APPARATUS FOR CARRYING A POWER TOOL
A carrying apparatus for a power tool can comprise a first power tool connector attachable to a power tool, a retraction device attached to the first power tool connector, a strap with a first end and a second end, a strap connector attached to the second end of the strap; and a second power tool connector attachable to the power tool. The latching device can be capable of latching to the strap connector, and the strap can be secured to the retraction device at the first end, and can be extendable from and retractable to the retraction device.
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an apparatus for carrying a power tool, and more particularly, to a shoulder strap assembly for carrying a heavy or awkwardly shaped power tool.
A power tool is a tool powered by non-manual means, such as by an electric motor, a compressed air motor, an internal combustion engine, direct burning of fuels and propellants, or natural power sources like wind or moving water. Power tools can be used in industry, in professional services, in emergency services, in construction, and for a variety of purposes such as, but not limited to driving, drilling, cutting, shaping, sanding, grinding, polishing, painting, and heating. Power tools are classified as either stationary or portable, where portable means handheld.
While some portable power tools are small, lightweight, and easily transported during use or between uses, other portable power tools are larger, awkwardly shaped, or heavy, and therefore, transported with more difficulty during use or between uses. Examples of more easily transported power tools might include screwdrivers, small belt sanders, a small router, and a drill. Examples of more difficultly transported items might include a chainsaw, a rotary saw, or a weed cutter.
In some circumstances, these more difficultly carried power tools must be carried and transported during use, or between different locations to be used consecutively. In some of these circumstances, the power tools must be carried indefinitely, or to multiple locations. The weight load can be overly burdensome to carry with the hands or arms alone, fatiguing a user, which can reduce the user's safety in operating the power tool, or require more frequent rest breaks.
Some devices enable the user to more easily carry the relatively difficultly transported power tools. To make carrying some power tools easier, shoulder straps and/or harnesses can be used to relieve weight from the hands and arms, and transfer at least some of the weight load to the shoulders and back. For instance, one device provides a hook attached to the portable power tool, in this case a tree trimmer, and to a harness. The harness attaches around the shoulders of the operator in order to take weight off the user's arms during use of the power tool. The user can then more easily bear the weight of the power tool while operating the device. One disadvantage of this device is the reduced freedom to move the device in relation to the body, as the device is pivotal at one point where the hook attaches between the portable power tool and the harness. Some devices require a greater freedom of movement during operation.
Another device is a carrying device for a chain saw type motor saw. This device provides suspension members connecting the chain saw type motor saw to a harness. The suspension members can provide some degree of mobility during use. However, the freedom to move the motor saw during use is still limited.
Also, each of these two devices is designed to be connected to the harness during use to take weight off the user's arms during use. These devices cannot be quickly connected to and disconnected from the position of support from the shoulders, or even repositioned for better carrying between or during times of use.
In some circumstances, however, a user might need to quickly remove the power tool from the shoulder carrying position, to either wield the power tool with more mobility, or to set the power tool down, with the ability to pick the power tool back up quickly and/or put it back in the shoulder carrying position quickly for use or transport. In transport, the user might need to quickly rearrange the shoulder carrying position from one position to a significantly different shoulder carrying position. For example, a fireman might carry a power saw during an emergency, not knowing where or when the fireman might need to use the power saw. He can reduce or prevent arm fatigue by transferring weight to his shoulders and/or back, and the fireman can leave his hands relatively free while carrying the power saw, which renders the fireman safer and better equipped to address the emergency situation. However, with the current devices, the fireman cannot quickly reposition the power saw, including but not limited to setting the power saw down or manipulating the shoulder carrying position to find a better center of gravity, or to move the power tool out of an obstruction position. The fireman's mobility, agility, and/or dexterity can be affected negatively, which can slow down his response speed and put him at greater risk. The fireman's ability to transition between modes of operation also can be negatively affected (e.g. the fireman's speed of action can be slowed).
Some devices offer a simple strap attached to two portions of the power tool. With a simple strap looped around the shoulders and neck, the power tool can be more easily moved quickly out of the shoulder carrying position along with the strap so that the power tool can be wielded with all the weight resting on the hands and arms, or so that the power tool can be set down. However, with a simple strap attached to the power tool, the strap can dangle from where the strap is connected to the power tool, and the strap can therefore be obstructing. The strap can even provide a safety hazard. For example, the strap can get caught up in the blade of a chainsaw while dangling. During rushed operation, such as in the case of the power tool's use during an emergency, the likelihood of a dangling strap causing a nuisance is magnified.
It would be advantageous to have a carrying device for use with a relatively difficultly transported power tool, without the disadvantages of the devices described above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment, a carrying apparatus for a power tool can comprise a first power tool connector attachable to a power tool, a retraction device attached to the first power tool connector, a strap with a first end and a second end, a strap connector attached to the second end of the strap; and a second power tool connector attachable to the power tool. The latching device can be capable of latching to the strap connector, and the strap can be secured to the retraction device at the first end, and can be extendable from and retractable to the retraction device.
In another embodiment, a carrying apparatus for a power tool can comprise a first handle connector having a first clamp, a retraction device attached to the first handle connector, a strap with a first end and a second end, a strap connector attached to the second end of the strap; and a second handle connector having a latching device and a second clamp. The first clamp can be being positionable in a first clamped position and a first nonclamped position. The second clamp can be positionable in a second clamped position and a second nonclamped position. The latching device can be capable of latching to the strap connector. The strap can be secured to the retraction device at the first end, and the strap can be extendable from and retractable to the first handle connector.
So that the manner in which the features of the invention can be understood, a detailed description of the invention may be had by reference to certain embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only certain embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the scope of the invention encompasses other equally effective embodiments. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis generally being placed upon illustrating the features of certain embodiments of invention. Thus, for further understanding of the invention, reference can be made to the following detailed description, read in connection with the drawings in which:
The first handle and the second handle can be either of a front handle or a rear handle, and the first handle connector 100 and the second handle connector 400 can be modified to connect to either. Also, the first handle connector 100 and the second handle connector 400 can connect to the same handle, or the first handle connector 100 and the second handle connector 400 can connect to a shaft or another part of the power tool rather than a handle.
For purposes of illustrating and describing the power tool carrying apparatus 10,
A clip 118 can be attached to the first upper jaw 114. The clip 118 can be bolted, screwed, adhered, welded, or otherwise fastened to the first upper jaw 114, or the clip 118 can be fashioned from the same solid, single piece of material as the first upper jaw 114. The clip 118 can be a spring clip, as shown, in which a spring forces the clip closed, but in which the force is small enough for the hand of a typical person to easily overcome to open the clip. Clips other than the one illustrated, or other known latching devices able to be quickly latched and unlatched, can be used as well, as would be known to one skilled in the art based on this description of the power tool carrying apparatus 10.
The first handle connector 100, including the first lower jaw 112, and/or the first upper jaw 114, and/or the clip 118, can be comprised of a durable material, strong enough to stay clamped and maintain structural integrity withstanding the forces and torques generated during carrying, rotation, and other movement of relatively heavy or awkwardly shaped power tools used with the power tool carrying apparatus 10.
A retraction device 418 can be attached to the second upper jaw 414. The retraction device 418 can be bolted, screwed, adhered, welded, or otherwise fastened to the second upper jaw 414. The second upper jaw 414 can have a housing 420 that can enclose the retraction device 418 on up to five sides, as long as enough space is open on at least one side for the strap 300 to retract using the retraction device 418. The housing 420 can be fashioned from the same solid, single piece of material as the second upper jaw 414, or the housing 420 can be attached to the second upper jaw 414 by known methods, such as bolting, adhering, or welding.
Still referring to
The spring cap 432 can be fastened over the spring 434 to enclose the spring 434 between the spring cap 432 and the second upper jaw 414 and/or the housing 420. The spring cap 432 can be removably fastened using screws, bolts, or other known fastening methods. The spring cap 432 can have one or more projections on an inside surface, around which a second end of the spring can be bent, so that the second end 436 of the spring 434 can be anchored to the spring cap 432. Other known methods can be used to anchor the second end of the spring 434 to the spring cap 432.
This position is referred to herein as a semi-retracted position.
Furthermore, the strap 300 can be quickly moved into a fully extended position.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
Claims
1. A carrying apparatus for a power tool, the apparatus comprising:
- a first handle connector having a first clamp, the first clamp being positionable in a first clamped position and a first nonclamped position;
- a retraction device attached to the first handle connector;
- a strap with a first end and a second end, the strap secured to the retraction device at the first end, the strap being extendable from and retractable to the first handle connector;
- a strap connector attached to the second end of the strap; and
- a second handle connector having a latching device and a second clamp, the latching device being capable of latching to the strap connector, and the second clamp being positionable in a second clamped position and a second nonclamped position.
2. The carrying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first handle connector is further comprised of a housing, and the retraction device is connected to the housing.
3. The carrying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first clamp has a first surface with a first concavity and a second surface with a second concavity, the first concavity being aligned with the second concavity.
4. The carrying apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first clamp is connectable to a rear chainsaw handle.
5. The carrying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second clamp has a first flat clamping surface opposing a second flat clamping surface.
6. The carrying apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second clamp is connectable to a front chainsaw handle.
7. The carrying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the latching device is a spring-loaded clip.
8. The carrying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the retraction device further comprises a spooling pin and a spring, wherein the strap is secured to the spooling pin at the first end, and the strap is retractable and spoolable around the spooling pin.
9. The carrying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the retraction device further comprises a cap enclosing a spring, the cap fastened to a surface of the first handle connector.
10. A carrying apparatus for a power tool, the apparatus comprising:
- a first power tool connector attachable to a power tool;
- a retraction device attached to the first power tool connector;
- a strap with a first end and a second end, the strap secured to the retraction device at the first end, the strap being extendable from and retractable to the retraction device;
- a strap connector attached to the second end of the strap; and
- a second power tool connector having a latching device, the second power tool connector being attachable to the power tool, and the latching device being capable of latching to the strap connector.
11. The carrying apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first power tool connector is further comprised of a housing, and the retraction device is connected to the housing.
12. The carrying apparatus of claim 10, wherein the latching device is a spring-loaded clip.
13. The carrying apparatus of claim 10, wherein the retraction device further comprises a spooling pin and a spring, wherein the strap is secured to the spooling pin at the first end, and the strap is retractable and spoolable around the spooling pin.
14. The carrying apparatus of claim 10, wherein the retraction device further comprises a cap enclosing a spring, the cap fastened to a surface of the first power tool connector.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 22, 2010
Publication Date: Mar 22, 2012
Inventor: Justin T. Yanosick (West Roxbury, MA)
Application Number: 12/887,960
International Classification: A45F 3/14 (20060101); B65H 75/40 (20060101);