FASTENER SETTING ALGORITHM FOR DRILL DRIVER

• US 20150041164A1
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: SERGYEYENKO, Oleksiy P., SHOOK, Christopher W., NG, Wong Kun
• Granted Patent: US 10,011,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 173/1
• 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 21/008 with automatic change-over from high speed-low torque mode to low speed-high torque mode
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/0064 Means for adjusting screwing depth
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/147 specially adapted for electrically operated wrenches or screwdrivers

Abstract

A method is provided for setting a fastener in a workpiece. The method includes: monitoring a parameter of the power tool during operation of the power tool, where the parameter is indicative of the placement of a fastener being driven by the power tool in relation to the workpiece; detecting, a change in the parameter, where the detected change in the parameter indicates that the power tool became disengaged with the fastener; modifying operation of the power tool in response to the detected change in the parameter; subsequently detecting a second change in the parameter; and interrupting transmission of torque to the output spindle in response the detected second change in the parameter, thereby properly setting the placement of the fastener in relation to the workpiece.

Claims

1. A power tool for driving a fastener into a workpiece, the power tool comprising:

a housing;

an electric motor disposed in the housing and drivably connected to an output spindle to impart rotary motion thereto;

a controller disposed in the housing, the controller configured to monitor the power tool, determine if a cam-out criteria indicative of the power tool becoming disengaged with the fastener has been met, and modify operation of the power tool in response to the cam-out criteria having been met.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the controller being configured to modify operation of the power tool in response to the cam-out criteria having been met comprises the controller being configured to decrease a speed of the electric motor or pulse the electric motor on and off.

3. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the controller being configured to monitor the power tool comprises the controller being configured to monitor a parameter of the power tool.

4. The power tool of claim 3, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of current being delivered to the motor, rotational speed of the motor and torque on the output spindle.

5. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the controller is also configured to determine if a fastener setting criteria has been met.

6. The power tool of claim 5, wherein when the controller determines that the fastener setting criteria has been met within a predetermined time after the controller determines that the cam-out criteria have been met, the controller operates the drill in a first manner;

and

wherein, when the controller determines that the fastener criteria has been met and the cam-out criteria has not been met within the predetermined time before the controller determines that the fastener criteria has been met, the controller operates the drill in a second manner.

7. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the second manner comprises interrupting torque to the output spindle.

8. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the first manner comprises continuing to supply torque to the output spindle.

9. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the first manner comprises supplying torque to the output spindle at a greater amount than the second manner.

10. The power tool of claim 6, wherein the fastener setting criteria is indicative of a placement of the fastener being driven by the power tool in relation to the workpiece.

11. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the controller is also configured to determine if a fastener setting criteria indicative of a placement of the fastener in relation to the workpiece has been met;

wherein when the controller determines that the fastener setting criteria has been met within a predetermined time after the controller determines that the cam-out criteria have been met, the controller operates the drill in a first manner; and

wherein, when the controller determines that the fastener criteria has been met and the cam-out criteria has not been met within the predetermined time before the controller determines that the fastener criteria has been met, the controller operates the drill in a second manner; and

wherein modifying operation of the power tool in response to the cam-out criteria having been met comprises the controller operating the drill in the first manner rather than the second manner when the controller determines that the fastener setting criteria has been met within a predetermined time after the controller determines that the cam-out criteria have been met.

12. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the cam-out criteria comprises a decrease of current supplied to the motor that exceeds a threshold.

13. The power tool of claim 12, wherein the fastener setting criteria is based at least in part on an increase in the rate of change of current supplied to the motor.

14. A power tool for driving a fastener into a workpiece, the power tool comprising:

a housing;

an electric motor disposed in the housing and drivably connected to an output spindle to impart rotary motion thereto;

a controller disposed in the housing, the controller configured to monitor the power tool and determine if a cam-out criteria indicative of the power tool becoming disengaged with the fastener has been met;

the controller further configured to monitor the power tool and determine if a fastener setting criteria indicative of a placement of the fastener being driven by the power tool in relation to the workpiece;

wherein, when the controller determines that the fastener criteria has been met and the cam-out criteria has not been met within the predetermined time before the controller determines that the fastener criteria has been met, the controller operates the drill so as to decrease torque supplied to the output spindle and seat the fastener in the workpiece.

15. The power tool according to claim 14, wherein when the controller determines that the fastener setting criteria has been met wherein within a predetermined time after the controller determines that the cam-out criteria have been met, the controller operates the drill to continue to supply torque to the output spindle.

16. The power tool according to claim 14, wherein when the controller determines that the fastener setting criteria has been met wherein within a predetermined time after the controller determines that the cam-out criteria have been met, the controller operates the drill to pulse the electric motor on and off multiple times.

17. A method of controlling operation of a power tool having an electric motor drivably connected to an output spindle to impart rotary motion thereto, comprising:

monitoring, by a controller residing in the power tool, at least one parameter of the power tool during operation of the power tool;

determining, by the controller, if a cam out criteria indicative of the power tool becoming disengaged with the fastener has been met;

modifying, by the controller, operation of the power tool in response to determining that the cam out criteria has been met;

wherein the determining whether the cam out criteria has been met is based at least in part on the at least one parameter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one of current being delivered to the motor, rotational speed of the motor, and torque on the output spindle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein further comprising determining, by the controller, if a fastener setting criteria indicative of a placement of the fastener in relationship to the workpiece has been met.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining if the fastener setting criteria has been met is based at least in part on the at least one parameter;

further comprising interrupting, by the controller, torque to the output spindle when the controller has determined fastener setting criteria has been met and the controller has not determined that the cam out criteria has been met within a predetermined time before the fastener setting criteria has been met.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein modifying, by the controller, operation of the power tool in response to determining that the cam out criteria has been met comprises the controller not interrupting torque to the output spindle when the controller has determined fastener setting criteria has been met if the controller has determined that the cam out criteria has been met within a predetermined time before the fastener setting criteria has been met.