Conductive Boot for Power Tool Protection

摘要

Apparatus for high voltage power line maintenance and repair. In some embodiments, a power tool has a housing which encloses an electrical load and a control electronics circuit using a first shield as a layer of conductive material which is open at a battery pack receiving slot of the housing configured to receive a removable battery pack. A removable boot surrounds the removeable battery pack and has a second shield as a layer of conductive material which combines with the first shield to form a combined shield that nominally encloses the power tool and the boot. An insulative hot stick supports the power tool at a distal end and a user interface at a proximal end. The user interface includes a communication circuit that communicates with the control electronics circuit via a non-conductive communication link that extends along the hot stick to selectively activate the electrical load.

主权项

1. A power tool assembly comprising:
a power tool comprising a housing which encloses at least an electrical load and a control electronics circuit to activate the electrical load, the housing comprising a first shield as a layer of conductive material that nominally encloses the electrical load and the control electronics circuit, the first shield open at a battery pack receiving slot of the housing; a removable battery pack mateable with the battery pack receiving slot of the housing to supply electrical power for use by the electrical load and the control electronics circuit; a removable boot adapted to surround the removeable battery pack upon engagement with the housing, the boot comprising a second shield as a layer of conductive material which, which installed onto the boot, combines with the first shield to form a combined shield that nominally encloses the power tool and the boot; an insulative hot stick having opposing proximal and distal ends, the power tool supported by the distal end; and a user interface supported by the proximal end of the insulative hot stick comprising a communication circuit that communicates with the control electronics circuit via a communication link to selectively activate the electrical load, the communication link comprising at least one non-conductive fiber optic cable that extends along a length of the insulative hot stick between the proximal and distal ends.