Rotary cutting device with quick-release blades

#The present invention relates to the horticultural and/or lawn care arts. It is especially relevant to the selective cutting, trimming, or removal of unwanted weeds, overgrown grasses, and other vegetation or plants. It finds particular application in connection with power trimmers or weed whackers, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present invention is also amenable to other like applications which employ a rotary cutting tool or device, e.g., lawn mowers, brush choppers and other landscaping and gardening equipment.

#In the horticultural and/or lawn maintenance fields, a wide range of power-driven equipment for cutting or trimming unwanted growth is employed. For large area cutting such as for mowing lawns or fields, equipment such as, riding mowers, push or self-driven power mowers, brush choppers and the like, are commonly employed. This type of equipment is often wheel based such that it supported by and rolls across the area to be cut. It typically includes one or more rotating cutting tools (e.g., a sharpened blade of steel, or another hard metal) powered by a combustion engine, an electric motor, or another type of drive. The rotating cutting tool in much of this type of equipment is position at a selected height substantially horizontal to the surface of the area being cut. As the equipment traverses the area, e.g., on its wheels, the underlying grass or other vegetation is cut at a uniform height corresponding to the separation of the rotating cutting tool from the ground.

#One piece of equipment, which is typically a hand-held and/or hand-operated power-driven cutting or trimming device, is known in the art as a power trimmer or weed whacker. Power trimmers are commonly used for selectively cutting or trimming unwanted vegetation in places or regions unsuited and/or inhospitable to the aforementioned large area cutting equipment, e.g., at lawn edges; near garden beds; around fences, trees or other obstacles; in tight or confined areas where larger equipment will not readily fit; in other areas where artificial fixtures or plants such as flowers or vegetables are desirably left unscathed; on uneven or heavily sloped terrain which is difficult to negotiated by equipment which rests on the ground; etc. In a typical embodiment, a weed whacker includes an elongated shaft having a handle or other grip disposed at a first end, and a rotary cutting element or device disposed at an opposite cutting end. A drive, such as a combustion engine, an electric motor or otherwise, is often arranged on the weed whacker to power the rotating cutting element via a drive shaft or other linkage.

#The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components, and in various steps and arrangements of steps. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.

#FIG. 1 shows an exemplary power trimmer in accordance with aspects of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 shows a partially cut-away perspective view of the rotary cutting device shown in FIG. 1 with the cutting tools removed and with one retention assembly removed.

#With reference to FIG. 1, a weed whacker or power trimmer 10 includes an elongated shaft or supporting member 12 connecting a first operating end 14 and an opposing second cutting end 18. At the first operating end 14, a handle or grip 16 is arranged for manually holding, operating and/or guiding the trimmer 10. At the second cutting end 18, a rotary cutting device or element 20 includes one or more cutting tools 22 that rotate about responsive to a rotation of the cutting element 20.

#Preferably, the trimmer 10 also includes a drive 24, such as a combustion engine, an electric motor or otherwise, that selectively powers the trimmer 10. In response to a user's manipulation of an operating control 28, such as a trigger, on/off button, etc., the drive 24 effects rotation of the rotary cutting device or element 20, e.g., via a drive shaft 26 or other linkage operatively connected with the rotating cutting element 20.

#With added reference to FIGS. 2-4, in a suitable embodiment, the rotating cutting element 20 includes a base or support housing 30 optionally formed of two mating pieces 30a, 30b which are rigidly connected to one another by one or more screws, bolt/nut combinations, clamps, adhesive, or other fasteners (not shown). The support housing 30 has a centrally arranged fastening region 32 for attaching the cutting element 20 to the drive shaft 26 or other suitable rotating drive member. As shown, the fastening region 32 includes a central opening 34 in the first or bottom housing piece 30a, and a central opening 38 in the second or top housing piece 30b.