Eco-indicator for power tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11338405-B2
Application number	US-201916272182-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2019
Priority date	Feb 28, 2018
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

A power tool includes a battery pack, one or more sensors, an indicator, and an electronic processor coupled to the battery pack, the one or more sensors, and the indicator. The electronic processor is configured to: detect, using the one or more sensors, one or more parameters of the power tool; determine a system performance based on the one or more parameters; determine a system performance level based on the system performance; and provide, using the indicator, an indication corresponding to the system performance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power tool comprising:
a battery pack;
one or more sensors;
an indicator including a plurality of Light Emitting Diode (LED) bars;
an electronic processor coupled to the battery pack, the one or more sensors, and the indicator and configured to:
detect, using the one or more sensors, one or more parameters of the power tool,
determine a system performance based on the one or more parameters,
determine a system performance level based on the system performance, and
provide, using the indicator, an indication corresponding to the system performance; and

a user interface upon which the plurality of LED bars are located, wherein the user interface includes a performance map provided in addition to the plurality of LED bars and segmenting the plurality of LED bars into a plurality of different performance regions for operating the power tool, wherein the LED bars are illuminated based on the system performance level.

2. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a current sensor to detect a tool current.

3. The power tool of claim 2 , further comprising a motor powered by the battery pack, wherein the tool current is the current drawn by the motor from the battery pack.

4. The power tool of claim 3 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
determine that the tool current exceeds a maximum current threshold; and
simulate bog-down of the motor in response to determining that the tool current exceeds the maximum current threshold.

5. The power tool of claim 4 , wherein simulating bog-down of the motor includes reducing the speed of the motor to a non-zero value.

6. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
determine that the system performance is at a first system performance level when the system performance does not satisfy a first system performance threshold; and
control the plurality of LED bars to turn OFF.

7. The power tool of claim 6 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
determine that the system performance is at a second system performance level when the system performance satisfies the first system performance threshold and does not satisfy a second system performance threshold;
control a first LED bar of the plurality of LED bars to turn ON; and
control a second LED bar of the plurality of LED bars to turn OFF.

8. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
determine that the system performance is at a maximum system performance level when the system performance satisfies a maximum system performance threshold; and
control the plurality of LED bars to turn ON.

9. The power tool of claim 8 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to flash the plurality of LED bars between an ON state and an OFF state in response to the system performance satisfying the maximum system performance threshold.

10. The power tool of claim 8 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to deactivate the power tool after a predetermined period of time following the system performance satisfying the maximum system performance threshold.

11. The power tool of claim 8 , wherein the first LED bar is in a first performance region of the performance map, and wherein the second LED bar is in a second performance region of the performance map.

12. The power tool of claim 8 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
determine a state of charge of the battery pack; and
update the first system performance threshold, the second system performance threshold, and the maximum system performance threshold based on the state of charge of the battery pack.

13. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the user interface further comprises:
a center indicator to indicate a rotational axis of an output shaft of the power tool;
a direction indicator to indicate to a user a direction to tilt the power tool; and
a battery meter to indicate a state of charge of the battery pack.

14. The power tool of claim 13 , wherein the direction indicator includes four directional arrows on four sides of the center indicator.

15. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the battery pack includes a nominal voltage between 60 Volts and 90 Volts.

16. A method for indicating performance of a power tool, the method comprising:
detecting, using an electronic processor with one or more sensor, one or more parameters of the power tool;
determining, using the electronic processor, a system performance based on the one or more parameters;
determining, using the electronic processor, a system performance level based on the system performance;
providing, using the electronic processor with an indicator, an indication corresponding to the system performance level, wherein the indicator includes a plurality of Light Emitting Diode (LED) bars; and
illuminating the LED bars based on the system performance level, wherein the plurality of LED bars are located upon a user interface of the power tool, wherein the user interface includes a performance map provided in addition to the plurality of LED bars and segmenting the plurality of LED bars into a plurality of different performance regions for operating the power tool.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a current sensor to detect a tool current.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the tool current is the current drawn by a motor of the power tool from a battery pack of the power tool.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
determining that the tool current exceeds a maximum current threshold; and
simulating bog-down of the motor in response to determining that the tool current exceeds the maximum current threshold.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein simulating bog-down of the motor includes reducing the speed of the motor to a non-zero value.

21. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
determining that the system performance is at a first system performance level when the system performance does not satisfy a first system performance threshold; and
controlling the plurality of LED bars to turn OFF.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
determining that the system performance is at a second system performance level when the system performance satisfies the first system performance threshold and does not satisfy a second system performance threshold;
controlling a first LED bar of the plurality of LED bars to turn ON; and
controlling a second LED bar of the plurality of LED bars to turn OFF.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
determining that the system performance is at a maximum system performance level when the system performance satisfies a maximum system performance threshold; and
controlling the plurality of LED bars to turn ON.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising flashing the plurality of LED bars between an ON state and an OFF state in response to the system performance satisfying the maximum system performance threshold.

25. The method of claim 23 , further comprising deactivating the power tool after a predetermined period of time following the system performance satisfying the maximum system performance threshold.

26. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first LED bar is in a first performance region of the performance map, and wherein the second LED

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Lamont Lance D
• Billetdeaux Samantha L
• Obermann Timothy R
• Ellice Joseph H
• Kachar Amanda M
• Keegan Kathleen M
• Alves Brian
• Lichtensteiger Toby
• Carlson Mitchell
• Harper Colin J

Classifications

• B23Q17/0961 Primary

  by measuring power, current or torque of a motor · CPC title

• G08B5/36

  using visible light sources · CPC title

• F21V33/0084

  Hand tools; Toolboxes · CPC title

• B25F5/00 Primary

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

• G08B5/00

  Visible signalling systems, e.g. visible personal calling systems or remote indication of seats occupied · CPC title