Electric work machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10749356-B2
Application number	US-201816161357-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2018
Priority date	Oct 18, 2017
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

An electric work machine ( 2 ) includes a motor (M) and a control unit ( 36 ) that controls rotation of the motor. The control unit ( 36 ) is configured such that an operating mode is switchable between a normal mode, in which the motor is rotated within a prescribed output range, and a power mode, in which the motor is rotatable with energy greater than in the normal mode. Furthermore, the control unit ( 36 ) is configured to restrict use of the power mode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electric work machine, comprising:
a motor, and
a control unit that controls rotation of the motor;
wherein the control unit is configured such that:
an operating mode is switchable between a normal mode, in which the motor is rotated within a prescribed output range, and a power mode, in which the motor is rotatable with energy greater than that in the normal mode; and
use of the power mode is restricted; and

wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive a first signal from a manually-operable switch indicative that the power mode has been selected by a user,
determine based upon one or more parameters whether the electric work machine is in a state that premature deterioration or permanent damage may be caused to the electric work machine by performing the power mode;
switch the operating mode to the power mode in response to (i) receipt of the first signal and (ii) a determination that the electric work machine is not in a state that premature deterioration or permanent damage may be caused to the electric work machine by performing the power mode; and
prohibit switching the operating mode to the power mode in response to (i) receipt of the first signal and (ii) a determination that the electric work machine is in a state that premature deterioration or permanent damage may be caused to the electric work machine by performing the power mode; and
wherein the control unit is configured to transition from the power mode to the normal mode or to a stopped state if, in the power mode, an amount of electric power consumed to drive the motor reaches a predetermined value.

2. The electric work machine according to claim 1 , wherein:
the normal mode is an operating mode in which continuous use is possible; and
the power mode is an operating mode in which the motor is permitted to be rotated only for a prescribed period of time.

3. The electric work machine according to claim 2 , wherein:
the electric work machine is configured to operate by receiving a supply of electric power from a battery.

4. The electric work machine according to claim 3 , wherein:
the control unit is configured to prohibit switching the operating mode to the power mode based at least in part on a state or a usage state of the battery.

5. An electric work machine comprising:
a motor, and
a control unit that controls rotation of the motor;
wherein the control unit is configured such that:
an operating mode is switchable between a normal mode, in which the motor is rotated within a prescribed output range, and a power mode, in which the motor is rotatable with energy greater than that in the normal mode; and

use of the power mode is restricted; and
wherein:
the normal mode is an operating mode in which continuous use is possible;
the power mode is an operating mode in which the motor is permitted to be rotated only for a prescribed period of time;
the electric work machine is configured to operate by receiving a supply of electric power from a battery; and
the control unit is configured to restrict use of the power mode based at least in part on a usage count of the power mode since the battery was mounted on the electric work machine.

6. An electric work machine comprising:
a motor; and
a control unit that controls rotation of the motor;
wherein the control unit is configured such that:
an operating mode is switchable between a normal mode, in which the motor is rotated within a prescribed output range, and a power mode, in which the motor is rotatable with energy greater than that in the normal mode; and

use of the power mode is restricted; and
wherein:
the normal mode is an operating mode in which continuous use is possible;
the power mode is an operating mode in which the motor is permitted to be rotated only for a prescribed period of time;
the electric work machine is configured to operate by receiving a supply of electric power from a battery; and
the control unit is configured to restrict use of the power mode based at least in part on a total usage time of the power mode since the battery was mounted on the electric work machine.

7. The electric work machine according to claim 1 , wherein:
the control unit is configured to prohibit switching the operating mode to the power mode based at least in part on a total usage time of the electric work machine.

8. The electric work machine according to claim 1 , wherein:
the manually-operable switch is a power supply switch that starts and stops the control unit; and
the control unit is configured to transition to the normal mode in accordance with an operation state of the power supply switch during startup.

9. The electric work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured such that:
in the normal mode, the control unit sets a first upper limit current value for restricting the amount of electric current that is supplyable to the motor in the normal mode, and
in the power mode, the control unit either (i) sets a second upper limit current value for restricting the amount of electric current that is supplyable to the motor in the power mode, the second upper limit current value being higher than the first upper limit current value, or (ii) sets no upper limit current value such that the amount of electric current that is supplyable to the motor in the power mode is unrestricted.

10. The electric work machine according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to restrict use of the power mode based at least in part on:
a total usage count or a usage time of the power mode since a battery was mounted on the electric work machine;
a total usage time or a usage count of the electric work machine;
a current voltage of the battery; and
a current temperature of at least one of the battery, the control unit or the motor.

11. The electric work machine according to claim 10 , wherein:
the manually-operable switch is a power supply switch that starts and stops the control unit; and
the control unit is configured to transition to the normal mode in accordance with an operation state of the power supply switch during startup.

12. The electric work machine according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit is configured such that:
continuous operation of the motor is permitted in the normal mode; and
the motor is permitted to be operated only for a prescribed period of time in the power mode.

13. The electric work machine according to claim 12 , wherein the electric work machine is a chain saw comprising a saw chain that is driven by the motor to circulate about a guide bar.

14. An electric power tool, comprising:
an electric motor,
at least one processor, and
a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
cause the electric motor to be rotated within a prescribed output range when a normal operating mode is selected,
cause the electric motor to be rotated above the prescribed output range in response to: (i) receipt of a first signal from a manually-operable switch indicative that a power operating mode has been selected by a user and (ii) a predetermined set of parameters being satisfied,
prohibit switching to the power operating mode in response to one or more of the predetermined set of parameters not being satisfied, and
cause the electric motor to transition from the power operating mode to the normal operating mode or to a stopped state if, in the power operating mode, an amount of electric power consumed to drive the motor reaches a predetermined va

Assignees

• Makita Corp

Inventors

• Takeda Kouichi
• Kusakawa Takuya

Classifications

• H02J7/977

  of the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/96

  in response to battery voltage · CPC title

• H02J7/65

  against overtemperature · CPC title

• H02J7/63

  against overdischarge · CPC title