String Trimmer Head Configuration and Method
OwnerGeorge E. Allissinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trimmer head assembly and the method of configuring the trimmer head assembly. The trimmer head assembly has a housing that attaches to a string trimmer machine. A spool is provided inside the housing. The spool rotates about an axis of rotation. The spool can move longitudinally along the axis of rotation between a first position and a second position. A ratcheting mechanism is provided between the trimmer head housing and the spool. When the spool is in its first position, the ratcheting mechanism enables the spool to continuously rotate about the axis of rotation in the direction opposite that in which the trimmer head assembly spins. The ratchet mechanism also prevents the spool from rotating within the housing in the same direction in which the trimmer head is spinning.
Claims19
A trimmer head assembly, comprising:
- a housing having a closed end, an open end and a peripheral wall that extends from said closed end to said open end, wherein said housing defines an interior, and wherein at least two string line openings are disposed in said peripheral wall;
- a spool positioned within said interior of said housing, said spool having cog projections radially extending therefrom, wherein said spool is symmetrically disposed about an axis of rotation;
- a bump knob coupled to said spool, wherein said bump knob extends out of said housing;
- a spring disposed between said closed end of said housing and said spool within said interior of said housing, wherein said spring provides a bias force that biases said spool away from said closed end to a first position within said interior, and wherein said spool compresses said spring and moves toward said closed end of said housing to a second position within said interior when said bump knob is impacted with a bump force that surpasses said bias force of said spring;
- and
- a ratcheting mechanism between said housing and said spool that enables said spool to continuously rotate about said axis of rotation, independently from said housing, only in a first direction when said spool is in said first position.
A trimmer head assembly for a string trimmer machine, comprising:
- a trimmer head housing having string openings, wherein said trimmer head housing defines an interior;
- a spool that rotates about an axis of rotation within said interior of said housing, wherein said spool is capable of moving between a first position and a second position along said axis of rotation;
- a ratcheting mechanism between said trimmer head housing and said spool that enables said spool to continuously rotate about said axis of rotation, independently from said trimmer head housing, in said first direction when said spool is in said first position and in said second direction when said spool is in said second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.