Hand-guided treatment device with operating element and display field

Abstract

A hand-guided treatment device is configured for use in working positions tilted relative to each other by a tilt angle of at least 45° about a device longitudinal axis. The device has a device housing, a handle operating unit with a handle extending with a main direction component parallel to the device longitudinal axis and a finger-operable operating element within finger reach of the handle, and a display field arranged on an outside of the device housing with at least one optical display element. The display field is arranged offset relative to the operating element in a housing circumferential direction about the device longitudinal axis and extends in the housing circumferential direction over a housing edge and/or with a curved or kinked course.

Claims

1. A hand-guided treatment device configured for use in working positions tilted relative to each other by a tilt angle of at least 45° about a device longitudinal axis, comprising: a device housing; a handle operating unit which comprises a handle extending with a main direction component parallel to the device longitudinal axis and a finger-operable operating element within finger reach of the handle; and a display field which comprises at least one optical display element, wherein the display field is arranged on an outside of the device housing and offset relative to the finger-operable operating element, the offset is in a housing-circumferential direction around the device longitudinal axis, and the display field extends in the housing-circumferential direction over a housing edge or with a curved or kinked course.

2. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the handle operating unit has a finger operating surface area in which the operating element is situated, the display field contains a first display surface area and a second display surface area not parallel to the first, and the finger operating surface area and the first display surface area are arranged aligned adjacent to each other and/or next to each other with mutually parallel face planes.

3. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the display field or the finger operating surface area is received outwardly flush or recessed in a receiving region of the device housing.

4. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 3, wherein the device housing forms a closed frame around the display field and the finger operating surface area in the receiving region or partially surrounds these in a partial peripheral region.

5. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 3, further comprising: a receiving body of rubber-elastic material inserted in the receiving region, in which at least one of the operating element or the display field is received and framed.

6. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the operating element has an actuation movement direction with at least one of a direction component in the housing circumferential direction or a direction component perpendicular to the housing circumferential direction and perpendicular to the device longitudinal axis.

7. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 1, wherein at least one optical display element of the display field extends in the housing circumferential direction over the housing edge or with a curved or kinked course.

8. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 1, the display field has at least two optical display elements arranged next to each other in the housing circumferential direction.

9. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the display field has at least two optical display elements arranged next to each other in the device longitudinal direction.

10. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the operating element is configured for switching between a plurality of selectable device operating states, and at least one optical display element of the display field comprises a plurality of display states corresponding to the selectable device operating states.

11. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the device housing has a main housing part and a handle housing part connected to the main housing part, and the display field and the operating element are held on a retaining body which is attached to at least one of the main housing part or the handle housing part and on which a second finger-actuable or hand-actuatable operating element is held.

12. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured as a power saw with a handle arranged on a device top side, and the display field extends on the device top side and on a right display side.

13. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 12, wherein the operating element is a push/tilt button element arranged on the device top side.

14. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured as a power saw with a handle arranged on a device rear side, and the display field extends on a device top side and a left device side.

15. The hand-guided treatment device according to claim 14, wherein the operating element is a push/tilt button element arranged on the left device side.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a top view of a part of interest here of a power saw of the rear handle type,

(2) FIG. 2 shows a perspective, detail view of a handle and display region of the power saw from FIG. 1,

(3) FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of part of a device housing of the power saw from FIG. 1 with retaining body attached thereto for holding a display field and operating elements,

(4) FIG. 4 shows a top view of a display and operating region of the power saw from FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the display and operating region from FIG. 4, separated from other device components,

(6) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2 for a device variant with a modified design of display field and operating element,

(7) FIG. 7 shows a perspective side view of a power saw of the top handle type,

(8) FIG. 8 shows a perspective detail view of a region VIII from FIG. 7,

(9) FIG. 9 shows a perspective top view of a display and operating unit used in the saw in FIG. 7, with the operating element omitted, and

(10) FIG. 10 shows an exploded illustration of the display and operating unit of FIG. 9 with operating element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(11) The figures show a hand-guided treatment device in embodiments as a power saw 13 of the rear handle type or a power saw 15 of the top handle type, wherein in this and other embodiments, the treatment device is configured for use in working positions tilted relative to each other by a tilt angle α of at least 45° about a device longitudinal axis L. In particular, in active saw operation, the power saws 13, 15 may be used in a normal working position with the saw chain 19 lying in a vertical plane and in a working position tilted by 90° clockwise about the device longitudinal axis L, and in all intermediate working positions.

(12) The treatment device shown as an example in these implementations contains a device housing 1, a handle operating unit 2, and a display field 6 arranged on an outside 5 of the device housing 1 with at least one optical display element. In particular, in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5, the display field 6 comprises seven optical display elements 7.sub.1 to 7.sub.7, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 6, five display elements 7.sub.8 to 7.sub.12, and in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 10, three display elements 7.sub.13 to 7.sub.15.

(13) The handle operating unit 2 comprises a handle 3 extending with a main direction component parallel to the device longitudinal axis L, i.e. the handle 3 as a whole extends parallel to the device longitudinal axis L or in any case has a direction component along the device longitudinal axis L which is greater than a direction component perpendicular to the device longitudinal axis L. Furthermore, the handle operating unit 2 contains a finger-operable operating element 4 within finger reach of the handle 3, i.e. the operating element 4 can be operated or actuated by the user with a finger of the hand with which he grips the handle 3.

(14) Corresponding to the respective saw type, in the power saws 15 of FIGS. 1 to 6, the handle 3 is arranged on a device rear side 15a, while in the power saw 13 of FIGS. 7 to 10, the handle 3 is arranged on a device top side 13a. In addition, the power saws 13, 15 have an auxiliary handle 21 extending on the left side in an arc from the top side to the underside, which makes it easier for the user to hold the power saw 13, 15 when using it in the working positions twisted about the device longitudinal axis L.

(15) As evident for example from FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 8, the display field 6 is arranged offset relative to the operating element 4 in a housing circumferential direction U about the device longitudinal axis L, and extends in the housing circumferential direction U over a housing edge 8 and/or with a curved or kinked course. The housing circumferential direction U lies in a plane perpendicular to the device longitudinal axis L.

(16) In advantageous embodiments, as in the examples shown, the handle operating unit 2 comprises a finger operating surface area 9 in which the operating element 4 is situated, and the display field 6 contains a first display surface area 6a and a second display surface area 6b not parallel to the first. The finger operating surface area 9 and the first display surface area 6a are arranged aligned adjacent to each other. In addition or alternatively, they are arranged next to each other with mutually parallel face planes; both is realized in the examples shown.

(17) In particular, in the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 6, the first display surface area 6a and the operating element 4 are situated on a left device side 15c of the power saw 15, while the second display surface area 6b extends on a device top side 15b. In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 5, the first and second display surface areas 6a, 6b adjoin each other or transform into each other at a tilt or arc angle of between around 60° and 90°. In the variant of FIG. 6, the first display field 6a and the second display field 6b adjoin each other at a tilt angle of around 30° to 60°. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5, the finger operating surface area 9 adjoins the first display surface area 6a with parallel faces; in the variant of FIG. 6, the finger operating surface area 9 is aligned with and adjoins the first display surface area 6a with a further tilt angle of e.g. between 30° and 60°.

(18) In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 10, the first display field 6a and the operating element 4 are situated on the device top side 13a of the power saw 13, while the second display field 6b extends on a right device side 13b. In the example shown, the kink angle between the first and second display fields 6a, 6b is around 90°.

(19) In corresponding embodiments, only the display field 6 or only the finger operating surface area 9, or, as in the examples shown, both components, are received in a receiving region 10 of the device housing 1 flush on the outside as in the examples shown, or recessed.

(20) In corresponding embodiments, the device housing 1 surrounds the display field 6 and finger operating surface area 9 as a closed frame in the receiving region 10, as in the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 6, or partially in a part peripheral region, as in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 10.

(21) In advantageous embodiments, as in the examples shown of the power saws 13, 15, the treatment device has a receiving body 17 inserted in the receiving region 10 and made of a rubber-elastic material. In the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 6, the operating element 4 and the display field 6 are received and framed in the receiving body 17; in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 10, only the operating element 4 is received and framed, or, in embodiments not shown, only the display field 6. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 10, the display field 6 adjoins the rubber-elastic receiving body 17. The rubber-elastic receiving body 17 may provide a desired gap seal at the edge of the operating element 4 and/or the display field 6. Depending on implementation, in addition or alternatively it may absorb impact effects on the display field 6 and/or on the finger operating surface area 9.

(22) In corresponding embodiments, the operating element 4 has an actuation movement direction with a direction component in the housing circumferential direction U, and/or with a direction component perpendicular to the housing circumferential direction U and perpendicular to the device longitudinal axis L. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5, the operating element 4 is a push/tilt button element 16 arranged on the left device side 15c, which the user may press e.g. with the thumb of his hand gripping the handle 3, either in a direction B from obliquely above or in a direction B′ from obliquely below, whereby the operating element 4 is tilted or rotated by a predefinable, preferably relatively slight actuation movement about a tilt axis or rotation axis (not shown). This tilt/rotation actuation movement in this case has both a direction component in the housing circumferential direction U and a direction component radially inward, i.e. perpendicularly to the housing circumferential direction U and perpendicularly to the device longitudinal axis L.

(23) In the embodiment variant of FIG. 6, the operating element 4 is a push/tilt button element 16′ in the manner of a rocker switch arranged on the left device side 15c, i.e. this push/tilt button element 16′ can be actuated by the user again in the direction B from obliquely above downward and radially inward, from its blocking tilt position shown in FIG. 6 into a second tilt position, from where it can then be moved back by a corresponding pressing actuation on its other rocker end face into the switch position shown in FIG. 6.

(24) In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 10, the operating element 4 is a push/tilt button element 14 arranged on the device top side 13a, which can be tilted or rotated by a predefined, preferably relatively slight movement about a tilt/rotation axis 18 shown in FIG. 10.

(25) In corresponding embodiments of the treatment device, at least one optical display element of the display field 6 extends over the housing edge 8 in the housing circumferential direction U, and/or with a curved or kinked course. Thus for example, in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5, the display elements 7.sub.1 and 7.sub.5 extend in this fashion over the housing edge 8 with a kinked course. The five other display elements 7.sub.2 to 7.sub.4, 7.sub.6 and 7.sub.7 are situated in the display field 6 on the device top side 15b. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 6, the display elements 7.sub.8 and 7.sub.9 extend in this fashion over the housing edge 8 with kinked course, while the three other display elements 7.sub.10, 7.sub.11 and 7.sub.12 extend only on the device top side 15b, i.e. in the second display surface area 6b. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 10, all three display elements 7.sub.13, 7.sub.14, 7.sub.15 extend over the housing edge 8 in a course which is bent or kinked through around 90° in the housing circumferential direction U, in both the first display surface area 6a on the device top side 13a and also in the second display surface area 6b on the right device side 13b.

(26) As an alternative to such an over-edge course of a display element, it may be provided to operate two display elements in synchrony, one of which is situated in the first display surface area 6a and the other in the second display surface area 6b.

(27) In corresponding embodiments, the display field 6 contains at least two optical display elements arranged next to each other in the housing circumferential direction U, and/or at least two optical display elements arranged next to each other in the housing longitudinal direction L. Thus in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5, the display elements 7.sub.5, 7.sub.6, 7.sub.7 are arranged successively in the housing circumferential direction U, as are the display element 7.sub.1 and a respective one of the display elements 7.sub.2, 7.sub.3 and 7.sub.4. Also, in this example, the display elements 7.sub.1 and 7.sub.5 are arranged next to each other in the device longitudinal direction L, as are the display elements 7.sub.2 to 7.sub.4 and display element 7.sub.6 or display element 7.sub.7. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 6, inter alia, the display elements 7.sub.9, 7.sub.11 and 7.sub.12 are arranged next to each other in the housing circumferential direction U, and display elements 7.sub.10, 7.sub.8 and a respective one of the display elements 7.sub.11 and 7.sub.12 are arranged next to each other in the device longitudinal direction L. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 10, the three display elements 7.sub.13 to 7.sub.15 are arranged next to each other in the device longitudinal direction L.

(28) In corresponding embodiments, the operating element 4 is configured to switch between several selectable device operating states. For example, in the embodiments shown, the operating element 4 may be configured as a device activation switch by means of which the device can be switched from a fully deactivated operating state into a temporary activation state. During this period, via one or more further operating elements, the device may be set in active operation, e.g. by starting a drive motor which sets the saw chain 19 of the power saw 13, 15 in rotation.

(29) At least one optical display element of the display field 6 has display states corresponding to the selectable device operating states. Thus FIG. 6 shows the display element 7.sub.8 in an active display illuminated state which in this exemplary embodiment indicates the aforementioned temporary activation state. Similarly, this device state may be indicated in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 5 e.g. by illumination of the display element 7.sub.1, and in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 10 by illumination of the display element 7.sub.13, which means that this display information appears both on the first display surface area 6a and on the second display surface area 6b.

(30) In corresponding embodiments, as in the examples shown, the device housing 1 comprises a main housing part 1a and a handle housing part 1b connected to the main housing part 1a, and the display field 6 and operating element 4 are held on a retaining body 11 which is attached to the main housing part 1a and/or to the handle housing part 1b, and on which a second finger- or hand-actuatable operating element 12 is held.

(31) In the exemplary embodiments shown, the second operating element 12 functions as a throttle lever or power regulator for the drive motor of the saw chain 19, as known in itself in power saws of this type. Furthermore, in these power saws 13, 15, also in a fashion known in itself, a third hand-actuatable operating element 20 is provided which is configured as a so-called blocking lever, wherein in the examples shown this third operating element 20 is also preferably held so as to be pivotable on the retaining body 11.

(32) As the exemplary embodiments shown and explained above clearly illustrate, the invention provides a hand-guided treatment device in which, in highly advantageous fashion, a finger-operable operating element is provided within finger reach of the handle to be gripped by a user's hand, and a display field which is arranged offset to the operating element in a housing circumferential direction about a device longitudinal axis and extends in the housing circumferential direction over a housing edge and/or with a curved or kinked course.

(33) In this way, one or more items of display information may be optically displayed on the display field such that they are clearly visible to the user in different working positions tilted by a tilt angle about the device longitudinal axis. The treatment device may for example be a power saw or another gardening or forestry treatment device, or a handheld power tool used in the construction and DIY sectors.

(34) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.