Power tool having rotary input control
First Claim
1. A method for operating a power tool having a housing and an output member coupled to the housing, the method comprising:
- detecting a user input to activate the power tool;
activating a control circuit disposed in the housing upon receipt of the user input; and
upon or after activating the power tool, (a) monitoring rotational motion of the housing about a housing axis using a rotational motion sensor disposed in the housing;
(b) using the control circuit, determining a direction of the rotational motion of the housing about the housing axis; and
(c) using the control circuit, driving a motor disposed in the housing to cause the output member to rotate in a direction that corresponds to the detected rotational motion of the housing.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method is provided for operating a power tool. The method includes: monitoring rotational motion of the power tool about an axis using a rotational motion sensor disposed in the power tool; determining a direction of the rotational motion about the axis; and driving the output member in a direction defined by the detected rotational motion of the tool, where the output member is driven by a motor residing in the power tool. Thus, the output member is drive clockwise when the rotational motion of the tool is clockwise about the axis and the output member is drive counter-clockwise when the rotational motion of the tool is counter-clockwise about the axis.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for operating a power tool having a housing and an output member coupled to the housing, the method comprising:
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detecting a user input to activate the power tool; activating a control circuit disposed in the housing upon receipt of the user input; and upon or after activating the power tool, (a) monitoring rotational motion of the housing about a housing axis using a rotational motion sensor disposed in the housing;
(b) using the control circuit, determining a direction of the rotational motion of the housing about the housing axis; and
(c) using the control circuit, driving a motor disposed in the housing to cause the output member to rotate in a direction that corresponds to the detected rotational motion of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A power tool comprising:
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a housing; an input member coupled to the housing and configured to generate a first signal that corresponds to a detected user input to activate the power tool; an output member coupled to the housing and configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis; a motor contained in the housing and drivably coupled to the output member to impart rotary motion to the output member; a rotational motion sensor arranged in the housing and operable to generate a second signal that corresponds to detected rotational motion of the housing about an axis of the housing; and a control circuit in the housing;
(a) that is activated upon receipt of the first signal; and
, (b) upon or after activation of the control circuit and based upon receipt of the second signal, determines a direction of the rotational motion of the housing about the housing axis, and drives the motor to drive the output member in a direction that corresponds to the rotational motion of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification