Control assembly for use with an electric power tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11975434-B2
Application number	US-202016932564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2020
Priority date	Jul 18, 2019
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

A control assembly for use with an electrical device to control operation of the electrical device in a plurality of operational modes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control assembly for use with an electrical device to control operation of the electrical device in a plurality of operational modes, the control assembly including:
a rotary member rotatably movable about a rotational axis between at least one of a first rotational position, a second rotational position, and, a third rotational position, said second rotational position being an intermediate position between the first and third rotational positions;
a sliding carriage member operably-connected with the rotary member, said sliding carriage member being configured for linear sliding movement in to first, second and third sliding positions along a sliding axis in response to the rotary member between arranged in the first, second and third rotational positions, respectively;
a switch module operably-connected with the sliding carriage member, said switch module being configured for switching operation of the electrical device between a first operational mode, a second operational mode, and a third operational mode in response to the sliding carriage member being arranged in the first, second and third sliding positions, respectively;
a detent assembly operably-connected with the sliding carriage member to control movement of the sliding carriage member along the sliding axis, said detent assembly including a force compensation mechanism and whereby responsive to operation of the force compensation mechanism of the detent assembly, an amount of force required to effect movement of the rotary member between its first and second rotational positions, and, an amount of force required to effect movement of the rotary member between its second and third rotational positions is able to be maintained substantially uniform.

2. The control assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrical device includes an electric motor, and wherein, the first operational mode includes operation of the electric motor in a first direction and the second operational mode includes operation of the electric motor in a reverse direction to that of the first direction.

3. The control assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis is substantially perpendicular to the sliding axis.

4. The control assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the detent assembly includes a spring-loaded protrusion configured for releasably engaging with a first, second and third detent recess incrementally as the sliding carriage member slidably moves along the sliding axis in to the first, second and third sliding positions, respectively.

5. The control assembly as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the spring-loaded protrusion is disposed on the sliding carriage member.

6. The control assembly as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the electrical device includes an electric motor, and wherein, the first operational mode includes operation of the electric motor in a first direction and the second operational mode includes operation of the electric motor in a reverse direction to that of the first direction.

7. The control assembly as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the force compensation mechanism includes at least one of the first, second and third detent recesses being configured to vary in terms of at least one of a shape, size, depth, width, curvature, or surface texture whereby the amount of force required to effect movement of the rotary member between its first and second rotational positions, and, the amount of force required to effect movement of the rotary member between its second and third rotational positions is able to be maintained substantially uniform.

8. The control assembly as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the rotary member includes a user-operable control lever that is operably-connected with the sliding carriage member whereby rotational movement of the control lever about the rotational axis is translated into linear sliding movement of the sliding carriage.

9. The control assembly as claimed in claim 8 , including a handle member operably-connected to the rotary member, said handle member being user-operable so as to effect rotational movement the rotary member about the rotational axis.

10. The control assembly as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the rotary member and the handle member are rotatable about the rotational axis.

11. The control assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the force compensation mechanism includes at least one of the first, second and third detent recesses being configured to vary in terms of at least one of a shape, size, depth, width, curvature, or surface texture whereby the amount of force required to effect movement of the rotary member between its first and second rotational positions, and, the amount of force required to effect movement of the rotary member between its second and third rotational positions is able to be maintained substantially uniform.

12. The control assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotary member includes a user-operable control lever that is operably-connected with the sliding carriage member whereby rotational movement of the control lever about the rotational axis is translated into linear sliding movement of the sliding carriage.

13. The control assembly as claimed in claim 1 , including a handle member operably-connected to the rotary member, said handle member being user-operable so as to effect rotational movement the rotary member about the rotational axis.

14. The control assembly as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the rotary member and the handle member are rotatable about the rotational axis.

15. The control assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first operational mode includes the electric motor being driven in a relatively forward direction, the second operational position includes an open circuit between the electric motor and the power supply, and the third operational position includes the electric motor being driven in a relatively reverse direction.

16. The control assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrical device includes at least one of an electric power tool or an electric gardening tool.

17. A control assembly for use with an electrical device to control operation of the electrical device in a plurality of operational modes, the control assembly including:
a rotary member rotatably movable about a rotational axis between at least one of a first rotational position, a second rotational position, and, a third rotational position, said second rotational position being an intermediate position between the first and third rotational positions;
a sliding carriage member operably-connected with the rotary member, said sliding carriage member being configured for linear sliding movement in to first, second and third sliding positions along a sliding axis in response to the rotary member between arranged in the first, second and third rotational positions, respectively;
a switch module operably-connected with the sliding carriage member, said switch module being configured for switching operation of the electrical device between a first operational mode, a second operational mode, and a third operational mode in response to the sliding carriage member being arranged in the first, second and third sliding positions, respectively;
an electric motor, wherein, the first operational mode includes operation of the electric motor in a first direction and the second operational mode includes an open circuit between the electric motor and the power supply, and the third operational mode includes operation of the electric motor in a reverse direction to that of the first direction; and
a detent assembly operably-co

Assignees

• Defond Electech Co Ltd
• Defond Components Ltd

Inventors

• Wong Wai Man

Classifications

• B25D16/006 Primary

  Mode changers; Mechanisms connected thereto · CPC title

• B23B45/02

  driven by electric power · CPC title

• B25F5/001

  Gearings, speed selectors, clutches or the like specially adapted for rotary tools · CPC title

• H01H9/06

  Casing of switch constituted by a handle serving a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. by the handle of a vacuum cleaner · CPC title

• B25D2216/0084

  Mode-changing mechanisms · CPC title