ELECTRIC POWER TOOL

• US 20140262404A1
• Filed: 03/05/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: SAWANO, Fumiaki, MIYAZAKI, Hiroshi, SHIMIZU, Hidenori
• Granted Patent: US 9,452,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 173/178
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 21/00 Portable power-driven screw or nut setting or loosening tools; details or components, e.g. casings, bodies, of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00; for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/006; Attachments for drilling apparatus serving the same purpose machines B23P19/06
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/141 Mechanical overload release couplings
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/147 specially adapted for electrically operated wrenches or screwdrivers
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/001 Gearings, speed selectors, clutches or the like specially adapted for rotary tools

Abstract

An electric power tool includes a motor having a drive shaft, a tool output shaft rotated by rotational force of the drive shaft, a clutch unit that connects or disconnects a torque transmission line between the drive shaft and the tool output shaft according to load torque of the tool output shaft, a load detector that outputs a load torque signal in accordance with the load torque of the tool output shaft, and a control unit that performs a rising detection mode, which detects rising of the load torque signal to stop rotation of the motor, and a falling detection mode, which detects falling of the load torque signal to stop rotation of the motor. The control unit selects the rising detection mode or the falling detection mode according to a usage condition signal indicating a usage condition of the electric power tool.

Claims

1. An electric power tool comprising:

a motor including a drive shaft;

a tool output shaft arranged to be rotated by rotational force of the drive shaft;

a clutch unit configured to connect or disconnect a torque transmission line between the drive shaft and the tool output shaft in accordance with a load torque of the tool output shaft;

a load detector configured to output a load torque signal in accordance with the load torque of the tool output shaft; and

a control unit capable of performing a rising detection mode, which stops rotation of the motor when detecting a rising in the load torque signal, and a falling detection mode, which stops rotation of the motor when detecting a falling in the load torque signal,

wherein the control unit is configured to select the rising detection mode or the falling detection mode based on a usage condition signal indicating a usage condition of the electric power tool.

2. The electric power tool according to claim 1, further comprising:

a condition setting operation unit serving as a human-machine interface; and

a condition setting detector configured to output a signal corresponding to the operation of the condition setting operation unit as the usage condition signal.

3. The electric power tool according to claim 2, wherein

the condition setting operation unit includes a rotation speed setting operation unit,

the condition setting detector includes a rotation speed setting detector,

the rotation speed setting detector is configured to output a target rotation speed signal, corresponding to the operation of the rotation speed setting operation unit, as the usage condition signal, and

the control unit is configured to control a rotation speed of the motor and select the rising detection mode or the falling detection mode based on the target rotation speed signal.

4. The electric power tool according to claim 2, wherein

the condition setting operation unit includes a torque setting operation unit,

the condition setting detector includes a torque setting detector,

the torque setting detector is configured to output a setting torque signal, corresponding to the operation of the torque setting operation unit, as the usage condition signal, and

the control unit is configured to select the rising detection mode or the falling detection mode based on the setting torque signal.

5. The electric power tool according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotation speed detector configured to output a rotation speed detection signal, corresponding to a rotation speed of the drive shaft or a rotation speed of the tool output shaft, as the usage condition signal, wherein

the control unit is configured to select the rising detection mode or the falling detection mode based on the rotation speed detection signal.

6. The electric power tool according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to calculate a rotation speed calculation value based on the rotation speed detection signal, compare the rotation speed calculation value with a rotation speed calculation value comparison signal, and select the falling detection mode when the comparison indicates that the rotation speed of the drive shaft or the rotation speed of the tool output shaft is less than a reference rotation speed.

7. The electric power tool according to claim 6, further comprising:

a reference setting operation unit serving as a human-machine interface; and

a reference setting detector configured to output a reference rotation speed signal, corresponding to the operation of the reference setting operation unit, as the usage condition signal,

wherein the control unit is configured to change the reference rotation speed based on the reference rotation speed signal.

8. The electric power tool according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to compare the target rotation speed signal with a target rotation speed comparison signal, and select the falling detection mode when the comparison indicates that a target rotation speed set by the rotation speed setting operation unit is less than a reference target rotation speed.

9. The electric power tool according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit is configured to compare the setting torque signal with a setting torque comparison signal, and select the falling detection mode when the comparison indicates that a disconnection torque set by the torque setting operation unit is greater than or equal to a reference disconnection torque.