EP1470899A1

EP1470899A1 - Storage device

Info

Publication number: EP1470899A1
Application number: EP20040251189
Authority: EP
Inventors: Graeme J. Dickinson
Original assignee: Electrolux Outdoor Products Ltd
Current assignee: Husqvarna UK Ltd
Priority date: 2003-04-25
Filing date: 2004-03-02
Publication date: 2004-10-27
Also published as: GB0309477D0; GB2400985A

Abstract

A storage device (1) is disclosed for an electric power-operated tool (2) provided with a power supply cable (3). The device (1) comprises a body portion (4) defining a sheath for holding part of the tool, and a support (5) for supporting the power supply cable (3).

Description

This invention relates to a storage device, and in particular to a storage device for holding a part of a power-operated tool provided with an electric power supply cable and for holding the cable.
The present invention provides a storage device for an electric power-operated tool provided with a power supply cable, the device comprising a body portion defining a sheath for holding part of the tool, and a support for supporting the power supply cable.
In a preferred embodiment, the device further comprises support means for mounting the device on a wall.
Advantageously, the body portion defines an elongate sheath to complement the blades of a hedge trimmer constituting the power-operated tool, the blades constituting said part of the tool.
Preferably, the support is constituted by at least two hook-shaped members. Advantageously, the hook-shaped members are mounted on one surface of the body portion. In this case, the support means may be provided on a surface of the body portion opposite to said first-mentioned surface. Conveniently, the support means is constituted by a pair of apertures formed in said opposite surface of the body portion.
The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a blade sheath and cable storage device constructed in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of the device of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an underneath view of the device;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device shown together with a stored electric hedge trimmer; and
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of Figure 3 mounted on a wall.
Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a blade sheath and cable storage device, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, for an electric hedge trimmer 2 (see Figures 4 and 5) provided with a power supply cable 3. The device 1 includes a main body portion 4 shaped to define a sheath for the blades (not shown) of the hedge trimmer 2. The sheath is sized and shaped to accommodate the blades of the hedge trimmer 2 as a loose frictional fit. One surface 4a of the main body portion 2 is provided with a pair of upstanding hook-shaped members 5 towards the opposite ends thereof. The hook-shaped members 5 are either integrally formed with, or attached to, the main body portion 5. The surface 4b opposite to the surface 4a is provided with apertures 6 which constitute wall fixing points.
The device 1 is used to store the hedge trimmer 2 when the latter is not in use. In order to do this, the blades of the hedge trimmer 2 are inserted into the sheath defined by the main body portion 2 of the storage device 1. The cable 3 can then be stored on the device 1 by winding around the two hook-shaped members 5. The assembly constituted by the device 1 and the hedge trimmer 2 can then be mounted on a wall by positioning the apertures 6 over suitably positioned protrusions (such as the heads of screws) fixed to the wall.
As an alternative to winding the cable 3 around the two hook-shaped members 5, the cable could be wrapped up and then placed over one or more of the hook-shaped members. A further possibility would be to wrap the cable 3 around the hedge trimmer 2 prior to inserting the blades into the sheath. It would also be possible to have more than two hook-shaped members 5. For example, two pairs of hook-shaped members could be provided, each pair of members replacing a respective one of the hook-shaped members 5, and the two members of each pair pointing away from each other laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the main body portion 4. In a further modification, one or more of the hook-shaped members could be provided on a surface of the main body portion 4 other than the surface 4a. Thus, one or more hook-shaped members could be provided on one or both side surfaces of the main body portion 4 in addition to, or instead of, providing one or more hook-shaped portions on the surface 4a.

Claims

A storage device for an electric power-operated tool provided with a power supply cable, the device comprising a body portion defining a sheath for holding part of the tool, and a support for supporting the power supply cable.
A storage device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising support means for mounting the device on a wall.
A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body portion defines an elongate sheath to complement the blades of a hedge trimmer constituting the power-operated tool, the blades constituting said part of the tool.
A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support is constituted by at least two hook-shaped members..
A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the hook-shaped members are mounted on one surface of the body portion.
A device as claimed in either of claims 4 and 5 when appendant to claim 2, wherein the support means is provided on a surface of the body portion opposite to said first-mentioned surface.
A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the support means is constituted by a pair of apertures formed in said opposite surface of the body portion.