Wireless communication adapter having self-contained power supply

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024380225-A1
Application number	US-202418783596-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 25, 2024
Priority date	Jul 24, 2011
Publication date	Nov 14, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A power tool system includes a hand-held power tool, a battery pack and an adapter. The hand-held power tool includes a power tool housing that accommodates a motor, and a battery pack interface electrically connected to the motor. The battery pack includes a battery pack housing that accommodates at least one battery cell, and a power tool interface electrically connected to the at least one battery cell. The power tool interface is configured to be physically and electrically connected to and disconnected from the battery pack interface of the power tool. The adapter includes a wireless communicator configured to wirelessly communicate data to/from an external device using radio waves, a self-contained power supply configured to supply electric power to the wireless communicator and an interface configured to attach the adapter to the power tool housing and/or the battery pack housing.

First claim

1 .- 62 . (canceled)

63 . A power tool system comprising:
a hand-held power tool comprising a motor, a power tool housing accommodating the motor and a battery pack interface electrically connected to the motor within the power tool housing; a battery pack comprising at least one battery cell, a battery pack housing accommodating the at least one battery cell and a power tool interface electrically connected to the at least one battery cell within the battery pack housing, the power tool interface being configured to be physically and electrically connected to and disconnected from the battery pack interface of the power tool; and an adapter comprising a wireless communicator configured to wirelessly communicate data to/from an external device using radio waves, a self-contained power supply configured to supply electric power to the wireless communicator and an interface configured to attach the wireless communicator and the self-contained power supply to the power tool housing and/or the battery pack housing.

64 . The power tool system according to claim 63 , wherein the self-contained power supply comprises a rechargeable battery.

65 . The power tool system according to claim 64 , wherein the rechargeable battery of the self-contained power supply is configured to be charged with charging current from the battery pack in a state in which the self-contained power supply is attached to the battery pack housing via the interface.

66 . The power tool system according to claim 65 , wherein the adapter further comprises a power terminal configured to be electrically connected to the battery pack in a state in which the self-contained power supply is attached to the power tool housing and/or the battery pack housing via the interface.

67 . The power tool system according to claim 64 , wherein the adapter further comprises an adapter housing accommodating the wireless communicator and the self-contained power supply, and the interface is provided on the adapter housing.

68 . The power tool system according to claim 63 , wherein:
the interface of the adapter is a first interface configured to be physically and electrically connected to the battery pack interface of the power tool, the adapter further comprises a second interface configured to be physically and electrically connected to the power tool interface of the battery pack, and the power tool interface of the battery pack is configured to be electrically connected to and disconnected from the battery pack interface of the power tool via the adapter.

69 . The power tool system according to claim 63 , wherein the external device comprises one or more of a smart phone, a PDA, a tablet computer, a laptop computer or a dedicated display device.

70 . The power tool system according to claim 63 , wherein the external device comprises a smart phone.

71 . The power tool system according to claim 63 , wherein the wireless communicator comprises a Bluetooth® communication device.

72 . The power tool system according to claim 63 , wherein the wireless communicator is configured to receive an electronic key transmitted from the external device and is configured to enable and disable usage of the power tool and/or the battery pack.

73 . An adapter for a power tool system, the power tool system comprising:
a hand-held power tool comprising a motor, a power tool housing accommodating the motor and a battery pack interface electrically connected to the motor within the power tool housing; and a battery pack comprising at least one battery cell, a battery pack housing accommodating the at least one battery cell and a power tool interface electrically connected to the at least one battery cell within the battery pack housing, the power tool interface being configured to be physically and electrically connected to and disconnected from the battery pack interface of the power tool, the adapter comprising: a wireless communicator configured to wirelessly communicate data to/from an external device using radio waves; a self-contained power supply configured to supply electric power to the wireless communicator; and an interface configured to attach the wireless communicator and the self-contained power supply to the power tool housing and/or the battery pack housing.

74 . The adapter according to claim 73 , wherein the self-contained power supply comprises a rechargeable battery.

75 . The adapter according to claim 74 , wherein the rechargeable battery of the self-contained power supply is configured to be charged with charging current from the battery pack in a state in which the self-contained power supply is attached to the battery pack housing via the interface.

76 . The adapter according to claim 75 , further comprising a power terminal configured to electrically connected to the battery pack in a state in which the self-contained power supply is attached to the power tool housing and/or the battery pack housing via the interface.

77 . The adapter according to claim 74 , further comprising an adapter housing that accommodates the wireless communicator and the self-contained power supply, wherein the interface of the adapter is provided on the adapter housing.

78 . The adapter according to claim 73 , wherein:
the interface of the adapter is a first interface configured to be physically and electrically connected to the battery pack interface of the power tool, the adapter further comprises a second interface configured to be physically and electrically connected to the power tool interface of the battery pack, and the power tool interface of the battery pack is configured to be electrically connected to and disconnected from the battery pack interface of the power tool via the adapter.

79 . The adapter according to claim 73 , wherein the external device comprises one or more of a smart phone, a PDA, a tablet computer, a laptop computer or a dedicated display device.

80 . The adapter according to claim 73 , wherein the external device comprises a smart phone.

81 . The adapter according to claim 73 , wherein the wireless communicator comprises a Bluetooth® communication device.

82 . The adapter according to claim 73 , wherein the wireless communicator is configured to receive an electronic key transmitted from the external device and the adapter is configured to enable and disable usage of the power tool and/or the battery pack in response to the wireless communicator receiving the electronic key.

83 . The adapter according to claim 78 , wherein:
the self-contained power supply comprises a rechargeable battery configured to be charged with charging current from the battery pack in the state in which the second interface is physically and electrically connected to the power tool interface of the battery pack, the adapter further comprises an adapter housing accommodating the wireless communicator and the self-contained power supply, the first interface of the adapter is provided on a first side of the adapter housing, and the second interface of the adapter is provided on a second side of the adapter housing, the second side being opposite of the first side.

84 . The adapter according to claim 83 , wherein:
the external device comprises a smart phone or a tablet computer, and the wireless communicator comprises a Bluetooth® communication device.

85 . The adapter according to claim 84 , wherein the wireless communicator is configured to receive an electronic

Assignees

• Makita Corp

Inventors

• Furui Nobuyasu
• Suzuki Hitoshi
• Fukumoto Masaaki
• Umemura Takuya
• Ito Kosuke
• Sengiku Hitoshi
• Yoshikawa Shuji
• Nagahama Tatsuya

Classifications

• H02J7/70 Primary

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title

• G05B13/024

  in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance · CPC title

• B25F5/00

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

• B25F3/00

  Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor · CPC title