Power tool communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12059779-B2
Application number	US-202318456728-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2023
Priority date	Oct 21, 2013
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

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:
store a mode of operation of a power tool, wherein the mode includes one or more power tool operational parameter values each corresponding to a power tool operational parameter, wherein at least one of the one or more power tool operational parameter values is user-selectable and is set based on the first controller receiving a user input,
transmit first data corresponding to the mode to the power tool, and
transmit a firmware upgrade 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 mode,
determine that the trigger has been actuated,
control, in response to determining that the trigger has been actuated and while the trigger remains actuated, the brushless DC motor based on the one or more power tool operational parameter values of the mode included in the first data,
receive, via the second wireless communication circuit and from the external device, the firmware upgrade, and
upgrade firmware of the second controller based on the firmware upgrade received from the external device.

2. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the second controller is configured to control the brushless DC motor based on the one or more power tool operational parameter values of the mode included in the first data 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 power tool operational parameter includes 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 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 an amount that the trigger is actuated.

6. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the 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 an amount that the trigger is actuated.

7. The communication system of claim 1 , wherein the mode includes a memory mode, and wherein the one or more power tool operational parameter values 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 power tool operational parameter values to repeat the previous fastening operation on a subsequent fastener.

8. The communication system of claim 7 , wherein the power tool operational parameter includes 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 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 a server for storage such that the power tool data is accessible to a user from the server and from a plurality of different locations via the external device, a second external device, or both the external device and the second external device.

10. The communication system of claim 9 , 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.

11. A method of controlling a power tool, the method comprising:
storing, with a first controller of an external device and in a first memory of the first controller, a mode of operation of the power tool, wherein the mode includes one or more power tool operational parameter values each corresponding to a power tool operational parameter, and wherein the first controller includes a first electronic processor;
transmitting, via a first wireless communication circuit of the external device, first data corresponding to the mode to the power tool;
transmitting, via the first wireless communication circuit, a firmware upgrade to the power tool;
receiving, with a second controller of the power tool via a second wireless communication circuit of the power tool, the first data corresponding to the mode from the external device, the second controller including a second electronic processor and a second 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, and
a trigger configured to be actuated to activate the brushless DC motor;

determining, with the second controller, that the trigger has been actuated;
controlling, with the second controller and in response to determining that the trigger has been actuated and while the trigger remains actuated, the brushless DC motor based on the one or more power tool operational parameter values of the mode included in the first data;
receiving, with the second controller via the second wireless communication circuit, the firmware upgrade from the external device, and
upgrading, with the second controller, firmware of the second controller based on the firmware upgrade received from the external device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein controlling the brushless DC motor based on the one or more power tool operational parameter values of the mode included in the first data includes automatically ceasing operation of the brushless DC motor with the second controller in response to determining that a monitored characteristic of the power tool has reached a desired value.

13. The method of claim 12 , 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 second con

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

• B25B21/02

  with means for imparting impact to screwdriver blade or nut socket · CPC title

• B25D2216/0038

  Tools having a rotation-only mode · CPC title

• B25D2216/0023

  Tools having a percussion-and-rotation mode · CPC title