Adapter for power tool devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10131042-B2
Application number	US-201415030756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2014
Priority date	Oct 21, 2013
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

An adapter for a power tool includes a housing, a tool-side connector, and a battery-side connector in electrical communication with each other. The tool-side connector is configured to couple to a power tool, and the battery-side connector is configured to couple to a battery pack. The adapter also includes a communication interface configured to couple with an external device, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine a state of the power tool, operate in a data transmission mode when the power tool is in the idle state, operate in a pass-through mode when the power tool is in the active state, and switch between the data transmission mode and the pass-through mode based on the state of the power tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adapter for a power tool, the adapter comprising
a housing;
a tool-side connector supported by the housing and configured to couple to a power tool, the tool-side connector including a plurality of contacts configured to couple to a device interface of the power tool, the plurality of contacts including a first contact, a second contact, and a third contact;
a battery-side connector supported by the housing and configured to couple to a battery pack, the battery-side connector in electrical communication with the tool-side connector;
a communication interface supported by the housing and configured to couple with an external device, the communication interface in electrical communication with the tool-side connector and the battery-side connector; and
a controller supported by the housing and coupled to the tool-side connector, the battery-side connector, and the communication interface, the controller configured to
determine a state of the power tool, wherein the state of the power tool is one of an active state in which an actuator of the power tool is in operation or an idle state during which the actuator is idle, and
operate in a data transmission mode, in which the adapter exchanges data between the external device and one of the power tool or the battery pack when the power tool is in the idle state,
operate in a pass-through mode, in which the adapter transfers power from the battery pack to the power tool when the power tool is in the active state,
switch between the data transmission mode and the pass-through mode based on the state of the power tool, and
determine that the power tool is in the active state when a power request signal is active at the third contact.

2. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the battery-side connector includes terminals configured to couple to a power interface of the battery pack.

3. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the first contact is a positive power contact and the second contact is a negative power contact.

4. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the tool-side connector replicates a power interface on the battery pack and the battery-side connector replicates a device interface on the power tool.

5. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the tool-side connector is positioned on a first side of the housing and the battery-side connector is positioned on a second side of the housing opposite the first side of the housing.

6. The adapter of claim 5 , wherein the communication interface includes a serial communication port.

7. The adapter of claim 6 , wherein the housing has sidewall connecting the first side and the second side, and wherein the serial communication port is positioned on one of the sidewalls.

8. The adapter of claim 6 , wherein the adapter is configured to receive power from the external device through the serial communication port, and wherein the adapter is configured to provide the power from the external device to the power tool.

9. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface includes a radio transceiver.

10. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface includes a serial communication port and a radio transceiver.

11. The adapter of claim 10 , wherein the adapter communicates with the external device by selectively using the communication port and the radio transceiver; and wherein the adapter further comprises a communication indicator supported by the housing, wherein the indicator indicates when the adapter is communicating with the external device using either of the communication port and the radio transceiver.

12. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the adapter is configured to export tool usage data from a memory of the power tool to the external device and import configuration data from the external device to the power tool during the data transmission mode.

13. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the adapter is configured to export usage data from a memory of the battery pack to the external device and import configuration data from the external device to the battery pack during the data transmission mode.

14. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the adapter also includes a power switch to turn the adapter on and off, and wherein the adapter is configured to operate in the pass-through mode when the power switch indicates the adapter is off.

15. A method of operating a power tool including an adapter, the adapter including a tool-side connector configured to couple to the power tool, a battery-side connector configured to couple to a battery pack and a communication interface configured to couple with an external device, wherein the power tool is in one of an active state or an idle state, the method comprising:
determining, by the adapter, that the power tool is in the idle state;
exchanging data between the external device and one of the power tool or the battery pack when the power tool is in the idle state;
determining, by the adapter, that the power tool is requested to be in the active state; and
in response to determining that the power tool is requested to be in the active state, switching from exchanging data to transferring, by the tool-side connector and the battery-side connector, electrical power from the battery pack to the power tool to enter the power tool into the active state,
wherein during the active state a motor of the power tool is in operation and during the idle state, the motor is idle,
wherein the tool-side connector includes a first contact, a second contact, and a third contact, and wherein determining whether the power tool is in the active state includes detecting a power request signal at the third contact, and further comprising transferring electrical power to the power tool from one of the battery pack or the external device through the first contact and the second contact.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein transferring electrical power to the power tool includes determining whether the battery pack is coupled to the battery-side connector, and transferring electrical power, by the communication interface and the tool-side connector, from the external device when the battery pack is decoupled from the battery-side connector.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein exchanging data between the power tool and the external device includes exporting, by the tool-side connector, data from a memory of the power tool to the external device and importing, by the tool-side connector, configuration data from the external device to the power tool.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein exchanging data between the battery pack and the external device includes exporting, by the battery-side connector, data from a memory of the battery pack to the external device and importing, by the battery-side connector, configuration data from the external device to the battery pack.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising
disconnecting the adapter from the power tool;
connecting the tool-side connector to a battery charger; and
exchanging data between the battery charger and the external device via the adapter.

20. An adapter for a power tool, the adapter comprising:
a housing including a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a sidewall connecting the first side and the second side, wherein the sidewall is a front sidewall
a tool-side connector supported by the housing and positioned on the first side of the housing, the tool-side connector configured to couple to the power tool;
a latching mechanism supported by the housing, and positioned on the first side of t

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Mergener Matthew J
• Stampfl Burtrom Lee
• Monteleone Michael
• Conrad Cole A
• Matson Stephen
• Hollis Robert R

Classifications

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H02J7/575

  Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit · CPC title

• B25F5/00

  Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B25D2216/0038

  Tools having a rotation-only mode · CPC title

• B23B47/00

  Constructional features of components specially designed for boring or drilling machines; Accessories therefor (working-spindles, bearing sleeves therefor B23Q1/70; for machine tools in general B23Q) · CPC title