SPLIT POWER TOOL
An extendable hedge trimmer includes a housing having a handle end and a tool end. The handle end includes a battery and an electrical connector. The tool end includes a hedge trimming implement, a motor, and an electrical connector. The electrical connector of the tool end is electrically connected with the motor. Wiring is included within the handle end for electrically connecting the battery and the electrical connector of the handle end. The trimmer also includes a pole which is releasably connectable between the tool end and the handle end. The pole is configured for electrically connecting the handle end with the tool end. The trimmer also includes a latch mechanism for releasably attaching the pole between tool end and handle end. The trimmer also includes an input for receiving AC line power via a power cord, the trimmer configured for being power by AC line power and/or battery power.
The present application is a continuation application and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/404,809 filed Feb. 24, 2012, which is a continuation-in-part application claiming priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/012,788 filed Feb. 5, 2008 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,136,254 issued on Mar. 20, 2012), which is a continuation-in-part application claiming priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/756,214 filed May 31, 2007, which is a non-provisional application claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/888,535 filed Feb. 6, 2007, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF INVENTIONThe present invention generally relates to an extendable and reconfigurable power tool, and more particularly to a power tool having two halves and an extension pole that can be inserted between the two halves to electrically connect them and make the power head end of the tool operable even though separated from the actuation end.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONPower tools are implemented for a variety of tasks, such as for pruning a hedge, cutting low-hanging branches of trees, or the like. However, currently available power tools may not have the desired adaptability or versatility for promoting ease of performance for a variety of jobs or tasks which may be required to be performed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, an embodiment of the present invention is directed to a power tool, including: a housing, the housing including a handle end and a tool end, the handle end and the tool end configured for being removably and directly connected together, the handle end having a battery and an electrical connector, the tool end having a motor and an electrical connector, the electrical connector of the tool end being electrically connected with the motor, the electrical connector of the tool end being electrically connected to the electrical connector of the handle end when the tool end and the handle end are removably connected together; wiring, the wiring being configured within the handle end, the wiring further configured for electrically connecting the battery and the electrical connector of the handle end; and an input for receiving AC line power via a power cord, wherein the power tool is configured for being powered by at least one of AC line power or battery power.
A further embodiment of the present invention is directed to an extendable power tool, including: a housing, the housing including a handle end and a tool end, the handle end having a battery and an electrical connector, the tool end having a motor and an electrical connector, the electrical connector of the tool end being electrically connected with the motor; wiring, the wiring being configured within the handle end, the wiring further configured for electrically connecting the battery and the electrical connector of the handle end; a pole, the pole configured for being releasably connected between said tool end and said handle end when said tool end and said handle end are separated, wherein said pole contains electrical wiring and electrical connectors, said electrical wiring and electrical connectors of the pole being configured for electrically connecting the electrical connector of the handle end with the electrical connector of the tool end; a latch mechanism, the latch mechanism being configured for releasably attaching the pole between the tool end and the handle end; and an input for receiving AC line power via a power cord, wherein the power tool is configured for being powered by at least one of AC line power or battery power.
An additional embodiment of the present invention is directed to an extendable hedge trimmer, including: a housing, the housing including a handle end and a tool end, the handle end having a battery and an electrical connector, the tool end having a hedge trimming implement, a motor and an electrical connector, the electrical connector of the tool end being electrically connected with the motor; wiring, the wiring being configured within the handle end, the wiring further configured for electrically connecting the battery and the electrical connector of the handle end; a pole, the pole configured for being releasably connected between said tool end and said handle end when said tool end and said handle end are separated, wherein said pole contains electrical wiring and electrical connectors, said electrical wiring and electrical connectors of the pole being configured for electrically connecting the electrical connector of the handle end with the electrical connector of the tool end; a latch mechanism, the latch mechanism being configured for releasably attaching the pole between the tool end and the handle end; and an input for receiving AC line power via a power cord, wherein the power tool is configured for being powered by at least one of AC line power or battery power.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not necessarily restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Turning now to the Figures and specifically to
A separated view of an embodiment of the power tool 100 with a pole 108 is shown in
While shown herein, the exemplary embodiment power tool may be utilized as a chain saw. Other exemplary embodiments of the tool end 104 may include a saw 221, a hedge trimming 222, a chainsaw 223, or a gardening attachment 225. An embodiment of a gardening attachment includes a blower 224, as shown in
It is believed that the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof, it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
Claims
1. A power tool, comprising:
- a handle end, the handle end having a power source, a trigger, a first electrical connector electrically connected to the power source, and a first attachment mechanism;
- a tool end removably attachable to the handle end, the tool end having a motor, a second electrical connector electrically connected to the motor, and a second attachment mechanism, wherein the second electrical connector of the tool end being operatively connected to the first electrical connector of the handle end when the tool end is attached to the handle end; and
- a pole releasably attachable to the handle end and the tool end, the pole having a first end and a second end, the first end including a third electrical connector and a third attachment mechanism, the second end having a fourth electrical connector and a fourth attachment mechanism, wherein the third electrical connector is electrically connected to the first electrical connector of the handle end when the third attachment mechanism engages the first attachment mechanism, and wherein the fourth electrical connector is electrically connected to the second electrical connector of the tool end when the fourth attachment mechanism engages the second attachment mechanism;
- wherein each of the first attachment mechanism, the second attachment mechanism, the third attachment mechanism, and the fourth attachment mechanism includes a pair of substantially parallel opposing rails that engage the rails of the corresponding attachment mechanism when the tool end is attached to the handle end or when the pole is positioned between and attached to both the tool end and the handle end.
2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the tool end is formed as one of a saw implement, a hedge trimming implement, a chainsaw implement, a blower, or a gardening attachment.
3. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery providing battery power, a power cord for providing AC power, or both the battery and the power cord for providing hybrid power.
4. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the tool end is selectively articulatable in a rotating manner relative to the pole.
5. The power tool of claim 1, wherein said pole is a telescoping pole.
6. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the handle end, pole, and tool end are substantially linearly aligned when the pole extends between and is attached to the handle end and the tool end.
7. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the handle end is attachable to the pole in a vertical sliding manner, the tool end is attachable to the pole in a vertical sliding manner, and the tool end is attachable to the handle end in a vertical sliding manner.
8. A power tool, comprising:
- a handle end, the handle end having a power source, a trigger, a first electrical connector electrically connected to the power source, and a first attachment mechanism;
- a tool end removably attachable to the handle end, the tool end having a motor, a second electrical connector electrically connected to the motor, and a second attachment mechanism, wherein the motor is electrically connected to the power source when the tool end is attached to the handle end; and
- a pole releasably attached to the handle end and the tool end, the pole having a first end and a second end, the first end including a third electrical connector and a third attachment mechanism, the second end having a fourth electrical connector and a fourth attachment mechanism;
- wherein the handle end, pole, and tool end are substantially linearly aligned when the pole extends between and is attached to the handle end and the tool end.
9. The power tool of claim 8, wherein the tool end is formed as one of a saw implement, a hedge trimming implement, a chainsaw implement, a blower, or a gardening attachment.
10. The power tool of claim 8, wherein the power source is a battery providing battery power, a power cord for providing AC power, or both the battery and the power cord for providing hybrid power.
11. The power tool of claim 8, wherein the tool end is selectively articulatable in a rotating manner relative to the pole.
12. The power tool of claim 8, wherein said pole is a telescoping pole.
13. The power tool of claim 8, wherein the third electrical connector of the pole is electrically connected to the first electrical connector of the handle end and the fourth electrical connector of the pole is electrically connected to the second electrical connector of the tool end when the pole extends between and is attached to both the handle end and the tool end.
14. The power tool of claim 8, wherein the third attachment mechanism of the pole engages the first attachment mechanism of the handle end and the fourth attachment mechanism of the pole engages the second attachment mechanism of the tool end when the pole extends between and is attached to both the handle end and the tool end.
15. The power tool of claim 8, wherein the handle end is attachable to the pole in a vertical sliding manner, the tool end is attachable to the pole in a vertical sliding manner, and the tool end is attachable to the handle end in a vertical sliding manner.
16. A power tool, comprising:
- a handle end, the handle end having a power source, a trigger, a first electrical connector electrically connected to the power source, and a first pair of substantially vertical rails;
- a tool end removably attachable to the handle end, the tool end having a motor, a second electrical connector electrically connected to the motor, and a second pair of substantially vertical rails, wherein the motor is electrically connected to the power source when the tool end is attached to the handle end; and
- a pole releasably attached to the handle end and the tool end, the pole having a first end and a second end, the first end including a third electrical connector and a third pair of substantially vertical rails, the second end having a fourth electrical connector and a fourth pair of substantially vertical rails;
- wherein the handle end, pole, and tool end are substantially linearly aligned when the pole extends between and is attached to the handle end and the tool end, said handle end and said tool end being attached to the pole in a vertical sliding manner to engage corresponding pairs of vertical rails.
17. The power tool of claim 16, wherein the tool end is formed as one of a saw implement, a hedge trimming implement, a chainsaw implement, a blower, or a gardening attachment.
18. The power tool of claim 16, wherein the power source is a battery providing battery power, a power cord for providing AC power, or both the battery and the power cord for providing hybrid power.
19. The power tool of claim 16, wherein the tool end is selectively articulatable in a rotating manner relative to the pole.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 9, 2016
Publication Date: Dec 29, 2016
Inventors: Jason Gieske (Bowling Green, KY), Cherry A. Bochmann (Bay Village, OH), Erin Q. Riddell (Valley City, OH)
Application Number: 15/260,519