Power tool with compartment for receiving another device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12307839-B2
Application number	US-202418406717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2024
Priority date	Aug 7, 2017
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

One power tool includes a housing including a compartment for receiving another device. The power tool further includes a wireless communication device including a wireless communication controller including a transceiver. The wireless communication device is configured to be received in the compartment. The power tool further includes a motor within the housing, and the motor is configured to drive an output drive device. The power tool further includes a controller within the housing and having an electronic processor, a memory, and a data connection. The data connection is configured to couple the electronic processor to the wireless communication device when the wireless communication device is inserted into the compartment. The controller is configured to control operation of the motor, and communicate with an external device via the data connection and the wireless communication controller.

First claim

We claim:

1. A power tool comprising:
a housing including a battery receiving portion that includes a compartment including an irreversible lock;
a wireless communication device including a wireless communication controller with a transceiver, the wireless communication device configured to be received in the compartment and to engage with the irreversible lock, wherein the wireless communication device includes a lock mating tooth configured to engage with a mating tab of the irreversible lock in response to the wireless communication device being inserted into the compartment;
a motor within the housing and having a rotor and a stator, wherein the motor is configured to drive an output drive device; and
a controller within the housing and having an electronic processor and a memory, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the motor;
wherein the wireless communication device includes (i) a top portion including a first mating structure that is configured to mate with the battery receiving portion and (ii) a bottom portion including a second mating structure that is configured to mate with a battery pack that is configured to provide power to the motor.

2. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the first mating structure includes a first set of terminal connections configured to receive battery terminals of the battery receiving portion in response to the wireless communication device being inserted into the compartment; and
wherein the second mating structure includes a second set of terminal connections configured to be received by a third set of terminal connections of the battery pack in response to the battery pack being received by the wireless communication device.

3. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the first mating structure includes first guide rails configured to secure the wireless communication device to the battery receiving portion as the wireless communication device is slidably engaged onto the battery receiving portion from a front of the battery receiving portion; and
wherein the second mating structure is configured to receive second guide rails of the battery pack that are configured to secure the battery pack to the wireless communication device as the battery pack is slidably engaged onto the wireless communication device from a front of the wireless communication device.

4. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the lock mating tooth includes a ramp that is narrower at a rear end of the ramp than at a front end of the ramp, wherein the ramp allows the wireless communication device to be inserted into the compartment; and
wherein a front edge of the lock mating tooth engages with the mating tab in response to the ramp of the lock mating tooth passing the mating tab upon insertion of the wireless communication device into the compartment.

5. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein a first footprint of the power tool when standing in an upright position on a horizontal surface without the wireless communication device inserted into the compartment is the same size as a second footprint of the power tool when standing in the upright position on the horizontal surface with the wireless communication device inserted into the compartment.

6. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein a first footprint of the power tool provides support to allow the power tool to stand in an upright position on a horizontal surface without the wireless communication device inserted into the compartment, and wherein a second footprint of the power tool provides support to allow the power tool to stand in the upright position on the horizontal surface with the wireless communication device inserted into the compartment.

7. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device includes an indicator light that is visible when the wireless communication device is inserted into the compartment.

8. The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the indicator light is configured to indicate a communication state of the wireless communication device.

9. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device includes a back-up power source that includes a coin cell battery.

10. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device is configured to transmit an identification signal via the transceiver; and
wherein the identification signal can be used to track a location of the power tool to which the wireless communication device is attached.

11. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device is configured to receive, via the transceiver and from an external device, a security parameter that indicates whether operation of the motor of the power tool is enabled or disabled.

12. The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a data connection configured to couple the electronic processor to the wireless communication device when the wireless communication device is inserted into the compartment; and
wherein the controller is configured to communicate with an external device via the data connection and the wireless communication controller.

13. A method of deterring removal of a wireless communication device attached to a power tool, the method comprising:
receiving, by a compartment of a battery receiving portion of a housing of the power tool, the wireless communication device, the wireless communication device including a wireless communication controller with a transceiver;
engaging, by an irreversible lock of the compartment, the wireless communication device upon the compartment receiving the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device includes a lock mating tooth configured to engage with a mating tab of the irreversible lock in response to the wireless communication device being inserted into the compartment;
controlling, with a controller located within the housing, operation of a motor of the power tool to drive an output drive device, the controller including an electronic processor and a memory; and
communicating, by the wireless communication controller, with an external device;
wherein the wireless communication device includes (i) a top portion including a first mating structure that is configured to mate with the battery receiving portion and (ii) a bottom portion including a second mating structure that is configured to mate with a battery pack that is configured to provide power to the motor.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the lock mating tooth includes a ramp that is narrower at a rear end of the ramp than at a front end of the ramp, wherein the ramp allows the wireless communication device to be inserted into the compartment; and
wherein a front edge of the lock mating tooth engages with the mating tab in response to the ramp of the lock mating tooth passing the mating tab upon insertion of the wireless communication device into the compartment.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein communicating with the external device includes transmitting, by the wireless communication device, an identification signal via the transceiver; and
wherein the identification signal can be used to track a location of the power tool to which the wireless communication device is attached.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein communicating with the external device includes receiving, via the transceiver and from the external device, a security parameter that indicates whether operation of the motor of the power tool is enabled or disabled.

17. A power tool device comprising:
a housing including a battery receiving portion including a compartment with an irreversible loc

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Hoossainy Tauhira
• Coulis Christian P
• Matson Stephen

Classifications

• G07C9/38

  with central registration · CPC title

• G07C9/30 Primary

  not involving the use of a pass · CPC title

• G07C9/20

  involving the use of a pass · CPC title

• E05B17/22

  Means for operating or controlling lock or fastening device accessories, i.e. other than the fastening members, e.g. switches, indicators {(E05B39/00 - E05B45/00 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G07C2009/00642

  by battery · CPC title