GB2426225A

GB2426225A - Hand-held power tool housing with see-through region

Info

Publication number: GB2426225A
Application number: GB0609873A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sim Teik Yeoh; Steffen Wuensch; Wolfgang Hirschburger; Manfred Lutz
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2005-05-17
Filing date: 2006-05-17
Publication date: 2006-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2026-05-17
Also published as: DE102005041489B4; GB0609873D0; DE102005041489A1; GB2426225B; CN1903516A; CN1903516B

Abstract

The invention is based on a hand-held power tool housing with at least one see-through region 10,12,14 made, in particular, from a transparent plastics material. An inner face (18, fig 2) of the see-through region forms a carrier for an information and/or signal element (26, fig 2). The housing may include at least one illumination element 38,40,42, such as a light emitting diode, for illuminating the inner face of the see-through region. At least one switch element (110,112,114, fig 6) may be provided beneath the see-through region for switching between operating modes of the tool.

Description

Hand-held Power Tool Housing Device

Prior Art

The invention is based, in particular, on a hand-held power tool with a hand-held power tool housing device according to the preamble of claim 1.

It has already been proposed to equip hand-held power tool housings with a liquid crystal display which comprises a see-through region made from a plastics material which covers the actual display and protects it from damage.

Advantages of the invention The invention is based, in particular, on a hand-held power tool housing device with at least one see-through region made, in particular, from a transparent plastics material.

It is proposed that an inner face of the see-through region forms a carrier for an information and/or signal element.

As a result, a robust information and/or signal element may advantageously be achieved which is protected by the see- through region and which forms a homogenous unit with the see-through region. A robust design of the information and/or signal element itself, as is required in the context of hand-held power tools due to high stresses, may advantageously be dispensed with and, as a result, production costs may be saved.

In addition to housings of hand-held power tools, in particular electric hand-held power tools, accessories for hand-held power tools, for example battery chargers or their housings, are also considered as hand-held power tool housing devices. Each face of a component which is inaccessible for an operator during normal operation is to be denoted as inner face' in this context.

In a development of the invention, it is proposed that the hand-held power tool housing device comprises at least one illumination element for illuminating the inner face of the see-through region. As a result, it may be achieved that the information and/or signal element is clearly recognisable for an operator even in inadequate light conditions.

If the illumination element is provided to be activated according to an operating mode of a hand-held power tool comprising the see-through region, it may be achieved that the operating mode is clearly recognisable for an operator at all times.

Overload of the hand-held power tool may be avoided if the illumination element is provided to be activated according to a rotational speed of a hand-held power tool comprising a see-through region. The term provided' is also understood to be designed' and equipped' in this context.

It is further conceivable that the illumination element may be activated, for example, according to loading and/or power consumption and/or according to a temperature detected by a temperature sensor. In a further embodiment of the invention, the illumination element is connected to an electronic unit which detects a charging state of a rechargeable battery or battery pack associated with the hand-held power tool housing device.

An advantageously robust and simple unit and a thereby simplified assembly may be achieved if the illumination element is moulded with the see-through region.

A dangerous rise in temperature may be avoided if the illumination element is configured as a light-emitting diode.

A large amount of light diffusion and thus uniform illumination may be produced by the light-emitting diode, in particular, if said lightemitting diode comprises a planar light-emitting surface.

An assembly with cost saving potential may be inferred and a simple construction of the hand-held power tool housing device may be achieved if the light-emitting diode is configured as a surface-mounted lightemitting diode. In this context, such light-emitting diodes are to be denoted as surface mounted light-emitting diodes which may be soldered directly to a printed circuit board without conductor ends. Corresponding components are frequently denoted as surface mounted device' (SMD).

An information and/or signal element with a particularly clearly recognisable information content may be achieved if the inner face of the see-through region comprises a mask which is opaque, at least in a partial region for at least one portion of a visible light spectrum. This may be achieved in a particularly cost-effective manner if the mask is printed or adhered onto the inner face of the see- through region.

The hand-held power tool may be reliably and rapidly assigned to a manufacturer, for example to order replacement parts, if the information and/or signal element forms a product code. Moreover, recycling of plastics components may then be particularly easily carried out and in particular when the product code is machine readable.

Embodiments of the invention are also conceivable where the identification element is configured to be machine readable, for example as a bar code. The identification element may further carry recycling information which may relate to a material of the hand-held power tool housing part.

Splintering the see-through region and a risk of damage or injury resulting from the see-through region may be reduced at least if the seethrough region is configured to be resilient.

An advantageous combination of a switching function with an information and/or signal function may be achieved if the hand-held power tool housing device comprises a switch element arranged beneath the see- through region for switching an operating mode of a hand-held power tool comprising the see-through region. By pressing on a symbol carried by the see-through region, an operator may then request a switching function associated with this symbol, whereby particularly convenient operator guidance may be achieved.

If the hand-held power tool comprises a control unit for actuating the illumination unit according to an operating mode of a hand-held power tool comprising the see-through region, the operating state may be effectively visualised by a corresponding control of the illumination unit.

In addition to the simple on and off state of the illumination unit, further states, and thus a larger information content which may be conveyed via the illumination unit, may be achieved if the control unit is provided to switch the illumination unit on and off periodically, in at least one operating mode. The resulting flashing of the illumination unit may direct the attention of the operator to the illumination unit and, for example, visualise a state in which the hand-held power tool automatically carries out a process.

A separate information and/or signal element may be dispensed with if the see-through region is formed as a nameplate.

Drawings Further advantages are revealed from the following description of the drawings. Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. The drawings, description and claims contain numerous features in combination. The person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them into meaningful further combinations.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a hand-held power tool with a housing which comprises four see-through regions in an oblique view from above, Figure 2 is a first see-through region of the hand- held power tool of Figure 1 in a sectional view, Figure 3 is a second see-through region of the handheld power tool of Figure 1 in a sectional view, Figure 4 is the seethrough region of Figure 3 in a plan view, Figure 5 is a third see-through region of the hand- held power tool of Figure 1 in a sectional view, Figure 6 is a fourth see-through region of the hand- held power tool of Figure 1 in a plan view, Figure 7 is a see-through region of an alternative hand-held power tool in a plan view, Figure 8 is a see-through region of a further alternative hand-held power tool in a plan view, Figure 9 is a see-through region of a further alternative hand- held power tool in a plan view, Figure 10 is a see-through region of a further alternative hand-held power tool in a plan view, Figure 11 is a further alternative hand-held power tool with a see-through region which carries a manufacturer's logo, Figure 12 is the manufacturer's logo of Figure 11, Figure 13 is a further alternative hand-held power tool with a see-through region which is formed as a nameplate, Figure 14 is the see- through region of Figure 13, Figure 15 is an illumination unit of a further alternative hand-held power tool housing operating device and Figure 16 is a further illumination unit of a further alternative hand- held power tool housing operating device.

Description of the Embodiments

Figure 1 shows a hand-held power tool 52 configured as a cordless hammer drill with a screwdriver function, with a housing 54 made of plastics material in which an electric motor, not shown here in more detail, is arranged. The electric motor drives a chuck 56 at a rotational speed CA which may be adjusted via a control button 58, and which is detected by a rotational speed sensor, not shown here. The chuck 56 is suitable for receiving, amongst others, drill bits or screwdriver bits.

A replaceable battery pack 60 is releasably attached in a lower region of the housing 54. A reversing switch 62 configured as a slide button is held secure against loss in the region of the control button 58 and by means of which the operator may adjust a direction of rotation of the electric motor.

Four see-through regions 10 - 16 made from transparent plastics material are attached to the housing 54, which respectively form a carrier for an information and/or signal element 26 - 32.

The first see-through region 10 is oval and formed from a transparent plastics material and, more specifically from polyacryl and is adhered to a corresponding oval recess in the housing 54. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the see-through region 10 is injected into the recess in the housing 54. An inner face 18 (Figure 2) of the seethrough region 10 comprises a coloured layer which forms an information and signal element 26. Additionally the coloured layer shows a company logo and a product code which is visible from outside through the seethrough region 10. The information and signal element 26 is protected against frictional wear by the body of the see- through region 10. The inner face 18 accordingly forms a carrier for the information and signal element 26.

The second see-through region 12 is rectangular and comprises an information element 28 applied to its inner face 20 and configured as a coloured layer and two illumination elements 34, 36 configured as lightemitting diodes which are moulded with a transparent material of the seethrough region 12 in an injection moulding process together with their conductor ends 64, 66 and their synthetic resin lenses 68, 70 and form the signal elements (Figure 3).

The illumination elements 34, 36 are interconnected such that the illumination element 34 is activated when the reversing switch 62 is switched to clockwise operation, and such that the illumination element 36 is activated when the reversing switch 62 is switched to anti- clockwise operation. s a result, the illumination elements 34, 36 are activated according to an operating mode of the hand- held power tool 52. The information element 28 visualises the direction of rotation of the electric motor by arrows which are respectively associated with one of the illumination elements 34, 36 (Figure 4) The third see-through region 14 (Figure 5) is printed on an inner face 22 with an information element 30 configured as a complete'y opaque mask and which comprises three polygonal recesses 116 - 120, which together form the shape of an acute, isosceles triangle. An illumination element 38 - 42 configured as a light-emitting diode is arranged beneath each of the recesses 116 - 120.

The illumination element 38 beneath the recess 116 is activated when the rotational speed c exceeds a lower rotational speed threshold. The illumination element 40 beneath the middle recess 118 is activated when the rotational speed c exceeds a middle rotational speed threshold. Moreover the illumination element 42 beneath the recess 120 is activated when the rotational speed exceeds an upper rotational speed threshold. The illumination elements 38 - 42 are thus activated according to the rotational speed o of the hand-held power tool 52. In addition, a control unit 180 of the hand-held power tool 52 detects the rotational speed o by means of the rotational speed sensor.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, push-buttons are arranged beneath the recesses 116 - 118 which an operator may activate by pressing. The hand-held power tool 52 then controls the rotational speed w at a value assigned to the respective push-button.

The fourth see-through region 16 (Figure 6) is configured from a flexible but nevertheless stable film and carries on its inner face 24 a coloured layer which represents a drill bit, a hammer and a screw and thus forms an information element 32.

Beneath the see-through region 16 are three switch elements - 114, respectively associated with the printed symbols, configured as contact switches and whose position is shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. The switch elements 110 - 114 are configured as planar membrane switches which are bonded to the see-through region 16 and respectively comprise a central recess beneath which one respective illumination element 44 - 48 configured as a light-emitting diode is arranged.

If an operator of the hand-held power tool 52 presses on the first switch element 110, the hand-held power tool 52 switches to drilling mode and activates the illumination element 44. If an operator of the hand-held power tool 52 presses on the second switch element 112, the hand-held power tool 52 switches to hammer drill mode and activates the illumination element 46 in order to visualise the operating mode which has been switched on. If an operator of the hand-held power tool 52 finally presses on the third switch element 114, the hand-held power tool 52 switches to screwdriver mode and activates the illumination element 48.

Figures 7 - 16 show further embodiments of the invention.

The description is substantially restricted to differences to the embodiments shown in Figures 1 - 6. With regard to features remaining the same, reference is made to the

description for Figures 1 - 6.

Figure 7 shows a see-through region 72 which may be integrated into an alternative hand-held power tool which may be operated in at least four different operating programs. Each of the operating programs is optimised for a specific material to be processed. The see-through region 72 is made from a flexible, transparent, film-like material and printed from the inner face with a coloured layer, which forms an information and signal element 80 and by means of which the see-through region 72 is divided into four square regions 88 - 94.

Beneath the first region 88 a pressure switch is arranged, by means of which an operating program optimised for wood may be initiated. In the region 88, the information and signal element 80 represents the term wood' in clear text.

Beneath the second region 90 a pressure switch is arranged, by means of which an operating program optimised for metal may be initiated. In the region 90, the information and signal element 80 represents the term metal' in clear text. Beneath the third region 92 a pressure switch is arranged, by means of which an operating program optimised for plastics material by means of a lower rotational speed L may be initiated. In the region 92 the information and signal element 80 represents the abbreviation PVC' in clear text. Beneath the fourth region 94 a pressure switch is arranged, by means of which an operating program optimised for stone may be initiated. In the region 94 the information and signal element 80 represents the term stone' in clear text.

Figure 8 shows a see-through region 74 which is entirely analogous with the see-through region 72 shown in Figure 7, with an information and/or signal element 82 and four regions 96 - 102, in which, instead of the terms wood', metal', PVC' and stone', pictograms are shown for the corresponding materials.

Figure 9 shows a further alternative see-through region 76 with an information and/or signal element 84 which, similar to the above described see-through region 14 is provided for visualising a rotational speed o of a hand-held power tool. The information and/or signal element 84 printed on an inner face shows four rotational speeds represented in numerals, below which one respective light-emitting diode, not shown in detail here, is arranged which is activated when the rotational speed A detected by a rotational speed sensor exceeds the respective rotational speed represented in numerals.

Figure 10 shows a further alternative see-through region 78 which may be integrated into a hand-held power tool housing part of a hand-held power tool, which comprises a torque detection means. The torque detection means may directly detect the torque produced by the hand-held power tool or, however, determine it indirectly via the power consumption of the hand-held power tool. The see-through region 78 is divided into three regions 104 -108, in which an information and signal element 86 bonded on an inner face represents one respective load of the hand-held power tool and more specifically, by a number of pictograms of weights. Beneath each of the regions 104 - 108 a coloured light-emitting diode is arranged, not shown here in detail, which is activated by a control unit 180 when a torque detected by a torque detection means exceeds a threshold assigned to the respective region 104 - 108.

The light-emitting diode arranged beneath the region 108 is green and indicates to the operator reduced loading which protects the hand-held power tool. The light-emitting diode arranged beneath the region 106 is yellow and/or orange and indicates to the operator loading of the handheld power tool which is still tolerable for continuous operation.

Finally, the light-emitting diode arranged beneath the region 104 is red and indicates to the operator loading of the hand-held power tool in an overload range which is only tolerable for a short time. If the hand-held power tool is operated over the longer term in the overload range, this may lead to damage.

Figure 11 shows an alternative hand-held power tool 152 configured as a cordless screwdriver with a housing 154 made of plastics material in which an electric motor, not shown in more detail, is arranged. The electric motor drives a chuck 156 at a torque which may be adjusted via a control element 158. The chuck 156 is suitable for receiving, amongst others, drill bits or screwdriver bits.

A display 182 with an input switch 184 is arranged on an upper face of the housing 154 and via which the operator may enter an operating mode and operating parameters of the hand-held power tool 152.

A see-through region 172 made from transparent plastics material is arranged on the side of the housing 154 and on whose inner face, not shown here in detail, a printed information element and/or signal element 126 is applied which carries a manufacturer's logo 174 visible from outside and the nameplate 176 of the manufacturer of the hand-held power tool 152. The see-through region 172 shown enlarged in Figure 12 is of oval configuration and comprises a cover plate 178 on its exterior, behind which four illumination elements 134 - 140 configured as superbright, white light-emitting diodes are arranged in a concealed manner, which illuminate the coloured manufacturer's logo 174 and nameplate 176.

The hand-held power tool 152 further comprises a control unit 180 for controlling the four illumination elements 134 - 140 according to an operating mode of the hand-held power tool 152. The control unit 180 may either continuously switch on or continuously switch off the illumination element 134 - 140 or periodically switch it on and off in a flashing mode, i.e. let it flash. By being continuously switched on, overall readiness for operation is signalled to an operator, whilst by being continuously switched off, a faulty power supply is indicated.

If the control unit 180 expects an input from the operator via the input switch 184, the control unit 180 actuates the illumination elements 134 140 in the periodic flashing mode in which the illumination elements 134 140 are switched on and off at intervals of 3 seconds1. Such an input may, for example, refer to a choice between a clockwise mode and an anticlockwise mode of the hand-held power tool 152. If the input has been carried out by the operator, the control unit 180 switches into the mode with continuous illumination. As a rule, moreover, the flashing mode is always switched on when the hand-held power tool 152 carries out a process not to be influenced externally.

An example of such a process is the charging of a battery pack 160 of the hand-held power tool 152.

A hand-held power tool 152 configured as a cordless screwdriver and shown in Figure 13 is substantially similar in construction to the hand-held power tool 152 shown in Figures 11 and 12. Thus the following description is restricted to the differences from the hand-held power tool 152 shown in Figures 11 and 12, analogous features being provided with the same reference numerals.

A see-through region 272 made of transparent plastics material is arranged on the side of the housing 154, and which is formed as a nameplate and thus itself forms a signal and display element. Behind each of the five letters of the nameplate an illumination element 234 - 240 configured as a white light-emitting diode is arranged on a printed circuit board printed with conducting tracks. The individual letters of the see-through region 272 are connected to one another by webs 274, 276 (Figure 14) and, in an assembled state, penetrate the housing 154 from an inner face so that the webs 274, 276 are arranged in the interior of the housing 154.

Figure 15 shows an illumination device 300 for illuminating a see-through region 272 configured as a nameplate of the type shown in Figures 13 and 15. The illumination device 300 comprises five illumination elements 334 342 combined into one unit on a common printed circuit board 302.

Figure 16 shows a further alternative illumination device 400 for illuminating a see-through region 272 configured as a nameplate of the type shown in Figures 13 and 15. The illumination device 400 comprises five illumination elements 434 - 442 combined into one unit on a common printed circuit board 402 which are configured as surface mounted light-emitting diodes (SND-LEDs).

The printed circuit board 402 is printed on a front face with conducting tracks 404, 406 and the illumination elements 434 - 442 are directly soldered to the conducting tracks 404, 406, without penetrating the printed circuit board 402. The illumination elements 434 - 442 configured as light-emitting diodes respectively comprise a planar light-emitting surface 444 - 452 whereby the light of the illumination elements 434 - 442 is spread diffusely and whereby a planar construction may be achieved.

List of Reference Numerals See-through region 54 Housing 12 See-through region 56 Chuck 14 See-through region 58 Control button 16 See-through region 60 Battery pack 18 Inner face 62 Reversing switch Inner face 64 Conductor end 22 Inner face 66 Conductor end 24 Inner face 68 Synthetic resin lens 26 Information and/or 70 Synthetic resin lens Signal element 72 See- through region 28 Information and/or 74 See-through region Signal element 76 See-through region 30 Information and/or 78 See-through region Signal element 80 Information and/or 32 Information and/or Signal element Signal element 82 Information and/or 34 Illumination element Signal element 36 Illumination element 84 Information and/or 38 Illumination element Signal element Illumination element 86 Information and/or 42 Illumination element Signal element 44 Illumination element 88 Region 46 Illumination element 90 Region 48 Illumination element 92 Region 52 Hand-held power tool 94 Region 96 Region 234 Illumination element 98 Region 236 Illumination element Region 238 Illumination element 102 Region 240 Illumination element 104 Region 242 Illumination element 106 Region 272 see-through region 108 Region 274 Web Switch element 276 Web 112 Switch element 300 Illumination device 114 Switch element 302 Printed circuit board 116 Recess 334 Illumination element 118 Recess 336 Illumination element Recess 338 Illumination element 126 Information and/or 340 Illumination element Signal element 342 Illumination element 134 Illumination element 400 Illumination device 136 Illumination element 402 Printed circuit board 138 Illumination element 404 Conducting track 140 Illumination element 406 Conducting track 152 Hand-held power tool 434 Illumination element 154 Housing 436 Illumination element 156 Chuck 438 Illumination element 158 Control element 440 Illumination element 160 Battery pack 442 Illumination element 172 See-through region 444 Light-emitting surface 174 Manufacturer's logo 446 Light-emitting surface 176 Nameplate 448 Light-emitting surface 178 Cover plate 450 Light-emitting surface 180 Control unit 452 Light-emitting surface 182 Display Rotational speed 184 Input switch

Claims

Claims 1. Hand-held power tool with a hand-held power tool housing device

according to any one of the following claims.
2. Hand-held power tool housing device with at least one see-through region (10 - 16, 72 - 78) made, in particular, from a transparent plastics material, characterised in that an inner face (18 - 24) of the see-through region (10 - 16, 72 - 78, 172, 272) forms a carrier for an information and/or signal element (26 - 32, 80 - 86)
3. Hand-held power tool housing device according to claim 2, characterised by at least one illumination element (34 - 48, 134 - 140, 234 - 240, 334 - 342, 434 - 442) for illuminating the inner face of the see-through region (12 - 16, 76 - 78, 172, 272)
4. Hand-held power tool housing device according to claim 4, characterised in that the illumination element (34 - 48, 134 - 140, 234 240, 334 - 342, 434 - 442) is provided to be activated according to an operating mode of a hand-held power tool (52, 152) comprising the see-through region (12 - 16, 76 - 78, 172, 272)
5. Hand-held power tool housing device according to one of claims 3 and 4, characterised in that the illumination element (34 - 48) is provided to be activated according to a rotational speed (u) of a hand-held power tool (52) comprising the see-through region (12 - 16, 76 - 78)
6. Hand-held power tool housing device according to any one of claims 3 - 5, characterised in that the illumination element (34, 36) is moulded with the see- through region (12)
7. Hand-held power tool housing according to any one of claims 3 - 6, characterised in that the illumination element (34 - 48, 134 - 140, 234 240, 334 - 342, 434 - 442) is configured as a light-emitting diode.
8. Hand-held power tool housing according to claim 7, characterised in that the illumination element (434 - 442) comprises a planar light-emitting surface (444 - 452)
9. Hand-held power tool housing device according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterised in that the illumination element (434 - 442) is configured as a surface-mounted light-emitting diode.
10. Hand-held power tool housing device according to any one of claims 2 9, characterised in that the inner face (18 - 24) of the see-through region (10 - 16, 72 - 78) comprises a mask (26 - 32, 80 - 86) which is opaque at least in a partial region for at least one portion of a visible light spectrum.
11. Hand-held power tool housing device according to claim 10, characterised in that the mask (26 - 32, 80 - 86) is printed onto the inner face of the see-through region (10 - 16, 72 - 76)
12. Hand-held power tool housing device according to any one of claims 2 - 11, characterised in that the information and/or signal element (26, 126) forms a product code.
13. Hand-held power tool housing device according to any one of claims 2 12, characterised in that the see- through region (16, 72, 74) is configured to be resilient.
14. Hand-held power tool housing device according to claim 13, characterised by at least one switch element (110 - 114) arranged beneath the see-through region (16, 72, 74) for switching an operating mode of a hand-held power tool (52) comprising the see-through region (16, 72, 74)
15. Hand-held power tool housing device according to any one of claims 2 8, characterised by a control unit (180) for actuating the illumination element (34 - 48) according to an operating mode of a hand-held power tool (52, 152) comprising the see- through region (10 - 16, 72 - 78, 172, 272)
16. Hand-held power tool housing device according to claim 12, characterised in that the control unit (180) is provided to switch the illumination element (134 - 140) on and off periodically, in at least one operating mode.
17. Hand-held power tool housing device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the see-through region (272) is formed as a nameplate.
18. I hand-held power tool housing device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.