Electric tool

• US 7,086,483 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works Ltd (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Kenji, Ito, Masatoshi, Okamura, Yukihiko, Miyazaki, Hiroshi, Arimura, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada, Rinaldi I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUKWURAH, NATHANIEL C
• Application Number:
  US10/925,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20050045354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 173/2, 173/180, 173/181, 173/183, 173/217, 173/176, 814/67, 814/70, 364/174, 364/188, 364/474, 408/8, 408/9
• US Class Current: 173/217
• 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 21/02 with means for imparting impact to screwdriver blade or nut socket
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/14 Arrangement of torque limiters or torque indicators in wrenches or screwdrivers couplings for transmitting rotation or clutches F16D; devices for measuring torque per se G01L
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An electric tool having the capability of achieving a high working efficiency is provided. This tool comprises an output shaft rotated by reversible motor, a rotational-direction switch for switching a rotational direction of the output shaft in either forward or reverse direction, first memory for storing a plurality of operation modes of the output shaft with respect to one of the forward and reverse directions, operation-mode switch for selecting one from the operation modes, second memory for temporarily storing an operation mode selected by the operation-mode switch in a use of the electric tool at the one of the forward and reverse directions; and a controller for automatically setting the electric tool in the operation mode stored in the second memory in the next use of the electric tool at the one of the forward and reverse directions.

Claims

1. An electric tool comprising:

a reversible motor;

an output shaft rotated by said motor;

a rotational-direction switch for switching a rotational direction of said output shaft in either forward or reverse direction;

a first memory for storing a plurality of operation modes of said output shaft with respect to one of said forward and reverse directions;

an operation-mode switch for selecting one from said operation modes;

a second memory for temporarily storing an operation mode selected by said operation-mode switch in a previous operation of the electric tool at the one of said forward and reverse directions in conjunction with the information of the rotational direction in the previous operation; and

a controller for automatically setting the electric tool in the operation mode temporarily stored in said second memory in a current operation of the electric tool, in which the same rotational direction as the previous operation is selected.

2. The electric tool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of operation modes with different rotational speeds of said output shaft are stored in said first memory.

3. The electric tool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of operation modes with different torques of said output shaft are stored in said first memory.

4. The electric tool as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a speed control switch for adjusting a supply amount of electric power supplied into said motor to control a rotational speed of said output shaft, and wherein said operation-mode switch is operable only when said speed control switch is not in use.

5. The electric tool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller automatically sets the electric tool in the operation mode stored in said second memory when the electric tool is turned on under a condition that the rotational direction of said output shaft is the one of said forward and reverse directions.

6. The electric tool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller automatically sets the electric tool in the operation mode stored in said second memory when the rotational direction of said output shaft is switched to the one of said forward and reverse directions by said rotational-direction switch.

7. The electric tool as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first memory stores the plurality of operation modes of said output shaft with respect to each of said forward and reverse directions, and said second memory temporarily stores the operation mode selected by said operation-mode switch in the use of the electric tool at each of said forward and reverse directions.

8. The electric tool as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a housing having a grip, in which said reversible motor, a power transmission device through which an input of said reversible motor is converted into the rotation of the output shaft, said first and second memories, and said controller are accommodated.

9. An electric tool with at least two operation modes for providing different outputs to an object comprising:

a main switch for selecting one from said at least two operation modes;

a first memory for storing a plurality of sub-operation modes with respect to one of said at least two operation modes;

a sub switch for selecting one from said sub-operation modes;

a second memory for temporarily storing a sub-operation mode selected by said sub switch in a previous operation of the electric tool at the one of said at least two operation modes in conjunction with information of the operation mode in the previous operation; and

a controller for automatically setting the electric tool in the sub-operation mode temporarily stored in said second memory in a current operation of the electric tool, in which the same operation mode as the previous operation is selected.