EP4279220A1 - Electric tool with splash guard - Google Patents

Abstract

A hand-held, mains-independent power tool, in particular a hand-held hydraulic fluid device, comprises a tool body (1) comprising an electrical assembly, in particular an electrically operated pump, a handle (3) connected thereto and comprising a control element (2), and a battery pack (5). At the lower end of the handle (3) there is a connection base (4) which is enlarged compared to the cross section of the handle (3) and is prepared for interchangeable docking of the battery block (5). The battery block (5) is at least partially surrounded by a separate splash protection (6). This is designed as a cover made of a highly elastic, water-impermeable flat material, which comprises a base section (7), a cover section (8) opposite it and side sections (9) connecting the cover section (8) and the base section (7) with one another. The cover section (8) has a first opening (10), through which the handle (3) passes above the connection base (4); and the bottom section (7) is provided with a second opening (11) which is larger than the first opening (10).

Description

The present invention relates, as stated in the preamble of claim 1, to a hand-held, mains-independent power tool, comprising a tool body comprising an electrical assembly, a handle connected thereto and comprising a control element and a battery block, with a battery block at the lower end of the handle opposite the cross section of the handle extended connection base prepared for a replaceable docking of the battery block is provided and furthermore the battery block is at least partially surrounded by a separate splash protection. In particular, the present invention relates to such a hand-held, mains-independent power tool in the form of a hand-held hydraulic fluid device with an electrical assembly designed as an electrically operated pump, by means of which liquid can be supplied to a nozzle (namely a jet or spray nozzle) which is typically arranged at the front of the tool body.

Hand-held, mains-independent power tools of the generic type are enjoying great popularity and are becoming increasingly popular due to increasingly powerful batteries. Cordless screwdrivers, cordless drills, cordless grinders, etc. are particularly common. A rather new category of generic hand-held, mains-independent power tools are hand-held hydraulic fluid devices, such as the EP 2 663 405 B1 , EP 2 771 127 B1 , EP 2 994 240 B1 and US 9,192,952 B2 are removable. In particular, this also applies to the (subsequently published) DE 10 2021 103 306 A1 the applicant designed a hand-held hydraulic fluid device Mains-independent power tool in the relevant sense here.

In particular, the last-mentioned generic power tools, which are designed as pressurized fluid devices, are potentially exposed to the risk of becoming wet (due to splashing water or other liquid splashes) when used as intended. But other generic power tools are also at risk, especially from rainwater, because they can potentially (also) be used in outdoor applications.

The potential for damage is particularly significant if appropriate liquid (acids, alkalis, cleaning fluid, solvents, water, etc.) penetrates the battery block. Against this background, there are already approaches to protecting the battery block by a separate (ie independent or separable from the battery block) splash water protection in the form of a casing that at least partially surrounds it. In this context, reference should be made in particular to: US 8,733,471 B2 . To a certain extent, as a side effect, so to speak, protective covers - for example those offered by the manufacturer 3M - can be placed over the battery block from below, which serve to mechanically protect the battery from shocks and to attach a safety rope to prevent the tool from falling, and themselves by means of a The belt must be fixed to the tool and protect the battery block from splashing water.

The EP 3 902 056 A2 discloses a protective cover that serves to protect against splash water for an accumulator - which can be used in particular on electrical appliances for the home and garden - with a cover enclosing the accumulator. This consists of a rubber-elastic material such as natural rubber, silicone rubber or elastic thermoplastic, which allows the protective cover to be adapted to the respective battery, and in particular includes a base and a circumferential wall, which has a flexible sealing lip on its upper edge. This should nestle against the housing of the electrical device equipped with the battery and in this way ensure that the battery is protected from the ingress of splash water. In one embodiment, the sealing lip is clamped between the accumulator and a collar on the housing of the electrical device.

After WO 2014/001 747 A2 As an alternative to a separate splash water protection (only) for the battery block, the hand-held, mains-independent power tool is housed in a protective cover from which only the respective tool attachment (e.g. drill) protrudes.

Against this background, the present invention is aimed at reducing the risk of damage to hand-held, mains-independent power tools of the generic type, in particular to their battery pack, by liquid, with the aim being, in particular, with comparatively little effort and the lowest possible negative effects on handling of the relevant generic hand-held power tool in the best possible way to reduce the risk of damage to it Minimize battery blocks from liquid splashes, especially splash water.

This problem is solved, as stated in claim 1, according to the invention in that in a hand-held, mains-independent power tool of the generic type, the splash water protection is designed as a cover made of a highly elastic, water-impermeable flat material, which has a base section, a cover section opposite it and the cover section and the base section comprises side sections connecting the base section with one another, the cover section having a first opening through which the handle passes above the connection base, and the base section being provided with a second opening which is larger than the first opening. The second breakthrough is dimensioned in such a way that the splash guard can be pushed up or turned up and/or turned inside out over the battery block while widening the second breakthrough, so that the battery block is at least partially exposed by emerging from the bottom of the splash guard. What is important for the hand-held, mains-independent power tool according to the invention, in particular for its practical use and good usability, is the specific design of the separate, i.e. independent or separable, splash-water protection from the rest of the power tool in the sense that the power tool is fully functional even without the splash-water protection . A particularly outstanding feature of the splash protection is that it is made from a highly elastic flat material and the presence of a comparatively large second breakthrough in the bottom section can remain on the rest of the power tool even when the battery block is changed. For this purpose, it is sufficient that the splash water protection is pushed up or turned up and/or turned inside out over the battery block while widening the second opening, so that the battery block is at least partially exposed by emerging from the bottom of the splash water protection. This means the battery block can be removed from the connection base and replaced with a new one. After changing the battery, the splash guard is pushed down or rolled up over the new battery block, with the bottom section - narrowing the second opening - resting in a ring shape on the periphery of the bottom of the battery block. Because it is intended to remain on the power tool when the battery is changed, the splash water protection is not at risk of being lost. Incidentally, this applies not only to the battery replacement phase, but generally. This is because the first opening provided on the cover section of the splash protection, which is smaller than the second opening, is of such a dimension that - using the elasticity of the material of the splash protection - it can be expanded to such an extent that it can be pushed over the connection base when the battery block is removed can be and then - while narrowing - encloses the handle of the power tool, so that the connection base together with the docked battery block cannot, at least not repeatedly, pass through the correspondingly widened first opening without the risk of lasting damage to the splash guard.

A flat material is considered to be "highly elastic" in the sense of the present invention if it can be stretched without damage to at least twice, preferably to at least three times or, particularly preferably even to at least four times, its area and from its stretching immediately and to 100 % returns to its original, unstretched shape when the stretching force ends. A water-impermeable, highly elastic flat material in this sense of the present invention, which can be used particularly preferably in the context of the present invention, is neoprene.

To avoid misunderstandings or misinterpretations, it should be noted that information relating to the geometry or geometric features of the splash protection (e.g. the size ratio between the two openings) is based on the information provided by the power tool removed, i.e. H. refers to the state that is not stretched or expanded by components of the power tool.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the second breakthrough, which is ideally elliptical with regard to the handling of the splash water protection and its service life, makes up a proportion of between 50% and 90%, preferably between 60% and 80% of the area of the bottom section of the (not stretched) splash guard. This results in a particularly advantageous combination of properties. This includes the ring area resting on the bottom of the battery block and surrounding the second opening the splash guard, ie its bottom section, is dimensioned sufficiently large to ensure effective mechanical protection of the battery block. On the other hand, the second breakthrough is so extensive that changing the battery (see above) is possible without any effort; and also in view of the fact that liquid, which under unfavorable circumstances could run down the handle of the power tool through the first opening in the splash guard and into its interior, should not remain "trapped" in the splash guard but should rather be able to flow downwards as unhindered as possible, the said relationship between the dimension of the second breakthrough and the area of the bottom section as a whole (including the area of the second breakthrough) is very beneficial.

According to yet another preferred development of the invention, the flat material is laminated on the inside with a woven, knitted or knitted fabric. A particularly favorable property of such a lamination is that it functions as a water-conducting layer, so to speak, should liquid enter the interior of the splash guard from above, ie through the upper, first opening, in the manner described above. Corresponding liquid that has penetrated is guided downwards in the woven, knitted or knitted lining, following gravity, towards the bottom section and the second opening there. By being guided and held in the layer made of fabric, knitted or knitted fabric, penetration into possible gaps, joints or the like in the housing of the battery block is counteracted. In this way one becomes A situation that is particularly critical for moisture penetration is significantly defused.

Yet another preferred development of the present invention is characterized in that the flat material is coated with a sliding material on its inside, possibly on the inside of a lamination in the above sense. The sliding of the flat material of the splash water protection on the battery block, which is facilitated in this way, can further contribute to making the battery change considerably easier.

According to yet another preferred development of the invention, the side sections of the splash guard merge seamlessly into its cover section or its base section. In this development, the splash guard is assembled from two blanks, in particular - since the embodiment mentioned second is particularly preferred - from a first blank which forms the later cover section and from a second blank which forms the later base section and the later side sections. A particular advantage of this last-mentioned embodiment is that there is no seam in the particularly mechanically stressed zone at the transition from the bottom section to the four side sections.

The side sections are preferably joined together in a watertight manner, in particular by being glued together in a watertight manner. The same applies to the connection of the side sections to the cover section. In the With a view to particularly effective protection of the battery block against splashing water, seams, if the side sections are sewn together, are particularly preferably designed in such a way that the sewing threads do not emerge on the inside of the flat material; the flat material is therefore not punctured. This also applies in a corresponding manner to seams which serve to connect the side sections to the cover section.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one of the side sections has an opening which is closed with a transparent film material and forms a viewing window. This makes it possible to read a display that may be provided on the battery block regarding the charge status of the battery block without having to partially push up, fold over or roll up the splash guard.

Fig. 1

in perspektivischer Ansicht schräg von hinten-links-oben ein als erfindungsgemäßes Druckflüssigkeitsgerät ausgeführtes handgeführtes, netzunabhängiges Elektrowerkzeug,

Fig. 2

das Druckflüssigkeitsgerät nach Fig. 1 in Seitenansicht von rechts, wobei der Spritzwasserschutz in der Mittelebene geschnitten dargestellt ist, und

Fig. 3

das Druckflüssigkeitsgerät nach Fig. 2 beim Batteriewechsel.

The present invention is explained in more detail below using a preferred exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawing. This shows

Fig. 1

in a perspective view diagonally from the back-left-top of a hand-held, mains-independent power tool designed as a hydraulic fluid device according to the invention,

Fig. 2

the hydraulic fluid device Fig. 1 in side view from the right, with the splash protection shown cut in the middle plane, and

Fig. 3

the hydraulic fluid device Fig. 2 when changing batteries.

Unless otherwise stated in the present disclosure, the hydraulic fluid device used in the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing corresponds to that device in terms of its technical, functional and structural features German patent application 10 2021 103 306.3 can be found by the applicant. Reference is made to this disclosure and reference is made. The above applies in addition to various design features, in particular with regard to the basic structural or functional structure, in that the hydraulic fluid device has a tool body 1, which in turn comprises an electrical assembly with an electrically operated pump, with the tool body 1 being equipped with a control element 2 Handle 3 is connected, at the lower end of which a connection base 4 is provided which is wider than the cross section of the handle 3 and is used for the interchangeable docking of a battery block 5 and is prepared for this purpose.

The connection base 4 and the battery block 5 are surrounded by a splash guard 6. This forms a separate piece of equipment in the sense that the hydraulic fluid device can also function and be used without it. The splash protection 6 is designed as a cover, which consists of a highly elastic, water-impermeable flat material, namely neoprene coated on the inside with a sliding material. The cover comprises a base section 7, a cover section 8 opposite this and four side sections 9 connecting the cover section 8 and the base section 7 to one another. The cover section 8 has an approximately circular first opening 10 in the stress-free state, through which the handle 3 of the hydraulic fluid device passes above the connection base 4. In terms of its dimensions, the first opening 10 is matched to the handle 3 in such a way that the cover section 8 lies tightly against the latter above the connection base 4, in the area of the transition from the latter to the handle 3. The bottom section 7 is provided with a second opening 11 which is elliptical in the stress-free state. This is larger than the first breakthrough 10.

The splash guard 6 is assembled from two blanks, namely a first blank comprising the cover section 8 and a second blank comprising the bottom section 7 and the four side sections 9. For production, the four side sections 9 are placed opposite the base section 7 - which has an approximately rectangular basic shape - and - to form a circumferential wall - are connected to one another at the edge by means of a combined sewing/gluing joint 12. The cover section 8 is then connected to the four side sections 9 along their upper edges - also by means of a combined sewing/gluing joint 13.

The second breakthrough 11 accounts for about 70% of the area of the bottom section 7 (including the second breakthrough), so that - in other words - about 30% of the area of the bottom section 7 (including the second breakthrough) is the second breakthrough 11 surrounding edge section 14 remain. As a result of the elliptical geometry of the second opening 11, the edge section 14 is special in the four corner areas of the bottom section 7 extended, but rather narrow between the corners. In other words: The material of the bottom section 7 of the splash guard 6 surrounding the second opening 11 essentially concentrates on the four corner areas.

That side section 9, which in the installed state of the splash guard 6 covers the rear front of the battery block 5 facing the user, has an opening 16 forming a viewing window 15, which is closed with a transparent film material 17. Through the viewing window 15, it is possible to read a charge status indicator 18 provided on the battery block 5 at any time, even when the splash guard 6 is in place.

As can be seen from the comparison Figures 2 and 3 As can be seen, the battery change is not affected at all by the splash protection 6. Because this can - while widening the second opening 11 - simply be pushed upwards over the battery block 5 placed on the connection base 4 until the battery block 5 is exposed and removed from the connection base 4 ( Fig. 3 ) and can be replaced by another battery block 5, whereupon the splash guard 6 is then pushed down again so far that the edge section 14 of the base section 7 surrounds the battery block 5 at the bottom edge ( Fig. 2 ).

Claims (9)

Hand-held, mains-independent power tool, in particular hand-held hydraulic fluid device, comprising a tool body (1) comprising an electrical assembly, in particular an electrically operated pump, a handle (3) connected thereto and comprising a control element (2), and a battery block (5), wherein on The lower end of the handle (3) is provided with a connection base (4) which is enlarged compared to the cross section of the handle (3) and is prepared for interchangeable docking of the battery block (5), and whereby the battery block (5) is at least partially covered by a separate splash protection (6). is surrounded,
characterized in that the splash protection (6) is designed as a shell made of a highly elastic, water-impermeable flat material, which has a base section (7), a cover section (8) opposite it and side sections connecting the cover section (8) and the base section (7) with one another (9), wherein the cover section (8) has a first opening (10), through which the handle (3) passes above the connection base (4), and the base section (7) has a larger opening than the first opening (10). , dimensioned second breakthrough (11) is provided so that the splash guard (6) is pushed up or folded up over the battery block (5) while expanding the second breakthrough (11). and/or can be turned inside out so that the battery block (5) is at least partially exposed by emerging from the bottom of the splash guard (6). Power tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the second opening (11) accounts for between 50% and 90%, preferably between 60% and 80%, of the area of the base section (7). Power tool according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the flat material is laminated on the inside with a woven, knitted or knitted fabric. Power tool according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the flat material is coated on its inside, possibly on the inside of a lamination within the meaning of claim 3, with a sliding material. Power tool according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the side sections (9) merge seamlessly into the cover section (8) or the base section (7). Power tool according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the side sections (9) are joined together in a watertight manner, in particular glued together in a watertight manner. Power tool according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the side sections (9) are sewn together, the sewing threads not emerging on the inside of the flat material. Power tool according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one of the side sections (9) has an opening (16) closed with a transparent film material (17) and forming a viewing window (15). Power tool according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the second opening (11) is elliptical.

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