Echo, Inc.

Motorola Corporation

Brent Peterson

Stephen J Towner

Ryan Garrett

Joseph John Zenkus

Tony N Kfoury

Paul A Scheib

Aida Smith

Feng Wang

David Ni

Peter D Kim

John Powers

A portable tool having an upright starting orientation in which the portable tool has a top and bottom, a front and rear, and laterally spaced sides. The portable tool has an elongate frame and is configured to be held with the user engaging: a) a first back region of the portable tool with one of the user's hands; and b) a second region of the portable tool forward of the first back region with the user's other hand to thereby allow the user to elevate and reposition the portable tool. A drive operates a working unit on the frame. The first back region and second region are spaced along a front-to-rear first line. A gripping assembly at the second region of the portable tool has an elongate gripping length extending in a second line. A first vertical plane parallel to the first line is non-orthogonal to a second vertical plane parallel to the second line. The elongate gripping length can be moved selectively forwardly and rearwardly relative to the frame.

Portable tool with adjustable gripping assembly

An adjustable system for facilitating establishment of an operative connection between a charging station and a rechargeable power supply on an operating unit that is propelled by a drive. The adjustable system has: an arm assembly on one of the charging station and the operating unit and supporting at least one connector; and at least one connector on the other of the charging station and the operating unit. The connectors, when engaged, establish an operative charging connection. The arm assembly is configured so that the at least one connector on the arm assembly can move in at least two dimensions relative to the one of the charging station and the operating unit to align with and engage the at least one connector on the other of the arm assembly and operating unit as an incident of the operating unit moving from a position spaced fully from the charging station into the charging position.

System for facilitating the charging of a battery-operated apparatus

The combination of: a) a wheeled operating unit having a drive powered by a rechargeable power supply and at least one connector; and b) a charging station having at least one connector. The at least one connector on the wheeled operating unit and the at least one connector on the charging station cooperate with each other to establish an operative connection between the charging station and the wheeled operating unit, whereupon the charging station is operable to effect charging of the rechargeable power supply. The operative connection can be established with the wheeled operating unit moved selectively from first and second different starting positions, each spaced fully from the charging station, respectively in first and second different path portions up to the charging station and into at least one charging position.

System for facilitating the charging of a wheeled battery-operated apparatus

A system for facilitating operative connection between a charging station and a rechargeable power supply on an operating unit that is propelled by a drive, powered by the power supply, as to move over a subjacent surface. At least one connector is provided on the charging station and the operating unit. The connectors are configured to cooperate and establish an operative connection between the charging station and the operating unit. The operating unit is movable from a position spaced from the charging station into a charging position whereupon the connectors assume an engaged relationship. One of the charging station and the operating unit has a flat blade and the other of the charging station and operating unit has an elongate slot. The flat blade is movable guidingly within the elongate slot as the operating unit moves into the charging position.

System for facilitating connection between a charging station and a rechargeable power supply on an operating unit

A handheld trenching apparatus and method of forming a trench in ground using the apparatus. The apparatus has a frame, a cutting head, and a drive. The cutting head has a ground penetrating portion with a plurality of cutting members that are caused to be moved in a controlled path by the drive. The frame has an elongate frame part with the cutting head at one frame part end. The frame further has at least one graspable region spaced lengthwise of the elongate frame part from the first elongate frame part end. The ground penetrating portion is directed into the ground and while engaging the at least one graspable region the ground penetrating portion is moved in a trench forming direction as the drive is operated to thereby form a trench.

Handheld trenching apparatus and method of using the same

A chain saw unit and a method of constructing the same. The method includes the steps of obtaining: a) an endo-skeletal sub-frame assembly defining a plurality of mount locations; b) a plurality of operating components; and c) an outer housing assembly; directing one of the operating components laterally into an operative position at one of the mount locations at one of the sides of the endo-skeletal sub-frame assembly; placing at least one additional operating component into an operative position to define a main operating unit; and after directing the one of the operating components into its operative position, placing at least a part of the outer housing assembly in an operative position with respect to the endo-skeletal sub-frame assembly wherein the at least part of the outer housing assembly overlies part of the exposed surface area of the main operating unit and blocks access to the operatively positioned one component from the one side of the endo-skeletal sub-frame assembly.

Battery operated chain saw unit and method of constructing the same

A vegetation trimming assembly has at least one cutting blade with a cutting edge that moves guidingly within a blade working space between facing first and second fixed surfaces. The first surface is defined in part by a body with a fixed shape, including a head and a stepped diameter shank with a larger diameter portion to guide movement of the one cutting blade and a smaller diameter portion that is threaded to engage a support defining the second surface. The body is selectively turned in opposite directions to thereby increase and decrease a depth of the blade working space.

Vegetation trimming apparatus

A chain saw unit has a sub-frame defining a plurality of mount locations and a plurality of operating components amongst which are at least: a) a battery operated motor; and b) a battery for operating the motor. The plurality of operating components is each operatively placed and maintained at one of the mount locations such that the sub-frame assembly and operatively placed operating components together make up at least part of a main operating unit to which a chain bar and cutting chain can be operatively assembled. The main operating unit has an exposed surface area. An outer housing assembly overlies the exposed surface area and defines an outermost exposed surface. The plurality of operating components are operatively maintained on the sub-frame assembly independently of the outer housing assembly.

Battery operated chain saw

A chain saw kit having a sub-frame assembly and a plurality of operating components, among which are at least a battery operated motor and battery. The sub-frame assembly is configured to define mount locations for the operating components so that the sub-frame assembly and operatively placed operating components make up at least a part of a main operating unit to which a chain bar and cutting chain can be assembled. A first outer housing assembly has at least a first outer housing part with a second outer housing assembly having at least a second outer housing part. The parts of the outer housing assemblies are interchangeably usable to allow selection of different overall size, shape, and/or appearance of chain saws based upon a common sub-frame assembly.

A portable battery-operated tool has a frame on which there are a working component, a drive, and a battery assembly. The battery assembly consists of a battery with at least a first electrical connector and housing with at least a second electrical connector. The battery is movable guidingly between first and second positions. With the battery in the first position the at least first electrical connector is electrically engaged with the at least second electrical connector. With the battery in the second position the at least first electrical connector is electrically disengaged from the at least second electrical connector so that the battery is not powering the drive to allow the drive to be operated. The battery assembly further has a locking assembly through which the battery is selectively releasably fixed in the second position.

Staging system for battery on a portable tool

A saw having a power unit with a drive component and a housing for the power unit with a frame. A bar on the housing guides movement of an operatively positioned cutting chain driven by the drive component in an endless path. The bar is movable guidingly in opposite directions in a predetermined path relative to the housing to thereby vary tension upon an operatively positioned cutting chain. A bar fixing assembly has a knob that is turnable around a first axis relative to the housing in: a) a first direction to a tightened state; and b) a second direction to a loosened state. A first assembly resiliently bears against the knob to at least one of: a) inhibit turning of the knob around the first axis; b) provide a sensory indication to a user grasping and turning the knob that the knob is moving around the first axis; and c) reduce play in the knob.

Chainsaw with cutting chain tensioner

A portable blower having a propulsion unit for continuously generating a supply of pressurized fluid and a conduit assembly for controllably directing fluid from the propulsion unit to and through a discharge opening on the conduit assembly. The discharge opening is bounded by a rim, defined at least partially by a discrete component made from a first material. The conduit assembly has a first portion made from a second material to which the discrete component is operatively connected. The first material is at least one of: a) more resistant to abrasive wear than the second material; b) more resistant to impact than the second material; and c) harder than the second material.

Portable blower with wear resistant discharge end

A portable fluid blower with a housing having a central axis and defining a fluid flow path extending axially between an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet. A fan assembly has a rotary component that is operable to draw fluid into a first stage of the flow path and accelerate fluid incoming at the inlet radially outwardly to against a first housing surface portion that diverts the fluid to a second stage of the flow path. The second flow path stage is defined by facing second and third housing surface portions that cause the fluid to flow substantially fully axially in an annular space extending around the central axis between the first stage and a third stage. The fluid flows from the third stage to and through the downstream outlet.

Portable in-line fluid blower

An edger has a main frame that can be advanced controllably relative to a subjacent terrain, a cutting assembly on the main frame, a drive for rotating the cutting assembly around a first axis, and material repositioning structure on at least one of the main frame and cutting assembly. The cutting assembly is configured to produce a trench in underlying terrain as the cutting assembly is rotated by the drive in operation. The material repositioning structure controllably repositions material dislodged from underlying terrain by the cutting assembly to thereby avoid accumulation of dislodged material upon the edger as the edger is operated.

Beveled edger

A trimmer having a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade. A first drive gear assembly cooperates with the cutting blades so that as the first drive gear assembly rotates around a first axis, the cutting blades are caused to reciprocatingly move in first and second paths to produce a cutting action. A second drive gear assembly has a second drive gear that has teeth in mesh with teeth on the first drive gear assembly. The second drive gear is rotatable around a second axis to cause the first drive gear assembly to be rotated in the first rotational direction. A powered drive assembly rotates the second drive gear around a second axis in the one rotational direction. The teeth on the first drive gear assembly are defined by a first bevel gear. The second gear is a bevel gear in mesh with the first bevel gear.

Growing community of inventors

Buffalo Grove, IL, United States of America

Brent Peterson