Patent ID: 12201060

BEST WAY TO ACTUATE THE INVENTION

With particular reference to such figures,10indicates overall a work equipment, of the electrically powered type, typically a portable work tool, e.g. of the type of those that are commonly used to perform gardening jobs.

In the example illustrated, the work equipment10is a brushcutter, i.e. an equipment that is carried in the arms of a user and typically used for cutting grass or hedges.

However, it is not excluded that the aspects of the present description can be applied to other work equipment such as, for example, hedge trimmers or the like.

The work equipment10comprises a work apparatus, indicated overall by W, which is placed at a first end of a support pole20, in particular the lower end during the step of using the work equipment10.

As illustrated inFIG.1, the work apparatus W essentially comprises a motor having a drive shaft, and a tool30kinematically connected to the drive shaft, so as to be able to be activated in movement by the motor itself.

The motor25is an electric motor, e.g. a direct current electric motor, which generally comprises a rotor coaxially and solidly fixed to the drive shaft and a stator that surrounds the rotor.

The stator can comprise permanent magnets adapted to generate a fixed magnetic field, whereas the rotor can comprise electrical windings adapted to be crossed by current, so as to generate an induced magnetic field which, by interacting with the fixed magnetic field of the stator, causes the rotation of the rotor, and with it of the drive shaft50, about an axis of rotation thereof.

The motor25is globally contained inside a support casing indicated overall with35.

The support casing35may be made of two or more shells, e.g. two shells, each of which can be made of plastic material, e.g. through an injection moulding process, and which are mutually joined together, e.g. through screws.

Said support casing35is rigidly fixed to the support pole20, i.e. it is fixed to the support pole20without any residual degrees of freedom, at said lower end thereof that is in use.

For example, the support casing35has a mouth through which the aforementioned end of the support pole20is inserted, substantially to measure, so as to project into the support casing35itself.

In this way, any oscillations of the support pole20with respect to the support casing45are prevented.

The support casing35is then rigidly fixed to the support pole20, so as to prevent the extraction of the support pole20itself through the mouth, by means of fixing members, e.g. threaded members.

The tool30is positioned outside the support casing35, e.g. below the motor25, and can be kinematically connected to the drive shaft so as to be placed in rotation about an axis of rotation which is preferably parallel to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft.

For example, the tool30may be a cutting tool30and may comprise a central body that bears a plurality of flexible cutting filaments (not illustrated as known in themselves), which project radially from the central body towards the outside.

For example, the tool30can be kinematically connected to the drive shaft through a transmission, indicated overall by40, which can define a different transmission ratio from 1 between the drive shaft and the tool30.

For example, the transmission40can be adapted to define a speed reduction between the drive shaft and the tool30.

The work equipment10then comprises a support body45, rigidly fixed to the support pole20, e.g. at a second end thereof opposite the first end onto which the support casing45of the work apparatus W is rigidly fixed, in particular the upper end during the step of using the work equipment10.

The support body45is presented like a substantially box-shaped body, e.g. with an irregular shape, and may be made of two or more shells, e.g. two shells, each of which can be made of plastic material, e.g. through an injection moulding process, and which are mutually joined together, e.g. through screws.

The support body45further has a handle50and a grip55that allow the user to embrace the work equipment10.

During normal use, the user, in the erect position, grasps the handle50and the grip55, so as to incline the support pole20downwards and bring the work apparatus W in proximity to the ground.

The support body45further provides a battery housing60adapted to house with (reduced) clearance a power supply battery P, which is inserted removably inside it and operatively connected to the work apparatus W.

In particular, the battery housing60is defined by a bottom wall65and by a front wall70and an opposing rear wall75that rise from the bottom wall65, e.g. seamlessly and substantially squared therewith, and that define with said bottom wall65a substantially C-shaped structure, in the example open at the top and the side.

In practice in the example, the power supply battery P is adapted to be inserted into said housing so as to be able to be embraced on three sides by the support body45.

It is not excluded that the battery housing60may further comprise two opposing side walls that connect the front wall70and the rear wall75.

It is also not excluded, furthermore, that the battery housing60can further comprise an infill cover adapted to close the battery housing60itself at the top once the power supply battery P has been inserted.

Said battery housing60further comprises guides80adapted to guide the power supply battery P during the step of insertion and disengagement into the battery housing60, and adapted to define a shape coupling with corresponding elements made on the power supply battery P itself so as to hook and maintain effectively in position the power supply battery P once it has been inserted into the battery housing60.

For example, said guides80comprise grooves made on the rear wall of the battery housing60, that extend starting from an upper end thereof, distal from the bottom wall65, and preferably as far as a height that is at least equal to half of the extension of the rear wall75itself.

For example, said grooves are adapted to define a prismatic coupling with relevant teeth, with a conjugated shape to that of the grooves, made on the power supply battery P.

Said guides then comprise recesses, e.g. with a substantially L-shaped plan, made on the bottom wall65, e.g. adapted to define a shape coupling with corresponding support feet, with a conjugated shape to the recesses made on the bottom wall65, projecting at the bottom from a base wall of the power supply battery P.

For example, although not illustrated, further guides80can also be provided on the front wall70of the battery housing60.

The battery housing60further comprises electrical connection contacts85, adapted to be placed in contact with respective power supply poles of the power supply battery P, and adapted to electrically connect the power supply battery P with the electric motor25of the work apparatus W.

For example, said electrical connection contacts85are configured as metal feet appropriately provided on a base unit90made of electrically insulating material, and the base unit90is supported by the and fixed to the bottom wall65of the battery housing60.

Preferably, the electrical contacts85are arranged in proximity to a connecting edge between the bottom wall65and one from among the front wall70and the rear wall75, in the example the front wall70.

Even more preferably, the electrical contacts85are arranged in proximity to guides80made on the bottom wall65.

In this way, the electrical contacts85are arranged in proximity to a zone in which the power supply battery P is hooked by means of the guides80to the battery housing60and therefore to the support body45, and therefore in a stable contact zone so as to prevent false electrical contacts between the power supply poles of the power supply battery and said electrical contacts85.

The work equipment10then comprises a damper element95positioned between the support body45and the power supply battery P, which is adapted to dampen/absorb the vibrations that propagate through the support body45towards the power supply battery P.

More precisely, the damper element95is interposed between the battery housing60and the power supply battery P.

As can be seen inFIG.3, the damper element95comprises at least one yielding portion D interposed between a wall of the battery housing60and the power supply battery P.

More precisely, the yielding portion D has a surface adapted to be placed in direct contact with the power supply battery P and an opposing surface in direct contact with said wall of the battery housing60.

The yielding portion D has, for example, a substantially parallelepiped shape with rounded edges, i.e. it has an opposing and mutually parallel lower surface and upper surface and four side surfaces, which connect the lower surface and the upper surface, of which two first opposing and parallel side surfaces and two second opposing and mutually parallel side surfaces substantially squared with the first two side surfaces.

However, it is not excluded that the yielding portion may have a different shape, e.g. cylindrical or spherical or elliptical or any other shape that is however suited to the purpose.

Preferably the yielding portion has a thickness, meaning the distance between the lower surface and the upper surface, comprised between 5 mm and 15 mm, e.g. the yielding portion has a thickness of 10 mm.

Furthermore, the yielding portion may have a length, meaning the dimension along the longitudinal extension, comprised between 20 mm and 60 mm, e.g. the yielding portion has a length of 41 mm.

Again, the yielding portion may have a width, meaning the dimension along the transverse extension, comprised between 8 mm and 30 mm, e.g. the yielding portion may have a width of 13.5 mm.

The damper element80, i.e. said yielding portion of the damper element80, is made of a yielding material, e.g. it is made of EPDM, an acronym for ethylene propylene diene monomer, i.e. a synthetic rubber, however it is not excluded that in alternative embodiments it may be made of another yielding material which is however suitable for the purpose.

It is specified that EPDM means a family of group M synthetic rubbers according to the DIN/ISO 1629 classification and according to the ASTM D 1418-19 standard classification.

For example, the yielding portion is interposed between the power supply battery P and the bottom wall65of the battery housing60.

In more detail, the yielding portion is interposed between the power supply battery P and the bottom wall65at a centreline zone thereof, i.e. substantially equidistant from the rear wall75and from the front wall70of the battery housing60.

Preferably, the damper element95comprises more than one yielding portion, conformed as described above, in the example there are two, interposed between the power supply battery P and the wall of the battery housing60, e.g. the bottom wall65.

For example, it is possible to envisage that the damper element95may comprise a yielding portion for every wall of the battery housing60, and even more preferably it can comprise more than one yielding portion, placed at each wall of the battery housing60and interposed between the power supply battery P and the respective wall.

In detail, it is possible to envisage that the yielding portions interposed between the battery and a same wall of the battery housing60are arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal centreline plane of the support body45.

The damper element95can be inserted into a seat100obtained in the battery housing60of the support body45.

In the example, each yielding portion of the damper element95is inserted, partially and substantially to measure, preferably with pressure into a respective seat100specifically made in the battery housing60of the support body45.

For example, the yielding portion can be fixed by interference into said seat100.

It is not excluded that alternatively the yielding portion may be fixed to the respective seat100through other means however suitable for the purpose, e.g. adhesive means.

Preferably the seat100is configured so as not to project beyond the wall of the battery housing60on which it is made.

This means the seat100has an access opening, through which the yielding portion can be at least partially inserted into the seat itself, substantially coplanar to the wall of the housing on which said seat100is made.

In particular, as can be seen better inFIG.4, each yielding portion is inserted into the respective seat100so as to project beyond (through said access opening), in the example above, the seat100itself.

Preferably, the damper element95, i.e. each yielding portion, can be inserted, partially and substantially to measure, into a housing specifically made on the power supply battery P, e.g. on said base wall thereof.

At this point, the power supply battery P, by means of the weight force acting thereon, is adapted to exert pressure and (elastically) reversibly deform the damper element95, and only following said deformation the power supply battery P rests on the bottom wall65of the battery housing60of the support body45.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible to several modifications and variations, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept.

For example, the damper element can comprise more than one yielding portion all having different shapes and sizes from each other.

Moreover, all the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and sizes, can be whatever according to the requirements without for this reason departing from the scope of protection of the following claims.