Handheld power tool with compact AC switch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9899899-B2
Application number	US-201615370738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2016
Priority date	Oct 25, 2013
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A power tool is disclosed having a compact AC switch assembly. An electric motor driving the power tool is contained within a housing that includes a handle. A trigger is slidingly received in the handle and moves in an axis of trigger travel along a trigger travel distance extending between an extended position of the trigger and a depressed position. A trigger switch including a printed circuit board is disposed in mechanical communication with the trigger and controls the electric motor in accordance with trigger position. The printed circuit board has a plurality of conductive traces that are sequentially arranged and linearly aligned adjacent the trigger in a direction that is transverse to the axis of trigger travel to reduce the width of the printed circuit board to a value that is less than or equal to three times the trigger travel distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power tool having a compact AC switch assembly, comprising:
an electric motor;
a housing containing said electric motor and including a handle;
a trigger configured to selectively operate the electric motor, the trigger being movable along an axis of trigger travel between an extended position and a depressed position;
said trigger having a trigger travel distance over which it travels from said extended position to said depressed position;
a trigger switch attached to said trigger to control said electric motor in accordance with position of said trigger in relation to said trigger switch; and
said trigger switch including a printed circuit board having a width extending along said axis of trigger travel;
a variable resistor on the printed circuit board;
wherein a length of the variable resistor along the axis of trigger travel is greater than 50% of the printed circuit board width extending along said axis of trigger travel.

2. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of conductive traces on the circuit board; and
wherein the conductive traces pass through the axis of trigger travel.

3. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of conductive traces are made of an alloy.

4. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 3 , wherein the alloy includes copper.

5. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 3 , wherein the alloy includes silver.

6. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 3 , wherein t the alloy includes copper and silver.

7. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 2 , wherein there are at least four conductive traces.

8. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of conductive traces passes through the variable resistor.

9. A power tool having a compact AC switch assembly, comprising:
an electric motor;
a housing containing said electric motor and including a handle;
a trigger configured to selectively operate the electric motor, the trigger being movable along an axis of trigger travel between an extended position and a depressed position;
the trigger having a trigger travel distance over which it travels from said extended position to said depressed position;
a trigger switch attached to said trigger to control said electric motor in accordance with position of said trigger in relation to said trigger switch; and
said trigger switch including a printed circuit board having a width extending along said axis of trigger travel;
wherein the trigger travel distance is at least 33% of the printed circuit board width extending along said axis of trigger travel.

10. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 9 , wherein the trigger travel distance is at least 35% of the printed circuit board width extending along said axis of trigger travel.

11. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 9 , wherein the trigger travel distance is at least 40% of the printed circuit board width extending along said axis of trigger travel.

12. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 9 , wherein there are a plurality of conductive traces on the circuit board; and
wherein the conductive traces pass through the axis of trigger travel.

13. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of conductive traces are made of an alloy.

14. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 13 , wherein the alloy includes copper.

15. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 13 , wherein the alloy includes silver.

16. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 13 , wherein the alloy includes copper and silver.

17. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 12 , wherein there are at least four conductive traces.

18. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a variable resistor on the printed circuit board along said axis of trigger travel.

19. The power tool having a compact AC switch assembly of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the plurality of conductive traces passes through the variable resistor.

20. A power tool having a compact AC switch assembly, comprising:
an electric motor;
a housing containing said electric motor and including a handle;
a tool member configured to be driven by the electric motor;
a trigger configured to selectively operate the electric motor, the trigger being movable along an axis of trigger travel between an extended position and a depressed position;
the trigger having a trigger travel distance over which it travels from said extended position to said depressed position;
a trigger switch attached to said trigger to control said electric motor in accordance with position of said trigger in relation to said trigger switch; and
said trigger switch including a printed circuit board having a width extending along said axis of trigger travel;
a variable resistor on the printed circuit board;
wherein a length of the variable resistor along the axis of trigger travel is greater than 50% of the printed circuit board width extending along said axis of trigger travel;
wherein the trigger travel distance is at least 33% of the printed circuit board width extending along said axis of trigger travel
wherein there are a plurality of conductive traces on the circuit board;
wherein the conductive traces pass through the axis of trigger travel; and
wherein at least one of the plurality of conductive traces passes through the variable resistor.

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Sergyeyenko Oleksiy P
• French Timothy W
• Martinez Phillip
• Wang Yesman

Classifications

• H02K7/145

  Hand-held machine tool · CPC title

• H02P25/24

  Variable impedance in stator or rotor circuit · CPC title

• H02P1/02 Primary

  Details {of starting control} · CPC title

• H02K11/28 Primary

  Manual switches · CPC title

• H02P27/00

  Arrangements or methods for the control of AC motors characterised by the kind of supply voltage (of two or more motors H02P5/00; of synchronous motors with electronic commutators H02P6/00; of DC motors H02P7/00; of stepping motors H02P8/00) · CPC title