Patent ID: 6018937
Filing Date: 2000-02-01
Classification: H01R,H02J

Abstract:
A lawn maintenance apparatus comprising:(a) a housing;(b) an electric motor for driving an operating member mounted on said housing;(c) at least one battery mounted on said housing, for supplying electric power to said electric motor;(d) rotatable, key-operated, switch electrically connected between said at least one battery and said motor for rotatably switching between a first state in which electric power is supplied from said at least one battery to said electric motor and a second state in which electric power is not supplied from said at least one battery to said electric motor;(e) a key member for insertion into and removal from said rotatable switch only when said rotatable switch is in the second state, for switching said rotatable switch; and(f) a connector for connecting an external power source for charging said at least one battery;wherein said key member comprises a key body having one end for insertion into said rotatable switch and an operating portion at the other end of said key body extending laterally from said key body and wherein said connector is positioned to the side of said rotatable switch at a location where said connector is covered by the operating portion of said key member when the position of said key member in said rotatable switch corresponds to the first state, whereby the connection of said connector with the external power source is blocked by said operating portion.