TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a dust collector that is configured to be removably attached to a drilling tool and to collect dust generated during a drilling operation.

BACKGROUND ART

A dust collector is known which is attached to a drilling tool capable of performing a drilling operation, such as an electric drill and a hammer drill, and sucks dust generated during the drilling operation. For example, Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2017-71022 discloses a dust collector which is configured to suck dust together with air through a suction port, using an air flow generated by a dust-collecting fan of a hammer drill, and transfer the dust to a dust storing part by way of a hose.

This hammer drill includes: an elongate tool body (body housing) extending in a front-rear direction; and a grip part protruding downward from one end portion of the tool body. The hammer drill is thus L-shaped (pistol-type) as a whole. A body of the dust collector is attached to a lower part of the tool body and disposed in a space in front of the grip part and below the tool body. In this dust collector, an inlet is disposed in a relatively front part of the dust storing part. The air flow flows into the dust storing part through the inlet, together with the dust, and passes through a filter disposed rearward of the inlet. The air flow from which the dust has been separated flows into the tool body through a passage. The passage extends in the up-down direction above the filter.

SUMMARY

In a pistol-type drilling tool such as the above-described hammer drill, it is desired to shorten the length of the tool body in the front-rear direction, in order to improve operability. Accordingly, it is also desired to shorten the length of the dust collector which is used while being attached to the drilling tool.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a technique that may contribute to reduce the size of a dust collector which is configured to be removably attached to a drilling tool.

In one aspect of the present invention, a dust collector is provided which is configured to be removably attached to a drilling tool, wherein the drilling tool includes a tool body having an inlet in a lower end portion of the tool body and a grip part protruding downward from the tool body. The dust collector is configured to collect dust by using an air flow generated by the drilling tool and led into the tool body from the inlet. The dust collector includes a body, a dust storing part, a sliding part, a dust transfer passage and a tool connection passage.

The body is configured to be removably attached to a lower side of the tool body. The body is formed as a hollow body having an internal space and an opening. The internal space extends in a front-rear direction and the opening is open forward. The internal space and an outside of the body are communicated with each other through the opening. The dust storing part is configured to be disposed aced on a lower side of the body when the body is attached to the tool body of the drilling tool. The dust storing part includes an inlet, a filter, a dust storing space and an outlet. The dust flows into the dust storing part together with the air flow through the inlet. The filter is configured to separate the dust from the air flow. The separated dust is stored in the dust storing space. The air flow from which the dust has been separated flows out of the dust storing part through the outlet. The sliding part has a suction port for the dust. The sliding part is held by the body so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction within the internal space in a state in which the suction port protrudes forward from the body through the opening. The dust transfer passage extends within the sliding part and connects the suction port of the sliding part and the inlet of the dust storing part. The tool connection passage is disposed within the internal space of the body. The tool connection passage is configured to connect the outlet of the dust storing part and the inlet of the tool body when the body is attached to the tool body. Further, the filter is disposed forward of the inlet.

The dust collector of the present aspect may be attached to the lower side of the tool body of the pistol-type drilling tool. For this reason, a space for placing a user's hand needs to be secured between the dust collector and the grip part in the front-rear direction. Further, in the dust collector of the present aspect, the dust transfer passage extends within the sliding part, which is slidable in the front-rear direction within the internal space of the body, and connects the suction port of the sliding part and the inlet of the storing part. With the dust collector having such a structure, a drilling operation is performed in a state in which the suction port of the sliding part surrounds the tool accessory attached to the drilling tool and the suction port is pressed against a workpiece. As the drilling operation proceeds and the tool accessory digs into the workpiece (that is, as the drilled hole is deepened), the sliding part is pushed rearward in the internal space. The length of the tool accessory to be used in the drilling tool is fixed to some extent, and accordingly, shortening of the length of the sliding part in the front-rear direction may be limited. Therefore, shortening of the length of the body which holds the sliding part so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction may be limited as well.

In a conventional dust collector, generally, an inlet through which air is led in together with dust is provided in a relatively front part of a dust storing part, and a filter is disposed rearward of the inlet. Therefore, a portion of the dust storing part which exists rearward of the inlet tends to be relatively large. On the contrary, in the present aspect, the filter is disposed on the front side of the inlet, so that the portion of the dust storing part which exists on the rear side of the inlet can be made as compact as possible. Thus, a space required between the dust collector and the grip part can be secured. Further, even when the body is shortened to the maximum possible extent in the front-rear direction within the above-described limit, a certain length is secured for the body on the front side of the inlet, in order to hold the sliding part. Accordingly, the dust storing part can secure a space for the filter on the front side of the inlet which space has about the same length as the body. Thus, the length of the whole dust collector in the front-rear direction can be rationally shortened by arranging the filter forward of the inlet.

In the present aspect, the drilling tool generally refers to a power tool which is capable of drilling a workpiece by rotationally driving a tool accessory. Examples of the drilling tool may include an electric drill, a vibration drill and a hammer drill.

The structure for removably attaching the body of the dust collector to the tool body is not particularly limited, but, for example, a combination of a guide rail and a guide groove, a combination of a hook and an engagement hole, or a combination of a projection and a fitting hole can be suitably used.

The structure of the dust storing part is not particularly limited, but, the dust storing space may be defined, for example, by a box-like container. The dust storing part may be fixedly or removably mounted to the body.

The structure of the sliding part is not particularly limited, but, it may be preferred that a portion of the sliding part which is held by the body so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction is configured to linearly extend in the front-rear direction. The dust transfer passage which extends within the sliding part may be wholly defined by a cylindrical member (such as a hose) other than the sliding part, or it may be defined partly by a cylindrical part of the sliding part and partly by the other cylindrical member.

The tool connection passage which is disposed within the internal space of the body may be defined, for example, by one or more cylindrical members. The tool connection passage in the internal space may extend in the up-down direction, or may extend obliquely with respect to the up-down direction, or may be at least partly curved. In order to realize reduction in size of the body, it may be preferred that the tool connection passage extends in the up-down direction (in other words, the tool connection passage connects the outlet and the inlet at the shortest distance).

In one aspect of the present invention, the dust collector is provided which is configured to be removably attached to a drilling tool, wherein the drilling tool includes a tool body having an inlet in a lower end portion of the tool body and a grip part protruding downward from the tool body. The dust collector is configured to collect dust generated during a drilling operation by using an air flow generated by the drilling tool and led into the tool body from the inlet. The dust collector includes a body, a dust storing part, a sliding part, a dust transfer passage and a tool connection passage.

The body is configured to be removably attached to a lower side of the tool body. The body is formed as a hollow body having an internal space and an opening. The internal space extends in a front-rear direction and the opening is open forward. The internal space and the outside of the body are communicated each other through the opening. The dust storing part is configured to be disposed on a lower side of the body when the body is attached to the tool body of the drilling tool. The dust storing part includes an inlet, a filter, a dust storing space and an outlet. The dust flows into the dust storing part together with the air flow through the inlet. The filter is configured to separate the dust from the air flow. The separated dust is stored in the dust storing space. The air flow from which the dust has been separated flows out of the dust storing part through the outlet. The sliding part has a suction port for the dust. The sliding part is held by the body so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction within the internal space in a state in which the suction port protrudes forward from the body through the opening. The dust transfer passage extends within the sliding part and connects the suction port of the sliding part and the inlet of the dust storing part. The tool connection passage is disposed within the internal space of the body, The tool connection passage is configured to connect the outlet of the dust storing part and the inlet of the tool body when the body is attached to the tool body. Further, the tool connection passage is disposed within a rear end portion of the body, and the filter is disposed forward of the outlet.

In a conventional dust collector, generally, a tool connection passage for connecting an outlet of a dust storing part and an inlet of a tool body is disposed above a filter. Accordingly, a body and a storing part of the dust collector need to have a portion protruding rearward of the outlet to a certain extent. On the contrary, in the present embodiment, the tool connection passage is arranged within the rear end portion of the body. Further, the filter is disposed on the front side of the outlet. Therefore, portions of the body and the storing part which exist on the rear side of the outlet can be made as compact as possible, so that a space required between the dust collector and the grip part can be secured. Further, even when the body is shortened to the maximum possible extent in the front-rear direction within the above-described limit, a certain length is secured for the body on front side of the tool connection passage (the outlet), in order to hold the sliding part. Accordingly, the dust storing part can secure a space for the filter on the front side of the outlet which space has about the same length as the body. Thus, the length of the whole dust collector in the front-rear direction can be rationally shortened by disposing the filter forward of the outlet.

In one aspect of the present invention, the outlet may be disposed rearward of the inlet. The tool connection passage which connects the outlet and the inlet of the tool body is disposed within the internal space of the body. Further, the dust transfer passage extending within the sliding part is connected to the inlet. Thus, by arranging the outlet on the rear side of the inlet, efficient arrangement can be realized while avoiding interference between the tool connection passage and the dust transfer passage.

In one aspect of the present invention, the dust storing part may include an inflow passage and a communication passage. The inflow passage may connect the inlet of the storing part and the dust storing space. The communication passage may communicate with the dust storing space via the filter and is connected to the outlet. The air flow from which the dust has been separated by the filter may be allowed to pass through the communication passage. The communication passage may be disposed to overlap with the inflow passage in a left-right direction. In other words, when viewed from the right or left, the communication passage overlaps with the inflow passage. It can also be said that a straight line extending in the left-right direction and passing the inflow passage also passes the communication passage. According to the present aspect, the air flow, which has passed through the filter disposed forward of the inlet, can pass the left or right side of the inflow passage within the communication passage and can be led to the outlet on the rear side of the inlet.

In one aspect of the present invention, the dust storing part may include a container body, a filter holder and a cover. The container body may be formed as a hollow body having an opening which is open upward, and has the dust storing space. The filter holder may be mounted on an upper end portion of the container body so as to close the opening of the container body and may hold the filter within the container body. The cover may be mounted on an upper end portion of the filter holder so as to cover the filter holder from above in a sealing manner. The communication passage may be formed between the filter holder and the cover in an up-down direction. As a method of mounting the cover on the filter holder in a sealing manner, a method in which a sealing member is arranged between the cover and the filter holder and a method in which the cover is directly held in close contact with the filter holder can be suitably used. According to the present aspect, with a simple structure, the communication passage can be formed on the upper side of the dust storing space (that is, between the dust storing space and the body in the up-down direction) while leakage of the air from a gap between the cover and the filter holder is prevented.

In one aspect of the present invention, the filter may be mounted to the filter holder in a sealing manner. As a method of mounting the filter to the filter holder in a sealing manner, a method in which a sealing member is arranged between the filter and the filter holder and a method in which the filter is directly held in close contact with the filter holder can be suitably used. According to the present aspect, the air from which dust is not yet separated can be prevented from passing through between the filter and the filter holder and entering the communication passage.

In one aspect of the present invention, the dust storing space may include a space below the outlet. A user may perform the drilling operation with the tool accessory pointed upward, in other words, with the suction port side or front side of the dust collector facing upward. In such a case, the dust separated by the filter may move to a rear region of the dust storing part by gravity and gather therein. The space below the outlet is located rearward of the filter, so that clogging of the filter can be suppressed by gathering dust in this space.

In one aspect of the present invention, a hammer drill is provided which is configured to perform a hammering operation of linearly driving a tool accessory along a driving axis and a drilling operation of rotationally driving the tool accessory around the driving axis. The hammer drill may include a tool body, a fan and the dust collector. The tool body may have an inlet in a lower end portion. The fan may be disposed within the tool body and configured to generate an air flow which flows into the tool body from the inlet. Any one of the dust collectors according to the above-described aspects can be employed as the dust collector. With such a hammer drill, the air flow for sucking the dust is generated by the fan of the hammer drill, so that the dust collector is not required to have a mechanism for generating such air flow. Therefore, increase in size of the dust collector can be prevented. Further, the above-described effect to be realized by the dust collector can be obtained.

In one aspect of the present invention, the hammer drill may further include a motor and a covering member. The motor includes a motor body and a motor shaft. The motor body includes a stator and a rotor. The motor shaft extends parallel to the driving axis and has the fan mounted on the motor shaft. The covering member is configured to open and close the inlet of the tool body. The tool body may include a mounting part to which and from which the dust collector is attachable and detachable in parallel to the driving axis. The covering member may be configured to be held in a close position in which the covering member closes the inlet when the dust collector is not attached to the mounting part. Further, the covering member may be configured to be moved to an open position in interlock with attaching of the dust collector to the mounting part.

In the hammer drill of the present aspect, the dust collector can be attached to and detached from the mounting part of the tool body, in parallel to the driving axis. The tool accessory may be attached to the hammer drill such that the axis of the tool accessory coincides with the driving axis. Thus, the axial direction of the tool accessory is parallel to the direction of attaching and detaching the dust collector. Therefore, the dust collector can be attached and detached while the suction port is properly placed to surround the tool accessory, even with the tool accessory attached to the hammer drill. Further, the covering member can automatically open and close the inlet of the tool body, in interlock with attaching and detaching of the dust collector. When the dust collector is not attached, the covering member can close the inlet and prevent foreign materials such as dust from entering the tool body. Further, in the hammer drill of the present aspect, the motor is disposed such that the motor shaft extends in parallel to the driving axis. Therefore, compared with a structure in which the motor shaft extends in a direction crossing the driving axis, the tool body can be formed compact.

