US 12,349,624 B2
Portable tool with adjustable gripping assembly
Brent Peterson, Buffalo Grove, IL (US); and Peter D. Kim, Vernon Hills, IL (US)
Assigned to Echo Incorporated, Lake Zurich, IL (US)
Filed by ECHO INCORPORATED, Lake Zurich, IL (US)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/969,508.
Prior Publication US 2024/0130277 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Prior Publication US 2024/0224852 A9, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. A01D 34/90 (2006.01); A01D 34/416 (2006.01); A01D 34/82 (2006.01); B25F 5/02 (2006.01)
CPC A01D 34/902 (2013.01) [A01D 34/416 (2013.01); A01D 34/824 (2013.01); B25F 5/026 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A portable tool having an upright starting orientation in which the portable tool has a top and bottom, a front and rear, and laterally spaced sides, the portable tool comprising:
an elongate frame with a front-to-rear length,
the portable tool configured to be held by a user in the upright starting orientation with the user engaging: a) a first back region of the portable tool with one of the user's hands; and b) a second region of the portable tool forward of the first back region of the portable tool with the user's other hand to thereby allow the user to elevate and reposition the portable tool from the upright starting orientation to thereby controllably reposition a working unit on the frame configured to perform an operation; and
a drive on the frame for operating the working unit,
wherein the first back region and second region are spaced along a front-to-rear first line,
wherein there is a gripping assembly at the second region of the portable tool having an elongate gripping length extending in a second line and around which the user's other hand can be wrapped,
wherein the gripping length is part of a gripping component that is connected for guided pivoting movement relative to the frame in opposite directions about an axis to thereby allow the elongate gripping length to be selectively moved towards and away from the frame,
wherein with the portable tool in the upright starting orientation, a first vertical plane parallel to the first line is in a non-orthogonal relationship to a second vertical plane parallel to the second line,
wherein the non-orthogonal relationship is at all times permanently maintained and non-adjustable.