US-12623318-B2 - Power tool with sheet metal fastener mode

US12623318B2US 12623318 B2US12623318 B2US 12623318B2US-12623318-B2

Abstract

A power tool includes a housing, a motor supported within the housing, the motor including a rotor, a drive assembly operably coupled to the rotor, the drive assembly including an output configured to rotate about an axis in a first direction in response to forward operation of the motor and in a second, opposite direction in response to reverse operation of the motor, a sensor, a controller in communication with the sensor and the motor, the controller configured to control a forward operation of the motor according to a first set of parameters, during the forward operation of the motor, receive feedback from the sensor and estimate a number of rotations of the output based on the feedback from the sensor, and after the forward operation of the motor, control a reverse operation of the motor according to a second set of parameters different from the first set of parameters.

Inventors

Levi D. Speckman
Jonathan E. Abbott
Mitchell G. Menard

Assignees

MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230410

Claims (19)

1 . A power tool comprising: a housing; a motor supported within the housing, the motor including a rotor; a drive assembly operably coupled to the rotor, the drive assembly including an output configured to rotate about an axis in a first direction in response to forward operation of the motor and in a second direction opposite the first direction in response to reverse operation of the motor, the output configured to couple to a tool bit for driving a fastener; a trigger switch configured to be actuated to energize the motor; a sensor; and a controller in communication with the sensor and the motor, the controller configured to: control a forward operation of the motor according to a first set of parameters, during the forward operation of the motor, receive feedback from the sensor and estimate a number of rotations of the output based on the feedback from the sensor, determine if the fastener is seated, stop operation of the motor in response to determining that the fastener is seated, initiate a timer after the motor is stopped and the trigger switch remains actuated for a first amount of time, after the forward operation of the motor, control a reverse operation of the motor according to a second set of parameters different from the first set of parameters, and initiate the reverse operation of the motor upon detecting that the trigger switch is actuated for the first amount of time.
2 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor current sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a torque sensor, and a position sensor.
3 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the first set of parameters includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor rotational speed limit, a motor rotational speed profile, a motor current limit, a motor current profile, a torque limit, a torque profile, a PWM limit, or a PWM profile.
4 . The power tool of claim 3 , wherein the second set of parameters includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor rotational speed limit, a motor rotational speed profile, a motor current limit, a motor current profile, a torque limit, a torque profile, a PWM limit, or a PWM profile.
5 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the drive assembly includes a camshaft configured to receive torque from the rotor and a hammer coupled to the camshaft, and wherein the output is an anvil configured to receive impacts from the hammer.
6 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine if the fastener has stripped during the forward operation or the reverse operation based on the feedback from the sensor.
7 . The power tool of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to generate an alert if the fastener has stripped.
8 . The power tool of claim 7 , wherein the alert includes illuminating an indicator.
9 . The power tool of claim 6 , wherein the second set of parameters is based on whether the fastener has stripped.
10 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first set of parameters or the second set of parameters is based on a property of the fastener.
11 . The power tool of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the property of the fastener from a user input.
12 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the second set of parameters is based on the estimated number of rotations.
13 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the second set of parameters includes a sensitivity of the trigger switch such that the sensitivity of the trigger switch is different during the forward operation than during the reverse operation.
14 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a motor housing portion in which the motor is supported and a handle portion extending from the motor housing portion, and wherein the controller is located on a PCB within the handle portion.
15 . A power tool comprising: a housing; a motor supported within the housing, the motor including a rotor; a drive assembly operably coupled to the rotor, the drive assembly including an output configured to rotate about an axis in a first direction in response to forward operation of the motor and in a second direction opposite the first direction in response to reverse operation of the motor, wherein the output is configured to couple to a tool bit for driving a fastener; a trigger switch configured to be actuated to energize the motor; a sensor; and a controller in communication with the sensor and the motor, the controller configured to: control a forward operation of the motor according to a first set of parameters, during the forward operation of the motor, receive feedback from the sensor, determine if the fastener is seated, stop operation of the motor in response to determining that the fastener is seated, initiate a timer after the motor is stopped and the trigger switch remains actuated for a first amount of time, determine if the fastener has stripped based on the feedback from the sensor, generate an alert if the fastener has stripped, and initiate the reverse operation of the motor upon detecting that the trigger switch is actuated for the first amount of time.
16 . The power tool of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to control a subsequent forward operation of the motor or a reverse operation of the motor according to a second set of parameters different than the first set of parameters if the fastener has stripped.
17 . The power tool of claim 16 , wherein the sensor includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor current sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a torque sensor, and a position sensor, wherein the first set of parameters includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor rotational speed limit, a motor rotational speed profile, a motor current limit, a motor current profile, a torque limit, a torque profile, a PWM limit, or a PWM profile, and wherein the second set of parameters includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor rotational speed limit, a motor rotational speed profile, a motor current limit, a motor current profile, a torque limit, a torque profile, a PWM limit, or a PWM profile.
18 . A power tool comprising: a housing; a motor supported within the housing, the motor including a rotor; a drive assembly operably coupled to the rotor, the drive assembly including an output configured to rotate about an axis in a first direction in response to forward operation of the motor and in a second direction opposite the first direction in response to reverse operation of the motor, wherein the output is configured to couple to a tool bit for driving a fastener; a trigger switch configured to be actuated to energize the motor; and a controller in communication with the motor, the controller configured to: control a forward operation of the motor according to a first set of parameters, in response to an interruption of the forward operation, control a subsequent forward operation of the motor according to a second set of parameters different than the first set of parameters, determine if the fastener is seated, stop operation of the motor in response to determining that the fastener is seated, initiate a timer after the motor is stopped and the trigger switch remains actuated for a first amount of time, and initiate a reverse operation of the motor upon detecting that the trigger switch is actuated for the first amount of time.
19 . The power tool of claim 18 , wherein the first set of parameters includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor rotational speed limit, a motor rotational speed profile, a motor current limit, a motor current profile, a torque limit, a torque profile, a PWM limit, or a PWM profile, and wherein the second set of parameters includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor rotational speed limit, a motor rotational speed profile, a motor current limit, a motor current profile, a torque limit, a torque profile, a PWM limit, or a PWM profile.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/329,769, filed Apr. 11, 2022, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to a power tool, and more specifically, a rotary power tool (such as an impact driver, impact wrench, drill, powered screwdriver, or the like) with a sheet metal fastener operating mode. Sheet metal fasteners are fasteners configured to pass through and secure at least one layer of sheet metal. Sheet metal fasteners have many names and varieties, including self-drilling screws, Tek screws, self-piercing screws, speed points, sharp tips, needlepoint screws, and zip screws. SUMMARY In some aspects, the present disclosure provides a power tool including a controller having a sheet metal fastener operating mode that provides different operating characteristics (motor speed, ramp up rate, etc.), depending on whether the power tool is operated in a forward (tightening) direction or a reverse (loosening) direction. The present disclosure provides, in another aspect, a power tool including a housing, a motor supported within the housing, the motor including a rotor, a drive assembly operably coupled to the rotor, the drive assembly including an output configured to rotate about an axis in a first direction in response to forward operation of the motor and in a second direction opposite the first direction in response to reverse operation of the motor, a sensor, a controller in communication with the sensor and the motor, the controller configured to control a forward operation of the motor according to a first set of parameters, during the forward operation of the motor, receive feedback from the sensor and estimate a number of rotations of the output based on the feedback from the sensor, and after the forward operation of the motor, control a reverse operation of the motor according to a second set of parameters different from the first set of parameters. The sensor may include at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor current sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a torque sensor, and a position sensor. The first set of parameters may include at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor rotational speed limit, a motor rotational speed profile, a motor current limit, a motor current profile, a torque limit, a torque profile, a PWM limit, or a PWM profile. The second set of parameters may include at least one selected from a group consisting of a motor rotational speed limit, a motor rotational speed profile, a motor current limit, a motor current profile, a torque limit, a torque profile, a PWM limit, or a PWM profile. The drive assembly may include a camshaft configured to receive torque from the rotor and a hammer coupled to the camshaft. The output may be an anvil configured to receive impacts from the hammer. The output may be configured to couple to a tool bit for driving a fastener. The controller may be configured to determine if the fastener has stripped during the forward operation or the reverse operation based on the feedback from the sensor. The controller may be configured to generate an alert if the fastener has stripped. The alert may include illuminating an indicator. The second set of parameters may be based on whether the fastener has stripped. At least one of the first set of parameters or the second set of parameters may be based on a property of the fastener. The controller may be configured to determine the property of the fastener from a user input. The second set of parameters may be based on the estimated number of rotations. The power tool may include a trigger switch configured to be actuated to energize the motor. The second set of parameters may include a sensitivity of the trigger switch such that the sensitivity of the trigger switch is different during the forward operation than during the reverse operation. The housing may include a motor housing portion in which the motor is supported and a handle portion extending from the motor housing portion. The controller may be located on a PCB within the handle portion. The present disclosure provides, in another aspect, a power tool including a housing, a motor supported within the housing, the motor including a rotor, a drive assembly operably coupled to the rotor, the drive assembly including an output configured to rotate about an axis in a first direction in response to forward operation of the motor and in a second direction opposite the first direction in response to reverse operation of the motor, wherein the output is configured to couple to a tool bit for driving a fastener, a sensor, a controller in communication with the sensor and the motor, the controller configured to control a forward operation of the motor according to a first set of parameters, during the forward operation of the motor, receive feedback from the sensor, determine if the fastener