Battery-powered working machine

Abstract

Provided is a battery-powered working machine including a protective bracket which is able to be secured to a casing while being in engagement with a battery pack, which is capable of preventing theft of the battery pack, and which separates a casing-side connection terminal from a battery-side connection terminal at a distance to keep the casing-side and battery-side connection terminals and out of contact with each other.

Claims

1. A battery-powered working machine comprising: a casing which houses an electric motor; a work unit which is driven by the electric motor and extends from the casing; a battery pack which is attachable to and detachable from the casing, the battery pack including a plurality of batteries and capable of supplying power to the electric motor, the plurality of batteries being housed in a battery cover of the battery pack; a casing-side connection terminal which is provided to the casing and connectable to a battery-side connection terminal provided to the battery pack; and a protective bracket that is separate from the battery pack and the battery cover of the battery pack, the protective bracket being configured to: be removably coupled to the casing such that the protective bracket is configured to be completely detachable from the casing, be slid with the battery pack into the casing, be housed in the casing, be secured to the casing while being in engagement with the battery cover, inhibit theft of the battery pack, and keep the casing-side connection terminal and the battery-side connection terminal at a distance from each other to prevent contact between the casing-side and battery-side connection terminals, wherein the casing has a fastening portion on a front side of the casing in a sliding direction of the battery pack, the fastening portion being configured to fasten the protective bracket between the casing and the battery cover by a screw.

2. The battery-powered working machine of claim 1, wherein the protective bracket has an engagement portion which is engageable with a complementary engagement portion of the battery pack, and in a state where the engagement portion is in engagement with the complementary engagement portion and the battery pack is housed in the casing by having been slid, the protective bracket disables the battery pack from being drawn out.

3. The battery-powered working machine of claim 1, wherein the protective bracket has an impact-absorbing portion, and is capable of absorbing impact occurring when the battery-powered working machine is dropped on a ground surface.

4. The battery-powered working machine of claim 3, wherein the impact-absorbing portion is configured to deform or be crushed in a direction away from the battery pack when the battery-powered working machine is dropped on the ground surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing, on an enlarged scale, a rearward portion of a battery-powered brush cutter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of the battery-powered brush cutter.

(3) FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the battery-powered brush cutter.

(4) FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the rearward portion of the battery-powered brush cutter on an enlarged scale.

(5) FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view which shows, on an enlarged scale, casing-side connection terminals and its surroundings, without a battery attached thereto.

(6) FIG. 6 is a partially-cutaway side view showing, on an enlarged scale, the rearward portion of the battery-powered brush cutter with a battery pack connected thereto.

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a battery pack on enlarged scale.

(8) FIGS. 8A-8C show the battery pack, where FIG. 8A is a front view, FIG. 8B is a side view, and FIG. 8C is a bottom view.

(9) FIG. 9 is a partially-cutaway side view showing, on an enlarged scale, the rearward portion of the battery-powered brush cutter with a protective bracket attached thereto.

(10) FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the protective bracket on an enlarged scale.

(11) FIGS. 11A-11C show the protective bracket, FIG. 11A is a plan view, FIG. 11B is a side view, and FIG. 11C is a front view.

(12) FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing, on an enlarged scale, a protective bracket according to a first variation.

(13) FIGS. 13A-13C show the protective bracket of the first variation, where FIG. 13A is a plan view, FIG. 13B is a side view, and FIG. 13C is a front view.

(14) FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing, on an enlarged scale, a protective bracket according to a second variation.

(15) FIGS. 15A-15C show the protective bracket of the second variation, where FIG. 15A is a plan view, FIG. 15B is a side view, and FIG. 15C is a front view.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(16) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(17) FIGS. 2-4 show a battery-powered working machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is configured as a battery-powered brush cutter 1. This battery-powered brush cutter 1 includes a casing 2 housing an electric motor 11. The casing 2 has a stand 3 coupled to a lower portion of the casing 2. The stand 3 may be integral with the casing 2. A battery pack 4 is slid, in a rear-to-front direction, into the stand 3 to be attached in a detachable manner. A rear handle 5 is provided to an end of the casing 2. A rod-shaped operation rod 6 extends from an end of the rear handle 5. A ring-shaped front handle 7 is coupled to a portion of the operation rod 6 which is near the rear handle 5. When a user presses an operation switch 5a provided on the lower surface of the rear handle 5, while holding down a safety switch 5b, the battery pack 4 supplies power to drive the electric motor 11.

(18) A nylon cutter 8 is provided at a tip end of the operation rod 6. The nylon cutter 8 is able to rotate with drive power of the electric motor 11 and to cut weeds and other plants with turning force exerted by a nylon line 9 which extends from the nylon cutter 8. Note that a circular metal blade may be rotatably attached instead of the nylon cutter 8. The nylon cutter 8 has a side facing the casing 2 and covered with a debris shield 10 to prevent small stones or the like from scattering toward the user. A power transmitter (not shown) which is driven by the electric motor 11 and of which a main portion is disposed inside the operation rod 6, and the parts performing cutting work such as the nylon cutter 8 and the nylon line 9 together form a work unit 60.

(19) For example, the casing 2 is made of a glass fiber reinforced plastic of nylon 6 (PA6) having a high strength, and the stand 3 is made of polypropylene resin.

(20) As shown in FIGS. 6-9, the battery pack 4 includes a battery cover 41 made of, for example, polycarbonate resin, and a plurality of batteries 42 housed in the battery cover 41. The battery cover 41 has, on a frontward portion of its upper surface, a plurality of battery-side connection terminals 43. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, the casing 2 has, on its lower surface, a plurality of casing-side connection terminals 21. With this configuration, the battery pack 4 is slid in a rear-to-front direction to be inserted into the stand 3, thereby reliably connecting the battery-side connection terminals 43 to the casing-side connection terminals 21. The battery cover 41 has, on a rearward portion of its upper surface, a locking nail 44 made of, for example, nylon 6. The locking nail 44 is urged by a coil spring 44a and is capable of being depressed. The locking nail 44 is fitted in a locking recess 22 formed in a rearward portion of the lower surface of the casing 2 (see FIG. 6), thereby preventing the battery pack 4 from being detached. The locking nail 44 has a depression recess 44b formed in its rearward portion. When the user presses this depression recess 44b with his/her finger against the coil spring 44a, the battery pack 4 is unlocked from the locking recess 22 of the battery pack 4, and may be drawn out and removed.

(21) The stand 3 provided to the casing 2 may be used to hold the battery-powered brush cutter 1 in a rest position, which enables the user to insert and draw out the battery pack 4 from the rear of the bush cutter 1.

(22) The battery-powered brush cutter 1 further includes a protective bracket 50 which is capable of being secured to the stand 3 of the casing 2, while being in engagement with the battery pack 4. Specifically, this protective bracket 50 is made of, for example, a molding of a resin having suitable stiffness and flexibility, such as polypropylene resin. Note that the protective bracket 50 may be made of metal such as spring steel if the casing-side connection terminals 21 and the battery-side connection terminals 43 have a configuration different from that of this embodiment. The protective bracket 50 fulfils a function of preventing the theft of the battery pack 4, and a function of keeping the casing-side connection terminals 21 and the battery-side connection terminals 43 at a distance from each other to prevent contact between the casing-side and battery-side connection terminals 21 and 43.

(23) As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the protective bracket 50 has an engagement portion 51 which projects downward to be engaged with the battery pack 4. As can be seen in FIG. 9, this engagement portion 51 is engaged with a complementary engagement portion 45 provided to the battery pack 4, which allows the protective bracket 50 to engage with the battery pack 4. This engagement prevents the battery pack 4 from being detached even if the battery pack 4 is pulled in a direction opposite to the direction in which the battery pack 4 is inserted into the stand 3. As shown in the cutaway of FIG. 9, the stand 3 has, in its frontward portion, a through hole 31 functioning as a fastening portion via which the protective bracket 50 is fastened. Corresponding to the through hole 31, the protective bracket 50 has a screw hole 52 into which a screw 12 penetrating the through hole 31 is tightened (see FIG. 9 and FIG. 11C). The fastening portion is not particularly limited to the through hole 31, but may have any structure which allows the protective bracket 50 to be secured with a fastener such as the screw 12. As can be seen from the foregoing, the battery pack 4 being in engagement with the protective bracket 50 is slid to be housed in the stand 3, and while the battery pack 40 and the protective bracket 50 are inside the stand 3, the screw 12 is inserted into the through hole 31 and then tightened into the screw hole 52, thereby securing the protective bracket 50 to the stand 3. As a result, it is now impossible to draw the battery pack 4 out.

(24) The protective bracket 50 includes an impact-absorbing portion 53 and is capable of absorbing impact on the battery pack 4 when the battery-powered brush cutter 1 is dropped on the ground. Specifically, the impact-absorbing portion 53 is comprised of a weak portion of the protective bracket 50. The protective bracket 50 of this embodiment includes a plurality of ribs and sidewalls. These ribs and sidewalls, of which strengths are set appropriately, form the weak portion. For example, part of the ribs or sidewalls may be reduced in thickness, or a notch may be formed in part of ribs.

(25) Next, it will be described how to use the protective bracket 50 of this embodiment.

(26) The protective bracket 50 of this embodiment is used in the case where the battery-powered brush cutter 1 is put on a display rack in an unpacked state, as in hardware stores in North America. The protective bracket 50 may be attached to the brush cutter 1 in the production line in advance, or after unpacking the battery-powered brush cutter 1 at a hardware store or other places. Attaching the protective bracket 50 in the production line may provide an advantage that the protective bracket 50 fulfils its functions also during transportation.

(27) First, the battery-powered brush cutter 1 may be placed on the ground, or a table such that the user can see the stand 3 well.

(28) Next, the battery pack 4, of which the complementary engagement portion 45 has been engaged with the engagement portion 51 of the protective bracket 50, is inserted into the stand 3, with the frontward end of the protective bracket 50 directed inward of the stand 3.

(29) As shown in FIG. 9, in a state where the frontward end of the protective bracket 50 is held in contact with the surrounding portion of the through hole 31 of the stand 3, the screw 12 is tightened into the through hole 31 using, for example, a screwdriver.

(30) Consequently, as shown in FIG. 1, the battery pack 4 is secured having its rearward portion projecting outward further than the rearward portion of the casing 2, and it may be ensured that the protective bracket 50 keeps the casing-side connection terminals 21 from the battery-side connection terminals 43 at a distance from each other, and prevents contact between the casing-side and battery-side connection terminal 21 and 43. Therefore, even if a clerk or a customer at a hardware store presses the operation switch 5a while holding down the safety switch 5b, the electric motor 11 is not actuated.

(31) Further, the inserted battery pack 4 itself has not reached an innermost portion of the stand 3. Therefore, the battery pack 4 is secured not by fitting of the locking nail 44 in the locking recess 22 as shown in FIG. 6, but by being engaged with the protective bracket 50 and firmly secured to the stand 3 with the screw 12. It is therefore substantially impossible to detach the battery pack 4 without using a dedicated tool such as a screwdriver. In addition, it takes time to remove the screw 12 using a screwdriver. Thus, the configuration of this embodiment may reliably prevent the theft of the battery pack 4. If the screw 12 is configured as a special screw, which cannot be turned with screwdrivers for household use, the effect at preventing the theft will be further enhanced.

(32) Further, according to this embodiment, the user can attach and detach the battery pack 4 to and from the battery-powered brush cutter 1 while the brush cutter 1 is held in the rest position by the stand 3. Consequently, the battery pack 4, which has been inserted inward together with the protective bracket 50, may be easily and reliably secured to the stand 3.

(33) Furthermore, the protective bracket 50 of this embodiment has the impact-absorbing portion 53. Even if a hardware store clerk or a customer mistakenly drops the battery-powered brush cutter 1 and the battery pack 4 projecting rearward hits the ground, the weak portion of the protective bracket 50 is supposed to deform or to be crushed, which may prevent damage to the more expensive parts such as the stand 3, the casing 2, and the battery pack 4. If the impact-absorbing portion 53 is damaged, the inexpensive protective bracket 50 can be suitably replaced with a new protective bracket 50 by simply removing the screw 12. In general, the brush cutter 1 on display is hung at its debris shield 10, with the battery pack 4 facing the ground. It is therefore possible that a store clerk or a customer mistakenly drops the brush cutter 1 when putting it on display or reaching for it. The battery pack 4 is at a height of, for example, about 50 cm from the ground for easy viewing by customers. If the battery-powered brush cutter 1 is dropped from this height, the brush cutter 1 is subjected to an impact. However, the impact-absorbing portion 53 is supposed to be damaged, which reduces damage to the other parts.

(34) Therefore, the simple structure of the battery-powered brush cutter 1 of this embodiment may reliably prevent the theft of the battery pack 4 not only when the brush cutter 1 is on display at a hardware store or other places, but also during storage for a long period in, for example, a shed of a user. Further, the configuration of this embodiment may also prevent unintentional actuation as well as damage to the battery-powered brush cutter 1 itself.

(35) First Variation

(36) FIGS. 12 and 13 show a protective bracket 50 according to a first variation of the embodiment of the present invention. This protective bracket 50 includes a weak portion having a different shape from that of the embodiment described above. Note that in the following variations, components that are the same as those shown in FIGS. 1-11 will be denoted by the corresponding reference characters, and detailed description thereof will be omitted herein.

(37) In this variation, the weak portion forming an impact-absorbing portion 53 is comprised of curved sidewalls and is devoid of the plurality of ribs provided in the embodiment described above. This structure makes the impact-absorbing portion 53 apt to be compressed in a direction away from the battery pack 4 when subjected to an impact, and further reduces the stiffness of the protective bracket 50. As a result, the impact-absorbing portion 53 is supposed to deform when the brush cutter 1 hits the ground after having been dropped, thereby effectively preventing damage to the other parts.

(38) Second Variation

(39) FIGS. 14 and 15 show a protective bracket 50 according to a second variation of the embodiment of the present invention. This protective bracket 50 includes a weak portion having a different shape from that of the embodiment described above.

(40) A weak portion forming an impact-absorbing portion 53 of this variation is comprised of sidewalls curved in the form of a bellows. Also in this variation, the impact-absorbing portion 53 is more apt to be compressed in a direction away from the battery pack 4 when subjected to an impact than the impact-absorbing portion of the above embodiment having the plurality of ribs, and the stiffness of the impact-absorbing portion 53 is thus positively reduced. Thus, the protective bracket 50 having the reduced stiffness and the impact-absorbing portion 53 being supposed to deform may effectively prevent damage to the other parts.

(41) (Other Embodiments)

(42) The above-described embodiments of the present invention may be modified as follows.

(43) Specifically, in the embodiments described above, the battery-powered working machine is configured as a battery-powered brush cutter 1 of which the work unit 60 performs the cutting work, as an example. The present invention is also applicable to other battery-powered working machines for various kinds of work, such as a hedge trimmer and a chain saw. In such a case, the work unit 60 may extend from any portion of the casing 2 and the insertion direction of the battery pack 4 is not limited to the direction described above. Further, the configuration is not limited to that of the above embodiment in which the battery pack 4 is inserted into the stand 3, but the battery pack 4 may be inserted into the casing 2 itself. In such a case, a through hole 32 is suitably formed in the casing 2. To enhance the effect of absorbing impact, it is beneficial that the rear end of the battery pack 4 is exposed in a state where the protective bracket 50 is attached.

(44) Note that the embodiments described above are merely preferred examples in nature, and are not intended to limit the scope, application, or uses of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(45) As described above, the present invention is useful for battery-powered working machines such as brush cutters, hedge trimmers, chain saws, and other battery-powered machines.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(46) 1 Battery-powered Brush Cutter (Battery-powered Working Machine) 2 Casing 3 Stand 4 Battery Pack 5 Rear Handle 5a Operation Switch 5b Safety Switch 6 Operation Rod 7 Front Handle 8 Nylon Cutter 9 Nylon Line 10 Debris Shield 11 Electric Motor 12 Screw 21 Casing-side Connection Terminal 22 Locking Recess 31 Through Hole (Fastening Portion) 41 Battery Cover 42 Battery 43 Battery-side Connection Terminal 44 Locking Nail 44a Coil Spring 44b Depression Recess 45 Complementary Engagement Portion 50, 50, 50 Protective Bracket 51 Engagement Portion 52 Screw Hole 53, 53, 53 Impact-absorbing Portion 60 Work Unit