POWER TOOL HAVING AIR COOLING AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING A USER OF A POWER TOOL FROM DUST

Abstract

A power tool having air cooling for the components of the power tool. Here, the power tool includes exhaust openings for discharging the consumed air to the environment of the power tool. A method for protecting a user of a power tool from dust is also provided. The invention is associated with the essential advantage that air flows that exist as a result of the air cooling inside the power tool are exploited in order to blow the dust that accrues during operation of the power tool in a spatial direction “away from the user”. In a particularly preferred configuration, the air blown out can form an air curtain as a dust shield, which protects the user effectively from dust in that the air curtain keeps the dust away from the user and their airways.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A power tool having air cooling for the components of the power tool, the power tool comprising: exhaust openings for discharging consumed air to the environment of the power tool, the exhaust openings are configured such that dust arising during operation of the power tool is blown away from a user of the power tool.

13. The power tool as recited in claim 12 wherein the consumed air discharged through the exhaust openings forms an air curtain for protecting the user from dust.

14. The power tool as recited in claim 12 wherein the exhaust openings are variable in terms of position, design or direction, in order to blow the dust arising during operation of the power tool away from the user of the power tool.

15. The power tool as recited in claim 12 wherein the exhaust openings are variable in terms of position, design or direction, in order to form, from the consumed air of the air cooling, an air curtain for protecting the user from dust.

16. The power tool as recited in claim 12 wherein the exhaust openings are arranged in a region of a first handle of the power tool.

17. The power tool as recited in claim 12 wherein the consumed air is blown into a region of a tool of the power tool.

18. The power tool as recited in claim 12 wherein the exhaust openings include nozzles.

19. The power tool as recited in claim 18 wherein the nozzles are configured in a movable manner.

20. The power tool as recited in claim 12 further comprising and adjuster in order to set a flow rate or a volumetric flow within the consumed air discharged through the exhaust openings.

21. A method for protecting a user of a power tool from dust, the method comprising the following steps: a) providing a power tool as recited in claim 12; b) operating the power tool, the dust being created by the operation, c) operating the air cooling of the power tool, with the result that an air flow is created within the power tool, d) blowing the air consumed by the air cooling through the exhaust openings such that the dust arising during operation of the power tool is blown away from the user of the power tool.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the consumed air discharged through the exhaust openings forms an air curtain for protecting the user from dust.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of the figures. The figures, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them to form useful further combinations.

[0021] In the figures, identical and similar components are denoted by the same reference signs. In the figures:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a preferred configuration of the invention

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a further preferred configuration of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a preferred configuration of the proposed power tool (1), which is being used by a user (5). FIG. 1 illustrates in particular how the user (5) machines a substrate with an angle grinder. The tool of the power tool (1) can be seen here, this being a cut-off disk in the exemplary embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 1, of the invention. The power tool (1) is subdivided into a front region and a rear region by a first handle. In the rear region of the power tool (1), a second handle can be arranged, which is preferably referred to as the rear handle of the power tool (1). When working with the power tool (1), the user (5) usually stands behind the power tool (1), i.e. in the spatial region that can be associated with the rear region of the power tool (1). This region can be referred to for short as the “rear region of the power tool (1)”.

[0025] When working with the power tool (1), dust (4) arises. This is the case in particular when abrasive substrates, for example concrete, are machined with the power tool (1). The dust (4) is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 as a dust cloud; however, it can be distributed in any way in space. The power tool (1) has air cooling (not illustrated, arranged inside the power tool), wherein the power tool (1) discharges the air (3) consumed by the air cooling into the environment via exhaust openings (2). According to the invention, the term “consumed” means preferably that the air (3) has been guided through the power tool (1) in order to protect the components of the power tool (1) from possible overheating. The exhaust openings (2) can have various configurations. For example, they can be configured in a nozzle-like or movable manner. They are designed in particular to discharge the consumed air (3) into the environment such that the dust (4) that arises when working with the power tool (1) is blown away from the user (5) of the power tool (1). Since the user (5) usually stands behind the power tool (1) when working with it, the consumed air (3) is blown away from the power tool (1) preferably in a “forward” spatial direction. The consumed air (3) forms preferably an air flow that flows away from the power tool (1) into the environment of the power tool (1). The direction of flow of the consumed air (3) is illustrated in FIG. 1 by the arrows with the reference sign 3. The air flow formed by the consumed air (3) preferably entrains the dust (4) that arises when working with the power tool (1), such that it is transported away from the user (5) of the power tool (1). The position of the dust (4) blown away in this way is indicated in FIG. 1 by the dust cloud (4). The multiplicity of arrows 3 indicate that the power tool (1) has a plurality of exhaust openings (2). These can be arranged preferably in the region of the first handle of the power tool (1) and be oriented such that the consumed air (3), as indicated in FIG. 1, is blown away from the power tool (1) and the user (5). In particular, the arrows 3 define a “forward” spatial direction, while the user (5) defines a “rear” or “rearward” spatial direction with respect to the power tool (1).

[0026] The power tool (1) and the exhaust openings (2) can preferably also be designed so as to discharge the consumed air (3) out of the power tool (1) such than an air curtain (6) is formed from the consumed air. This air curtain (6) can be formed in a two-dimensional manner and form for example a plane. The plane defined by the air curtain (6) can be configured for example such that the first handle of the power tool (1) lies in this plane. Preferably, the air curtain (6) marks a boundary between a front region of the environment of the power tool (1), in which the dust (4) can propagate, and a rear region of the environment of the power tool (1). According to the invention, it is preferred that the user (5) of the power tool (1) is located in the rear region of the environment of the power tool (1), since the dust (4) of the power tool (1) is deliberately not blown into this region. Furthermore, the rear region of the environment of the power tool (1) is protected from the penetration of dust (4) by the air curtain (6). According to the invention, it is particularly preferred that the consumed air (3) is blown into a region of a tool of the power tool (1). The tool of the power tool (1) can be for example the cutting or cut-off disk of an angle grinder. This is associated with the advantage that the user (5) of the power tool (1), in particular while operating the power tool (1), is usually not located in the region of the tool of the power tool (1), since this may represent a hazardous region. Since the dust (4) is blown into a spatial region in which the user (5) is not located in practice while working with the power tool (1), the user (5) can be protected particularly effectively from the dust (4) and the adverse health effects associated with the dust (4). Preferably, the air flow formed by the consumed air (3) is fashioned by the configuration and number, arrangement and orientation of the exhaust openings (2) and blown in the desired direction. To this end, the power tool (1) can have suitable adjusting means (illustrated solely schematically in FIG. 1 as 2″ with a schematically shown nozzle 2′).

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a further preferred configuration of the proposed power tool (1). In the exemplary embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 2, of the power tool (1), the exhaust openings (2) are configured such that the air curtain (6) formed by the consumed air (3) of the power tool (1) is created at a different angle with respect to a surface to be machined. The air curtain (6) can for example be substantially perpendicular to the surface to be machined. In this case, the angle enclosed between the air curtain (6) and surface is about 90 degrees. However, the air curtain can also—as illustrated in FIG. 2—be inclined further forward. In this connection, the term “further forward” means that the air curtain (6) is inclined away from the user (5) of the power tool (1). The angle enclosed between the air curtain (6) and surface is then preferably less than 90 degrees. For example, such an inclination angle can be in a range from 20 to 90 degrees, preferably 30 to 60 degrees and particularly preferably between 35 and 45 degrees or between 70 and 80 degrees. Preferably, the air curtain (6) can adopt any inclination angle between 20 and 90 degrees.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0028] 1 Power tool [0029] 2 Exhaust openings [0030] 3 Consumed air [0031] 4 Dust [0032] 5 User [0033] 6 Air curtain