Combination electric tool and control method therefor

• US 11,059,158 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Issued: 07/13/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzhou Cleva Electric Applicance Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Suzhou Cleva Electric Applicance Company Limited
• Inventors: Kong, Zhao
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Robert F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferrero, Eduardo R
• Application Number:
  US15/305,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20170043470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,316 Days
• Field of Search: 173 29
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 3/00 Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0844 Fail safe control, e.g. by comparing control signal and controlled current, isolating motor on commutation error
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0854 responsive to rate of change of current, couple or speed, e.g. anti-kickback protection H02H7/0851 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0856 characterised by the protection measure taken
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/14 Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06

Abstract

A combination electric tool includes a main body and at least one working part drivable via and separably attachable to the main body. The main body includes an electric motor and a control circuit with a signal recognition module having a microcontroller. The working part includes an identification module, the signal recognition module and the identification module being communicable such that the microcontroller can recognize the working part. A control method includes attaching the main body to the working part; judging which kind of working part is attached and selecting corresponding preset programs; sampling a working parameter value of the electric motor; comparing the sampled working parameter value of the electric motor with a corresponding preset value, and judging whether the electric motor is at an abnormal working state; and if yes, powering off the electric motor, and if no, returning to the previous step.

Claims

1. A combination electric tool comprising:

at least one main body;

at least one working part drivable by the main body and which may be separated from or attached to the main body;

the main body including an electric motor and a control circuit, the control circuit including a signal recognition module having a microcontroller, the control circuit further including a sampling resistor; and

the working part including an identification module including a plurality of interfaces, the plurality of interfaces including a common interface and a plurality of additional interfaces, only one of the additional interfaces being in electrical connection with the common interface, the signal recognition module and the identification module being in communication such that the microcontroller is configured to transmit a pulse signal sequentially to each of the additional interfaces and the microcontroller is configured to recognize an identity of the working part based on an identity of the one of the additional interfaces in electrical connection with the common interface providing a feedback signal to the microcontroller, and when the main body and the working part are attached the common interface is electrically connected to the microcontroller and the sampling resistor, the microcontroller storing programs for controlling the operation of the control circuit and selecting programs from the stored programs for controlling for the control circuit based on a recognized identity of the working part attached to the main body.

2. The combination electric tool according to claim 1, wherein the identification module in each of the working parts includes a sensor which is configured to acquire working state parameters of the working part.

3. The combination electric tool according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes a monitoring control module which is electrically connected to the electric motor and the microcontroller.

4. The combination electric tool according to claim 3, wherein the control circuit further includes a voltage monitoring module, the voltage monitoring module being electrically connected to a battery pack provided on the main body and to the microcontroller and configured to monitor a voltage of the battery pack.

5. The combination electric tool according to claim 3, wherein a first connecting part is provided on the main body, a second connecting part is provided on the working part, and the identification module is electrically connected to the control circuit when the first connecting part and the second connecting part are attached.

6. The combination electric tool according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of interfaces includes at least two additional interfaces as well as the common interface, the common interface being electrically connected with only one of the at least two additional interfaces.

7. The combination electric tool according to claim 6, wherein the at least one working part includes at least two of the working parts, the common interface of each of the two working parts being connected to a respective different one of the at least two additional interfaces.

8. A control method for a combination electric tool having a main body and at least one working part, the main body having an electric motor and a control circuit having a microcontroller and a sampling resistor, the working part having a plurality of interfaces, the plurality of interfaces including a common interface and a plurality of additional interfaces, only one of the additional interfaces being in electrical connection with the common interface, the control method comprising the following steps:

(1) attaching the main body to the working part so that the common interface is electrically connected to the microcontroller and the sampling resistor;

(2)(a) judging an identity of the working part attached to the main body and communicating the identity of the working part attached to the main body via communication between the main part and the working body, the judging being performed by the microcontroller transmitting a pulse signal sequentially to each of the additional interfaces and receiving a feedback signal from the one of the additional interfaces in electrical connection with the common interface; and

2(b) selecting corresponding preset programs using the microcontroller based on a judged identity of the working part attached to the main body;

(3) sampling a working parameter value of the electric motor using the microcontroller;

(4) comparing the sampled working parameter value of the electric motor with a corresponding preset value, and judging whether the electric motor is at an abnormal working state; and

(5) if yes as judged in step (4), powering off the electric motor, and if no as judged in step (4), returning to the step (4).

9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein the working parameter value of the electric motor compared in step (4) is a current value, and the step of judging whether the electric motor is at an abnormal working state comprises:

if the sampled current value of the electric motor is greater than the preset value, adding 1 to an overcurrent counter;

if the current value of the electric motor is not greater than the preset value, adding 1 to a non-overcurrent counter;

if the count of the non-overcurrent counter reaches a preset non-overcurrent number, resetting the non-overcurrent counter and the overcurrent counter at the same time; and

if the count of the overcurrent counter exceeds a preset overcurrent number, powering off the electric motor.

10. The control method according to claim 8, wherein, in step (2), the preset programs are a driving program and a protecting program for the electric motor.

11. The control method according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of interfaces includes at least two additional interfaces as well as the common interface, the common interface being electrically connected with only one of the at least two additional interfaces.

12. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one working part includes at least two of the working parts, the common interface of each of the two working parts being connected to a respective different one of the at least two additional interfaces.