Power tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9314916-B2
Application number	US-201313783895-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2013
Priority date	Mar 23, 2012
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A power tool comprising a hollow pole, a prime mover disposed at one end of the pole, a tool disposed at the other end of the pole, a transmission shaft rotatably disposed within the pole and configured to transmit torque from the prime mover to the tool, a joint mechanism configured to support the tool such that the tool is capable of rotating with respect to the pole, a lock mechanism configured to selectively lock and unlock the joint mechanism, and a clutch mechanism disposed on a pathway of torque transmission from the prime mover to the tool via the transmission shaft, and configured to selectively connect and disconnect the pathway of torque transmission. The lock and clutch mechanisms are coupled with each other such that the clutch mechanism disconnects the pathway of torque transmission when the lock mechanism unlocks the joint mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power tool, comprising:
a hollow pole;
a prime mover disposed at one end of the hollow pole;
a tool disposed at a other end of the hollow pole;
a transmission shaft disposed within the hollow pole in a rotatable manner and configured to transmit torque from the prime mover to the tool;
a joint mechanism configured to support the tool such that the tool is capable of rotating with respect to the hollow pole;
a lock mechanism configured to selectively lock and unlock the joint mechanism; and
a clutch mechanism disposed on a pathway of torque transmission from the prime mover to the tool via the transmission shaft, and configured to selectively connect and disconnect the pathway of torque transmission, wherein
the lock mechanism and the clutch mechanism are coupled with each other such that when the lock mechanism unlocks the joint mechanism the lock mechanism causes the clutch mechanism to disconnect the pathway of torque transmission.

2. The power tool as in claim 1 , wherein
the lock mechanism comprises a lock member configured to move to at least a lock position and an unlock position,
the lock mechanism is configured to lock the joint mechanism when the lock member is in the lock position, and to unlock the joint mechanism when the lock member is in the unlock position, and
the clutch mechanism is configured to connect the pathway of torque transmission when the lock member is in the lock position, and to disconnect the pathway of torque transmission when the lock member is in the unlock position.

3. The power tool as in claim 2 , wherein
the lock member is configured to move to a second lock position,
the lock mechanism is configured to lock the joint mechanism when the lock member is in the second lock position, and
the clutch mechanism is configured to disconnect the pathway of torque transmission when the lock member is in the second lock position.

4. The power tool as in claim 3 , wherein
the joint mechanism supports the tool such that the tool is rotatable between a for-use position and a storage position with respect to the hollow pole,
the lock member is configured to move between the lock position and the unlock position when the tool is in the for-use position, and
the lock member is configured to move between the second lock position and the unlock position and to be unable to move to the lock position when the tool is in the storage position.

5. The power tool as in claim 4 , wherein
the lock mechanism further comprises a lock receiving member configured to engage with the lock member to lock the joint mechanism,
the lock receiving member comprises a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion,
the first receiving portion is configured to receive the lock member when the tool is in the for-use position, and has a shape to allow the lock member to move to the lock position, and
the second receiving portion is configured to receive the lock member when the tool is in the storage position, and has a shape to allow the lock member to move to the second lock position and to prohibit the lock member to move to the lock position.

6. The power tool as in claim 5 , wherein the second lock position is an intermediate position between the lock position and the unlock position.

7. The power tool as in claim 6 , wherein
the clutch mechanism comprises a pair of clutch members, one of the clutch members is coupled with the prime mover and the other of the clutch members is coupled with the tool, and the pair of clutch members being configured to approach toward and separate from each other to connect and disconnect the pathway of the torque transmission,
the one of the clutch members is coupled with the lock member such that the pair of clutch members approach toward each other when the lock member moves from the unlock position to the lock position and the pair of clutch members separate from each other when the lock member moves from the lock position to the unlock position.

8. The power tool as in claim 3 , wherein the second lock position is an intermediate position between the lock position and the unlock position.

9. The power tool as in claim 2 , wherein
the clutch mechanism comprises a pair of clutch members, one of the clutch members is coupled with the prime mover and the other of the clutch members is coupled with the tool, and the pair of clutch members being configured to approach toward and separate from each other to connect and disconnect the pathway of the torque transmission,
the one of the clutch members is coupled with the lock member such that the pair of clutch members approach toward each other when the lock member moves from the unlock position to the lock position and the pair of clutch members separate from each other when the lock member moves from the lock position to the unlock position.

10. The power tool as in claim 1 , wherein
the joint mechanism supports the tool such that the tool is rotatable between a for-use position and a storage position with respect to the hollow pole,
when the tool is in the for-use position, the clutch mechanism is configured to connect the pathway of torque transmission when the lock mechanism locks the joint mechanism, and
when the tool is in the storage position, the clutch mechanism is configured to disengage the pathway of torque transmission even when the lock mechanism locks the joint mechanism.

11. The power tool as in claim 1 , wherein
the lock mechanism and the clutch mechanism are operatively coupled via an engagement member, and
when the lock mechanism moves to an unlocked position and unlocks the joint mechanism, the engagement member moves the clutch mechanism to disconnect the pathway of torque transmission.

12. The power tool as in claim 11 , wherein
the engagement member is a slide plate,
the slide plate is fixed to the lock mechanism and is configured to slide with the lock mechanism, and
a part of the slide plate is located between clutch members of the clutch mechanism, and
when the lock mechanism slides to the unlocked position, the slide plate causes the clutch members to disengage from each other to disconnect the pathway of torque transmission.

Assignees

• Makita Corp

Inventors

• Tsuchiya Tadayoshi

Classifications

• A01G3/053 Primary

  motor-driven · CPC title

• B25F5/02 Primary

  Construction of casings, bodies or handles {(B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence)} · CPC title