Externally-powered strapping tool and a strapping tool assembly utilized therein

A strapping tool assembly configured to be operatively coupled to an external power source, said strapping tool assembly comprising:

• one or more strapping tool subassemblies configured to tension a strap, said one or more strapping tool subassemblies including a rotatable component configured to rotate about a first rotational axis, said one or more strapping tool subassemblies further including a housing portion having a proximal end configured to be disposed closer to a user of said strapping tool assembly and a distal end configured to be disposed further from the user of said strapping tool assembly, said rotatable component of said one or more strapping tool subassemblies being in the form of a slotted shaft protruding from said housing portion, said slotted shaft including an elongate slot formed therethrough for receiving a portion of said strap during the tensioning of said strap, at least a portion of said elongate slot of said slotted shaft being disposed external to said housing portion;
• a power transfer subassembly operatively coupled to said one or more strapping tool subassemblies, said power transfer subassembly configured to transfer motive power from said external power source to said one or more strapping tool subassemblies, said power transfer subassembly including a shaft portion configured to rotate about a second rotational axis, said second rotational axis being disposed closer to said distal end of said housing portion of said one or more strapping tool subassemblies than said proximal end of said housing portion, and said second rotational axis being disposed generally perpendicular with respect to said first rotational axis, said shaft portion of said power transfer subassembly being configured to transfer said motive power from a drive shaft of said external power source to said rotatable component of said one or more strapping tool subassemblies, said drive shaft of said external power source being coupled to said shaft portion of said power transfer subassembly by means of a slip-fit connection;
• and
• attachment means configured to releasably attach said strapping tool assembly to said external power source, said attachment means further configured to hold said external power source in a substantially fixed position relative to said strapping tool assembly when said attachment means is in an engaged state.

An externally-powered strapping tool comprising, in combination:

• an external power source, said external power source including a power generation portion and a handle portion extending generally perpendicularly from said power generation portion, said power generation portion of said external power source including a motor and a drive shaft extending downwardly from said motor;
• and
• a strapping tool assembly operatively coupled to said external power source, said strapping tool assembly including:
• one or more strapping tool subassemblies configured to perform one or more strapping operations, said one or more strapping tool subassemblies including a housing portion having a bottom surface, said one or more strapping tool subassemblies further including a rotatable component extending through a side of said housing portion, said rotatable component of said one or more strapping tool subassemblies being in the form of a slotted shaft, said slotted shaft including an elongate slot formed therethrough for receiving a portion of a strap during a tensioning of said strap, at least a portion of said elongate slot of said slotted shaft being disposed external to said housing portion;
• a power transfer subassembly operatively coupling said one or more strapping tool subassemblies to said external power source, said power transfer subassembly configured to transfer motive power from said external power source to said one or more strapping tool subassemblies, said power transfer subassembly including a shaft portion, said shaft portion of said power transfer subassembly being configured to transfer said motive power from said drive shaft of said external power source to said rotatable component of said one or more strapping tool subassemblies, said drive shaft of said external power source being coupled to said shaft portion of said power transfer subassembly by means of a slip-fit connection;
• and
• attachment means releasably attaching said strapping tool assembly to said external power source, said attachment means holding said external power source in a substantially fixed position relative to said strapping tool assembly when said attachment means is in an engaged state, said power generation portion of said external power source being attached to said strapping tool assembly at a predetermined acute angle relative to said bottom surface of said housing portion of said strapping tool subassembly, said predetermined acute angle configured to facilitate the ergonomic characteristics of said strapping tool.