Method for operating a power driver

• US 8,408,327 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Forster, Michael, Gorti, Bhanuprasad V., Woods, Sam, Schell, Craig, Cruise, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Elve, M. Alexandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUKWURAH, NATHANIEL C
• Application Number:
  US11/095,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20050217874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,924 Days
• Field of Search: 173/1, 173/2, 173/171, 173/176, 173/217, 318/719, 318/721, 318/779, 318/799, 318432-434, 318443-446, 318/456, 318/461, 318/139
• US Class Current: 173/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 1/06 operated by electric power
• 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

A method for operating a driving tool, such as a fastening tool, that has a driver, a motor assembly with a motor and an output member, and an electrical power source. The methodology includes transmitting electrical power to the motor to rotate the output member and thereafter adjusting one or more control parameters if a rotational speed of the output member is not within a predetermined operating range.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a driving tool having a driver, a motor assembly and an electrical power source, the driver being movable along an axis, the motor assembly including a motor and an output member, that is driven by the motor and employed to transmit power to the driver to thereby cause the driver to translate along the axis;

setting a time interval of a first cycle portion;

transmitting electrical power from the electrical power source to the motor over the first cycle portion to thereby rotate the output member, wherein transmission of electrical power to the motor is interrupted after the first cycle portion;

determining a parameter related to a rotational speed of the output member;

operating the driving tool to transmit power from the output member to the driver to advance the driver after the first cycle portion is complete; and

increasing the time interval of the first cycle portion after electrical power to the motor has been interrupted after the first cycle portion if a magnitude of the parameter is less than a predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical power source is a battery and the driving tool further includes a controller with a memory and the memory is configured to store the time interval associated with the first cycle portion each time the time interval is adjusted.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first cycle portion is set to a default time interval when the battery is replaced with a different battery.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the default time interval is selected from a plurality of predetermined default time intervals based on a voltage of the battery.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each complete cycle over which the driving tool is operated includes the first cycle portion and a plurality of second cycle portions and wherein the method further comprises:

re-determining the parameter that is related to the rotational speed of the output member after completion of a predetermined number of the second cycle portions; and

determining an apparent voltage of the second cycle portion based at least partially on the parameter that is related to the rotational speed of the output member.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the parameter that is related to the rotational speed of the output member is the rotational speed of the output member.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein no electrical power is provided to the motor between each of the second cycle portions.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the parameter that is related to the rotational speed of the output member is the back electromotive force produced by the motor.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein a duration of each of the second cycle portion is constant.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein no electrical power is provided to the motor between the first cycle portion and a first one of the second cycle portions.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the electrical power source is a battery and wherein the apparent voltage of the second cycle portion is also based at least partially on a voltage of the voltage of the battery.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising decreasing the time interval of the first cycle portion if the magnitude of the parameter is greater than a second predetermined threshold.

13. A method comprising:

providing a driving tool having a driver, a motor assembly and an electrical power source, the driver being movable along an axis, the motor assembly including a motor and an output member, that is driven by the motor and employed to transmit power to the driver to thereby cause the driver to translate along the axis;

setting a time interval of a first cycle portion;

transmitting electrical power from the electrical power source to the motor over the first cycle portion to thereby rotate the output member, wherein transmission of electrical power to the motor is interrupted after the first cycle portion;

determining a parameter related to a rotational speed of the output member;

operating the driving tool to transmit power from the output member to the driver to advance the driver after the first cycle portion is complete; and

decreasing the time interval of the first cycle portion after electrical power to the motor has been interrupted after the first cycle portion if a magnitude of the parameter is greater than a predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrical power source is a battery and the driving tool further includes a controller with a memory and the memory is configured to store the time interval associated with the first cycle portion each time the time interval is adjusted.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first cycle portion is set to a default time interval when the battery is replaced with a different battery.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the default time interval is selected from a plurality of predetermined default time intervals based on a voltage of the battery.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein each complete cycle over which the driving tool is operated includes the first cycle portion and a plurality of second cycle portions and wherein the method further comprises:

re-determining the parameter that is related to the rotational speed of the output member after completion of a predetermined number of the second cycle portions; and

determining an apparent voltage of the second cycle portion based at least partially on the parameter that is related to the rotational speed of the output member.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the parameter that is related to the rotational speed of the output member is the rotational speed of the output member.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein no electrical power is provided to the motor between each of the second cycle portions.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the parameter that is related to the rotational speed of the output member is the back electromotive force produced by the motor.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein a duration of each of the second cycle portion is constant.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein no electrical power is provided to the motor between the first cycle portion and a first one of the second cycle portions.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the electrical power source is a battery and wherein the apparent voltage of the second cycle portion is also based at least partially on a voltage of the voltage of the battery.

24. A method comprising:

providing a driving tool having a driver, a motor assembly and an electrical power source, the driver being movable along an axis, the motor assembly including a motor and an output member, that is driven by the motor and employed to transmit power to the driver to thereby cause the driver to translate along the axis; and

operating the driving tool over a complete cycle with a first cycle portion and at least one second cycle portion, the complete cycle including;

transmitting electrical power from the electrical power source to the motor over the first cycle portion to thereby rotate the output member, wherein transmission of electrical power to the motor is interrupted after the first cycle portion;

determining a first parameter, the first parameter being related to the back electromotive force that is generated by the motor without providing electrical power to the motor;

adjusting a time interval of the first cycle portion after electrical power to the motor has been interrupted after the first cycle portion if a magnitude of the parameter is less than a predetermined first threshold or greater than a predetermined second threshold;

transmitting electrical power from the electrical power source to the motor over a first one of the second cycle portions to thereby rotate the output member;

re-determining the first parameter after completion of the first one of the second cycle portions;

determining an apparent voltage of a next one of the second cycle portions based at least partially on a magnitude of the first parameter; and

operating the driving tool to transmit power from the output member to the driver to advance the driver after the first cycle portion is complete.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the electrical power source is a battery and wherein the apparent voltage of the next one of the second cycle portions is also based at least partially on a voltage of the voltage of the battery.