Some disclosed embodiments relate to a handheld power tool that includes a lighting assembly. Specifically, some disclosed embodiments relate to a power tool that includes a shadowless work light assembly configured to illuminate a work area.
Handheld power tools may include one or more work lights configured to illuminate a working area of the power tool. For example, a power tool may include a single work light positioned near an output device of the power tool to illuminate an area on which the output unit is providing an output (e.g., drilling into a work piece, securing a fastener in a work piece, or the like).
Some power tools may include a work light located on a front surface of the power tool and configured to illuminate a working area of the power tool. For example, a rotary hammer may include a single light-emitting diode (LED) positioned near an output device that is configured to transfer rotational energy from the rotary hammer to a work piece. While the rotary hammer is being operated by a user, the LED may illuminate the work piece so that the user can more easily see the work piece. However, using a single LED may cause a shadow to be cast by the output device, which can negatively affect the visibility of the fastener. To address this problem, a power tool may include multiple LEDs positioned radially around the output device or end tool of the power tool. Providing multiple LEDs around the output device creates even lighting applied to all sides of the output unit or end tool, which prevents shadows from being cast. This type of lighting may be generally referred to as shadowless lighting.
While shadowless lighting helps to improve the visibility of the fastener and/or work area, implementing shadowless lighting in a power tool (e.g., on a front surface of a gear case) can raise additional issues. For example, each LED mounted to the front surface of the power tool may require multiple wires to provide power and/or control signals to the LEDs. As more LEDs are included, more wires may be needed. Therefore, power tools implementing shadowless lighting require an efficient method to locate these wires in the limited space provided within a handheld power tool.
One embodiment provides a rotary hammer that may include a housing including a motor housing and a secondary housing. The rotary hammer may also include a motor situated within the motor housing. The rotary hammer may also include an output device configured to provide a rotational output, an axial hammering output, or both the rotational output and the axial hammering output. The rotary hammer may also include a transmission mechanism configured to transmit rotational energy from the motor to the output device of the rotary hammer. At least a portion of the transmission mechanism may be situated within the secondary housing. The rotary hammer may also include a light holder that includes a plurality of light sources distributed around an output axis of the rotary hammer on which the output device is located. The light holder may include a ring portion mounted to a front surface of the secondary housing. The ring portion may surround the output axis. The light holder may also include an extending arm that extends downward and away from the ring portion in a channel of the secondary housing. The channel may be formed by protrusions on a bottom peripheral surface of the secondary housing. The extending arm may extend rearwardly at least halfway along an axial length of the secondary housing in a direction parallel to the output axis. The rotary hammer may also include lighting power wires configured to provide power to the plurality of light sources. The lighting power wires may be located within the channel and may be covered by the extending arm. The light holder may also include a first substrate located at a bottom of a rear surface of the ring portion. A first light source may be mounted to the first substrate. The light holder also may include a second substrate located on the rear surface of the ring portion. A second light source may be mounted to the second substrate. The light holder also may include a third substrate located on the rear surface of the ring portion. A third light source may be mounted to the third substrate. The lighting power wires may couple to the first substrate. A first additional set of lighting power wires may be coupled to the first substrate and the second substrate. A second additional set of lighting power wires may be coupled to the first substrate and the third substrate.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the secondary housing may include a hole at a rear of the channel through which the lighting power wires enter the housing of the rotary hammer.
In addition to any combination of features described above, a rear end of the extending arm may be configured to be inserted into the hole at the rear of the channel of the secondary housing.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the first substrate may be a different shape than the second substrate and the third substrate.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the second light source and the third light source may be electrically connected in parallel with each other.
Another embodiment provides a rotary hammer that may include a housing including a motor housing and a secondary housing. The rotary hammer may also include a motor situated within the motor housing. The rotary hammer may also include an output device configured to provide a rotational output, an axial hammering output, or both the rotational output and the axial hammering output. The rotary hammer may also include a transmission mechanism configured to transmit rotational energy from the motor to the output device of the rotary hammer. At least a portion of the transmission mechanism may be situated within the secondary housing. The rotary hammer may also include a light holder that includes a plurality of light sources distributed around an output axis of the rotary hammer on which the output device is located. The light holder may includes a ring portion mounted to a front surface of the secondary housing. The ring portion may surround the output axis. The light holder also may include an extending arm that extends downward and away from the ring portion in a channel of the secondary housing. The channel may be formed by protrusions on a bottom peripheral surface of the secondary housing. The extending arm may extend rearwardly at least halfway along an axial length of the secondary housing in a direction parallel to the output axis. The rotary hammer may also include lighting power wires configured to provide power to the plurality of light sources. The lighting power wires may be located within the channel and may be covered by the extending arm. The ring portion may include a plurality of through-holes that are each configured to receive a fastener. Each fastener may be received in a respective hole on the front surface of the secondary housing to secure the light holder to the secondary housing.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the secondary housing may include a hole at a rear of the channel through which the lighting power wires enter the housing of the rotary hammer.
In addition to any combination of features described above, a rear end of the extending arm may be configured to be inserted into the hole at the rear of the channel of the secondary housing.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the light holder may include a first substrate located at a bottom of a rear surface of the ring portion. A first light source may be mounted to the first substrate. The light holder may also include a second substrate located on the rear surface of the ring portion. A second light source may be mounted to the second substrate. The light holder may also include a third substrate located on the rear surface of the ring portion. A third light source may be mounted to the third substrate. The lighting power wires may couple to the first substrate. A first additional set of lighting power wires may be coupled to the first substrate and the second substrate. A second additional set of lighting power wires may be coupled to the first substrate and the third substrate.
In addition to any combination of features described above, a rear surface of the ring portion may include a plurality of indented portions that are each configured to receive a lens. Each lens may include an outer peripheral surface with a protrusion. The protrusion may be configured to fit into an indent on an inner peripheral surface of the ring portion. The lens may be configured to receive a substrate. A first light source may be mounted to the substrate.
Another embodiment provides a rotary hammer that may include a housing including a motor housing and a secondary housing. The rotary hammer may also include a motor situated within the motor housing. The rotary hammer may also include an output device configured to provide a rotational output, an axial hammering output, or both the rotational output and the axial hammering output. The rotary hammer may also include a transmission mechanism configured to transmit rotational energy from the motor to the output device of the rotary hammer. At least a portion of the transmission mechanism may be situated within the secondary housing. The rotary hammer may also include a light holder that may include a plurality of light sources distributed around an output axis of the rotary hammer on which the output device is located. The light holder may include a ring portion mounted to a front surface of the secondary housing. The ring portion may surround the output axis. The light holder may also include an extending arm that extends downward and away from the ring portion in a channel of the secondary housing. The channel may be formed by protrusions on a bottom peripheral surface of the secondary housing. The rotary hammer may also include lighting power wires that are configured to provide power to the plurality of light sources. The lighting power wires may be located within the channel and may be covered by the extending arm.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the secondary housing may include a hole at a rear of the channel through which the lighting power wires enter the housing of the rotary hammer.
In addition to any combination of features described above, a rear end of the extending arm may be configured to be inserted into the hole at the rear of the channel of the secondary housing.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the channel in the secondary housing may include a shelf configured to hold a substrate on which a sensor is mounted.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the extending arm may extend rearwardly at least halfway along an axial length of the secondary housing in a direction parallel to the output axis.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the light holder may include a first substrate located at a bottom of a rear surface of the ring portion. A first light source may be mounted to the first substrate. The light holder may also include a second substrate located on the rear surface of the ring portion. A second light source may be mounted to the second substrate. The light holder may also include a third substrate located on the rear surface of the ring portion. A third light source may be mounted to the third substrate. The lighting power wires may couple to the first substrate. A first additional set of lighting power wires may be coupled to the first substrate and the second substrate. A second additional set of lighting power wires may be coupled to the first substrate and the third substrate.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the first substrate may be a different shape than the second substrate and the third substrate.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the second light source and the third light source may be electrically connected in parallel with each other.
In addition to any combination of features described above, the ring portion may include a plurality of through-holes that are each configured to receive a fastener. Each fastener may be received in a respective hole on the front surface of the secondary housing to secure the light holder to the secondary housing.
In addition to any combination of features described above, a rear surface of the ring portion may include a plurality of indented portions that are each configured to receive a lens. Each lens may include an outer peripheral surface with a protrusion. The protrusion may be configured to fit into an indent on an inner peripheral surface of the ring portion. The lens may be configured to receive a substrate. A first light source may be mounted to the substrate.
Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the embodiments are not limited in application to the details of the configurations and arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are capable of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof are meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings.
In addition, it should be understood that embodiments may include hardware, software, and electronic components or modules that, for purposes of discussion, may be illustrated and described as if the majority of the components were implemented solely in hardware. However, one of ordinary skill in the art, and based on a reading of this detailed description, would recognize that, in at least one embodiment, the electronic-based aspects may be implemented in software (e.g., stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium) executable by one or more processing units, such as a microprocessor and/or application specific integrated circuits (“ASICs”). As such, it should be noted that a plurality of hardware and software based devices, as well as a plurality of different structural components, may be utilized to implement the embodiments. For example, “servers,” “computing devices,” “controllers,” “processors,” etc., described in the specification can include one or more processing units, one or more computer-readable medium modules, one or more input/output interfaces, and various connections (e.g., a system bus) connecting the components.
Relative terminology, such as, for example, “about,” “approximately,” “substantially,” etc., used in connection with a quantity or condition would be understood by those of ordinary skill to be inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., the term includes at least the degree of error associated with the measurement accuracy, tolerances [e.g., manufacturing, assembly, use, etc.] associated with the particular value, etc.). Such terminology should also be considered as disclosing the range defined by the absolute values of the two endpoints. For example, the expression “from about 2 to about 4” also discloses the range “from 2 to 4”. The relative terminology may refer to plus or minus a percentage (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10%, or more) of an indicated value.
It should be understood that although certain drawings illustrate hardware and software located within particular devices, these depictions are for illustrative purposes only. Functionality described herein as being performed by one component may be performed by multiple components in a distributed manner. Likewise, functionality performed by multiple components may be consolidated and performed by a single component. In some embodiments, the illustrated components may be combined or divided into separate software, firmware and/or hardware. For example, instead of being located within and performed by a single electronic processor, logic and processing may be distributed among multiple electronic processors. Regardless of how they are combined or divided, hardware and software components may be located on the same computing device or may be distributed among different computing devices connected by one or more networks or other suitable communication links. Similarly, a component described as performing particular functionality may also perform additional functionality not described herein. For example, a device or structure that is “configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way but may also be configured in ways that are not explicitly listed.
Other aspects of the embodiments will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
The housing may further include a connection portion (e.g., a battery pack interface 125) that may include an interface (not shown) configured to removably couple to a battery pack 127. The interface may include electrical contacts to allow power to be transferred from the battery pack 127 to the power tool 100 (e.g., to provide power to the motor 202 and other components of the power tool 100). The battery pack interface 125 may be coupled to the handle 104 and may be located underneath the handle 104 as shown in
The power tool 100 also may include an output device 130 (e.g., a blade/bit/tool holder) on one end of the housing (e.g., an output end of the housing) to provide an output of the power tool 100. For example, the output device 130 of the power tool 100 shown in
The power tool 100 may further include a work light assembly that includes a light holder 110 located on a front surface 420 of the gear case 105. The light holder 110 may include a ring/circular portion 505 (see
The power tool 100 may also include a user input device 115 (e.g., a user input dial 115) to allow a user to adjust an operating mode of the power tool 100. For example, the user input dial 115 is configured to be rotated to select one of a plurality of modes of the power tool. Such modes may include a hammer only mode (e.g., only axial hammering movement of an output shaft of the power tool 100), a rotation only mode (e.g., only rotational movement of the output shaft), or a rotary hammer mode (e.g., both rotational and axial movement of the output shaft).
The power tool 100 optionally includes a dust extractor attachment 135 and an auxiliary handle 140. These components 135 and 140 may be removably attached to the power tool 100 in some instances. However, the power tool 100 may operate without one or both of these components 135 and 140 in some instances. In some instances, when the power tool 100 is a different type of power tool, the different type of power tool may not be configured to receive one or both of the components 135 and 140.
The particular power tool 100 illustrated and described herein (e.g., rotary hammer) is merely an example. The work light assembly disclosed herein may also be implemented on other types of power tool devices including other power tools, battery packs, battery chargers, other power tools, test and measurement equipment, vacuum cleaners, worksite radios, outdoor power equipment, non-motorized tools for task lighting applications, and vehicles. Power tools can include drills, circular saws, jig saws, band saws, reciprocating saws, screw drivers, angle grinders, straight grinders, hammers, multi-tools, impact wrenches, rotary hammers, impact drivers, angle drills, pipe cutters, grease guns, sanders, trim routers, and the like. Battery chargers can include wall chargers, multi-port chargers, travel chargers, and the like. Test and measurement equipment can include digital multimeters, clamp meters, fork meters, wall scanners, IR thermometers, laser distance meters, laser levels, remote displays, insulation testers, moisture meters, thermal imagers, inspection cameras, and the like. Vacuum cleaners can include stick vacuums, hand vacuums, upright vacuums, carpet cleaners, hard surface cleaners, canister vacuums, broom vacuums, and the like. Outdoor power equipment can include blowers, chain saws, edgers, hedge trimmers, lawn mowers, trimmers, and the like. Other non-motorized devices may include electronic key boxes, calculators, cellular phones, head phones, cameras, motion sensing alarms, flashlights, worklights, weather information display devices, a portable power source, a digital camera, a digital music player, a radio, and multi-purpose cutters.
As shown in
The controller 305 includes a plurality of electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection to the components and modules within the controller 305 and/or the power tool 100. For example, the controller 305 includes, among other things, an electronic processor 350 (e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or another suitable programmable device), a memory 355, input units 360, and output units 365. The electronic processor 350 includes, among other things, a control unit 370, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 375, and a plurality of registers 380 (shown as a group of registers in
The memory 355 is a non-transitory computer readable medium and includes, for example, a program storage area 357 and a data storage area 358. The program storage area 357 and the data storage area 358 can include combinations of different types of memory, such as a ROM, a RAM (e.g., DRAM, SDRAM, etc.), EEPROM, flash memory, a hard disk, an SD card, or other suitable magnetic, optical, physical, or electronic memory devices. The electronic processor 350 is connected to the memory 355 and executes software instructions that are capable of being stored in a RAM of the memory 355 (e.g., during execution), a ROM of the memory 355 (e.g., on a generally permanent basis), or another non-transitory computer readable medium such as another memory or a disc. Software included in the implementation of the power tool 100 can be stored in the memory 355 of the controller 305. The software includes, for example, firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions. The controller 305 is configured to retrieve from the memory 355 and execute, among other things, instructions related to the control processes and methods described herein. In other constructions, the controller 305 includes additional, fewer, or different components.
The battery pack interface 125 includes a combination of mechanical components (e.g., rails, grooves, latches, etc.) and electrical components (e.g., one or more terminals) configured to and operable for interfacing (e.g., mechanically, electrically, and communicatively connecting) the power tool 100 with a battery pack 127. For example, power provided by the battery pack 127 to the power tool 100 is provided through the battery pack interface 125 to the power input circuitry 340. The power input circuitry 340 includes combinations of active and passive components to regulate or control the power received from the battery pack 127 prior to power being provided to the controller 305. The battery pack interface 125 may also supply power to the FET switches 345 that are configured to selectively provide power to the motor 202 in accordance with instructions from the controller 305. The battery pack interface 125 also includes, for example, a communication line 390 configured to allow for communication between the controller 305 and the battery pack 127.
The indicator light sources 325 include, for example, one or more light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”). The indicator light sources 325 are configured to be controlled by the controller 305 to display conditions of, or information associated with, the power tool 100 and/or a battery pack 127 coupled to the power tool 100 via indicators near or on an external surface of the housing of the power tool 100. In some instances, the light source(s) 330 that form part of the work light assembly may be controlled to flash at a predetermined rate and/or a certain number of times to indicate status information of the power tool 100 and/or the battery pack 127 to a user.
In some embodiments, the controller 305 (specifically, the electronic processor 350) is configured to control whether power is provided to the light source(s) 330 (e.g., LEDs 330 that are part of the work light assembly) and/or the indicator light sources 325 that provide light to indicators. In some embodiments, the controller 305 may receive power from a power supply of the power tool 100 and provide power to the indicator light sources 325 and/or the light source(s) 330 directly. In such embodiments, the controller 305 may condition received power as appropriate before providing power to the indicator light sources 325 and/or the light source(s) 330, for example, via traces on the PCB 210 to which the indicator light sources 325 and/or the light source(s) 330 may be coupled (e.g., via wires). In other embodiments, the indicator light sources 325 and/or the light source(s) 330 may be electrically connected to the power supply (e.g., to the battery pack 127 via the battery pack interface 125 and one or more wires that connect the battery pack interface 125 to the PCB 210 to which the indicator light sources 325 and/or the light source(s) 330 are coupled) with a switch between the power supply and each of the indicator light sources 325 and/or the light source(s) 330. In such embodiments, the controller 305 may control the switch to allow or disallow power from being provided to each of the indicator light sources 325 and/or the light source(s) 330. In such embodiments, the electrical path from the power supply to the indicator light sources 325 and/or the light source(s) 330 may include conditioning circuitry similar to the power input circuitry 340 to regulate or control the power received by the indicator light sources 325 and/or the light source(s) 330 from the power supply.
The controller 305 may be configured to monitor tool conditions and/or user inputs (e.g., a position of the magnetic element of the user input dial 115) using the sensors 320. For example, the controller 305 may be configured to determine whether a fault condition of the power tool 100 is present and generate one or more control signals related to the fault condition. In some embodiments, the sensors 320 include one or more current sensors, one or more speed sensors, one or more Hall Effect sensors, one or more temperature sensors, etc. The controller 305 calculates or includes, within memory 355, predetermined operational threshold values and limits for operation of the power tool 100. For example, when a potential thermal failure (e.g., of a FET 345, the motor 202, etc.) is detected or predicted by the controller 305, power to the motor 202 can be limited or interrupted until the potential for thermal failure is reduced. If the controller 305 detects one or more such fault conditions of the power tool 100 or determines that a fault condition of the power tool 100 no longer exists, the controller 305 is configured to provide information and/or control signals to another component of the power tool 100 (e.g. the battery pack interface 125, the indicator light sources 325, etc.).
As shown in
As shown in
The ring portion 505 may also include three (or more or less) through-holes 530 configured to receive fasteners 532 (e.g., screws, etc.) that are secured to holes 430 on the front surface 420 of the gear case 105 to secure the light holder 110 to the gear case 105. While the through-holes 430 are shown as being located on a flat portion the front surface 420, in some instances, one or more of the through-holes 430 may be located on a forwardly protruding surface (e.g., a standoff, a raised surface that surrounds a forwardly protruding neck portion of the gear case 105, etc.) of the front surface 420. In some instances, the light holder 110 may be secured to the gear case 105 in additional or alternative manners. For example, a neck of the gear case 105 around which the ring portion 505 of the light holder 110 is installed may include a ridge/rib or an indent to allow corresponding portions of the light holder 110 to snap fit to the ridge/rib or indent (or to a separate snap fit ring located within the indent) to secure the light holder 110 to the gear case 105.
The light holder 110 also may include the extending arm 510 that extends within the channel 405 of the gear case 105 to cover/protect the work light power wires 515A, the PCB 205, and the sensor wires running from the PCB 205. In some embodiments, a rear end of the extending arm 510 is configured to be inserted/friction fit into the hole 412 located near the rear of the gear case 105. As shown in
In some embodiments, the extending arm 510 includes one or more
portions/protrusions 535 that are configured to contact the PCB 205 in order to secure or support the PCB 205 and/or to prevent movement of the PCB 205 in at least one direction (e.g., in conjunction with the shelf 415 of the channel 405 of the gear case 105). For example, the protrusions 535 may be configured to contact the PCB 205 to prevent the PCB 205 from moving axially forward in a direction parallel to the output axis A. In some instances, the gear case 105 may not include the shelf 415 or the shelf 415 may be smaller or larger. In some of such instances, the extending arm 510 of the light holder 110 may include its own shelf/extension portion 705 to support the PCB 205 within the channel 405 as shown in
As shown in
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In some instances, the lighting power wires 515B and 515C are supported by the ring portion 505 of the light holder 110 while the lighting power wires 515A are not supported by any portion of the light holder 110. For example, the lighting power wires 515B and 515C may be pressed into wire traps included on a rear inner surface of the ring portion 505 and/or may be glued, epoxied, or the like within a channel formed in the rear inner surface of the ring portion 505. In some instances, the lighting power wires 515A may be coupled to the LED PCB 525A by being soldered, using a connector that is supported by only the LED PCB 525A and that is not supported by the light holder 110, or the like.
As shown in
In some instances, the power tool 100 does not include the PCB 205 and/or the features associated with mounting/locating of the PCB 205. For example, the shelf 415 of the gear case 105, the protrusions 535 of the light holder 110, the shelf 705 of the light holder 110, and/or the potting boat 805 may not be present in some instances. In some instances, the protrusions 535 and the shelf 415 or similar holding features may be included even when the PCB 205 is not included. For example, the protrusions 535 may be supported by the shelf 415 or another holding feature (e.g., one or more indentations in the channel 405) part way along the length of the extending arm 510. In some instances, the PCB 205 and/or magnetic sensor may be located elsewhere in the power tool 100 or may not be included at all. For example, a different user input device 115 may be included on the power tool 100 that does not utilize the magnetic sensor on the PCB 205.
Thus, embodiments described herein provide, among other things, a power tool with fiber optic cables used to transmit light to an exterior of the power tool to provide status information about the power tool. Various features and advantages are set forth in the following claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/505,025, filed on May 30, 2023, and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/513,714, filed on Jul. 14, 2023, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63513714 | Jul 2023 | US | |
63505025 | May 2023 | US |