Abstract:
A hedgetrimmer having a housing, a motor located within the housing for driving a reciprocating blade for cutting vegetation. A front handle located at a front end of the housing and a rear handle located at a rear end of the housing. The rear handle having a trigger to actuate the motor, the rear handle being rotatable around a longitudinal axis of the housing. The rear handle is lockable at one of several positions so that a user can grip the two handles in the most comfortable position for the desired cutting operation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to hedgetrimmers, and in particular hedgetrimmers having a rotatable rear handle to provide a user with easy and comfortable gripping positions while using the device in a variety of positions and orientations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Hedgetrimmers are used to cut a variety of bushes, hedges and other outdoor vegetation. The cutting operation requires the user to move the hedgetrimmer around a typical bush at various angles. Current hedgetrimmers have fixed handle positions so that the user must bend or twist his arms and/or body to orient the hedgtrimmer properly for the desired cut. For instance, a user cutting the top of a bush would orient his hands and/or body in one particular way, and orient them in another way if cutting the front or bottom of the bush. These different positions can be uncomfortable and even dangerous if the user&#39;s grip is weakened by the shifting gripping position. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a hedgetrimmer whose handle can move to accommodate the various orientations as the user cuts around a bush. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A hedgetrimmer having a housing, a motor located within the housing for driving a reciprocating blade for cutting vegetation. A front handle located at a front portion of the housing and a rear handle located at a rear portion of the housing. The rear handle having a trigger to actuate the motor, and being rotatable around a longitudinal axis of the housing. The rear handle is lockable at one of several positions so that a user can grip the two handles in the most comfortable position for the desired cutting operation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       Further features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following description, which is given by way of example and in association with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an exemplary hedgetrimmer with the rear handle in a first position in accordance with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the hedgetrimmer of  FIG. 1  with the rear handle rotated into a second position; 
         FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of the rear handle and motor housing; 
         FIG. 4  is a side perspective view showing the interior of the rear handle; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the rear handle. 
         FIG. 6  is a top perspective view showing the interior of the rear handle 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary hedgetrimmer constructed in accordance with the present teachings is shown as reference numeral  10 . The hedgetrimmer  10  has a housing  12  with a motor  30  therein (shown in  FIG. 3 ). The motor  30  is connected to and drives the reciprocating cutting blade  18 . A front handle  14  is connected to a front portion of the housing. The blade  18  extends from a front end of the housing, and a blade guard  16  is connected to the housing just forward of the front handle to shield a user&#39;s hand. The front handle  14  can be fixed or allowed to pivot forward and backward. 
       FIG. 1  shows a rear handle  20  rotatably connected to a rear portion of the housing  12  in a first position. The rear handle  20  has a gripping member  22  aligned in the same direction as the longitudinal axis  24  of the housing. A trigger  26  for actuating the motor is located underneath the gripping member so that a user can actuate the motor while maintaining his grip. A trigger lock  25  ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ) is located on the gripping member  22  to lock the trigger in either the “on” or “off” position. In the “on” position, the trigger lock  25  spares the user from having to constantly depress the trigger, thus avoiding user fatigue. An example of a trigger lock is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,610,946 and incorporated herein by reference. A power cord  28  is connected to the rear handle  20  and supplies electrical power to the motor via a switch  27  (see  FIG. 3 ). Although the hedgetrimmer is shown with an electrical cord, it should be appreciated that any power source, such as gas or battery, could be utilized and fall within the scope of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows the hedgetrimmer of  FIG. 1 , in a top view, with the rear handle  20  in a second position. The rear handle  20  has been rotated 90° to the left so that it is no longer aligned with the front handle  14 . With the rear handle  20  rotated in this manner, the blade  18  is oriented vertically so a front surface of a bush or other vegetation can be cut. Compare this with  FIG. 1  where the blade is oriented horizontally, making it easier to cut the top surface or a bush or other vegetation. 
       FIG. 3  is a cut-away side view of the housing  12  and the rear handle  20 . The housing  12  forms a cavity for holding the motor  30 , with a rearward end forming a circular hub  32 . The hub  32  is formed with a central opening through which wiring  29  is pulled through to connect the switch  27  and electrical power cord  28  to the motor  30 . The hub  32  is spaced from the housing  12  to form a groove  34 . 
     The rear handle  20  is formed by two clamshell halves, a forward end of which form a ring  36  that is secured to the housing via the groove  34 . A friction plate  38  is located within the groove  34  to provide resistance between the rear handle and the hub, ensuring a moderate amount of force is required to turn the rear handle  20  and provides greater control for the user. 
     The rear handle locking mechanism will now be described.  FIGS. 4 and 5  show the hub  32  having cut-outs  33  at different locations around its circumference. The cut-outs  33  cooperate with a locking lever  40  in the rear handle  20  so that it can be locked at predetermined angles relative to the housing. It is envisioned that the hub  32  have cut-outs at the 0°, 45° and 90° angles (in both directions), but it should be appreciated that any number of cut-outs at any angle could be chosen. Additionally, the hub could have no cut-outs at all and the rear handle could be completely “free-floating.” 
       FIGS. 3-5  show the locking lever  40  secured inside the rear handle via a dowel pin  42  adjacent the hub  32 . The locking lever pivots into and out of the cut-outs  33  to lock and unlock the rear handle  20 . A sliding release button  44 , having a body  45  and a shoulder  46 , is located within an opening  43  of the rear handle. The shoulder  46  of the release button  44  has a cammed channel  47  (see  FIG. 5 ) in which the locking lever  40  sits. As the release button  44  is pushed in either direction, the locking lever  40  rides along the cammed surface of the channel  47  to pivot out of the cut-out  33 , thereby unlocking the rear handle  20 . In this way, a user can push the release button from either side to unlock the rear handle, accommodating both right and left handed users. A spring  41  is connected to the locking lever  40  to bias the locking lever back into the locked position. 
     A slot  48  is formed in the body  45  of the release button  44 . Two plates  50  are located in the slot with a spring  52  in between (see  FIG. 6 ). The outer sides of the plates  50  are held by a bracket  51  (only one bracket is shown in  FIG. 6 ). When the release button  44  is pushed from either side the bracket  51  holds the contacting plate  50  in place, while the other plate and the spring are compressed. When the release button is released, the spring  52  urges the plate and release button back to its neutral position. The user must keep the release button  44  depressed to rotate the rear handle  20 . If the release button  44  is released, the springs  52  and  41  urge the locking lever  40  back into its locked position within one of the cut-outs  33 . 
     The position of the locking mechanism adjacent the rear handle  22  and the trigger  26  allows the user to rotate the rear handle while maintaining his grip and keeping the trigger depressed. Furthermore, because the release button  44  can be accessed from either side of the power tool, this accommodates both right and left handed users. 
     While the disclosure has been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings with reference to a particular embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined in the claims. Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment illustrated by the drawings and described in the specification as the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include any embodiments falling within the foregoing description and the appended claims.