Multi-purpose motor mounting system for a string trimmer

A line trimming apparatus for trimming vegetation, comprising:

• a flexible cutting line;
• a holder for supporting at least a portion of the cutting line;
• a motor for rotationally driving the holder and cutting line;
• a housing enclosing at least a portion of the motor;
• a groove formed on an internal surface of the housing;
• and
• a mounting plate assembly adapted to be fixedly connected to a portion of the motor and partially inserted into said groove such that said mounting plate assembly supports said motor within said housing.

A line trimming apparatus for trimming vegetation, comprising:

• a trimming line;
• a motor drivingly connected to the line;
• a housing having an interior wall surface, said interior wall surface including a mounting area in the form of a groove formed thereon;
• and
• a mounting plate assembly fixedly secured to said motor for mounting said motor within said housing such that said at least a portion of said mounting plate assembly is supported within said groove in said interior wall surface of said housing such that said motor is supported within said housing without the need for direct contact of any portion of said motor with said interior wall surface of said housing.

An outdoor power tool for trimming vegetation comprising:

• a housing having an interior wall, said interior wall effectively having a groove formed circumferentially thereabout;
• a motor disposed within said housing;
• an implement coupled to an armature shaft of said motor so as to be drivable rotationally by said motor;
• and
• a mounting plate assembly fixedly coupled to said motor and having a shape permitting said mounting plate assembly to be supported at a plurality of circumferential positions within said groove to thereby support said motor within said housing without said motor requiring direct contact with any portion of said interior wall of said housing for support.

A method for assembling an outdoor power tool, the method comprising:

• forming a first housing section having a circumferential groove formed in an interior wall thereof;
• forming a second housing section having a circumferential groove formed in an interior wall thereof;
• fixedly securing a motor mounting plate to a motor;
• inserting a portion of said motor mounting plate into said circumferential groove in said second housing section;
• placing said first housing section against said second housing section to cause a portion of said mounting plate to engage within said circumferential groove in said interior wall of said first housing section, to thereby cause said mounting plate to be supported at a plurality of positions by said circumferential grooves, to thereby enable said motor to be supported within said first and second housing sections without said motor contacting any portion of said interior walls of said first and second housing sections;
• and
• securing said first housing section to said second housing section.