Chain saw lubrication pump and control systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12240139-B2
Application number	US-202117545897-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2021
Priority date	Dec 8, 2021
Publication date	Mar 4, 2025
Grant date	Mar 4, 2025

Abstract

A lubrication system for a chainsaw, the lubrication system including a reservoir housing a lubricant, a fluid conduit extending between the reservoir and a location adjacent to a chain of the chainsaw, a pump configured to move lubricant from the reservoir to the location adjacent to the chain, and a valve disposed along the fluid conduit. The valve has a lubricant inlet that receives lubricant from the reservoir, an air inlet, and an outlet that provides lubricant to the location adjacent to the chain. The valve is movable between an open position whereby lubricant passes from the lubricant inlet to the outlet and a closed position whereby the outlet is in fluid communication with the air inlet. The valve moves between the open and closed positions in response to a user input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chainsaw comprising:
a housing;
a guide bar extending from the housing;
a chain dispose around the guide bar and driven by a prime mover;
a user input controlling movement of the chain about the guide bar; and
a lubrication system that provides lubricant to the chain, the lubrication system comprising:
a reservoir housing the lubricant;
a fluid conduit extending between the reservoir and a location adjacent to the chain;
a pump configured to move lubricant from the reservoir to the location adjacent to the chain; and
a valve disposed along the fluid conduit, the valve having a lubricant inlet that receives lubricant from the reservoir, an air inlet, and an outlet that provides lubricant to the location adjacent to the chain,
wherein the valve is movable between an open position whereby lubricant passes from the lubricant inlet to the outlet and a closed position whereby the outlet is in fluid communication with the air inlet, and wherein the valve moves between the open and closed positions in response to the user input.

2. The chainsaw of claim 1 , wherein the user input comprises a trigger, wherein the valve moves to the open position when the trigger is activated, and wherein the valve moves to the closed position when the trigger is deactivated.

3. The chainsaw of claim 2 , wherein the valve is delayed from moving to the closed position when the trigger is deactivated by a delay time associated with a time required to stop movement of the chain.

4. The chainsaw of claim 1 , wherein the lubrication system further comprises:
an actuator that moves the valve between the open and closed positions; and
an electronic control unit configured to operate the actuator in response to a relative position of the user input.

5. The chainsaw of claim 4 , wherein the lubrication system further comprises an interface disposed between the actuator and the valve, the interface comprising a first pocket that receives an arm of the actuator and a second pocket that receives a handle of the valve, and wherein the interface is configured to transfer torque from the actuator to the valve.

6. The chainsaw of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet comprises an air filter.

7. The chainsaw of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the lubrication system is disposed at a location external to the housing, and wherein an exposed portion of the lubrication system is disposed within an enclosure interfaced with the housing.

8. A lubrication system for a chainsaw, the lubrication system comprising:
a reservoir housing a lubricant;
a fluid conduit extending between the reservoir and a location adjacent to a chain of the chainsaw;
a pump configured to move lubricant from the reservoir to the location adjacent to the chain; and
a valve disposed along the fluid conduit, the valve having a lubricant inlet that receives lubricant from the reservoir, an air inlet, and an outlet that provides lubricant to the location adjacent to the chain,
wherein the valve is movable between an open position whereby lubricant passes from the lubricant inlet to the outlet and a closed position whereby the outlet is in fluid communication with the air inlet, and wherein the valve moves between the open and closed positions in response to a user input.

9. The lubrication system of claim 8 , wherein the valve is a three-way valve, and wherein the valve is moved between the open and closed positions by an actuator controlled by an electronic control unit in response to a relative position of the user input.

10. The lubrication system of claim 9 , wherein the user input comprises a trigger, wherein the valve moves to the open position when the trigger is activated, and wherein the valve moves to the closed position when the trigger is deactivated.

11. The lubrication system of claim 10 , wherein the valve is delayed from moving to the closed position when the trigger is deactivated by a delay time associated with a time required to stop movement of the chain.

12. The lubrication system of claim 9 , wherein the lubrication system further comprises an interface disposed between the actuator and the valve, the interface comprising a first pocket that receives an arm of the actuator and a second pocket that receives a handle of the valve, and wherein the interface is configured to transfer torque from the actuator to the valve.

13. The lubrication system of claim 9 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to control a prime mover of the chainsaw.

14. The lubrication system of claim 8 , further comprising an air filter disposed in fluid communication with the air inlet.

15. A method of operating a chainsaw, the method comprising:
providing a chainsaw having a lubrication system comprising a reservoir housing a lubricant, a fluid conduit extending between the reservoir and a location adjacent to a chain, a pump configured to move lubricant from the reservoir to the location adjacent to the chain, and a valve disposed along the fluid conduit, the valve having a lubricant inlet that receives lubricant from the reservoir, an air inlet, and an outlet that provides lubricant to the location adjacent to the chain, wherein the valve is movable between an open position whereby lubricant passes from the lubricant inlet to the outlet and a closed position whereby the outlet is in fluid communication with the air inlet, and wherein the valve moves between the open and closed positions in response to the user input;
activating a trigger of the chainsaw to initiate a prime mover of the chain saw, the prime mover coupled to the chain; and
reconfiguring the valve from the closed position to the open position in response to activating the trigger, wherein in the closed position the valve permits airflow through the valve from the air inlet of the valve, and wherein in the open position the valve permits lubricant to flow from the reservoir through the lubricant inlet to the location adjacent to the chain.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising instructing the actuator to reconfigure the valve from the open position to the closed position in response to deactivating the trigger, wherein reconfiguring the valve to the closed position is performed after a delay time associated with a time required to stop movement of the chain.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein reconfiguring the valve to the closed position is performed after movement of the prime mover terminates.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein instructing the actuator is performed by an electronic control unit of the chainsaw.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein activating the trigger causes the prime mover to drive the chain, wherein the prime mover is further coupled with the pump of the lubrication system, and wherein activating the trigger causes the prime mover to drive the pump.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the lubrication system comprises an interface disposed between the actuator and the valve, the interface comprising a first pocket that receives an arm of the actuator and a second pocket that receives a handle of the valve, and wherein the interface is configured to transfer torque from the actuator to the valve.

Assignees

• Techtronic Cordless Gp

Inventors

• Burden Andrew
• Hsu Miles
• Novak Isabel
• Woldemariam Bahiru
• Yameen Daniel

Classifications

• F16N7/38

  with a separate pump; Central lubrication systems · CPC title

• B27B17/02

  Chain saws equipped with guide bar (B27B17/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16N2210/33

  Chains · CPC title

• B27B17/12 Primary

  Lubricating devices specially designed for chain saws · CPC title