Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130038293 | Cell Monitoring And Balancing - A method for monitoring the voltage of each of a plurality of cells of a battery pack is provided. The method may include monitoring a voltage potential for each of a plurality of cells in a battery pack utilizing a single channel of battery control unit within the battery pack. If, during discharge of the battery, e.g., the battery is being used to power a hand tool, the voltage potential of any cell is determined by the battery control unit to be below a predetermined minimum voltage, the battery control unit discontinues a current flow from battery pack to the tool. | 02-14-2013 |
20130327552 | POWER TOOL HAVING MULTIPLE OPERATING MODES - A handheld power tool is configured to receive an input indicative of a clutch setting for an electronic clutch from the tool operator, where the clutch setting is selectable from a drill mode, an automated drive mode and one or more user-defined drive modes. Each of the user-defined drive modes specifies a different value of torque at which to interrupt transmission of torque to the output spindle. In an automated drive mode, the controller interrupt torque to the output spindle in an automated manner when a fastener being driven reaches a desired stopping position. In a selected one of the user-defined drive modes, the controller sets a value of a maximum current threshold in accordance with the selected one of the user-defined drive modes and interrupts torque to the output spindle when current measures exceeding the maximum current threshold. | 12-12-2013 |
20160114408 | POWER TOOL WITH AUTOMATIC CHUCK - A power tool having a tool portion, a chuck and a lock. The tool portion has a housing, a motor, and a spindle driven by the motor. The chuck has a body coupled to the spindle for rotation therewith, and a sleeve rotatably disposed about the body. The lock has a first lock structure pivotally coupled to the housing about a pivot axis, and a second lock structure. The first lock structure has a first locking feature. The second lock structure has a second locking feature and is coupled to the sleeve for rotation therewith. Pivoting the first lock structure into a first pivot position positions the first locking feature in a rotational path of the second locking feature. Engagement of the first and second locking features inhibits rotation of the sleeve so that rotation of the spindle will cause corresponding rotation of the body relative to the sleeve. | 04-28-2016 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080309285 | Battery pack identification system - A control module is included in a battery charger that is adapted to charge a plurality of battery packs of different types or a power tool that is adapted to be powered by at least one of the battery packs. The control module includes a remote sensing module that communicates remotely with one of the battery packs. The control module also includes a battery pack connection module that determines that the one of the battery packs is in electrical communication with at least one of the battery charger and the power tool. The control module also includes a battery pack identification (ID) module that determines a first type of the battery pack based on remote sensing module signals. The control module also includes a charge control module that determines at least one of a charge setting and a discharge setting for the battery pack based on the first type. | 12-18-2008 |
20080313452 | One wire boot loader - A power tool system component has a microprocessor, a one wire communication terminal connecting the microprocessor to an external device, and a flash memory storing: (a) an application program governing operation of an application mode during which the power tool system component is operated; and (b) a boot loader program governing operation of a boot loader mode during which at least part of the application program can be updated. The microprocessor accesses the flash memory and implements the boot loader program and the application program by setting up and observing a temporal window during which one or more predetermined conditions must be met for the boot loader mode to be entered. The predetermined conditions include successful completion of a calibration process that includes sending a calibration byte to the external device according to a format predetermined to allow the external device to adjust its baud rate for sending and receiving information. Upon successful completion of the conditions within the temporal window, the microprocessor sends a confirmation to the device that the conditions have been satisfied and enters the boot loader mode. | 12-18-2008 |
20090015206 | CELL MONITORING AND BALANCING - A method for monitoring the voltage of each of a plurality of cells of a battery pack is provided. The method may include monitoring a voltage potential for each of a plurality of cells in a battery pack utilizing a single channel of battery control unit within the battery pack. If, during discharge of the battery, e.g., the battery is being used to power a hand tool, the voltage potential of any cell is determined by the battery control unit to be below a predetermined minimum voltage, the battery control unit discontinues a current flow from battery pack to the tool. Additionally, during charging of the battery pack, if a voltage differential between any one of the cells and any other one of the cells is determined to be above a predetermined maximum differential, the battery control unit reduces the voltage potential stored in the cell having the higher voltage potential. | 01-15-2009 |
20090208819 | Rechargeable Battery Pack for Power Tools - A rechargeable battery pack comprises a battery having a high voltage side and a low voltage side, a positive terminal accessible external of the battery pack and connected to the high voltage side of the battery, a negative terminal accessible external of the battery pack and connected to the low voltage side of the battery, a control terminal accessible external of the battery pack, a switching element electrically connected between the control terminal and the high voltage side of the battery, and a control module operable to control the switching element so that the control terminal is selectively coupled to the high voltage side of the battery. | 08-20-2009 |
20100085012 | SIGNAL FOR PRE-CHARGE SELECTION IN LITHIUM CHARGING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL/PRE-CHARGE FUNCTION - A rechargeable battery pack for a power tool can have a data terminal that provides a signal that is indicative of whether the voltage is below a threshold and can serve as both a pre-charge signal for a charger and as a stop-discharge signal for a power tool. A charger can include a power supply circuit and a voltage detection circuit. A charger control module can receive a signal indicative of the voltage of the battery pack and determine a pre-charge time based on the voltage and can monitor a change in the voltage of the battery pack during the pre-charge operation and stop the pre-charge operation based on the change in voltage and the time period. | 04-08-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120198502 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DATA RATE CONTROLLER FOR A CODE BLOCK MULTIPLEXING SCHEME - A receiver is used with third code blocks based on first code blocks, second code blocks, and a planning code block. The first code blocks are associated with a first sequence number and modulated with a first modulation scheme. The second code blocks are associated with a second sequence number and modulated with a second modulation scheme. The planning code block associates the third code blocks with the first code blocks and the second code blocks. The receiver includes a de-multiplexing portion, which includes a code block selector and a look up table, that outputs a de-multiplexed signal based on the third code blocks. The code block selector selects a code block from the third code blocks to output as the de-multiplexed signal based on entries in the look up table. The receiver also includes a recovery portion that outputs received code blocks based on the de-multiplexed signal. | 08-02-2012 |
20140064280 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOW-COMPLEXITY, HIGH-SPEED PREPROCESSING OF ENCAPSULATED PACKETS IN A BROADBAND COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK - Systems and methods for performing preprocessing of received data packets, to reduce processing burdens and improve efficiency of communications terminal receivers, are provided. A first stage filter receives a data frame comprising data packets representing respective encapsulated fragments of a PDU. The first stage filter parses a header of one of the packets to locate a start field, and determines whether the start field indicates that the packet comprises a start fragment of the PDU. When the start field indicates that the packet comprises the start fragment, the first stage filter determines, based on packet label information of the packet header, whether to forward the packet to a second stage filter or to discard the packet, and forwards or discards the packet accordingly. When the start field indicates that the packet does not comprise the start fragment, the first stage filter forwards the packet to the second stage filter. | 03-06-2014 |
20140337896 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DATA RATE CONTROLLER FOR A CODE BLOCK MULTIPLEXING SCHEME - A receiver is used with third code blocks based on first code blocks, second code blocks, and a planning code block. The first code blocks are associated with a first sequence number and modulated with a first modulation scheme. The second code blocks are associated with a second sequence number and modulated with a second modulation scheme. The planning code block associates the third code blocks with the first code blocks and the second code blocks. The receiver includes a de-multiplexing portion, which includes a code block selector and a look up table, that outputs a de-multiplexed signal based on the third code blocks. The code block selector selects a code block from the third code blocks to output as the de-multiplexed signal based on entries in the look up table. The receiver also includes a recovery portion that outputs received code blocks based on the de-multiplexed signal. | 11-13-2014 |