Portable work apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10267220-B2
Application number	US-201615208359-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2016
Priority date	Jul 18, 2015
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A portable work apparatus has a drive motor and a housing which is formed at least partially by a housing part. The work apparatus has an operating fluid tank which is formed separately from the housing part and which has a cavity for receiving operating fluid. The operating fluid tank has a first portion which is arranged in a receptacle of the housing part, and a second portion which at least partially delimits the cavity and which protrudes from the receptacle. Provision is made for the operating fluid tank to be fixed to the housing part by at least one fastener, and for the receptacle to be delimited at least partially by a plurality of ribs of the housing part that are arranged at a spacing (f) from one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable work apparatus comprising:
a drive motor;
a housing part;
a housing at least partially formed by said housing part;
an operating fluid tank formed separately from said housing part;
said operating fluid tank defining a cavity configured to accommodate operating fluid;
said housing part including a receptacle;
said operating fluid tank having a first section arranged in said receptacle of said housing part;
said operating fluid tank further having a second section projecting out of said receptacle and at least partially delimiting said cavity;
at least one fastener configured to fix said operating fluid tank to said housing part;
said housing part having a plurality of ribs mutually arranged at a distance (f) to each other;
said plurality of ribs each having a delimiting region facing said operating fluid tank and delimiting said receptacle;
said operating fluid tank defining a circumference;
said plurality of ribs including at least one rib wherein said delimiting region of said at least one rib is disposed at a distance (d) to said operating fluid tank and extends approximately parallel to said circumference of said operating fluid tank in a region of said operating fluid tank to which said distance (d) is measured; and,
said distance (d) lying in a range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm.

2. The portable work apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said second section includes a filler neck.

3. The portable work apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
said operating fluid tank defines a circumferential direction and a circumferential range (e);
each of said ribs has an individual measured width (c); and,
the sum of said individual measured widths (c) is less than 50% of said circumferential range (e).

4. The portable work apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one rib further has a support region transverse to said delimiting region and oriented away from said receptacle.

5. The portable work apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
said operating fluid tank has an outwardly protruding edge; and,
said first section and said second section are interconnected at said outwardly protruding edge.

6. The portable work apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
said housing part has at least one wall forming an outer wall of the portable work apparatus;
said outer wall has an end face and at least partially delimits said receptacle; and,
said outwardly protruding edge is configured to rest against said end face.

7. The portable work apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said operating fluid tank and said housing part are made of different plastic materials.

8. The portable work apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fan wheel;
a blower scroll;
a blower tube;
the portable work apparatus being a blower;
said drive motor being configured to drive said fan wheel so as to convey a blower air flow through said blower tube;
said housing part being configured as a blower housing; and,
said blower housing at least partially delimiting said blower scroll.

9. The portable work apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
said receptacle has a base;
said housing part includes a wall delimiting said base; and,
said wall at least partially delimits said blower scroll.

10. The portable work apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one rib is configured such that if large forces act on said operating fluid tank, said operating fluid tank can yield in a direction of said delimiting region and overcome said distance (d) and can come to rest against said delimiting region of said at least one rib causing said at least one rib to flex elastically.

11. A portable work apparatus comprising:
a drive motor;
a housing part;
a housing at least partially formed by said housing part;
an operating fluid tank formed separately from said housing part;
said operating fluid tank defining a cavity configured to accommodate operating fluid;
said housing part including a receptacle;
said operating fluid tank having a first section arranged in said receptacle of said housing part;
said operating fluid tank further having a second section projecting out of said receptacle and at least partially delimiting said cavity;
at least one fastener configured to fix said operating fluid tank to said housing part;
said housing part having a plurality of ribs mutually arranged at a distance (f) to each other;
said plurality of ribs each having a delimiting region facing said operating fluid tank and delimiting said receptacle;
said receptacle defining an opening and having a base;
said fastener being configured to be releasable; and,
said first section of said operating fluid tank being configured to be removable in a removal direction through said opening when said fastener is released;
said plurality of ribs extending from said base in the removal direction, wherein a greatest extent of said ribs is aligned in the removal direction;
said operating fluid tank defining a circumferential direction;
said delimiting regions of said plurality of ribs being parallel to the removal direction and approximately parallel to the circumferential direction of said operating fluid tank so as to cause the corresponding one of said delimiting regions of each of said plurality of ribs to form a surface adjoining said receptacle.

12. The portable work apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
at least one rib is at a distance (d) to said operating fluid tank measured perpendicular to said removal direction; and,
said distance (d) lies in a range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm.

13. The portable work apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said at least one fastener fixes said operating fluid tank in a play-free manner in said removal direction.

14. The portable work apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
at least one rib of said plurality of ribs is at a distance (d) to said operating fluid tank measured perpendicular to said removal direction; and,
said at least one rib is configured such that if large forces act on said operating fluid tank, said operating fluid tank can yield in a direction of said delimiting region and come to rest against said delimiting region of said at least one rib causing said at least one rib to flex elastically.

15. A portable work apparatus comprising:
a drive motor;
a housing part;
a housing at least partially formed by said housing part;
an operating fluid tank formed separately from said housing part;
said operating fluid tank defining a cavity configured to accommodate operating fluid;
said housing part including a receptacle;
said operating fluid tank defining a circumference and having a first section arranged in said receptacle of said housing part;
said operating fluid tank further having a second section projecting out of said receptacle and at least partially delimiting said cavity;
at least one fastener configured to fix said operating fluid tank to said housing part;
said housing part having a plurality of ribs mutually arranged at a distance (f) to each other;
said plurality of ribs at least partially delimiting said receptacle;
each of said plurality of ribs having a rib cross-section; and,
each of said rib cross-sections being an L-shaped cross-section or a T-shaped cross-section as a result of which each of said cross-sections has a widened region, wherein said widened region faces said operating fluid tank and delimits said receptacle over a section of said circumference of said operating fluid tank.

Assignees

• Andreas Stilhl Ag & Co Kg
• Stihl Ag & Co Kg Andreas

Inventors

• Hilt Thomas
• Prach Klaus
• Stark Thomas

Classifications

• F02B63/06 Primary

  for pumps · CPC title

• F05B2240/12

  Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes · CPC title

• F02B2075/025

  two · CPC title

• F02B63/02 Primary

  for hand-held tools · CPC title

• F04D29/403

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title