Vibration isolation system for chain saw structures

Claim 2

In a chain saw comprising a vibration generating assembly including engine means, guide bar means extending generally longitudinally from one side portion of said chain saw, cutter chain means mounted on the periphery of said guide bar means for movement thereabout, and, drive means operable to drivingly couple said engine means to said cutter chain means; a handle assembly including a front handle, and a rear handle; and vibration isolating means interconnecting said handle means and said vibration generating assembly; the improvement in said vibration isolating means comprising: first and second vibration isolating assemblies mutually spaced longitudinally of said chain saw and cooperating with said handle assembly to define a resilient suspension for said vibration generating assembly, disposed generally on said one side portion of said chain saw; and force transmitting, cross-over linkage means connected with said resilient suspension and operable to transmit forces acting on said resilient suspension generally transversely of a longitudinal median plane of said chain saw, passing generally through the center of gravity thereof, to an opposite side portion of said chain saw, said force transmitting, cross-over linkage means extending generally across the top of said engine means when said chain saw is in an upright cutting position, said force transmitting, cross-over linkage means being disposed generally longitudinally between planes which extend transversely of said longitudinal median plane and are generally aligned with said first and second vibration isolating assemblies, and said force transmitting, cross-over linkage means cooperating with an upper portion of said front handle means and a side portion of said rear handle means to define a generally U-shaped, at least partially flexible, force transmitting, cantilever connection between the hand of a chain saw operator, engaged with said front handle, and an upper portion of said engine means when said chain saw is in said upright cutting position.

Claim 3

A chain saw as described in claim 1 wherein: said front handle and rear handles define an interconnected handle assembly comprising structural foam handle means including generally rigid, closed cell, cellular resin core means, fibrous elements reinforcing said cellular resin core means, and solid resin skin means substantially surrounding said cellular resin core means; said structural foam handle means being energy absorbing; and said structural foam handle means being resiliently interconnected with said vibration generating assembly through resilient shock absorbing coupling means comprising said first and second vibration isolating assemblies.

Claim 4

A chain saw as described in claim 1 wherein: said first and second vibration isolating assemblies are generally aligned with a longitudinal plane generally coincident with said guide bar means; and said chain saw includes base plate means underlying said engine means and spaced beneath said rear handle when said chain saw is in said upright cutting position; said rear handle being disconnected from said base plate.

Claim 5

A chain saw as described in claim 1 wherein: said force transmitting, cross-over linkage means includes a relatively rigid, force-transmitting tubular member, first, resilient, vibration absorbing grommet means interconnecting one end of said tubular member with said side portion of said rear handle means, and second, resilient, shock absorbing grommet means interconnecting another end of said tubular member with said vibration generating assembly.

Claim 6

A chain saw as described in claim 1 wherein: said force transmitting, cross-over linkage means includes a relatively rigid, force-transmitting tubular member, first, resilient, vibration absorbing grommet means interconnecting one end of said tubular member with said side portion of said rear handle means, and second, resilient, shock absorbing grommet means interconnecting another end of said tubular member with said vibration generating assembly; and said vibration generating assembly includes a carburator receiving, air box mounted on said engine means, and web means connected with said air box, spaced from said engine means, and supporting said second, resilient, shock absorbing grommet means.

Claim 7

A chain saw as described in claim 1 wherein: said first vibration isolating assembly includes a resilient, elastomeric shock absorbing connection between a lower portion of said front handle and a portion of said vibration generating assembly connected with a lower portion of said engine means; said first vibration isolating assembly including apertured web means connected with said engine means, and resilient, elastomeric disk means, carried on shaft means projecting from an end of said lower portion of said front handle, and sandwiched on opposite sides of said web means, said shaft means passing through an aperture of said web means and being operable to abuttingly engage said web means and provide a solid, force transmitting connection between said front handle and said vibration generating assembly; said second vibration isolating assembly includes a resilient, elastomeric cylinder means, an apertured web means carried by said vibration generating assembly, mounted above said engine means and telescopingly receiving said cylinder means, said cylinder means being mounted on shaft means projecting from said side portion of said rear handle, and cup means engaging opposite ends of said resilient elastomeric cylinder means and axially compressing said resilient, elastomeric cylinder means.

Claim 8

A chain saw as described in claim 1 wherein: said force transmitting, cross-over linkage means includes a relatively rigid, force-transmitting tubular member, first, resilient, vibration absorbing, grommet means interconnecting one end of said tubular member with said side portion of said rear handle means, and second resilient shock absorbing grommet means interconnecting another end of said tubular member with said vibration generating assembly; said first vibration isolating assembly includes a resilient, elastomeric shock absorbing connection between a lower portion of said front handle and a portion of said vibration generating assembly connected with a lower portion of said engine means; said first vibration isolating assembly including apertured web means connected with said engine means, and resilient, elastomeric disk means, carried on shaft means projecting from an end of said lower portion of said front handle, and sandwiched on opposite sides of said web means, said shaft means passing through an aperture of said web means and being operable to abuttingly engage said web means and provide a solid, force transmitting connection between said front handle and said vibration generating assembly; and said second vibration isolating assembly includes a resilient, elastomeric cylinder means, an apertured web means carried by said vibration generating assembly, mounted above said engine means and telescopingly receiving said cylinder means, said cylinder means being mounted on shaft means projecting from said side portion of said rear handle, and cup means engaging opposite ends of said resilient elastomeric cylinder means and axially compressing said resilient, elastomeric cylinder means.

Claim 9

A chain saw as described in claim 1 wherein: said front handle and rear handles define an interconnected handle assembly comprising structural foam handle means including generally rigid, closed cell, cellular resin core means, fibrous elements reinforcing said cellular resin core means, and solid resin skin means substantially surrounding said cellular resin core means; said structural foam handle means being energy absorbing; and said structural foam handle means being resiliently interconnected with said vibration generating assembly through resilient shock absorbing coupling means comprising said first and second vibration isolating assemblies; said first and second vibration isolating assemblies are generally aligned with a longitudinal plane generally coincident with said guide bar means; and said chain saw includes base plate means underlying said engine means and spaced beneath said rear handle when said chain saw is in said upright cutting position; said rear handle being disconnected from said base plate.

Claim 10

A chain saw as described in claim 1 wherein: said front handle and rear handles define an interconnected handle assembly comprising structural foam handle means including generally rigid, closed cell, cellular resin core means, fibrous elements reinforcing said cellular resin core means, and solid resin skin means substantially surrounding said cellular resin core means; said structural foam handle means being energy absorbing; and said structural foam handle means being resiliently interconnected with said vibration generating assembly through resilient shock absorbing coupling means comprising said first and second vibration isolating assemblies; said first and second vibration isolating assemblies are generally aligned with a longitudinal plane generally coincident with said guide bar means; said chain saw includes base plate means underlying said engine means and spaced beneath said rear handle when said chain saw is in said upright cutting position; said rear handle being disconnected from said base plate; said force transmitting, cross-over linkage means includes a relatively rigid, force-transmitting tubular member, first, resilient, vibration absorbing, grommet means interconnecting one end of said tubular member with said side portion of said rear handle means, second resilient shock absorbing grommet means interconnecting another end of said tubular member with said vibration generating assembly; said first vibration isolating assembly includes a resilient, elastomeric shock absorbing connection between a lower portion of said front handle and a portion of said vibration generating assembly connected with a lower portion of said engine means; said first vibration isolating assembly including apertured web means connected with said engine means, and resilient, elastomeric disk means, carried on shaft means projecting from an end of said lower portion of said front handle, and sandwiched on opposite sides of said web means, said shaft means passing through an aperture of said web means and being operable to abuttingly engage said web means and provide a solid, force transmitting connection between said front handle and said vibration generating assembly; and said second vibration isolating assembly includes a resilient, elastomeric cylinder means, an apertured web means carried by said vibration generating assembly, mounted above said engine means and telescopingly receiving said cylinder means, said cylinder means being mounted on shaft means projecting from said side portion of said rear handle, and cup means engaging opposite ends of said resilient elastomeric cylinder means and axially compressing said resilient, elastomeric cylinder means.

Claim 11

In a chain saw comprising a vibration generating assembly including engine means, guide bar means extending generally longitudinally from one side portion of said chain saw, cutter chain means mounted on the periphery of said guide bar means for movement thereabout, and drive means operable to drivingly couple said engine means to said cutter chain means; and handle means supporting said vibration generating assembly; the improvement in said handle means comprising: a shock absorbing, unitized structural foam handle including a rigid, closed cell, cellular resin core, fibrous elements reinforcing said resin core, and a solid resin skin substantially surrounding said cellular resin core; said structural foam handle being energy absorbing; and resilient, shock absorbing coupling means operable to connect said structural foam handle with said vibration generating assembly; said resilient, shock absorbing, coupling means comprising first and second vibration isolating assemblies mutually spaced longitudinally of said chain saw and cooperating with said handle means to define a relatively soft, resilient suspension for said vibration generating assembly; said resilient suspension providing a relatively soft, elastic, vibration isolating means interconnecting said vibration generating assembly and said shock absorbing, structural foam handle, said shock absorbing, structural foam handle comprising unitized handle means providing hand engaging portions at opposite ends of said engine means.

Claim 12

In a chain saw comprising a vibration generating assembly including engine means, guide bar means extending generally longitudinally from one side portion of said chain saw, cutter chain means mounted on the periphery of said guide bar means for movement thereabout, and drive means operable to drivingly couple said engine means to said cutter chain means; and handle means supporting said vibration generating assembly; the improvement in said handle means comprising: a shock absorbing, unitized structural foam handle including a rigid, closed cell, cellular resin core, fibrous elements reinforcing said resin core, and a solid resin skin substantially surrounding said cellular resin core; said structural foam handle being energy absorbing; and resilient, shock absorbing coupling means operable to connect said structural foam handle with said vibration generating assembly; said resilient, shock absorbing, coupling means comprising first and second vibration isolating assemblies mutually spaced longitudinally of said chain saw and cooperating with said handle means to define a relatively soft, resilient suspension for said vibration generating assembly; said resilient suspension providing a relatively soft, elastic, vibration isolating means interconnecting said vibration generating assembly and said shock absorbing, structural foam handle, said shock absorbing, structural foam handle comprising unitized handle means providing hand engaging portions at opposite ends of said engine means.