 104, the pruning shears 100 comprises a power connector 106, to which a power cable can be connected to power the pruning shears 100.

[0127] In an alternative embodiment, the pruning shears may comprise an embedded power supply.

[0128] At the opposite end of the longitudinal body, called distal end 108, the pruning shears 100 comprises a cutting tool 110.

[0129] In addition, the pruning shears 100 comprises, embedded in its longitudinal body 102 an electric motor 112 for operating the cutting tool 110.

[0130] The pruning shears 100 also comprises a controller 114 that commands the electric motor 112.

[0131] In addition, the pruning shears 100 comprises a physical trigger 116 that can be used to send an activation signal to the controller 114 when pulled.

[0132] According to the invention, the pruning shears 100 also comprises a security system that comprises: [0133] an emitter 118, distinct from the longitudinal body 102 and integral with a glove 120 worn by the hand of the user not holding the pruning shears 100, called free hand 122; [0134] a receiver 124, embedded in the longitudinal body 102 and located close to the distal end 108, and in particular as close as possible to the cutting tool 110; and [0135] a control unit 126, embedded in the longitudinal body 102.

[0136] The emitter 118 is located in a part a glove 120 corresponding to the centre of the back of the hand 122. The emitter 118 can either be powered by the same power source as the shears or be powered by a battery embedded in/on the glove, neither of which are illustrated in FIG. 1. The emitter 118 of the security system is for emitting at least one electromagnetic wave.

[0137] The receiver 124 of the security system is for receiving at least one electromagnetic wave emitted by the emitter 118. As a function of the wave(s) received by the receiver 124, the control unit 126 can act on the operating of the cutting tool 110, by acting on the controller 114 in order to trigger a command stopping the operating of the cutting tool 110, and the opening of the cutting tool 110. Alternatively, or in addition, the control unit 126 could act on the operating of the cutting tool 110, by acting directly on the electric motor 112.

[0138] More specifically, the control unit 126 is capable of calculating either: [0139] the distance between the emitter 118 and the receiver 124, as described in more details in relation to FIG. 4; or [0140] the position of the emitter 118 in a tridimensional coordinate system of the receiver 124, as described in more details in relation to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.

[0141] Other embodiments will appear obvious to the man skilled in the art, for example embodiments where the emitter 118 embedded in the longitudinal body 102 and the receiver 124 is distinct from the longitudinal body 102 and integral with the glove 120.

[0142] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of another non-limitative example of a portable electric pruning shears according to the invention.

[0143] The pruning shears 200 illustrated on FIG. 2 differs from the pruning shears of FIG. 1 in that the emitter 118 is located in a part of the glove 120 corresponding to the tip of a finger, more specifically the tip of the middle finger.

[0144] Other embodiments will appear obvious to the man skilled in the art, for example embodiments where the emitter 118 is located in another part of the glove 202 such as the tip of another finger or next to the wrist.

[0145] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of another non-limitative example of a portable electric pruning shears according to the invention.

[0146] The portable electric pruning shears 300 of FIG. 3 differs from the pruning shears of FIG. 1 in a couple places.

[0147] Firstly, the emitter 118 is now integral with a wristband 120 replacing the glove 102.

[0148] Secondly, the control unit 126 is integrated in the controller 114.

[0149] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of another non-limitative example of a portable electric pruning shears according to the invention.

[0150] FIG. 4 illustrates a portable electric pruning shears 400 that comprises all the elements of pruning shears 100 of FIG. 1.

[0151] The security system of the pruning shear is configured to provide security base on the distance between the emitter and the receiver.

[0152] To do so, the control unit 126 of the pruning shears 400 is programmed to: [0153] calculate the distance of the emitter 118 with respect to the receiver 124 based on the wave(s) received by the receiver 124, and especially based on the amplitude and the strength of the signal, for example the amplitude of the voltage or the current of the received wave; [0154] compare said distance to at least one predetermined threshold value or distance 402; and [0155] act on the operating of the cutting tool 110, when said distance is below said threshold distance 402.

[0156] The distance 402 being calculated with respect to the receiver 124, the threshold distance 402 forms a spherical volume 404 surrounding the receiver 124, schematically illustrated as a circle in FIG. 4. If the emitter 118 were to enter said volume it would trigger the control unit 126 that would then act on the operating of the cutting tool 110.

[0157] The threshold distance 402 is preferably configured so that the spherical volume 404 includes the cutting tool 110.

[0158] FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b are schematic representations of another non-limitative example of a portable electric pruning shears according to the invention.

[0159] FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b illustrates, respectively by a side view and by an isometries view, a portable electric pruning shears 500 that comprises all the elements of pruning shears 100 of FIG. 1.

[0160] The pruning shears 500 differ from the pruning shears 400 of FIG. 4 in that its security system is based on position. To do so, the control unit 126 of the pruning shears 400 is programmed to: [0161] calculate the position of the emitter 118 in a tridimensional coordinate system of the receiver 124, based on the wave(s) received by the receiver 124, and especially based on the amplitude and the strength of the signal, for example the amplitude of the voltage or the current of the received wave, in each direction; [0162] compare said position to a predetermined volume 502 in said tridimensional coordinate system of the receiver 124; [0163] act on the operating of the cutting tool 110, when said position is comprised in said predetermined volume 502.

[0164] The predetermined volume 502, schematically illustrated as a square in FIG. 5, is defined in the tridimensional coordinate system of the receiver 124. However, said volume 502 does not need to include the receiver 124. It is therefore possible in this embodiment to set up the predetermined volume 502 to comprise the cutting tool 110 while surrounding it more closely.

[0165] The predetermined volume 502 used by the security system of the pruning shears 500 has a cubic shape that comprise the cutting tool 110, even in its open position.

[0166] Other embodiments will appear obvious to the man skilled in the art, for example embodiments where the predetermined volume has a more complex shape that comprise the cutting tool more closely, such as pyramids, discs etc. . . . .

[0167] Although security based on the distance or on position is only described with respect to FIG. 4, FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b, those security systems can be implemented in any of the embodiments described in relation to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0168] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of a non-limitative example of device that can be used as an emitter or as a receiver.

[0169] FIG. 6 illustrates a device 600 that can be used as an emitter or as a receiver and that comprises three coils 602, 604 and 606.

[0170] The first coil 602 is oriented with an x axis. The second coil 604 is oriented with an y axis perpendicular with the x axis. The third coil 606 is oriented with an z axis, perpendicular with both the x and y axis.

[0171] Thus, if the device 600 is used as an emitter, then: [0172] the first coil 602 is capable of emitting waves in the direction corresponding to the x axis, [0173] the second coil 604 is capable of emitting waves in the direction corresponding to the y axis, and [0174] the third coil 606 is capable of emitting waves in the direction corresponding to the z axis.

[0175] In alternative embodiments, each of the coil can be replaced by another emitting module, for example a patch antenna, orientated in the same direction as the coil it replaces.

[0176] Additionally, if the device 600 is used as a receiver, then: [0177] the first coil 602 is capable of receiving waves incident in the direction corresponding to the x axis, [0178] the second coil 604 is capable of receiving waves incident in the direction corresponding to the y axis, and [0179] the third coil 606 is of receiving waves incident in the direction corresponding to the z axis.

[0180] In alternative embodiments, each of the coil can be replaced by another emitting module, for example a patch antenna, orientated in the same direction as the coil it replaces.

[0181] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples detailed above. For example, the security system of the pruning shears of the present invention may comprise several emitters, and/or several receivers.