ADAPTER FOR POWER TOOLS, POWER TOOL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIRELESSLY COMMUNICATING MAINTENANCE INFORMATION THEREFOR

• US 20140159920A1
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Original Assignee: Makita Corporation
• Inventors: Furui, Nobuyasu, Suzuki, Hitoshi, Fukumoto, Masaaki, Umemura, Takuya, Ito, Kosuke, Sengiku, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,537,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 3/00 Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/02 Construction of casings, bodies or handles B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An adapter for a power tool powered by a detachable battery pack which adapter includes a connector configured to detachably connect the adapter directly to the power tool, an adapter controller, at least one memory and/or storage device in communication with the adapter controller and configured to store maintenance information concerning the battery pack or to store maintenance information concerning the battery pack and the power tool, at least one communication port configured to transmit electrical communications, including said maintenance information, from the adapter controller to a controller located in the power tool and vice versa, and a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the maintenance information to an external device.

Claims

1. An adapter for a power tool powered by a detachable battery pack, comprising:

means for detachably connecting to only the power tool,

an adapter controller,

at least one memory and/or storage device in communication with the adapter controller and configured to store maintenance information concerning the power tool and/or the battery pack,

at least one communication port configured to transmit electrical communications, including said maintenance information, from the adapter controller to a controller located in the power tool and vice versa, and

means (78, 79) for wirelessly communicating the maintenance information to an external device.

3. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to enable the external device to access maintenance information stored in the adapter.

5. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance information includes one or more of:

the accumulated or total usage time of the power tool and/or the battery pack;

a number of charging cycles experienced by the battery pack;

a usage history of the power tool and/or the adapter and/or the battery pack;

a serial number of the battery pack and/or the power tool;

a voltage of one or more battery cells in the battery pack;

a number of times that the battery pack and/or the power tool has been switched ON and/or switched OFF; and

an amount of charging or discharging that has occurred within a predetermined time period.

6. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance information includes an available charge or charge status of the battery pack.

8. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance information includes a condition of one or more battery cells in the battery pack calculated from an internal impedance measurement of the one or more battery cells.

9. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance information includes an expected remaining service life of one or more replaceable parts in the power tool and/or the battery pack.

10. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance information includes a maintenance schedule for the power tool and/or the adapter and/or the battery pack.

12. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance information includes a name of a person responsible for administering or managing the adapter, the battery pack and/or the power tool.

15. The adapter according to claim 8, wherein the maintenance information includes a discharge current of the one or more battery cells.

16. The adapter according to claim 8, wherein the maintenance information includes a temperature of the one or more battery cells.

19. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the means (78, 79) for wirelessly communicating information comprises one or more of:

a wireless communication device,

a Bluetooth device,

a radio frequency (RF) communication device,

a cellular or mobile telephone device, or

a wireless local area network (WLAN) device configured to execute the wireless communication protocol enumerated by IEEE 802.11.

21. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the external device is a smart phone.

22. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the external device is a PDA, or a tablet computer or a laptop computer or a desktop computer or a server or a mainframe computer.

24. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to change a value stored as said maintenance information in a memory of the battery pack and/or the power tool.

25. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to change one or more operating parameters stored in a memory of the battery pack and/or the power tool.

27. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is further configured to wirelessly transmit to the external device one or more measured values indicative of the operational state of the battery pack and/or the power tool.

35. A power tool system comprising:

the adapter according to claim 1,

a power tool having a housing and a battery pack interface, and

a battery pack connected to the battery pack interface,

wherein the adapter is physically engaged with only the power tool and the battery pack does not contain any means for physically engaging the adapter.

36. The power tool system according to claim 35, further comprising:

the external device in wireless communication with the adapter.

37. The adapter according to claim 36, wherein the external device is a smart phone.

38. The adapter (70) according to claim 36, wherein the external device is a PDA, or a tablet computer or a laptop computer or a desktop computer or a server or a mainframe computer.

40. A method comprising:

wirelessly communicating maintenance information concerning a battery pack to an external device, wherein the maintenance information is communicated via the adapter according to claim 1, the adapter being physically and electronically connected to the power tool and/or to the battery pack.

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55. An adapter for a power tool powered by a detachable battery pack, comprising:

a connector configured to detachably connect the adapter directly to the power tool,

an adapter controller,

at least one memory and/or storage device in communication with the adapter controller and configured to store maintenance information concerning the power tool and/or the battery pack,

at least one communication port configured to transmit electrical communications, including said maintenance information, from the adapter controller to a controller located in the power tool and vice versa, and

a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the maintenance information to an external device.