Adapter for power tools, power tool system and method for wirelessly communicating maintenance information therefor

• US 9,537,335 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACK-CHILDRESS, RAJSHEED O
• Application Number:
  US14/233,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20140159920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. A power tool system comprising:

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

a battery pack connected to the battery pack interface, and

first and second adapters each configured to provide a different electrical function to the power tool by being connected to the power tool,

wherein the first and second adapters are physically engageable with only the housing of the power tool in place of each other and the battery pack does not contain any means for physically engaging the first and second adapters,

wherein the first adapter comprises;

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, the maintenance information including a unique identifier of the battery pack and/or 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

means for wirelessly communicating the maintenance information to an external device, wherein the first adapter is configured to enable the external device to access maintenance information stored in the adapter,

wherein the second adapter comprises means for detachably connecting to only the housing of the power tool and does not contain any means for wireless communication; and

the second adapter is configured to enable the power tool to be electrically connected to a charger for the battery pack such that charging current is conducted from the charger to the battery pack via the second adapter and the power tool.

2. The power tool system according to claim 1, further comprising:

the external device in wireless communication with the adapter.

3. The power tool system according to claim 2, wherein the external device is a smart phone.

4. The power tool system according to claim 2, 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.

5. The power tool system 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 power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance information includes an available charge or charge status of the battery pack.

7. The power tool system 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.

8. The power tool system 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.

9. The power tool system 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.

10. The power tool system 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.

11. The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance information includes a discharge current of one or more battery cells in the battery pack.

12. The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance information includes a temperature of one or more battery cells in the battery pack.

13. The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the means 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.

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

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

16. The power tool system according to claim 1, wherein the first 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.

17. A power tool system comprising:

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

a battery pack connected to the battery pack interface, and

first and second adapters each configured to provide a different electrical function to the power tool by being connected to the power tool,

wherein the first and second adapters are physically engageable with only the housing of the power tool in place of each other and the battery pack does not contain any structure for physically engaging the first and second adapters,

wherein the first adapter comprises;

a connector configured to detachably connect the first 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 and a unique identifier of the power tool and/or the battery pack,

at least one communication port configured to transmit electrical communications, including said maintenance information and said unique identifier, 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, wherein the maintenance information includes at least a serial number of the battery pack and/or the power tool and the first adapter is configured to enable the external device to access maintenance information stored in the adapter,

wherein the second adapter comprises a connector configured to detachably connect the second adapter directly to the power tool and does not contain any circuitry for wireless communication; and

the second adapter is configured to enable the power tool to be electrically connected to a charger for the battery pack such that charging current is conducted from the charger to the battery pack via the second adapter and the power tool.

18. A power tool system comprising:

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

a battery pack connected to the battery pack interface, and

first and second adapters each configured to provide a different electrical function to the power tool by being connected to the power tool,

wherein the first and second adapters are physically engageable with only the housing of the power tool in place of each other and the battery pack does not contain any means for physically engaging the first and second adapters,

wherein the first adapter comprises;

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, the maintenance information including a unique identifier of the battery pack and/or 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

means for wirelessly communicating the maintenance information to an external device, wherein the first adapter is configured to enable the external device to access maintenance information stored in the adapter,

wherein the second adapter comprises means for detachably connecting to only the housing of the power tool and does not contain any means for wireless communication, and

the second adapter comprises a display.

19. A power tool system comprising:

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

a battery pack connected to the battery pack interface, and

first and second adapters each configured to provide a different electrical function to the power tool by being connected to the power tool,

wherein the first and second adapters are physically engageable with only the housing of the power tool in place of each other and the battery pack does not contain any means for physically engaging the first and second adapters,

wherein the first adapter comprises;

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, the maintenance information including a unique identifier of the battery pack and/or 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

means for wirelessly communicating the maintenance information to an external device, wherein the first adapter is configured to enable the external device to access maintenance information stored in the adapter,

wherein the second adapter comprises means for detachably connecting to only the housing of the power tool and does not contain any means for wireless communication, and

the second adapter comprises an illuminating device configured to illuminate a workpiece on which the power tool is operating.