Power tool operation recording and playback

• US 9,744,658 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Simeone, Thomas G., Mergener, Matthew J., Wycklendt, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Weeks, Gloria R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weller, William A
• Application Number:
  US14/213,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20140262389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 173 1, 173 47, 173 48
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 45/02 driven by electric power
• 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: 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 power tool and method for recording and playing back a motor parameter. The power tool includes housing, a motor, a trigger, a mode selector switch, and a controller. The trigger outputs an activation signal based on a user input. The mode selector switch is configured to receive a user mode selection indicating a recording mode, a normal operating mode, or a playback mode. The controller receives a mode selection signal from the mode selector switch indicating the selected mode. The controller enters the recording mode when the user mode selection indicates the recording mode, and records a motor parameter while the power tool is in the recording mode to generate a recorded motor parameter. In the playback mode, the controller operates the motor based on the recorded motor parameter upon receiving the activation signal from the trigger.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising:

a tool housing defining a cavity;

a motor positioned within the cavity;

a trigger coupled to the tool housing, the trigger configured to output an activation signal based on a user input; and

a controller coupled to the trigger and the motor, the controller configured to

receive a mode selection signal indicative of a user mode selection for the power tool,

enter a recording mode when the user mode selection indicates the recording mode,

record a motor parameter while the power tool is in the recording mode and the motor is operating to generate a recorded motor parameter, wherein, to generate the recorded motor parameter, the controller is further configured to;

generate a first portion of the recorded motor parameter by recording the motor parameter during a first time period in which the motor is operating in response to depression of the trigger,

generate a second portion of the recorded motor parameter by recording the motor parameter during a second time period in which the motor is inactive in response to release of the trigger, wherein the second time period follows the first time period, and

truncate the recorded motor parameter to the first portion;

enter a playback mode when the user mode selection indicates the playback mode, and

operate the motor based on the recorded motor parameter upon receiving the activation signal from the trigger while the power tool is in the playback mode.

2. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to

enter a normal operating mode when the user mode selection indicates the normal operating mode, and

control a current supplied to the motor corresponding to the activation signal from the trigger while the power tool is in the normal operating mode.

3. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the motor parameter includes one of a duty cycle indicating trigger pull, a motor speed, a motor torque, a motor power, and a number of impact activations.

4. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to begin to record the motor parameter for a predetermined time period upon entering the recording mode.

5. The power tool of claim 1, wherein, after entering the recording mode, the controller is configured to begin to record the motor parameter of the power tool upon receiving the activation signal from the trigger.

6. The power tool of claim 1, wherein, while in the recording mode, the controller is configured to record the motor parameter until the user mode selection indicates a change in an operating mode of the power tool.

7. The power tool of claim 1, wherein the trigger moves between a depressed state, in which the trigger outputs the activation signal, and a released state, in which the trigger does not output the activation signal, and wherein, while in the playback mode, the controller is configured to operate the motor based on the recorded motor parameter when the trigger is in the depressed state.

8. The power tool of claim 7, wherein the recorded motor parameter has a duration, and wherein, while the power tool is in the playback mode and the trigger is in the depressed state, the controller is configured to stop operating the motor based on the recorded motor parameter when the duration ends.

9. The power tool of claim 7, wherein while the power tool is in the playback mode, the controller is configured to repeat playback of the recorded motor parameter, by repeating operation of the motor based on the recorded motor parameter, until the trigger changes from the depressed state to the released state.

10. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising a mode indicator for indicating an operating mode of the power tool to a user.

11. The power tool of claim 1, further comprising a direction switch switchable between a first direction and a second direction, the direction switch configured to indicate a desired motor direction, and wherein the controller is further configured to switch from the playback mode to the normal operating mode when the direction switch is switched.

12. A method of operating a power tool including a motor, a mode selector switch, a trigger, and a controller, the method comprising:

receiving, by the mode selector switch, a user mode selection indicating an operating mode for the power tool, the operating mode selected from the group of a recording mode, a playback mode, and a normal operating mode;

entering, by the controller, the recording mode when the user mode selection indicates the recording mode,

recording, by the controller, a motor parameter while the power tool is in the recording mode and the motor is operating to generate a recorded motor parameter, wherein generating the recorded motor parameter includes;

generating a first portion of the recorded motor parameter by recording the motor parameter during a first time period in which the motor is operating in response to depression of the trigger,

generating a second portion of the recorded motor parameter by recording the motor parameter during a second time period in which the motor is inactive in response to release of the trigger, wherein the second time period follows the first time period, and

truncating the recorded motor parameter to the first portion;

entering, by the controller, the playback mode when the user mode selection indicates the playback mode;

receiving, by the controller, an activation signal from the trigger; and

executing, by the controller, the recorded motor parameter to operate the motor based on the recorded motor parameter upon receipt of the activation signal while the power tool is in the playback mode.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising

entering, by the controller, the normal operating mode when the user mode selection indicates the normal operating mode;

and

controlling a current, by the controller, supplied to the motor corresponding to the activation signal from the trigger while the power tool is in the normal operating mode.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the recorded motor parameter includes recording the motor parameter for a predetermined amount of time after receiving the activation signal from the trigger while in the recording mode.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein generating the recorded motor parameter includes recording the motor parameter for a predetermined amount of time upon entering the recording mode.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising entering the playback mode automatically when the recording of the motor parameter ends.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the recorded motor parameter covers

a first time period in which the motor is operating in response to depression of the trigger,

a second time period in which the motor is inactive in response to release of the trigger, and

a third time period in which the motor is operating in response to another depression of the trigger.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising

switching, by the controller, between the playback mode and the normal operating mode based on a switching of a motor direction switch.