Gardening shears having energy-saving function

A pair of gardening shears include a main cutter, a secondary cutter pivotally connected with the main cutter, a force arm pivotally connected with the main cutter and engaged with the secondary cutter to drive the secondary cutter to pivot relative to the main cutter, and a connecting plate mounted on the secondary cutter and the force arm. Thus, the secondary cutter and the force arm are sandwiched between the main cutter and the connecting plate so that the secondary cutter and the force arm are moved smoothly and stably by limit of the main cutter and the connecting plate so as to facilitate the user performing the pruning action.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gardening cutting tool and, more particularly, to a pair of gardening shears for shearing a plant.

2. Description of the Related Art

A gardening cutting tool, such as a pair of gardening shears, is used to cut or shear a plant, such as the branches of a tree, in an energy-saving manner, thereby facilitating a user operating the gardening cutting tool. A pair of conventional gardening shears in accordance with the prior art shown inFIGS. 11 and 12comprise a metallic plate50, a first elongate member60and a second elongate member70. The metallic plate50has a first end provided with a first cutting portion52, a mediate portion provided with a first pivot member51and a second end53provided with a second pivot member54spaced from the first pivot member51. The first elongate member60is pivotally connected with the first pivot member51of the metallic plate50and has a first end provided with a second cutting portion61that is movable relative to the first cutting portion52of the metallic plate50, a mediate portion provided with a first sector gear portion63and a second end provided with a first extension62. The second elongate member70is pivotally connected with the second pivot member54of the metallic plate50and has a first end provided with a second sector gear portion72meshing with the first sector gear portion63of the first elongate member60and a second end provided with a second extension71.

In operation, the second sector gear portion72of the second elongate member70meshes with the first sector gear portion63of the first elongate member60so that when the second elongate member70is pivoted relative to the first elongate member60, the metallic plate50is driven by the second elongate member70to pivot relative to the first elongate member60, and the first cutting portion52of the metallic plate50is moved relative to the second cutting portion61of the first elongate member60. Thus, the first cutting portion52of the metallic plate50is moved relative to the second cutting portion61of the first elongate member60from the opened position as shown inFIG. 12to the closed position as shown inFIG. 11to perform a cutting or shearing action so as to cut or prune a plant, such as the branches of a tree, and the like.

However, the first elongate member60and the second elongate member70are mounted on one side of the metallic plate50so that when the first elongate member60and the second elongate member70are subjected to a reaction during the cutting process, the reaction is easily concentrated on the meshing portion of the first elongate member60and the second elongate member70, thereby interrupting operation of the first elongate member60and the second elongate member70, and thereby wasting the user's time and energy.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a main cutter, a secondary cutter pivotally connected with the main cutter, a force arm pivotally connected with the main cutter and engaged with the secondary cutter to drive the secondary cutter to pivot relative to the main cutter, and a connecting plate mounted on the secondary cutter and the force arm so that the secondary cutter and the force arm are sandwiched between the main cutter and the connecting plate.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a pair of gardening shears having an energy-saving function.

According to the primary objective of the present invention, the secondary cutter and the force arm are sandwiched between the main cutter and the connecting plate so that the secondary cutter and the force arm are moved smoothly and stably by limit of the main cutter and the connecting plate to facilitate the user performing the pruning action.

According to another objective of the present invention, the secondary cutter and the force arm are connected by the connecting plate so that when the main cutter and the secondary cutter perform the cutting action, the reaction applied on the main cutter and the secondary cutter is distributed by the force arm evenly to prevent from incurring a stress concentration on the main cutter and the secondary cutter so as to facilitate operation and movement of the main cutter and the secondary cutter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially toFIGS. 1-3, a pair of gardening shears in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprise a main cutter10, a secondary cutter20pivotally connected with the main cutter10, a force arm30pivotally connected with the main cutter10and engaged with the secondary cutter20to drive the secondary cutter20to pivot relative to the main cutter10, and a connecting plate40mounted on the secondary cutter20and the force arm30so that the secondary cutter20and the force arm30are sandwiched between the main cutter10and the connecting plate40.

The main cutter10has a first end provided with a first handle11and a second end provided with a first cutting portion14. Preferably, the first cutting portion14of the main cutter10is a blade or an anvil. The main cutter10has a mediate portion provided with a first pivot hole12and a first pivot bore13. The first pivot bore13of the main cutter10is located beneath the first pivot hole12of the main cutter10.

The secondary cutter20is a sheet plate abutting the main cutter10. The secondary cutter20has a middle portion provided with a second pivot hole21which is pivotally connected with the first pivot hole12of the main cutter10by a first pivot bolt43and a first fastening nut44. The secondary cutter20has a first end provided with an elongate extension22and a second end provided with a second cutting portion25which faces the first cutting portion14of the main cutter10. Preferably, the second cutting portion25of the secondary cutter20is a blade or an anvil. The extension22of the secondary cutter20has a bent distal end provided with a driven gear portion23. The driven gear portion23of the secondary cutter20is perpendicular to the extension22of the secondary cutter20. The first end of the secondary cutter20has a side provided with a receiving space24which is defined between the second pivot hole21, the extension22and the driven gear portion23of the secondary cutter20. The receiving space24of the secondary cutter20has a substantially U-shaped profile to form a substantially U-shaped opening.

The force arm30is a sheet plate abutting the main cutter10and juxtaposed to the secondary cutter20. The force arm30has a first end provided with a second handle33which faces the first handle11of the main cutter10and a second end provided with a second pivot bore31which is pivotally connected with the first pivot bore13of the main cutter10by a second pivot bolt45and a second fastening nut46. The second end of the force arm30has a side provided with a drive gear portion32meshing with the driven gear portion23of the secondary cutter20so that the secondary cutter20is driven by the force arm30to pivot relative to the main cutter10when the force arm30is pivoted relative to the main cutter10. The drive gear portion32of the force arm30is located under the second pivot bore31of the force arm30and is movable in the receiving space24of the secondary cutter20.

The connecting plate40is a substantially oblong sheet plate abutting the secondary cutter20and the force arm30so that the secondary cutter20and the force arm30are connected by the connecting plate40. The connecting plate40has a first end provided with a first through hole42which is mounted on the first pivot bolt43and a second end provided with a second through hole41which is mounted on the second pivot bolt45. The first end of the connecting plate40abuts the secondary cutter20, and the second end of the connecting plate40abuts the force arm30.

The first pivot bolt43in turn extends through the first through hole42of the connecting plate40, the second pivot hole21of the secondary cutter20and the first pivot hole12of the main cutter10, and the first fastening nut44is screwed onto the first pivot bolt43. Thus, the secondary cutter20is pivotable about the first pivot bolt43.

The second pivot bolt45in turn extends through the second through hole41of the connecting plate40, the second pivot bore31of the force arm30and the first pivot bore13of the main cutter10, and the second fastening nut46is screwed onto the second pivot bolt45. Thus, the force arm30is pivotable about the second pivot bolt45.

In operation, referring toFIGS. 3-7with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, the drive gear portion32of the force arm30meshes with the driven gear portion23of the secondary cutter20so that when the force arm30is pivoted relative to the main cutter10, the secondary cutter20is driven by the force arm30to pivot relative to the main cutter10. At this time, the secondary cutter20is pivoted about the first pivot bolt43, and the force arm30is pivoted about the second pivot bolt45.

In such a manner, when the force arm30is pivoted outward relative to the main cutter10, the secondary cutter20is driven by the force arm30to pivot outward relative to the main cutter10and to move from the closed position as shown inFIGS. 1 and 3to the opened position as shown inFIGS. 4-7, so that the second cutting portion25of the secondary cutter20is moved outward relative to the first cutting portion14of the main cutter10.

On the contrary, when the force arm30is pivoted toward the main cutter10, the secondary cutter20is driven by the force arm30to pivot toward the main cutter10and to move from the opened position as shown inFIGS. 4-7to the closed position as shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, so that the second cutting portion25of the secondary cutter20is moved toward the first cutting portion14of the main cutter10to perform a cutting or shearing action so as to cut or prune a plant and the like.

As shown inFIG. 1, the first cutting portion14of the main cutter10is an anvil, and the second cutting portion25of the secondary cutter20is a blade.

As shown inFIG. 8, the first cutting portion14of the main cutter10and the second cutting portion25of the secondary cutter20have different shapes and types.

As shown inFIG. 9, the first cutting portion14of the main cutter10is a blade, and the second cutting portion25of the secondary cutter20is also a blade.

As shown inFIG. 10, the first cutting portion14of the main cutter10and the second cutting portion25of the secondary cutter20have different shapes and types.

Accordingly, the secondary cutter20and the force arm30are sandwiched between the main cutter10and the connecting plate40so that the secondary cutter20and the force arm30are moved smoothly and stably by limit of the main cutter10and the connecting plate40to facilitate the user performing the pruning action. In addition, the secondary cutter20and the force arm30are connected by the connecting plate40so that when the main cutter10and the secondary cutter20perform the cutting action, the reaction applied on the main cutter10and the secondary cutter20is distributed by the force arm30evenly to prevent from incurring a stress concentration on the main cutter10and the secondary cutter20so as to facilitate operation and movement of the main cutter10and the secondary cutter20.