Power tool communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11738426-B2
Application number	US-202218067971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2022
Priority date	Oct 21, 2013
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

A power tool communication system including an external device including a first controller configured to transmit, via wireless communication to a power tool, configuration data including a work light duration parameter value and a work light brightness parameter value. The power tool includes a housing, a brushless direct current (DC) motor, a trigger, a work light, a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with the external device to receive the configuration data, and a second controller configured to control a work light duration of the work light based on the work light duration parameter value, and control a work light brightness of the work light based on the work light brightness parameter value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A communication system comprising:
an external device including a first wireless communication circuit and a first controller, the first controller including a first electronic processor and a first memory, wherein the first controller is configured to:
communicate with a server via the first wireless communication circuit, wherein the server is configured to store a plurality of modes of operation of a power tool, wherein each mode includes one or more power tool operational parameter values;
receive first data corresponding to a first mode of the plurality of modes of operation of the power tool from the server, and
transmit the first data corresponding to the first mode to the power tool;

the power tool including:
a housing having a device receiving portion configured to receive and couple to a power tool battery pack,
a brushless direct current (DC) motor within the housing and having a rotor and a stator,
a trigger configured to be actuated to activate the brushless DC motor,
a second wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with the external device, and
a second controller including a second electronic processor and a second memory, the second controller coupled to the second wireless communication circuit and configured to:
receive, via the second wireless communication circuit and from the external device, the first data corresponding to the first mode,
determine that the trigger has been actuated, and
control, in response to determining that the trigger has been actuated and while the trigger remains actuated, the brushless DC motor in a predetermined manner based on one or more parameters of the first mode included in the first data, wherein the brushless DC motor is controlled in the predetermined manner regardless of an amount that the trigger is actuated.

2. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the second controller is configured to control the brushless DC motor in the predetermined manner by automatically ceasing operation of the brushless DC motor in response to determining that a monitored characteristic of the power tool has reached a desired value.

3. The communication system of claim 2 , wherein the monitored characteristic includes a number of impacts performed by the power tool, and wherein the desired value includes a first value of the number of impacts performed by the power tool; and
wherein the second controller is configured to determine the first value by counting the number of impacts performed by the power tool during fastening of a previous fastener.

4. The communication system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more parameters include a fastening speed of the power tool; and
wherein the second controller is configured to determine a second value of the fastening speed of the power tool during fastening of a present fastener by monitoring the fastening speed of the power tool during the fastening of the previous fastener.

5. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first mode includes a constant speed mode, and wherein the second controller is configured to control the brushless DC motor to operate at a constant speed regardless of the amount that the trigger is actuated.

6. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first mode includes a pulse mode, and wherein the second controller is configured to control the brushless DC motor to oscillate between a minimum speed and a maximum speed regardless of the amount that the trigger is actuated.

7. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first mode includes a memory mode, and wherein the one or more parameters are recorded from a previous fastening operation of a previous fastener; and
wherein the second controller is configured to control the brushless DC motor to operate according to the one or more parameters to repeat the previous fastening operation on a subsequent fastener.

8. The communication system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more parameters include at least one selected from the group consisting of fastening speed, impacts per minute, a trigger travel profile, and combinations thereof.

9. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the second controller is configured to receive, via the second wireless communication circuit and from the external device, a firmware upgrade.

10. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first controller is configured to:
receive power tool data from the power tool via the first wireless communication circuit; and
transmit, via the first wireless communication circuit, the power tool data to the server for storage such that the power tool data is accessible to a user from a plurality of different locations via the external device, a second external device, or both the external device and the second external device.

11. The communication system of claim 10 , wherein the power tool data includes at least one of the group consisting of power tool status, power tool operation statistics, power tool identification, stored power tool usage information, power tool maintenance data, and combinations thereof.

12. A method of controlling a power tool, the method comprising:
receiving, with an external device via a first wireless communication circuit of the external device, first data corresponding to a first mode of a plurality of modes of operation of a power tool from a server, wherein the server stores the plurality of modes of operation of the power tool, wherein each mode includes one or more power tool operational parameter values;
transmitting, via the first wireless communication circuit of the external device, the first data corresponding to the first mode to the power tool;
receiving, with a controller of the power tool via a second wireless communication circuit of the power tool, the first data corresponding to the first mode from the external device, the controller including an electronic processor and a memory, the power tool including
a housing having a device receiving portion configured to receive and couple to a power tool battery pack,
a brushless direct current (DC) motor within the housing and having a rotor and a stator,
a trigger configured to be actuated to activate the brushless DC motor,

determining, with the controller, that the trigger has been actuated; and
controlling, with the controller and in response to determining that the trigger has been actuated and while the trigger remains actuated, the brushless DC motor in a predetermined manner based on one or more parameters of the first mode included in the first data, wherein the brushless DC motor is controlled in the predetermined manner regardless of an amount that the trigger is actuated.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein controlling the brushless DC motor in the predetermined manner includes automatically ceasing operation of the brushless DC motor with the controller in response to determining that a monitored characteristic of the power tool has reached a desired value.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the monitored characteristic includes a number of impacts performed by the power tool, and wherein the desired value includes a first value of the number of impacts performed by the power tool, and further comprising:
determining, with the controller, the first value by counting the number of impacts performed by the power tool during fastening of a previous fastener.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more parameters include a fastening speed of the power tool, and further comprising:
determining, with the controller, a second value of the fastening speed of the power tool dur

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

• B25B23/1475 Primary

  for impact wrenches or screwdrivers · CPC title

• B23B45/008

  Gear boxes, clutches, bearings, feeding mechanisms or like equipment · 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