CONNECTOR ARRANGEMENT FOR A GUIDE RAIL ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A connector arrangement for connecting two guide rails of a guide rail assembly for guiding a hand-held power tool, wherein the guide rails extend along longitudinal axes and can be releasably connected to each other by the connector arrangement on mutually opposite end faces, wherein the guide rails have at mutually opposite sides a contact face for the guide rails to rest on a workpiece and a guide face for guiding the hand-held power tool, wherein the guide rails have a longitudinal guide face extending parallel to their respective longitudinal axis for guiding the hand-held power tool parallel to the respective longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal guide face is at an angle to the guide face, wherein the connector arrangement has at least one connector element which has plug-in sections provided for inserting into plug-in receptacles on the opposite end faces of the guide rails on which there are arranged clamping devices for clamping in the relevant plug-in receptable.

Claims

1. A connector arrangement for connecting two guide rails of a guide rail assembly for guiding a hand-held power tool, wherein the guide rails extend along longitudinal axes and can be releasably connected with each other by the connector arrangement on mutually opposite end faces, wherein the guide rails have at mutually opposite sides a contact face for the guide rail to rest on a workpiece and a guide face for guiding the hand-held power tool, wherein the guide rails have a longitudinal guide face extending parallel to their respective longitudinal axis for guiding the hand-held power tool parallel to the respective longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal guide face is at an angle to the guide face, wherein the connector arrangement has at least one connector element which has plug-in sections provided for inserting into plug-in receptacles on the opposite end faces of the guide rails on which there are arranged clamping devices for clamping in the relevant plug-in receptable, and wherein, the clamping devices of the connector arrangement are designed for sequential clamping with at first a parallel clamping force approximately or exactly parallel to the guide face, so that the longitudinal guide faces of the guide rails are in alignment with one another, and subsequently with a vertical clamping force component vertical to the guide face.

2. The connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the clamping devices are designed to clamp with the vertical clamping force component while retaining the alignment of the longitudinal guide faces.

3. The connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connector element has an elongated shape and/or is rod-shaped and/or extends along a longitudinal axis.

4. The connector arrangement according to claim 1, comprising at least one parallel clamping device for clamping exclusively with the parallel clamping force and one vertical clamping device which is separate from the parallel clamping device for clamping exclusively with the vertical clamping force component.

5. The connector arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a connector element that has a plug-in section on each of the mutually opposite longitudinal end regions, wherein the one plug-in section has a parallel clamping device and the other plug-in section has a vertical clamping device.

6. The connector arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a first connector element and a second connector element, on which there are arranged on the plug-in sections of the connector elements either exclusively a parallel clamping device or exclusively a vertical clamping device.

7. The connector arrangement according to claim 6, wherein there are arranged on the plug-in sections of the first connector element exclusively parallel clamping devices of the second connector element exclusively vertical clamping devices.

8. The connector arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the first connector element and the second connector element are circumferentially equally shaped and/or are equally long and/or have the same cross-sections.

9. The connector arrangement according to claim 1, comprising at least one connector element with a plug-in section on which there are arranged a parallel clamping device and a vertical clamping device.

10. The connector arrangement according to claim 1, comprising at least one clamping device, which has a parallel clamping body for clamping in the plug-in receptacle with the parallel clamping force and one vertical clamping body separate from the parallel clamping body for clamping in the plug-in receptacle with the vertical clamping force component.

11. The connector arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the vertical clamping body forms an operation element for the parallel clamping body, wherein the vertical clamping body can be moved from a release operation position into a parallel clamping operation position, wherein in the release operation position the vertical clamping body adopts a vertical release position and the parallel clamping body a parallel release position, wherein the vertical release position and the parallel release position are provided and designed for moving the connector element with respect to the plug-in receptacle, and in the parallel clamping operation position the parallel clamping body adopts a parallel clamping position provided for and suitable for supporting the plug-in section with the parallel clamping force in the plug-in receptacle and the vertical clamping body adopts a vertical release position, and wherein the vertical clamping body can be operated from the parallel clamping operation position into a vertical clamping operation position, in which the vertical clamping body adopts a vertical clamping position provided for and suitable for supporting the plug-in section with the vertical clamping force component in the plug-in receptacle.

12. The connector arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the vertical clamping body is designed as a screw, wherein a longitudinal end region of the screw protrudes further in front of the connector element in the vertical clamping position than in the vertical release position and/or the screw has a conical outer circumference and/or the screw is received in a conical screw receptacle.

13. The connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connector element has a connector body with a parallel clamping section, which is integral or firmly connected to the connector body and can be moved by an operation element between a parallel clamping position provided for and suitable for supporting the plug-in section with the parallel clamping force in the plug-in receptacle and a parallel release position, which is provided and designed for moving the connector element with respect to the plug-in receptacle.

14. The connector arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the parallel clamping section at its longitudinal end regions is integral or firmly connected to the connector body and/or is designed as a type of clasp and/or is arranged on one longitudinal side of the connector element parallel to one longitudinal extent of the connector element.

15. The connector arrangement according to claim 13, wherein, on at least one longitudinal end region of the parallel clamping section which is integral or firmly connected to the connector body, a movement gap is arranged, which facilitates a deflection of the parallel clamping section in the parallel clamping position.

16. The connector arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the operation element is arranged between the connector body and the parallel clamping section and/or comprises a screw.

17. Connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connector element has longitudinal side faces at a right angle to each other, which extend parallel to a longitudinal extent of the connector element and/or parallel to an insertion axis, along which the at least connector element can be inserted into the respective plug-in receptacle of a guide rail of the guide rail assembly.

18. The connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connector element has parallel clamping faces for clamping with the parallel clamping force onto parallel supporting surfaces of the plug-in receptacle, into which the connector body is inserted, wherein the parallel clamping faces are arranged vertical to the guide face and/or parallel to the longitudinal guide face, when the at least one connector element is inserted in the plug-in receptacle of a respective guide rail.

19. The connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the vertical clamping force component is vertical to the guide face and/or vertical to the parallel clamping force and/or wherein the clamping devices of the connector arrangement are arranged and/or provided after the alignment of the longitudinal guide faces of the guide rails with each other for clamping the guide rails exclusively with a vertical clamping force at an approximate or full right angle to the guide face and/or the parallel clamping force.

20. A guide rail assembly with a connector arrangement according to claim 1 and two guide rails, which can be connected to each other by the connector arrangement, wherein the guide rails each have on their end faces at least one plug-in receptacle for accommodating the at least one connector element.

21. The guide rail assembly according to claim 20, wherein the plug-in receptacle of at least one guide rail of the guide rail assembly has a side wall, which is provided for supporting the connector element with respect to the parallel clamping force approximately or exactly parallel to the guide face and where, on the side which is averted from the plug-in receptacle, the longitudinal guide face of the guide rail is provided.

22. The guide rail assembly according to claim 20, wherein insertion axes of the plug-in receptacles extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the respective guide rail.

23. The guide rail assembly according to claim 20, wherein at least two of the guide rails each have at their end faces two plug-in receptacles for accommodating a connector element each.

24. The guide rail assembly according to claim 23, wherein the one plug-in receptacle is provided and arranged for clamping with the parallel clamping force approximately or exactly parallel to the guide face and the other plug-in receptacle is provided and arranged for clamping with the vertical clamping force component vertically to the guide face.

25. The guide rail assembly according to claim 20, wherein the plug-in receptacles of one guide rail are open to faces, which are opposite each other averted from the end faces or at an angle to the end faces, and/or the one plug-in receptacle is open to the guide face and the other plug-in receptacle is open to the contact face.

26. The guide rail assembly according to claim 20, comprising at least one guide rail with a plug-in receptacle, into which at least two plug-in sections can be inserted by connector elements of the connector arrangement.

Description

[0128] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawing, of which:

[0129] FIG. 1 shows a perspective oblique view from above of a longitudinal end of a guide rail with a connector arrangement,

[0130] FIG. 2 shows the longitudinal end of the guide rail according to FIG. 1 in a perspective view at an angle from above, the guide rail being connected to a further guide rail by means of the connector arrangement,

[0131] FIG. 3 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 2, but at an angle from below,

[0132] FIG. 4 shows the connected guide rails according to FIGS. 1 to 3 with a hand-held power tool guided thereon,

[0133] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the connected guide rails according to FIG. 4,

[0134] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of the connected guide rails according to FIG. 5, approximately along a line A-A,

[0135] FIG. 7 shows the detail D1 from FIG. 6,

[0136] FIG. 8 shows a further cross-section of the connected guide rails according to FIG. 5, approximately along a line B-B and corresponding to the section of the detail D1,

[0137] FIG. 9 shows a further cross-section of the connected guide rails according to FIG. 5, approximately along a line C-C and corresponding to the section of the detail D1,

[0138] FIG. 10 shows a view from above of a first connector element of the connector arrangement with parallel clamping devices,

[0139] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the connector element according to FIG. 10,

[0140] FIG. 12 shows a view from above of a second connector element of the connector arrangement with vertical clamping devices,

[0141] FIG. 13 shows a perspective oblique view of the connector element according to FIG. 12,

[0142] FIG. 14 shows a carrying device in the form of a transport container and a guide rail in a not yet connected state in a perspective oblique view,

[0143] FIG. 15 shows the view according to FIG. 14, the guide rail being located on the transport container,

[0144] FIG. 16 shows a sectional view of an upper part of the transport container and the guide rail, approximately along a line D-D of FIG. 15,

[0145] FIG. 17 shows a person carrying a guide rail without a carrying device,

[0146] FIG. 18 shows the person according to FIG. 17, wherein the person however carries the guide rail with the carrying device according to FIGS. 15 and 16,

[0147] FIG. 19 shows a variant of a carrying handle with a latching contour in a view approximately corresponding to a detail D3 in FIG. 16,

[0148] FIG. 20A shows the detail D4 from FIG. 19, the latching contour being in latching position,

[0149] FIG. 20B shows the view according to FIG. 20A, but with the latching contour in a release position,

[0150] FIG. 21 shows a view from above of a central section of a first variant of a guide rail according to FIG. 14,

[0151] FIG. 22 shows a view from above of a central section of a second variant of a guide rail according to FIG. 14,

[0152] FIG. 23 shows a view from above of a central section of a third variant of a guide rail,

[0153] FIG. 24 shows a view from above of a central section of a fourth variant of a guide rail according to FIG. 14,

[0154] FIG. 25 shows an upper part of a transport container with a hook element not yet mounted thereon,

[0155] FIG. 26 shows a detailed view of the transport container according to FIG. 25 with mounted hook element,

[0156] FIG. 27 shows the transport container according to FIGS. 25, 26 with a guide rail held at the hook elements of the transport container,

[0157] FIG. 28 shows a partial section through the arrangement according to FIG. 27, approximately along a line D-D, wherein the guide rail is still re-moved from the transport container in the left part of the illustration and attached to the transport container in the right part of the illustration.

[0158] A guide rail assembly 20 is used to guide a hand-held power tool 11 on a workpiece not shown in the drawing. The hand-held power tool 11 is a sawing machine, for example, but can easily be a milling machine or a similar machine suitable for machining a workpiece as well. A drilling machine, in particular a drilling machine for drilling holes in a row adjacent to one another, can also optimally be used by means of the guide rail assembly 20. The hand-held power tool 11 in any case has a tool 12, for example a saw blade, which is held at a tool holder which can be driven by a drive motor 13A, in particular an electric drive motor. The drive motor 13A is accommodated in a housing 13 of the hand-held power tool 11, for example.

[0159] The hand-held power tool 11 furthermore has a guide plate 14, which could be described as a guide device in more general terms and which is suitable for guiding the hand-held power tool 11 on a subsurface and preferably for guiding the guide rail assembly 20 as well.

[0160] The guide rail assembly 20 has a first guide rail 21 and a second guide rail 22, with further guide rails readily possible as well. The two guide rails 21 and 22 and any further guide rails, if provided, can easily be lined up and firmly connected to one another by means of the connector arrangement 60 to be described in detail, thus forming a continuous long overall guide rail which can be used with the hand-held power tool 11 in one go, as it were.

[0161] On the guide rails 21, 22 there is located a guide projection 40, which can be brought into engagement with a guide receptacle 15 of the guide plate 14 in order to guide the hand-held power tool 11 for making a straight saw cut into a workpiece W. The hand-held power tool 11 can be guided along the guide rails 21, 22 or the guide rail assembly 20 along a working direction AR.

[0162] The guide projections 40 of the guide rails 21 and 22 are in alignment when connected to each other by the connector arrangement 60.

[0163] The guide rails 21 and 22 have substantially identical or similar components, which are explained below and provided with the same reference numbers.

[0164] The guide rails 21, 22 can be placed on a subsurface, for example the workpiece W, with their undersides or contact faces 24 and have a guide face 23 provided for guiding the hand-held power tool 11 on the side or top side opposite the contact face 24. The guide projection 40 protrudes in front of the guide face 23 for engagement with the guide receptacle 15 of the hand-held power tool 11.

[0165] The guide rails 21, 22 have an elongated shape and extend along longitudinal axes L1 and L2. The longitudinal axes L1 and L2 are in alignment with each other when the guide rails 21 and 22 are connected to each other by means of the connector arrangement 60. Also in alignment with the longitudinal axes L1 and L2 are parallel longitudinal sides 25 of the guide rails 21 and 22, past which the tool 12 or saw blade is guided when the hand-held power tool 11 is guided along the guide rail assembly 20. Even if it does not matter, longitudinal sides 24 of the guide rails 21 and 22 opposite the longitudinal sides 25 are in alignment when the guide rails 21 and 22 are connected to each other by means of the connector arrangement 60.

[0166] The guide rails 21 and 22 have end faces 27 and 28 transverse to the longitudinal axes L1 and L2, the end face 27 forming an end face in the front in the working direction AR and the end face 28 forming an end face at the rear in the working direction AR.

[0167] A guide rail 21 in the front in the working direction AR can be connected by its rear end face 28 to the end face 27 of a guide rail 22 at the rear in the working direction by means of the connector arrangement 60.

[0168] On the longitudinal side 25 of a respective guide rail 21, 22, a lip 29 is located, which serves as a tear-out protection and is cut to a suitable size by the tool 12 at the first use of the guide rail 21 or 22.

[0169] The guide rails 21, 22 have rail bodies 30, which are designed as extruded profiles, for example.

[0170] On the underside or contact face 24 of the guide rail 21, 22, one or more contact strips 39 can be provided. On the top side or guide face 23 of the guide rail 21, 22, sliding strips 38 can be provided, along which the hand-held power tool 11 can slide.

[0171] At the guide projection 40, the longitudinal guide face 31 is provided for the longitudinal guidance of the hand-held power tool 11 along the longitudinal axes L1 and L2 in the working direction AR.

[0172] The guide projection 40 is designed in the manner of a rib. Parallel to the guide projection there extends an auxiliaries receptacle 50 designed as a groove. Auxiliaries suitable for machining workpieces, components suitable for fastening the guide rail 21, 22 to a ground or the like can be accommodated in the auxiliaries receptacle 50.

[0173] The auxiliaries receptacle 50 and the guide projection 40 provide plug-in receptacles 55, 45 for connector elements 61, 62 of the connector arrangement 60, into which the connector elements 61, 62 can be inserted.

[0174] The connector element 61 and the associated plug-in receptacles 45 are provided for aligning the guide rails 21, 22 parallel to the guide face 23. The connector element 61 can also be described as a parallel connector element 61.

[0175] The connector element 62 forms a vertical connector element as it were. The connector element 62 is used to align the guide rails 21, 22 transversely to the guide faces 23.

[0176] That said, it is still clear in the following description that the connector element 61 is also designed to align the guide rails 21, 22 vertically to the guide face 23.

[0177] The guide projection 40 has side walls 41, 42 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis L1 or L2, which project at an angle from a base wall 43. The base wall 43 could also be described as a cover wall, because it actually extends into the operative position of a respective guide rail 21, 22 parallel to the guide face 23 and above the guide face 23. The description base wall 43 however conveys that the base wall 43 forms, as it were, the base of a groove, the side walls of which are the side walls 41 and 42. From the side walls 41, 42 limbs 44 protrude inwards in the direction of the plug-in receptacle 45, so that the plug-in receptacle 45 is bounded by the side walls 41, 42, the limbs 44 and the base wall 43.

[0178] The auxiliaries receptacle 50 is likewise designed as a groove, which has side walls 51, 52 which project from a base wall 53 of the auxiliaries receptacle 50. Opposite the base wall 53 limbs 54 protrude from the side walls 51 and 52 in the direction of the plug-in receptacle 45, so that this is bounded by the side walls 51, 52, the base wall 53 and the limbs 54.

[0179] The side wall 41 has on its side facing the guide face 23 a side face 46, which provides the longitudinal guide face 31. It is therefore important that the longitudinal guide faces 31 of the connected guide rails 21 and 22 are in exact alignment, so that the hand-held power tool 11 can be guided in a straight line and in particular at a transition from the longitudinal guide face 31 of the guide rail 22 to the longitudinal guide face 31 of the other guide rail 21 of the guide rail assembly 20 there is no off-set or step.

[0180] To realise such an exact alignment of the guide rails 21, 22, the measures explained in detail below are provided with the connector arrangement 60.

[0181] The connector elements 61, 62 have connector bodies 70, 70B, which are rod-shaped or have an elongated shape. The connector bodies 70, 70B have longitudinal sides 71, 72, on which are arranged the side faces 46, 47 or 56, 57 of the plug-in receptacles 44, 45. Such a top side 43 of a connector body 70, 70B is located opposite the base wall 43 or 53, whereas an underside 74 of the connector body 70 is assigned to the limbs 44 or 45. Therefore a cross-section of a respective connector body 70, 70B is formed almost identical to the cross-section of the respective plug-in receptacle 45 or 55, in which the connector body 70, 70B is inserted.

[0182] Here it must be mentioned that it is a preferred embodiment of the invention that the plug-in receptacles of the guide rails have identical plug-in cross-sections for both connector elements 61 and 62.

[0183] It is however readily possible, although not shown in the drawing, that the connector element 61 and the assigned plug-in receptacle 45 for example have a different cross-section than the connector element 62 and the assigned plug-in receptacle 55.

[0184] To connect the guide rails 21 and 22, the connector elements 61, 62 are inserted with their plug-in sections 65 in the mutually opposite plug-in receptacles 45 and 55 of the guide rails 21, 22, so that longitudinal ends 75 of the connector body 70, parallel to the longitudinal axes L1 and L2, engage particularly deep in the plug-in receptacles 45 and 55, and a longitudinal centre 66 of a respective connector element 61, 62 or a connector body 70 is approximately in the join region of the mutually opposite end faces 27 and 28 of the guide rails 21 and 22. In this way, the plug-in sections 65 penetrate almost just as deep in the assigned plug-in receptacles 45 or 55 of the guide rails.

[0185] At the connector element 61, namely its plug-in sections 65, parallel clamping devices 63 are provided for clamping the guide rails 21 and 22 which are to be connected in the plug-in receptacles 45 with a parallel clamping force PF.

[0186] One longitudinal side face 76 of the longitudinal side 71 of the connector element 61 is in contact with one side face 46 of the plug-in receptacle 45. The longitudinal side face 76 and side face 46 are used to align the guide rails 21, 22 in parallel. The side face 46 forms a parallel supporting surface 46K and the longitudinal side face 76 forms a parallel clamping face 76K. The clamping faces 46K and 76K lie in a planar fashion on each other, when the connector element 61 is clamped in the plug-in receptacle 45.

[0187] On the other longitudinal side 72 of the connector body 70 or connector element 61 a further longitudinal side face 77 is provided, which provides a parallel clamping face 77K and is located opposite a side face 47, which is opposite the side face 46 of the plug-in receptacle 45, which provides a parallel supporting surface 47K.

[0188] An underside face 78 on the underside 74 of the connector body 70 is located opposite a base wall face 78 of the base wall 73, when the plug-in section 65 is inserted in the plug-in receptacle 45.

[0189] The limbs 44 have abutment faces 49 on their sides facing the plug-in receptacle 45, on which the top side 73 of the connector body 70 is supported with sections of its top side face 79.

[0190] On each plug-in section 65 two parallel clamping devices 63 are arranged. Each parallel clamping device 63 comprises a parallel clamping body 80, which through an operation element 82 can be moved from a parallel release position PL into a parallel clamping position PK, in which the parallel clamping body 80 creates a parallel clamping force PK for clamping the plug-in section 65 in the plug-in receptacle 45.

[0191] For this the operation element 62 must be moved from a release operation position LB into a parallel clamping operation position PKB.

[0192] The parallel clamping body 80 is provided integrally by the connector body 70. The parallel clamping body 80 comprises, for example, a parallel clamping section 88 which extends along the longitudinal side 72. A face of the parallel clamping section 88 averted from the connector body 70 extends and aligns with the longitudinal side 72 of the connector body 70.

[0193] To provide the parallel clamping section 88 a slot 94 extends through the connector body 70, between the longitudinal end regions 89 of which the operation element 82 is arranged. The slot 94 has at its longitudinal end regions 89 movement gaps 90 and therefore is wider at the longitudinal end regions 89.

[0194] Longitudinal sections 91 of the slot 94 extend from the movement gaps 90 and pass over in cross-sections 92 of the slot 94, which extend from the longitudinal side 72 to the transverse centre of the connector body 70 in the direction of the longitudinal sections 93 of the slot 94, which are parallel or approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the connector body 70 and which in turn extend to a screw receptacle 86, in which the operation element 82 is received. The operation element 82 is for example designed as a screw 87, which is screwed in or can be screwed into the screw receptacle 86.

[0195] When therefore the operation element 82 in the screw receptacle 86 is moved from the release operation position LB in the direction of the parallel clamping operation position PKB, for example by screwing in the screw receptacle 86, the parallel clamping section 88 is deflected away from the connector body 70 transversely and outwardly, so that it acts on the parallel support surface 47K with the parallel clamping force PF. To create this spreading effect, a screw section 84 of the operation element 82 for example and/or the screw receptacle 86 is conical. As the operation element 82 is screwed further into the screw receptacle 86, the parallel clamping section 88 is spread further from the connector body 70 in the sense of a larger parallel clamping force PF.

[0196] To screw in the operation element 82 an assembly tool M is provided, for example an Allen key, wherein the assembly tool M can be inserted in a worktool receptacle 83 of the operation element 82 or the screw 87. Alternatively, a screwdriver or similar could be provided as an assembly tool M.

[0197] In the same manner, all four parallel clamping devices 63 are moved consecutively into the parallel clamping position PK.

[0198] When the guide rails 21, 22, which are aligned in such a way parallel to the guide face 23, are now connected to each other, a tensioning or clamping takes place vertically to the guide face 23.

[0199] This can be realised for example by screwing the operation element 82 further into the screw receptacle 86. For example, the operation elements 82 form vertical clamping bodies 81, which when screwed further into the screw receptacles 86, abut with the base wall face 48 of a respective plug-in receptacle 45 with their free ends 85. The free ends 85 form vertical clamping faces 85S, which can act on the base wall face 48 and therefore a vertical clamping face 85S with a vertical clamping force component SFK. The operation elements 82 of the parallel clamping devices 63 can therefore be moved from a vertical release position SL (FIG. 8) into a vertical clamping position SK, in which they tension the connector element 61 with the vertical clamping force component SFK in the plug-in receptacle 45.

[0200] As a result, the operation element 82 is moved from the parallel clamping operation position further into a vertical clamping operation position SKB. With this, a distance TS1 between the free ends 85 or the vertical clamping faces 85S and the vertical support surface 48S is eliminated, which is indicated by a non-existent, as it were, distance TS0 in FIG. 9. Therefore, the parallel clamping device 63 also comprises or forms a vertical clamping device 64B.

[0201] The vertical clamping force component SFK is aligned at a right angle to the guide face 23 and/or parallel to the longitudinal guide face 31.

[0202] The vertical clamping force component SFK forms for example a vertical clamping force SF. The vertical clamping force SF therefore comprises only the vertical clamping force component SFK and no clamping force component transverse to the vertical clamping force component SFK.

[0203] Tensioning for example with a vertical clamping force SF2 would also be readily possible. The vertical clamping force SF2 consists of a vertical clamping force component SFK1 vertical to the guide face 23 and a clamping force component SFK2 parallel to the guide face 23. The clamping force components SFK1 and SFK2 are, as it were, force vectors, which together form the vertical clamping force SF 2. The clamping force component SFK2 is clearly smaller than the vertical clamping force component SFK1. As a result, the vertical clamping force SF2 is aligned approximately vertically to the guide face 23 and/or vertical to the parallel clamping force SF.

[0204] The above-mentioned measure is however optional and in particular is preferably implemented when the vertical connector element 82 is previously tensioned or clamped with the plug-in receptacles 55. It is therefore not necessary that the parallel clamping device 63 also comprises or forms a vertical clamping device 64B.

[0205] The connector body 70B of the connector elements 62 is located with its longitudinal sides 71, 72 without parallel clamping force opposite side faces 56, 57 of the plug-in receptacle 55. In contrast, tensioning or clamping takes place with a vertical clamping force component SFK on abutment faces 59, which are provided on the insides of the limbs 54 facing the plug-in receptacle 55. For this, vertical clamping devices 64 are provided, which comprise screws 95 which can be screwed into screw receptacles 96 of the connector body 70B. In contrast to the screws 87 and the screw receptacles 86, the screws 95 and the screw receptacles 96 can be cylindrical. The free end regions 85 of the screws 95 are moved by screwing in the screws 95, which to an extent form vertical clamping bodies 81, to the base wall face 85, which forms a vertical support surface 85S, whereby a distance TS2 is eliminated, and consequently the vertical clamping faces 85S provided at the free ends 85 abut in a clamping position with the vertical support surface 85S, which is indicated by a non-existent, as it were, distance TS0 in FIG. 9.

[0206] We can now imagine that the transport of the elongated and accordingly unwieldy guide rails 21 and 22 is inconvenient for all practical purposes. This is made for example clear in the illustration according to FIG. 17, which shows an operator BE climbing a staircase, the operator BE holding the guide rail 21 under his one arm and carrying a transport container 100 with the other arm.

[0207] Much more convenient for the operator BE is the situation with the arrangement according to FIG. 18, in which the guide rail 22 rests on the transport container 100, as it were, which the operator can grasp at a handle 101 of the transport container 100. The operator thus basically carries the transport container 100, on which the guide rail 22 is fastened.

[0208] The transport container 100 for example comprises a carcass 102 with a base 103 and side walls 104, 105 and 106 projecting from the base 103. The side walls 105 and 106 extend between the side walls 104 and together therewith bound a location space 108, in which the hand-held power tool 11 can be accommodated, for example.

[0209] The location space 108 can be closed by a cover 110. The cover 110 is pivotably mounted at the carcass 102, FIG. 25 showing an open position of the carcass 102. The cover 110 has a cover wall 113 and side walls 114, between which side walls 115 and 116 extend. The side walls 104 and 114 and side walls 105 and 115 and the side walls 106 and 116 are in alignment with one another when the cover 110 closes the carcass 111.

[0210] Swivel bearings not visible in the drawing are arranged between the side walls 105 and 115. The cover 110 is therefore pivotably mounted on the side wall 105.

[0211] At the side wall 116 a latch 117 is located, which can be brought into engagement with a latching contour 107 at the side wall 106 in order to close the transport container 100 reliably. The cover 110 is then firmly joined to the carcass 102.

[0212] A carrying handle 120 is located on the cover wall 113.

[0213] The cover wall 113 has swivel bearings 121, by means of which the carrying handle 120 is mounted for pivoting about a pivot axis S between an inoperative position N pivoted towards the cover wall 113 and an operative position G pivoted away from the cover wall 113. In the operative position G the carrying handle 120 protrudes from the cover wall 113 and can be grasped comfortably by an operator.

[0214] The cover wall 113 has an indentation 118 for the accommodation of the carrying handle 120 in the inoperative position N.

[0215] The carrying handle 120 has bearing sections 122 at its longitudinal ends and thus in the region of the swivel bearings 121. In the region and/or by means of the bearing sections 122, the carrying handle 120 is pivotably mounted on the transport container 100 and/or the cover wall 113.

[0216] Between the bearing sections 122 extends a handle section 123, which can be grasped by the operator BE in the manner of a handhold.

[0217] The handle section 123 preferably has an elongated shape and extends along a longitudinal axis L123.

[0218] The handle section 123 and the bearing sections 122 extend at an angle to one another, for example approximately at a right angle.

[0219] The guide rail 22 has a through-opening 32 for the carrying handle 120. With its inner wall surfaces or insides 33, the through-opening 32 provides form-fitting contours 34, where the carrying handle 120 can be supported with the bearing sections 122.

[0220] Each bearing section 122 has support contours 122F on mutually opposite sides. The support contours 122F are for example represented by flat wall sections or have flat wall sections. The support contours 122F are for example plane surfaces.

[0221] The bearing sections 122 form mating form-fitting contours 124 or have mating form-fitting contours 124. The mating form-fitting contours 124 can be brought into positive engagement with the form-fitting contours 34. The mating form-fitting contours 124 comprise the support contours 122F of the bearing sections 122, for example.

[0222] The carrying handle 120 is furthermore advantageously supported positively at longitudinal ends 35 of the through-opening 32, so that the guide rail 22 is advantageously supported by the carrying handle 120 so as to be non-displaceable with respect to its longitudinal axis L2. The longitudinal end regions or longitudinal ends 35 form form-fitting contours 34 as well.

[0223] The carrying handle 120, in particular the bearing sections 122, has/have support contours 122L on opposite or mutually averted sides with respect to the longitudinal axis L2, which support contours 122L likewise form parts of the mating form-fitting contours 124 and are provided for support at the longitudinal ends 35 of the through-opening 32.

[0224] When the guide rail 22 is inserted through the through-opening 32, there is a reach-through opening 123G between the handle section 123 and the guide rail 22 held at the carrying handle 120. An operator BE can encompass the handle section 123 with his/her hand while reaching through the reach-through opening 123G.

[0225] The contact face 24 or the guide face 23 can be supported on the cover wall 113 or on support faces 119 of the cover wall 113 when the carrying handle 120 is inserted through the through-opening 32.

[0226] In addition the carrying handle 120 is fixed by the form-fitting contours 32 in its oper-ative position G and can therefore no longer pivot into the inoperative position N. Carrying comfort is optimal.

[0227] In the drawing it can be recognised that the through-opening 32 is located approximately in the longitudinal centre with respect to the longitudinal axis L2, so that the guide rail 22 protrudes substantially to the same extent in front of the side walls 104 of the transport container 100.

[0228] The through-opening 32 is furthermore provided at the guide rail 22 approximately in the transverse centre transversely to the longitudinal axis L2.

[0229] The two above-mentioned measures ensure that the through-opening 32 is located approximately in a centre Z of the guide rail 22, thus also in a centre Z of the contact face 24 or the guide face 23 of the guide rail 22. The carrying handle 120 is therefore also in the centre Z when the guide rail 22 is located on the transport container 100.

[0230] For a reliable mutual hold of the form-fitting contours 34, 124 or for securing the carrying handle 120 in the through-opening 32, a latching contour 125 is advantageously provided. The latching contour 125 is for example represented by a resilient section 126 on one of the bearing sections 122. Latching contours 125 can also be provided on opposite sides of the carrying handle 120, for example, e.g. opposite sides of a bearing section 122 (see FIG. 19). Each of the bearing sections 122 can have latching contours of the type of the latching contour 125.

[0231] In FIG. 20A the latching contour 125 protrudes on front of the contact face 24 or the guide face 23 of the guide rail 22, so that the guide rail 22 is held on the cover wall 113. To release it, the latching contour 125 is deflected into a release position, for example by an operation AL (FIG. 20B), i.e. brought out of engagement with the guide rail 22, so that the carrying handle 120 can once again be guided out of the through-opening 32.

[0232] The through-opening 32 is preferably designed as a longitudinal slot. A transverse width of the longitudinal slot or the through-opening 32 transverse to the longitudinal axis L2 is constant along the entire length parallel to the longitudinal axis L2. A length L32 of the through-opening 32 between its longitudinal ends 35 is preferably dimensioned such that it corresponds to an outer distance of the bearing sections 122, i.e. the carrying handle 120 is advantageously held non-displaceably with respect to the longitudinal axis L2 in the through-opening 32 when in engagement therewith.

[0233] It is possible that the length L32 of the through-opening 32 is dimensioned such that the carrying handle 120 can only be displaced or inserted with respect to the through-opening 32 transversely to the longitudinal axis L2 or transversely to the length L32, but cannot be pivoted apart from a play required for pushing the carrying handle through to the through-opening 32, for example a play SP with respect to the longitudinal axis L123 of the carrying handle 120 which is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the through-opening 32 or to the longitudinal axis L2, when the carrying handle 120 protrudes through the through-opening 32.

[0234] Another embodiment can provide that the guide rail 22 is pivotable with respect to the carrying handle 120 for bringing the through-opening 32 into or out of engagement with the carrying handle 120. The length L2 of the through-opening 32 is for example dimensioned such that the play SP forms a pivoting play or is long enough to facilitate a pivoting play. In this case the guide rail 22 can for example be pivoted about a longitudinal end of the carrying handle 120, e.g. about a pivot axis S32, in order to bring the through-opening 32 into and/or out of engagement with the carrying handle 120. Such a pivoting movement is indicated in the drawing by an arrow KP.

[0235] Alternative through-openings are illustrated in FIGS. 21-24.

[0236] In longitudinal end regions of a through-opening 32A of a guide rail 22A, widened sections 35A are provided, for example, to facilitate an insertion of the carrying handle 120. The guide rail 22A otherwise substantially corresponds to the guide rail 22.

[0237] The guide rails 22B, 22C and 22D also largely correspond to the guide rail 22, but have through-openings 32B, 32C and 32D as alternatives to the through-opening 32.

[0238] The through-opening 32B has a central section 36B, which is assigned to the handle section 123 and from which extend sections 37B assigned to the bearing sections 122. The through-opening 32B facilitates the movement of the carrying handle 120 into the inoperative position N.

[0239] A contour of the through-opening 32B therefore corresponds to a lateral contour of the carrying handle 120, so that it can be moved from the operative position G into the through-opening 32B into the inoperative position N. The through-opening 32B thus for example forms an inoperative position receptacle 32N for the carrying handle 120. In the inoperative position N the carrying handle 120 for example protrudes not at all or only a little in front of the guide face 23 or contact face 24averted from the cover wall 113of the guide rail 22. The carrying handle 120 can nevertheless be pivoted out of the through-opening 32B or the inoperative position 32N into the operative position G in order to be able to carry the assembly of transport container 100 and guide rail 22B comfortably.

[0240] In the configuration according to FIG. 23, the guide rail 22C has a through-opening 32C with a central section 36C, through which the handle section 123 can be inserted, and end sections 35C, which extend from the central section 36C parallel to the longitudinal axis L2 and which are narrower than the central section 36C and provided for the form-fitting hold of the bearing sections 122 of the carrying handle 120. Through the wider central section 36C, the operator can grasp the handle section 123 of the carrying handle 120 better. The central section 36C therefore forms a kind of grip recess.

[0241] In the configuration according to FIG. 24, the guide rail 22D has a through-opening 32D having a lateral insertion opening 33C, a central section 36D and an end section 37D. The carrying handle 120 can be guided through the insertion opening 33D, threaded into the through-opening 32D in a manner of speaking, in order to establish in this way a form-fitting connection between the carrying handle 120 or the transport container 100 and the guide rail 22.

[0242] The transport container 100 thus forms a carrying device 200, the cover 110 and the cover wall 113 in particular forming a carrying body 201, from which a carrying handle 120 extends.

[0243] The front side wall 106 can also form a carrying body, however, for example the carrying body 202. Hooks 130 can be provided at the side wall 106.

[0244] The hooks 130 can for example be provided on hook elements 131, which are or can be accommodated in plug-in holders 140 at the transport container 100. The hook elements 131 for example comprise plate bodies 132 having plug-in projections 133 on opposite longitudinal sides. The plug-in projections 133 can be inserted into grooves 144 of the plug-in holders 140, the grooves 144 lying opposite one another. A flat side of the plate body 132 is in contact with a base 143 of the plug-in holder 140. The plug-in holders 140 have plug-in openings 145, through which the hook elements 131 can be inserted.

[0245] Opposite the plug-in openings 145, a support contour 146 is provided for supporting a respective hook element 131 when inserted into the plug-in holder 140. The support contour 146 and the grooves 144 extend at an angle to one another.

[0246] When the cover 110 is closed, it holds the hook elements 131 in the plug-in holders 140. The hook elements 131 are for example supported on the end face of the side wall 116 of the cover 110. The cover 110 thus forms a latch for locking a respective hook element 131 in a plug-in holder 140.

[0247] A respective hook 130 protrudes in front of the plate body 132 and is designed in the manner of a receptacle groove, for example. The hook 130 can engage with a hook contour 150 of a guide rail 21 or 22. Such a hook contour 150 is for example provided by one of the limbs 54 or 44. With the limbs 54 or 44, the guide rail 21 or 22 can be hooked into the hooks 130, wherein the contact face 24 can then be supported in a planar fashion on the front side or side wall 106 of the transport container 100, for example. The guide rail 21 or 22 therefore hangs at the front of the transport container 100, as it were, so that it can be transported comfortably.

[0248] The invention relates therefore in particular to a connector arrangement for connecting two guide rails of a guide rail assembly for guiding a hand-held power tool, wherein the guide rails extend along longitudinal axes and can be releasably connected to each other by the connector arrangement on mutually opposite end faces, wherein the guide rails have at mutually opposite sides a contact face for the guide rails to rest on a workpiece and a guide face, in front of which protrudes a longitudinal guide face extending along the respective longitudinal axis for guiding the hand-held power tool parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the connector arrangement has at least one connector element which has plug-in sections provided for inserting into plug-in receptacles on the opposite end faces of the guide rails on which there are arranged clamping devices for clamping in the relevant plug-in receptable. It is provided that the clamping devices of the connector arrangement are designed for sequential clamping first with a parallel clamping force approximately or exactly parallel to the guide face, so that the longitudinal guide faces of the guide rails are in alignment, and subsequently with a vertical clamping force component vertical to the guide face.