Hand-held power tool

A hand-held power tool has a tool holder for holding a tool, an electric motor for driving the tool holder, and a handle for holding and guiding the hand-held power tool. A button has a button housing, a pin that can be moved on an actuation axis, and an electric slider which is connected to the pin and which slides on an electric slider track. The button housing is suspended in the handle in such a way that the button housing can be pivoted about a pivot axis perpendicular to the actuation axis.

This application claims the priority of International Application No. PCT/EP2016/066520, filed Jul. 12, 2016, and European Patent Document No. 15177216.7, filed Jul. 17, 2015, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hand-held power tool with a button for switching an electric motor on and off.

The hand-held power tool according to the invention has a tool holder for holding a tool, an electric motor for driving the tool holder and a handle for holding and guiding the hand-held power tool. A button has a button housing, a pin that can be moved on an actuation axis and an electric slider, which is connected to the pin, and which can be moved on an electric slider track along the actuation axis. The button housing is suspended in the handle in such a way that the button housing can be pivoted about a pivot axis perpendicular to the actuation axis. The pin closes with the button housing in a dust-tight manner in order to prevent dust entering the button housing. The dust-tight closure is not very mechanically resilient. The button housing can advantageously align in a pivoting manner such that no transverse forces act on the pin and the stresses of the dust-tight closure are reduced.

One configuration envisages a button cover which is fastened with a pivot joint on the handle, an axis of rotation of the pivot joint being parallel and offset to the actuation axis.

The following description explains the invention based on exemplary embodiments and figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Identical or functionally-identical elements are indicated with the same reference numerals in the figures, unless otherwise stated.

FIG. 1shows a drilling tool1as an example of a hand-held power tool. The drilling tool1has a tool holder2in order to hold a tool3such as a drill, a screwdriver bit, etc. An electric motor4is coupled to the tool holder2via a drive rod5in order to drive the tool holder. The user can switch the electric motor4on and off via a button6. The button6is arranged on a handle7which allows the user to hold and guide the drilling tool1during its operation. A power supply of the electric motor4can be provided by a mains-supplied power source or a battery pack9fastened on a tool housing8of the drilling tool1.

The button6has a button housing10. There is a movable electric slider11inside the button housing10, the slider contacts two electric slider tracks12with one another as a function of its position. The electric slider11can for example contact only one of the slider tracks12in a base position, in a pressed-down position of the button6, the slider11connects the slider tracks12. The slider tracks are for example connected in a current path13or signal path. The electric motor4is supplied with power when the slider tracks12are connected to one another. Alternatively, a motor controller scans an electric connection of the slider tracks12and actuates the electric motor in correspondence therewith. The slider tracks12can be designed as resistance tracks. The position of the slider11and thus the depth by which the button6is actuated produces a clear resistance value, which the motor controller determines in order to adjust the rotational speed of the electric motor4as a function of the depth. The structure with the two slider tracks12serves for illustration purposes, other embodiments may comprise only one or even more than two slider tracks12which are contacted by one slider11or a plurality of sliders.

A pin14projects partially from the button housing10. The pin14is arranged on the actuation axis15and is coaxially movably guided to the actuation axis. The actuation axis15is preferably parallel to the slider tracks12. For example, the button housing10comprises a sleeve16that is coaxial to the actuation axis15, in which the pin14slides along the actuation axis15. The pin14can be pushed from a base position into the button housing10along the actuation axis15. The pin14is preferably prestressed by a spring17into the base position. The slider11is arranged on the pin14and can thus be actuated by means of the pin14from outside of the button housing10.

A sealing element18covers the pin14in order to reduce or prevent dust entering the button housing10. The sealing element18can be arranged on the outside of the button housing10or on the inside of the button housing10as illustrated. Alternatively, the sealing element can also be arranged inside the sleeve16to guide the pin14. The sealing element18has a central opening, through which the pin14is guided. A cross-section of the opening has roughly the same diameter as the pin14. The sealing element18can be an O-ring or a bellows.

The button6is suspended in the handle7in such a way that the button housing can be pivoted about a pivot axis19. The exemplary button housing10comprises two opposing cylindrical burls20. The burls20are located in corresponding indentations21of the handle7. The pivot axis19defined by the burls20is perpendicular on the actuation axis15. The pivot axis19and the actuation axis15are preferably located in one plane, i.e., the pivot axis19intersects the actuation axis15. The pin14of the button6projects from the handle7, i.e., the actuation axis15is perpendicular or largely perpendicular to the gripping axis22of the handle7. One or a plurality of stops23are preferably provided in the handle7which delimit the pivot angle of the button6. The maximum pivot angle of the button6about the pivot axis19is preferably between 0.5 degrees and 5 degrees.

A button cover24covers the pin14. The button cover24can be fastened on the handle7with a pivot joint25. The pivot joint25is offset along the gripping axis22to the pin14, i.e., to the actuation axis15. The button cover24abuts on the pin14. The user grasps the handle7and the button cover24with their hand and pivots the button cover24in the direction of the handle7by closing their hand, whereby the pin14is pushed into the button housing10. The button cover24can be connected to the pin14by a stud26. The stud26is preferably parallel to the pivot axis19.

An alternative button cover27is rigidly placed on the pin14inFIG. 3. The button cover27is movable parallel to the actuation axis15.

The drilling tool1is one example to illustrate the button6, other hand-held power tools are electric screwdrivers, circular saws, jigsaws, angle grinders, electric chisels, etc.