Portable Battery-Operated Tool with an Electrical Buffer Element and Method for Replacing the Rechargeable Battery

• US 20120167721A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Fluhrer, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 9,776,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 81/54
• 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: B25B 23/14 Arrangement of torque limiters or torque indicators in wrenches or screwdrivers couplings for transmitting rotation or clutches F16D; devices for measuring torque per se G01L
• 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 portable and battery-operated tool for machining a workpiece and to a method for replacing the rechargeable battery of the tool is disclosed. The tool has at least one drive device for driving a working head, at least one rechargeable battery for providing electrical energy, at least one control device with an operating system for controlling and/or regulating machining parameters, at least one storage device for storing machining data and at least one transmitting and receiving device for transmitting and/or receiving the machining data and also at least one substantially electrical element for storing electrical energy at least for a short time in order to make it possible to replace the rechargeable battery when the operating system is activated.

Claims

1. A portable tool for machining a workpiece, in particular for fitting screws to the workpiece, comprising:

at least one drive device configured to drive a working head;

at least one rechargeable battery configured to provide electrical energy to the drive device;

at least one control device with an operating system to control and/or regulate machining parameters;

at least one storage device configured to store machining data; and

at least one transmitting and receiving device configured to transmit and/or receive the machining data; and

at least one substantially electrical element configured to store the electrical energy at least for a short time in order to replace the rechargeable battery when the operating system is activated.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the electrical element is a capacitor.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool is a battery-operated handheld screwdriver.

4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the control device is connected to at least one consumption unit for data purposes and is configured to deactivate the at least one consumption unit of the tool when the rechargeable battery is removed from the tool.

5. The tool of claim 1, wherein the control device is connected to the electrical element such that it may be supplied with electrical energy even while the rechargeable battery is being replaced.

6. A method for replacing a rechargeable battery of a portable tool for machining workpieces wherein the tool has at least one drive device for driving a working head, at least one rechargeable battery for providing electrical energy, at least one control device with an operating system for controlling and/or regulating machining parameters, at least one storage device for storing machining data and at least one transmitting and receiving device for transmitting and receiving the machining data, comprising:

detecting removal of the rechargeable battery from the tool using the control device of the tool;

interrupting the transmission of machining data from a central control device to the transmitting and receiving device of the tool using the control device;

changing the control device to a standby operating state; and

supplying the control device with electrical energy from the electrical element while the rechargeable battery is being replaced.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

removing the rechargeable battery from the tool, wherein at least one consumption unit of the tool, which is connected to the rechargeable battery, is deactivated using the control device when removing the rechargeable battery from the tool.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting machining data from a central storage device to the tool before the rechargeable battery is replaced; and

storing the transmitted machining data in a storage device of the tool when the removal of the rechargeable battery from the tool is detected.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing machining data recorded by the tool before the rechargeable battery is replaced in a storage device of the tool when the removal of the rechargeable battery from the tool is detected.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing machining data transmitted from a central storage device to the tool and/or the machining data recorded by the tool in a storage device of the tool in a substantially continuous manner during use of the tool.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting the machining data from the central storage device to the tool is carried out using a wireless radio link.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting the recorded machining data from the tool to the central control device using a wireless radio link.