ANGLE GRINDER

Abstract

An angle grinder (200), which includes a gear neck (210) for connecting a dust hood (100, 100) equipped with a flange (90), the angle grinder (200) including a sensor unit (20), with the aid of which it is possible to detect which type of dust hood (100, 100) is connected to the angle grinder (200), the angle grinder (200) also including rotational direction control electronics (230), which are connected by signals to the sensor unit (20) in such a way that the rotational direction (GGD, GLD) of a cutting wheel (220) of the angle grinder (200) is predefined as a function of the dust hood type detected by the sensor unit (20).

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. An angle grinder comprising: a gear neck for connecting a dust hood equipped with a flange; a sensor unit, a type of dust hood connected to the angle grinder capable of being detected with aid of the sensor unit, rotational direction control electronics connected by signals to the sensor unit in such a way that a rotational direction of a cutting wheel of the angle grinder is predefined as a function of the dust hood type detected by the sensor unit.

12. The angle grinder as recited in claim 11 wherein the sensor unit aids in detecting whether the dust hood is connected to the angle grinder, the rotational direction control electronics also being configured to prevent a rotation of the cutting wheel if no dust hood is connected to the angle grinder.

13. The angle grinder as recited in claim 11 wherein the sensor unit is situated on a surface of the angle grinder.

14. The angle grinder as recited in claim 11 wherein the sensor unit is situated on a surface of the angle grinder at the gear neck.

15. The angle grinder as recited in claim 11 wherein the sensor unit is situated on a handle end face of the angle grinder.

16. The angle grinder as recited in claim 11 wherein the sensor unit has a hood contact aiding detection of whether the dust hood is connected to the angle grinder.

17. The angle grinder as recited in claim 11 wherein the sensor unit has a hood contact aiding reading out of a coding of the dust hood connected to the angle grinder.

18. The angle grinder as recited in claim 11 wherein the coding is a mechanical coding.

19. The angle grinder as recited in claim 16 wherein the hood contact is in a form of a switch, a pushbutton, a magnetic contact or a light barrier.

20. The angle grinder as recited in claim 17 wherein the hood contact is in a form of a switch, a pushbutton, a magnetic contact or a light barrier.

21. A system comprising: the angle grinder as recited in claim 11, and two dust hoods of different types, the type being defined in each case by a coding readable by the sensor unit of the angle grinder.

22. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the coding is a mechanical coding.

23. A method for operating an angle grinder including a gear neck for connecting a dust hood equipped with a flange, the method including the steps of: detecting a type of dust hood connected to the angle grinder with the aid of a sensor unit encompassed by the angle grinder; and controlling a rotational direction of the cutting wheel of the angle grinder as a function of the state detected by the sensor unit.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the detecting step includes a reading out of a mechanical coding of the dust hood connected to the angle grinder.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In the figures, identical and equivalent components are provided with identical reference numerals.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows one preferred exemplary embodiment of an angle grinder according to the present invention;

[0035] FIG. 2 shows one preferred exemplary embodiment of a system, which includes an angle grinder and two dust hoods of different types;

[0036] FIG. 3 shows another exemplary embodiment of an angle grinder according to the present invention;

[0037] FIG. 4 shows another preferred exemplary embodiment of an angle grinder according to the present invention; and

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a method according to the present invention for operating an angle grinder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] One preferred exemplary embodiment of an angle grinder 200 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. A dust hood 100 is connected to angle grinder 200 for the purpose of covering a circular cutting wheel 220 on both sides, at least in sections. Dust hood 100 includes a suction nozzle or connection 40, via which abraded substrate material may be extracted from hood body 10. Suction nozzle 40 includes a flap 45. A suction hose to be inserted into suction nozzle 40 is not illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0040] Angle grinder 200 includes a sensor unit 20, which is situated on a surface OF of angle grinder 200. Angle grinder 200 also includes rotational direction control electronics 230, which are connected by signals to sensor unit 20 via signal line 80. Rotational direction control electronics 230 are configured to predefine the rotational direction of cutting wheel 220 as a function of sensor signal SL originating from sensor unit 20.

[0041] Sensor unit 20 includes a hood type contact 27 in the form of a pushbutton, with the aid of which a mechanical coding 110 of dust hood 100 may be read out. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, mechanical coding 110 is implemented by an oblique plane, which is formed on hood body 10 of dust hood 100.

[0042] Rotational direction control electronics 230 are configured to effectuate a counterdirectional rotational direction GGD of the cutting wheel when the pushbutton (hood type contact 27) is actuated. This corresponds to a dry cutting operation including dust extraction.

[0043] However, if a dust hood including a rinsing connection (cf. FIG. 2: dust hood 100), for example, were to be connected to the angle grinder instead of dust hood 100 including a suction nozzle 40, a codirectional rotational direction GLD would be predefined by rotational direction control electronics 230, which would mean a wet cutting operation without dust extraction.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows a system 600, which includes an angle grinder 200 and two dust hoods 100, 100 of different types. A dust hood 100 including a suction nozzle 40 is apparent in the upper area of FIG. 2. A suction hose 400 is insertable into suction nozzle 40, via which abraded substrate material UG may be extracted from dust hood 100. A first mechanical coding 110 in the form of a single elevation is formed on hood body 10 of dust hood 100.

[0045] Another dust hood type is illustrated at the lower right-hand side in FIG. 2, namely a dust hood 100 including a rinsing connection 50. A rinsing hose 500 is connectable to rinsing connection 50. Dust hood 100 includes a second mechanical coding 110 in the form of a double elevation.

[0046] On the left-hand side of FIG. 2, angle grinder 200 is illustrated including a gear neck 210, to which dust hood 100 including suction nozzle 40 and dust hood 110 including rinsing connection 50 are each connectable via their flange 90.

[0047] In the present exemplary embodiment, the angle grinder includes a sensor unit 20, which has a hood contact 25 and a hood type contact 27. For example, hood contact 25 and hood type contact 27 are supposed to be present in a functionally integrated manner in the form of an ON/OFF/ON toggle switch.

[0048] Angle grinder 200 includes rotational direction control electronics 230, which are connected to sensor unit 20 via a signal line 80. Rotational direction control electronics 230 are configured to predefine the rotational direction of cutting wheel 220 (cf. FIG. 1) as a function of the dust hood type detected by sensor unit 20.

[0049] Rotational direction control electronics 230 are also configured to prevent a rotation of the cutting wheel (cf. FIG. 1) ifas illustrated in FIG. 2neither of dust hoods 100, 100 is connected to angle grinder 200.

[0050] Sensor unit 20, which includes the aforementioned ON/OFF/ON toggle switch, is pushed into a first ON position upon connecting dust hood 110 including rinsing connection 50, and is pressed into the second ON position upon connecting dust hood 100 including suction nozzle 40. If neither of the two dust hoods 100, 100 is connected to angle grinder 200, the toggle switch, which is not illustrated in greater detail here, is in the middle position, which prevents a rotation of cutting wheel 220 upon activating angle grinder 200. This is effectuated by correspondingly configured rotational direction control electronics 230.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows another preferred exemplary embodiment of an angle grinder 200 according to the present invention. Angle grinder 200 includes a sensor unit 20 on a handle end face GF, which, in the presently illustrated exemplary embodiment, has only one hood type contact 27 in the form of a magnetic contact.

[0052] Dust hood 100 including suction nozzle 40, which is shown above angle grinder 200, includes a magnet introduced into the hood body as coding 110.

[0053] If dust hood 100 is connected to angle grinder 200, hood type contact 27 in the form of a magnetic switch is actuated, e.g. electrically closed, by coding 110 in the form of a magnet. The electrical closing of the magnetic switch is evaluated by rotational direction control electronics 230 in the form of a sensor signal.

[0054] In the present exemplary embodiment, rotational direction control electronics 230 are configured to drive cutting wheel 220 (cf. FIG. 1) in counterdirectional rotational direction GGD when dust hood 100 is attached, i.e. when the magnetic contact is closed.

[0055] Finally, FIG. 4 shows another preferred exemplary embodiment of an angle grinder 200 according to the present invention. It includes a sensor unit 20 on its surface OF, which, in the presently illustrated exemplary embodiment, is provided by a hood contact 25 and a hood type contact 27, each in the form of a discreet pushbutton.

[0056] Hood contact 25 and hood type contact 27 operate in a functionally integrated manner, which is to be explained in greater detail below. Mechanical coding 110 on dust hood 100 including suction nozzle 40 is configured to actuate the lower of the two pushbuttons. The connection of a dust hood including a rinsing connection, which is not illustrated here, would, in contrast, actuate the upper of the two pushbuttons. In this regard, the two pushbuttons together act as hood type contact 27, the rotational direction of the cutting wheel being predefined on the basis of its switching state.

[0057] At the same time, it is provided that, if both pushbuttons remain unactuated, i.e. if no dust hood 100 is connected to angle grinder 200 as illustrated in FIG. 4, angle grinder 200 remains idle upon activation. In this regard, the pushbuttons, which are not illustrated in greater detail here, also act synergistically as a hood contact 25, with the aid of which it is possible to detect whether a dust hood is connected to the angle grinder.

[0058] Finally, FIG. 5 shows a method according to the present invention for operating an angle grinder, for example angle grinder 200 described with reference to the preceding figures. In a first step S1, a detecting of which type of dust hood is connected to the angle grinder takes place with the aid of a sensor unit encompassed by the angle grinder. In a second step S2, a controlling of a rotational direction of the cutting wheel of the angle grinder takes place as a function of the state detected by the sensor unit.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0059] 10 hood body [0060] 20 sensor unit [0061] 25 hood contact [0062] 27 hood type contact [0063] 40 suction nozzle [0064] 45 flap [0065] 50 rinsing connection [0066] 80 signal line [0067] 90 flange [0068] 100 dust hood including a suction nozzle [0069] 100 dust hood including a rinsing connection [0070] 110 coding on the dust hood including a suction nozzle [0071] 110 coding on the dust hood including a rinsing connection [0072] 200 angle grinder [0073] 210 gear neck [0074] 220 cutting wheel [0075] 230 rotational direction control electronics [0076] 240 interface [0077] 400 suction hose [0078] 500 rinsing hose [0079] 600 system [0080] GF handle end face [0081] GGD counterdirectional rotational direction [0082] GLD codirectional rotational direction [0083] OF surface [0084] SL sensor signal [0085] S1, S2 method steps [0086] UG abraded substrate material