Power tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10265758-B2
Application number	US-201715722765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2017
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A power tool including a moveable piston, a motor capable of driving the moveable piston to perform work on a work piece, and a distance sensor configured to sense a movement of the moveable piston. The distance sensor operable to provide sensor information indicative of the movement of the piston. A controller receives the sensor information from the distance sensor. The controller operates the motor to perform work on the work piece based in part on the sensor information that the controller receives from the distance sensor.

First claim

We claim:

1. A power tool comprising:
a moveable piston that is movable between a distal-most position and a proximal-most position, wherein the moveable piston is fully retracted in the proximal-most position;
a motor capable of driving the moveable piston to perform work on a work piece,
a distance sensor configured to sense a movement of the moveable piston, the distance sensor operable to provide sensor information indicative of the movement of the moveable piston; and
a controller configured to receive the sensor information from the distance sensor,
wherein the controller is configured to:
operate the motor to perform work on the work piece based in part on the sensor information that the controller receives from the distance sensor, and
after the work is performed on the work piece, use the sensor information to cause the moveable piston to partially retract to a partially-retracted position such that a stroke of the moveable piston starts from the partially-retracted position to perform work on a next work piece, and

wherein the partially-retracted position is distal of the proximal-most position.

2. The power tool of claim 1 ,
wherein the distance sensor detects a linear displacement of the moveable piston.

3. The power tool of claim 2 ,
wherein the distance sensor detects the linear displacement of the moveable piston when the power tool performs work on the work piece.

4. The power tool of claim 3 ,
wherein the distance sensor detects the linear displacement of the moveable piston when the power tool performs a crimping action.

5. The power tool of claim 1 ,
wherein the distance sensor detects a linear displacement of the moveable piston during a crimping action.

6. The power tool of claim 5 ,
where during the crimping action, the distance sensor generates an output signal that is communicated to the controller.

7. The power tool of claim 6 ,
wherein the output signal is representative of a distance that the moveable piston traveled from a reference position.

8. The power tool of claim 7 ,
wherein the reference position comprises a moveable piston home position.

9. The power tool of claim 8 ,
wherein the reference position comprises a completely retracted position of the moveable piston.

10. The power tool of claim 6 ,
wherein the output signal is representative of a direction of motion of the moveable piston.

11. The power tool of claim 10 ,
wherein the direction of motion of the piston comprises a direction of the moveable piston towards a working head of the power tool.

12. The power tool of claim 11 ,
wherein the working head of the power tool comprises a crimping head.

13. The power tool of claim 12 ,
wherein the crimping head of the power tool comprises a die-less crimping head.

14. The power tool of claim 11 ,
wherein the working head of the power tool comprises a cutting head.

15. The power tool of claim 10 ,
wherein the direction of motion of the piston comprises a direction motion away from the working head.

16. The power tool of claim 1 ,
wherein the distance sensor comprises a hall effect sensor.

17. The power tool of claim 16 ,
wherein the hall effect sensor detects a contour provided along an outer surface of the moveable piston.

18. The power tool of claim 1 , further comprising
a pump, and
a gear reducer,
wherein the motor is configured to drive the pump by way of the gear reducer.

19. The power tool of claim 1 ,
wherein the distance sensor is mounted within a cylindrical bushing of the power tool.

20. The power tool of claim 19 ,
wherein the cylindrical bushing is mounted within a frame of the power tool, and
wherein the cylindrical bushing surrounds a piston rod of the piston.

21. The power tool of claim 1 ,
wherein the distance sensor configured to continuously sense the movement of the moveable piston.

22. A power tool comprising:
a moveable piston;
a motor configured to cause a hydraulic fluid to be supplied to the moveable piston to perform work on a work piece,
a distance sensor configured to sense a movement of the moveable piston, the distance sensor operable to provide sensor information indicative of the movement of the moveable piston;
a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure of the hydraulic fluid supplied to the moveable piston; and
a controller configured to:
receive the sensor information from the distance sensor and the pressure sensor,
determine, based on the sensor information received from the pressure sensor, that the hydraulic fluid has achieved a threshold pressure at a point in time, wherein the threshold pressure is indicative that the piston is starting to exert a force on the work piece,
determine, based on the sensor information received from the distance sensor for the point in time, an outer diameter of the work piece,
determine, based on the determined outer diameter, at least one of a target distance or a target pressure, and
operate the motor to perform work on the work piece based on the sensor information and the at least one of the target distance or the target pressure.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Skinner Luke
• Kanack Kris
• Ballard James
• Bauer David

Classifications

• B21D39/048 Primary

  using presses for radially crimping tubular elements · CPC title

• B26B27/00

  Hand cutting tools not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. finger rings for cutting string, devices for cutting by means of wires · CPC title

• B25B28/00

  Portable power-driven joining or separation tools (B25B21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B25B27/026 Primary

  fluid driven · CPC title