Portable battery-operated tool with an electrical buffer element and method for replacing the rechargeable battery

Abstract

A portable and battery-operated tool for machining a workpiece and to a method for replacing the rechargeable battery of the tool is disclosed. The tool has at least one drive device for driving a working head, at least one rechargeable battery for providing electrical energy, at least one control device with an operating system for controlling and/or regulating machining parameters, at least one storage device for storing machining data and at least one transmitting and receiving device for transmitting and/or receiving the machining data and also at least one substantially electrical element for storing electrical energy at least for a short time in order to make it possible to replace the rechargeable battery when the operating system is activated.

Claims

1. A portable tool for machining a workpiece, the tool comprising: a drive device configured to drive a working head; a rechargeable battery configured to provide electrical energy to the drive device; a storage device configured to store machining data; a transmitting and receiving device configured to transmit and receive the machining data to and from a central control device; an electrical element configured to provide electrical energy while the rechargeable battery is removed; and a control device having an operating system for controlling machining parameters of the tool, the control device being configured to: detect a removal of the rechargeable battery from the tool; operate a switch to connect the electrical element to the control device and disconnect the rechargeable battery from the control device in response to detecting the removal; store the machining data in the storage device in response to detecting the removal; and change to a standby operating state after storing the machining data in the storage device, the storage device being unable to store new machining data in the standby operating state, the transmitting and receiving device being unable to transmit and receive the machining data in the standby operating state, a wireless link between the transmitting and receiving device and the central control device being maintained in the standby operating state.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the electrical element is a capacitor.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool is a battery-operated handheld screwdriver.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic sketch of one embodiment of the tool according to the disclosure; and

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic sketch of a block diagram of one embodiment of the tool according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) The description below and the accompanying figures provide a general understanding of the environment for the apparatus and method disclosed herein as well as the details therefor. In the drawings, like reference numerals are used throughout to designate like elements.

(4) FIG. 1 shows a schematic sketch of one embodiment of the tool 1 according to the disclosure which has an electrical element 2 for storing or buffering electrical energy or electrical current in order to supply a control device 5 with electrical energy at least for a short time during the operation of replacing the main rechargeable battery 3 or the rechargeable battery 3, which supplies or feeds an electric motor 4 with electrical energy, in order to avoid having to shut down an operating system running on the control device and consequently having to start up or reboot this operating system again after a new or charged rechargeable battery 3 has been inserted.

(5) The control device 5 is part of a control and display unit 9 which additionally preferably has a display device 7, for example a screen 7, an input device 8, for example a keyboard 8, and a transmitting and receiving device 6, for example a radio module 6.

(6) Program data or machining data can be input using the input device 8 and can be transmitted to the control device 5. The input of the data and the data which have been input are displayed to the worker or user via the display device 7. However, this display device 7 can also be used to display currently measured machining parameters, for example the rotational speed of the electric motor 4, which has a direct effect on the rotational speed of the working head 11 or machining part 11 which is in the angle head 10 and is driven by the electric motor 4.

(7) In order to record such machining parameters, a first measuring device 12, for example an angle sensor 12, is arranged on the electric motor 4 or is connected to the latter, for example, in such a manner that the angle of rotation of the rotor and/or the angle of rotation the shaft of the electric motor 4, which is operated by the rotor, can preferably be detected or controlled using suitable sensors or the change in said angle relative to a stationary part can be determined or controlled.

(8) A second measuring device 12.2, for example a measuring shaft 12.2 or measuring electronics 12.2, can preferably be used to measure or determine the torque of the shaft operated by the rotor of the electric motor 4, thus making it possible to infer a torque of the working head 11.

(9) Interposed between the electric motor 4 and the second measuring device 12.2 is a transmission 13 which can be used to change the movements or the torque which acts on the shaft, such that the handheld screwdriver or the battery-operated handheld screwdriver illustrated in FIG. 1 can accordingly screw a screw into a workpiece and can also screw said screw out of the workpiece.

(10) Drive electronics 14 which are arranged on the rechargeable battery 3 in order to be supplied with electrical energy from the latter control and regulate the drive of the electric motor 4 in order to move the working head 11 according to the running program or according to machining data and machining parameters stored in the control devices.

(11) That is to say, if, for example, the control device 5 has been informed by the transmitted machining data that, in a machining step “one”, an M16 screw, for example, is intended to be screwed into a corresponding threaded bore at a defined rotational speed, the control device 5 transmits these data to the drive electronics 14 which adjust the motor 4 and preferably also the transmission 13 in such a manner that this M16 screw can be screwed in at the predefined rotational speed.

(12) Consequently, there is a preferably wired first line 15, preferably a two-part line, or lead 15 between the control device 5 and the drive electronics 14 or the rechargeable battery 3 in order to transmit, for example, corresponding data, signals and/or information from the control device 5 to the drive electronics 14 and, conversely, to provide the control device 5 with electrical energy from the rechargeable battery 3. Therefore, the first two-part line 15 has a data line for transmitting the data and/or the signals from the control device 5 to the drive electronics 14 and a power line for transmitting electrical energy from the rechargeable battery 3 to the control device 5.

(13) As a result, there is also a preferably wired second line 16, preferably a two-part line, or lead 16 between the drive electronics 14 or the rechargeable battery 3 and the electric motor 4 or the angle sensor 12 in order to control or regulate the electric motor 4 according to the machining data present in the control device 5 and to supply the electric motor and the angle sensor 12 with electrical energy from the rechargeable battery 3.

(14) A third preferably wired two-part line 17 or lead 17 exists between the control device 5 and the electrical element 2 which is preferably a capacitor 2 or a buffer capacitor 2. This makes it possible to drive the capacitor 2 when removing the rechargeable battery 3 in such a manner that it performs a charging operation, for which purpose the capacitor 2 must preferably be connected to the rechargeable battery 3 via an electrical line (not shown here).

(15) Furthermore, the line 17 which preferably consists of a data line and a power line allows the flow of an electrical current from the capacitor 2 to the control device 5 when the rechargeable battery 3, which is preferably used to provide electrical energy, is replaced, with the result that the control device 5 does not need to be completely switched off but rather only changes to a standby mode, that is to say changes to a standby operating state, with the result that the operating system installed on the control device 5 does not need to be shut down.

(16) A connection 18 or a data line 18, preferably for transmitting data and/or signals, likewise preferably exists between the second measuring device 12.2, that is to say the measuring shaft 12.2 or the measuring electronics 12.2, and the control device 5, with the result that it is possible to interchange data between the control device 5 and the second measuring device 12.2 in a substantially continuous manner. As a result, the second measuring device 12.2 can transmit the measurement data or actual machining parameters determined by it to the control device 5 in a substantially continuous manner, which control device compares said data or parameters with the desired machining parameters stored in the preferably integrated storage device (not shown here), preferably using an integrated comparison device (not shown here), in order to possibly adjust the movements of the working head by resetting the rotational speed, for example.

(17) The individual devices, for example the control device 5, the display device 7, the input device 8, the radio device 6 or the radio module 6, the first measuring device 12 and the second measuring device 12.2, the drive electronics 14, the electric motor 4 and/or the transmission 13, are fed with electrical energy or current from the rechargeable battery 3 in order to perform their functions or carry out their work. For this purpose, the individual devices listed above are connected to the rechargeable battery 3 via electrical power lines (not shown here).

(18) The entire controller and the controlled drives are surrounded by a housing 19 which protects them from contamination and destruction or damage.

(19) The machining data and the corresponding machining parameters are preferably transmitted via a wireless radio link, for example Bluetooth or WLAN, from a central control device 20, for example a central computer 20, which is preferably connected to a radio access point 22 via a wired line 21, for example a LAN line.

(20) The radio module 6 of the tool 1 establishes a radio link 23 to this radio access point 22 in order to receive, on the one hand, desired machining data from the central computer 20 and to store said data in the control device 5 and preferably in the storage device of the control device 5.

(21) On the other hand, the radio module 6 can use this radio link 23 to transmit the determined actual machining data, which are preferably stored in the control device 5 and preferably in the storage device there at least for a short time, to the central computer 20.

(22) As a result, the user can subsequently carry out a quality analysis on the central computer 20 with regard to the tool 1 or the workpiece (not shown here) machined by the tool 1.

(23) FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic sketch of a block diagram 50 of one embodiment of the tool according to the disclosure. In this case, it is clearly seen that the rechargeable battery 3 is connected to the drive electronics 14 or a starting switch 14 via a positive connecting line 30 or positive power line 30 and a negative connecting line 31 or negative power line 31.

(24) Consequently, power conduction or conduction of electrical energy is enabled, only for conducting electrical energy from the rechargeable battery 3 to the corresponding devices, when the starting switch 14 has been activated, that is to say the tool is switched on and the drive electronics 14 have consequently been started.

(25) Consequently, the drive electronics 14 or the starting switch 14 is/are likewise connected to the electric motor 4 via corresponding electrical lines 32, 33, 34 in order to conduct the electrical energy required by the electric motor 4 from the rechargeable battery 3 to the electric motor 4 when the starting switch 14 is activated or to interrupt the conduction of electrical energy from the rechargeable battery 3 to the electric motor 4 when the starting switch 14 is deactivated.

(26) A switched-mode power supply 36 which, for example, converts an unstabilized DC or AC input voltage into a DC voltage of a different defined level is connected to the drive electronics 14 or the starting switch 14 via a positive electrical line 35 (positive pole) or a positive supply line 35 in order to be supplied with electrical energy from the rechargeable battery 3 when the starting switch is activated.

(27) After the input voltage received in the switched-mode power supply 36 has been converted, the electrical energy coming from the rechargeable battery 3 is forwarded, from this switched-mode power supply 36, to the control device 5 or the control and display unit 9, which comprises the control device, the display device, the input device and the transmitting and receiving device or the radio module, via a further electrical line 37 or a further electrical supply line 37 via a monitoring controller 38.

(28) The monitoring controller 38 preferably has a switching unit 38a or an electrical switch 38a which can be used to change over between a rechargeable battery mode and a buffer mode. That is to say, when the rechargeable battery can no longer provide the control and display unit 9 and preferably the control device 5 with electrical energy on account of the rechargeable battery being replaced or on account of the rechargeable battery being emptied, the switching unit 38a of the monitoring controller 38 changes over, that is to say the switch is thrown, with the result that an electrical circuit is established with the buffer element 2 or the electrical element 2 or the buffer capacitor 2 or the capacitor 2.

(29) This capacitor 2 is consequently connected, via a positive electrical line 39 or a positive supply line 39, to charging electronics 40 which are connected in parallel with the monitoring controller 38. These charging electronics 40 are preferably used to charge the capacitor 2 in a continuous manner during operation of the tool. However, it is also conceivable for the charging electronics 40 to be able to charge the capacitor 2 only when they receive a signal from the control device 5. This signal is output when, for example, replacement or planned replacement of the rechargeable battery is detected by the control device 5 or the control device 5 determines a very low battery level of the rechargeable battery 3, with the result that it can be assumed that the rechargeable battery must be replaced within a short time.

(30) If the switching unit 38a is now thrown or changed over in such a manner that the electrical connection between the supply line 37 and the control and display unit 9 is interrupted and a new electrical connection is established between the capacitor 2 and the control and display unit 9, the monitoring controller 38 consequently changes over from a rechargeable battery mode to a buffer mode.

(31) As a result, the control and display unit 9 is now only supplied with electrical energy from the capacitor 2 and it is possible to replace the rechargeable battery 3 without having to switch off the control and display unit 9 and preferably the control device 5 of the control and display unit 9.

(32) The first measuring device 12 and/or the second measuring device 12.2 is/are connected to the control and display unit 9 and especially to the control device 5 of the control and display unit 9 by means of a transmission device 41 or a data transmission line 41 in order to receive data and/or signals from the control device 5 or else to transmit data and/or signals to the latter.

(33) The control and display unit 9 or the control device 5 of the control and display unit 9 is connected to the drive electronics 14 or the starting switch 14 via another data transmission line 43 or a control line 43, with the result that the control device 5 finds out or receives the information relating to activation or deactivation of the starting switch 14 by means of data and/or signal transmission.

(34) Furthermore, the control signals which originate from the drive electronics are transmitted via this data line 43 in order to control the drives of the tool according to the machining data. These signals corresponding to the machining data or the machining parameters are transmitted from the control device 5 of the control and display unit 9 to the drive electronics 14 via the data line 43.

(35) The switched-mode power supply 36, the charging electronics 40, the monitoring controller 38 with the switching unit 38a and the control and display unit 9 or the control device 5 of the control and display unit 9 are parts of a supply/control/display unit 42.

(36) The applicant reserves the right to claim all of the features disclosed in the application documents as being essential to the disclosure if they are novel over the prior art individually or in combination. It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems, applications or methods. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.