Method of Controlling the direction of rotation of a power tool

• US 7,318,485 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: C.&E. Fein GmbH
• Original Assignee: C.&E. Fein GmbH
• Inventors: Scholl, Thomas, Greese, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US11/304,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20060157260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 173/217, 173/1, 173/2, 173/20, 173/181, 173/176, 310/47, 310/50, 318/433, 318/434, 388/809, 388/930
• 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

Abstract

The invention discloses a power tool for screwing or drilling having a motor for driving a drive shaft, a controller for controlling the power tool, a motor switch for switching the motor on and off, switch for reversing the power tool between clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation, and vice versa, and a timer that permits reversal of the power tool between clockwise/counter-clockwise rotation, and vice versa, within a predefined period of time between actuation of the switch for clockwise/counter-clockwise rotation and for operation of the motor switch to start the power tool.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the direction of rotation of a drive shaft of a power tool, comprising the following steps:

(A) setting the direction of rotation to clockwise or counter-clockwise;

(B) monitoring whether a switching means for reversing the direction of rotation is activated;

(C) starting a timer, if an activation of the switching means is sensed;

(D) monitoring, whether a motor switch is activated to start the motor, before a preset time period beginning with the starting of the timer has elapsed;

(E) if the motor switch is activated within the preset time period, reversing the direction of rotation of step (A) and starting the motor with the reversed direction of rotation; and

(F) starting the motor with the direction of rotation preset in step (A), if the motor switch is activated after the preset time period has elapsed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a permanent direction of rotation is saved.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said permanent direction of rotation is reset to a clockwise direction of rotation when the power tool is started the power tool is cut off from power supply.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said permanent direction of rotation is reversed and saved when a certain switching means is activated.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of

(G) operating the power tool with the saved permanent direction of rotation, if the motor switch is activated without activating the switching means for reversing the direction of rotation or if the motor switch is activated after the preset time period of the timer has elapsed;

and

(H) operating the power tool one time with a direction of rotation opposite to the saved permanent direction of rotation, if according to step (E), after having activated the switching means for reversing the direction of rotation, the motor switch is activated before the preset time period of the timer has elapsed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the preset time period is 30 seconds at the most.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the preset time period is 15 seconds at the most.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the preset time period is 5 seconds at the most.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a counter-clockwise operation of the machine is indicated to a user using an indicator means.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a counter-clockwise operation of the power tool is indicated to a user by means of a flashing light.