Adaptor for power tool devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10569398-B2
Application number	US-201916246017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2019
Priority date	Oct 21, 2013
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

An adapter for a power tool including 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:
an adapter housing including a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, and a sidewall connecting the top side and the bottom side;
a tool-side connector supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the top side of the adapter housing, 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 latching tab supported by the adapter housing, and positioned in a raised portion of the top side of the adapter housing, wherein the latching tab is configured to engage with a power tool housing to secure the adapter to the power tool;
a battery-side connector supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the bottom side of the adapter housing, the battery-side connector configured to couple to a battery pack;
an indicator supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the sidewall of the adapter housing, the indicator configured to provide an indication regarding communication between the adapter and an external device;
a push-button switch supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the sidewall of the adapter housing;
a controller supported inside the adapter housing and coupled to the indicator and the push-button switch; and
an integrated power source supported inside the adapter housing.

2. The adapter of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator supported by the adapter housing, and mechanically linked to the latching tab, wherein actuation of the actuator moves the latching tab out of engagement with the power tool housing.

3. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall is a front sidewall of the adapter housing.

4. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the adapter is configured to receive power tool configuration data from the external device; and
wherein the power tool is configured to operate based on the power tool configuration data.

5. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the communication between the adapter and the external device occurs via a wired connection between the adapter and the external device.

6. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control whether the power tool receives power from the battery pack via the adapter.

7. The adapter of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the adapter housing includes an angled surface that is positioned adjacent and at an oblique angle with respect to one of the top side of the adapter housing and the bottom side of the adapter housing;
wherein the sidewall of the adapter housing also includes a perpendicular surface that is positioned adjacent the other one of the top side of the adapter housing and the bottom side of the adapter housing.

8. An adapter for a power tool, the adapter comprising:
an adapter housing including a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, and a sidewall connecting the top side and the bottom side;
a tool-side connector supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the top side of the adapter housing, the tool-side connector configured to couple to the power tool;
a latching tab supported by the adapter housing, and positioned on the top side of the adapter housing, wherein the latching tab is configured to engage with a power tool housing to secure the adapter to the power tool;
a battery-side connector supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the bottom side of the adapter housing, the battery-side connector configured to couple to a battery pack;
an indicator supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the sidewall of the adapter housing, the indicator configured to provide an indication regarding communication between the adapter and an external device;
a switch supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the sidewall of the adapter housing; and
a controller supported inside the adapter housing and coupled to the indicator and to the switch.

9. The adapter of claim 8 , further comprising an actuator supported by the adapter housing, and mechanically linked to the latching tab, wherein actuation of the actuator moves the latching tab out of engagement with the power tool housing.

10. The adapter of claim 9 , wherein the actuator is positioned on the top side of the adapter housing.

11. The adapter of claim 8 , further comprising a second latching tab supported by the adapter housing, and positioned on the top side of the adapter housing, wherein the second latching tab is configured to engage with the power tool housing to secure the adapter to the power tool.

12. The adapter of claim 8 , wherein the sidewall is a front sidewall of the adapter housing.

13. The adapter of claim 8 , further comprising:
a port supported by the adapter housing and configured to couple with the external device; and
a cover configured to cover the port, wherein the cover is movable between an open position in which the port is exposed and a closed position in which the port is covered.

14. The adapter of claim 8 , further comprising:
an integrated power source supported inside the adapter housing.

15. The adapter of claim 8 , wherein the controller is a first controller and is configured to:
receive at least one of power tool configuration data and a firmware upgrade from the external device; and
transmit the at least one of power tool configuration data and the firmware upgrade to a second controller of the power tool.

16. The adapter of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive at least one of power tool status, operation statistics, and power tool identification information from the power tool; and
transmit the at least one of power tool status, operation statistics, and power tool identification information to the external device.

17. The adapter of claim 8 , wherein the sidewall of the adapter housing includes an angled surface that is positioned adjacent and at an oblique angle with respect to the top side of the adapter housing;
wherein the sidewall of the adapter housing also includes a perpendicular surface that is positioned adjacent the bottom side of the adapter housing.

18. An adapter for a power tool, the adapter comprising:
an adapter housing including a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, and a sidewall connecting the top side and the bottom side, wherein the sidewall is a front sidewall;
a tool-side connector supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the top side of the adapter housing, the tool-side connector configured to couple to the power tool;
a latching tab supported by the adapter housing, and positioned on the top side of the adapter housing, wherein the latching tab is configured to engage with a power tool housing to secure the adapter to the power tool;
a battery-side connector supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the bottom side of the adapter housing, the battery-side connector configured to couple to a battery pack;
an indicator supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the front sidewall of the adapter housing, the indicator configured to provide an indication regarding communication between the adapter and an external device;
a switch supported by the adapter housing and positioned on the front sidewall of the adapter housing; and
a controller supported inside the adapter housing and coupled to the indicator and to the switch.

19. The adapter of claim 18 , further comprising an actuator supported by the adapter housing, and mechanically link

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B25D2250/221

  Sensors · 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

• B25B23/1475 Primary

  for impact wrenches or screwdrivers · CPC title

• B25D16/006

  Mode changers; Mechanisms connected thereto · CPC title

• B25D2216/0038

  Tools having a rotation-only mode · CPC title