Power tools

• US 7,109,675 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Original Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Goushi, Suzuki, Hitoshi, Matsunaga, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US10/884,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20040263130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 318432-434, 318/461, 318/463, 318/464, 173/181, 173/183, 173/90, 173/93.5, 173/93.6, 173/93.7, 173/128, 173/217
• US Class Current: 318/433
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence

Abstract

Battery-powered tools may include battery 1 or battery pack BP and a drive source (e.g., motor M) for generating power using current supplied from the battery. A switch 3 may electrically connect the battery to the drive source. A voltage detector may detect the output battery voltage of the battery. Further, a processor 60, 210, a comparator 5 or another similar device preferably determines when a difference between (1) a first battery voltage detected at a first predetermined time period after the switch is turned OFF and (2) a second battery voltage detected at a second predetermined time after the first predetermined time period exceeds a predetermined value. This information may be utilized to determine whether to warn an operator of the battery powered tool that further operation using the battery 1 or battery pack BP should be discontinued.

Claims

1. A power tool, comprising:

a motor,

means for generating an elevated torque, wherein the elevated torque generating means is coupled to the motor and has an output shaft, wherein if a load acting on the output shaft is less than a predetermined value, rotating torque generated by the motor is directly transmitted to the output shaft and if a load acting on the output shaft exceeds the predetermined value, an elevated torque is generated by the elevated torque generating means and applied to the output shaft, wherein the elevated torque generating means comprises an oil pulse unit driven by the motor,

a load shaft connected to the output shaft,

a plurality of magnets disposed around an outer surface of either the output shaft or the load shaft so that the magnets integrally rotate with the output shaft or the load shaft, each magnet having a South pole and a North pole, wherein the South poles are disposed in an alternating relationship with the North poles,

a first sensor fixedly disposed relative to the magnets, such that the first sensor will not rotate when the output shaft or load shaft rotates, wherein the first sensor latches its output signal to a first level when detecting a North pole magnetic field, and latches its output signal to a second level when detecting a South pole magnetic field, and

a second sensor fixedly disposed relative to the magnets, such that the second sensor will not rotate when the output shaft or load shaft rotates, wherein the second sensor latches its output signal to the first level when detecting the North pole magnetic field, and latches its output signal to the second level when detecting the South pole magnetic field, wherein the output signal of the first sensor and the output signal of the second sensor are shifted by first phase when the output shaft or load shaft rotates in a direction of tightening a fastener, and are shifted by second phase when the output shaft or load shaft rotates in a direction of loosening the fastener.

2. A power tool as in claim 1, further comprising a bearing rotatably supporting at least one of the output shaft or load shaft, the bearing comprising an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder rotatably supporting the inner cylinder, the inner cylinder being affixed the output shaft or load shaft via a through-opening defined within the inner cylinder, wherein the magnets are disposed on an outer surface of the inner cylinder and the first and second sensors are disposed on an inner surface of the outer cylinder.

3. A power tool as in claim 2, wherein the bearing supports the output shaft of the elevated torque generating means.

4. A power tool as in claim 3, wherein a first central angle is defined between the first and second sensors and a second central angle is defined between adjacent magnets, wherein the first central angle is not an integral multiple of the second central angle.

5. A power tool as in claim 1, further comprising means for determining:

(A) the direction of the rotation of the output shaft or load shaft based upon the phase difference between the output signal of the first sensor and the output signal of the second sensor, and (B) the number of rotations of the output shaft or load shaft based upon the output signals of the first sensor or second sensor, and wherein the determining means stops the current supply to the motor when a predetermined time has elapsed after determining that the output shaft or load shaft has stopped rotating.

6. A power tool as in claim 5, wherein when current supply to the motor is started, the determining means starts a timer, and when the timer has counted to the predetermined time, the determining means determines that the rotation of the fastener has stopped, wherein if the determining means has determined that the output shaft or load shaft has rotated in the direction of loosening the fastener, the determining means stores the number of rotations in the direction of loosening the fastener, wherein if the determining means determines that the output shaft or load shaft has rotated in the direction of tightening the fastener, the determining means re-sets and re-starts the timer only when the number of rotations in the direction of tightening the fastener exceeds the stored number of rotations in the direction of loosening the fastener.

7. A power tool as in claim 6, wherein the determining means starts a second timer after determining that the rotation of the fastener has stopped, wherein the determining means stops the current supply to the motor when the second timer has counted to a predetermined time.

8. A power tool as in claim 6, further comprising a sensor detecting the elevated torque generated by the elevated torque generating means, wherein the sensor communicates output signals to the determining means, wherein when elevated torque is being generated, the sensor outputs a detection signal to the determining means and the determining means stops the supply of current to the motor after the detection signal output from the sensor was input by a predetermined number of times after the determining means determined that the rotation of the fastener has stopped.

9. A power tool, comprising:

a motor;

means for generating an elevated torque, wherein the elevated torque generating means is coupled to the motor and has an output shaft, wherein if a load acting on the output shaft is less than a predetermined value, rotating torque generated by the motor is directly transmitted to the output shaft and if a load acting on the output shaft exceeds the predetermined value, an elevated torque is generated by the elevated torque generating means and applied to the output shaft;

a load shaft connected to the output shaft, the load shaft being designed to engage a fastener;

a first sensor for detecting rotation of the output shaft or the load shaft;

a second sensor for detecting rotation of the output shaft or the load shaft; and

a microprocessor in communication with the motor, the first sensor and the second sensor, the first and second sensors communicating output signals to the microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor determines the direction of the rotation of the output shaft or load shaft based upon the phase difference between the output signal of the first sensor and the output signal of the second sensor, wherein the microprocessor determines the number of rotations of the output shaft or load shaft based upon the output signals of the first sensor or second sensor, and wherein the microprocessor further determines, based upon the direction of the rotation of the output shaft or load shaft and the number of rotations of the output shaft or load shaft, whether the number of rotations in the direction of tightening the fastener exceeds the stored number of rotations in the direction of loosening the fastener, and wherein the microprocessor determines that the rotation of the fastener has stopped when the number of rotations in the direction of tightening the fastener exceeds the stored number of rotations in the direction of loosening the fastener.

10. A power tool as in claim 9, wherein the elevated torque generating means comprises:

a hammer driven by the motor; and

an anvil, wherein the anvil is driven in continuous contact with the hammer during normal operation and the anvil is struck by the hammer in order to generate the elevated torque, wherein the load shaft is connected to the anvil.

11. A power tool as in claim 9, wherein the elevated torque generating means comprises an oil pulse unit driven by the motor and connected to the load shaft.

12. A power tool as in claim 9, wherein the microprocessor stops the current supply to the motor when a predetermined time has elapsed after determining that the rotation of the fastener has stopped.

13. A power tool as in claim 12, wherein when current supply to the motor is started, the microprocessor starts a timer, and when the timer has counted to the predetermined time, the microprocessor determines that the rotation of the fastener has stopped, wherein if the microprocessor has determined that the output shaft or load shaft has rotated in the direction of loosening the fastener, the microprocessor stores the number of rotations in the direction of loosening the fastener, wherein if the microprocessor determines that the output shaft or load shaft has rotated in the direction of tightening the fastener, the microprocessor re-sets and re-starts the timer only when the number of rotations in the direction of tightening the fastener exceeds the stored number of rotations in the direction of loosening the fastener.

14. A power tool as in claim 13, wherein the microprocessor starts a second timer after determining that the rotation of the fastener has stopped, wherein the microprocessor stops the current supply to the motor when the second timer has counted to a predetermined time.

15. A power tool as in claim 13, further comprising a sensor detecting the elevated torque generated by the elevated torque generating means, wherein the sensor communicates output signals to the microprocessor, wherein when elevated torque is being generated, the sensor outputs a detection signal to the microprocessor and the microprocessor stops the supply of current to the motor after the detection signal output from the sensor was input by a predetermined number of times after the microprocessor determined that the rotation of the fastener has stopped.

16. A power tool, comprising:

a motor;

means for generating an elevated torque, wherein the elevated torque generating means is coupled to the motor and has an output shaft, wherein if a load acting on the output shaft is less than a predetermined value, rotating torque generated by the motor is directly transmitted to the output shaft and if a load acting on the output shaft exceeds the predetermined value, an elevated torque is generated by the elevated torque generating means and applied to the output shaft;

a load shaft connected to the output shaft, the load shaft being designed to engage a fastener;

means for detecting the number of rotations of the output shaft or load shaft and the direction of the rotation of the output shaft or load shaft; and

a microprocessor in communication with the motor and the detecting means, the detecting means communicating output signal to the microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor determines, based upon the direction of the rotation of the output shaft or load shaft and the number of rotations of the output shaft or load shaft, whether the number of rotations in the direction of tightening the fastener exceeds the stored number of rotations in the direction of loosening the fastener, and wherein the microprocessor determines that the rotation of the fastener has stopped when the number of rotations in the direction of tightening the fastener exceeds the stored number of rotations in the direction of loosening the fastener.

17. A power tool as in claim 16, wherein the elevated torque generating means comprises an oil pulse unit driven by the motor and connected to the load shaft.

18. A power tool as in claim 17, wherein the microprocessor stops the current supply to the motor when a predetermined time has elapsed after determining that the rotation of the fastener has stopped.

19. A power tool, comprising:

a motor,

means for generating an elevated torque, wherein the elevated torque generating means is coupled to the motor and has an output shaft, wherein if a load acting on the output shaft is less than a predetermined value, rotating torque generated by the motor is directly transmitted to the output shaft and if a load acting on the output shaft exceeds the predetermined value, an elevated torque is generated by the elevated torque generating means and applied to the output shaft,

a load shaft connected to the output shaft,

a plurality of magnets disposed around an outer surface of either the output shaft or the load shaft so that the magnets integrally rotate with the output shaft or the load shaft, each magnet having a South pole and a North pole, wherein the South poles are disposed in an alternating relationship with the North poles,

a first sensor fixedly disposed relative to the magnets, such that the first sensor will not rotate when the output shaft or load shaft rotates, wherein the first sensor latches its output signal to a first level when detecting a North pole magnetic field, and latches its output signal to a second level when detecting a South pole magnetic field,

a second sensor fixedly disposed relative to the magnets, such that the second sensor will not rotate when the output shaft or load shaft rotates, wherein the second sensor latches its output signal to the first level when detecting the North pole magnetic field, and latches its output signal to the second level when detecting the South pole magnetic field, wherein the output signal of the first sensor and the output signal of the second sensor are shifted by first phase when the output shaft or load shaft rotates in a direction of tightening a fastener, and are shifted by second phase when the output shaft or load shaft rotates in a direction of loosening the fastener, and

a bearing rotatably supporting at least one of the output shaft or load shaft, the bearing comprising an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder rotatably supporting the inner cylinder, the inner cylinder being affixed the output shaft or load shaft via a through-opening defined within the inner cylinder, wherein the magnets are disposed on an outer surface of the inner cylinder and the first and second sensors are disposed on an inner surface of the outer cylinder.