Power tool

Abstract

The present invention provides an electric power tool having a plurality of operation modes. The electric power tool includes an illumination unit that irradiates light to the outside of the electric power tool, wherein the illumination unit includes a work light mode that is activated when an electric motor is operated and an ambient light mode that is activated when the electric motor is not operated. A setting switch is provided that is configured to switch the setting of the plurality of operation modes and further configured to activate and / or deactivate the ambient light mode of the illumination unit. Thus, turning on and off the ambient light mode of the electric power tool of the present invention is achieved by sharing the setting switch that is configured to switch the operation modes without the need to separately provide another switch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a power tool, and more particularly to an electric tool having a lighting unit and multiple operating modes. Background Technology

[0002] It is known that power tools driven by electric motors have a lighting unit that illuminates the area in front of the tool. In such power tools, the lighting unit turns on when the main switch is turned on, and turns off after a first given time elapsed from the moment the main switch is turned off. This working light is typically activated while the power tool's electric motor is running and in response to the pressing of a trigger on the electric motor. Therefore, when the tool is used to perform an operation, both the electric motor and the working light are turned on simultaneously.

[0003] In addition to the aforementioned working light mode, some power tools also have an ambient light mode. In ambient light mode, the lighting unit can be turned on independently when the power tool is not in operation, providing illumination to the area in front of the tool or the surrounding environment. However, turning the ambient light on or off independently of starting the power tool's motor is complex and difficult to operate. It's even possible that the user is unaware of the ambient light mode's function, perhaps because they don't know how to turn it on. Furthermore, existing ambient light modes that turn off the lighting unit are limited to automatically turning off after a given time or turning off after switching from ambient light mode to working light mode, resulting in wasted energy and complicating operation to some extent. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a power tool with a lighting unit, wherein the ambient light mode of the lighting unit can be easily and conveniently activated and disabled.

[0005] This invention provides a power tool with multiple operating modes and includes: a housing and a front tool, wherein an electric motor for driving the front tool is disposed in the housing; a main switch that allows the electric motor to operate when it is turned on and allows the electric motor to stop when it is turned off; an illumination unit that illuminates the exterior of the power tool, wherein the illumination unit includes a working light mode activated when the electric motor is operating and an ambient light mode activated when the electric motor is not operating; and a setting switch configured to switch between the settings of the multiple operating modes and further configured to activate and / or disable the ambient light mode of the illumination unit. Therefore, a single setting switch is simultaneously configured to: switch between operating mode settings and activate and disable the ambient light mode of the illumination unit. Thus, turning the ambient light mode of the power tool of this invention on and off is achieved by sharing a setting switch configured to switch operating modes without requiring a separate switch. This saves switch configuration space and reduces wiring complexity (avoiding both larger power tools and reduced costs).

[0006] An ambient light mode and multiple operating modes are configured to switch sequentially and cyclically with each operation of the setting switch. The ambient light mode is activated after the setting switch has sequentially switched to at least one of the multiple operating modes of the power tool. In this invention, the setting switch is configured to sequentially switch between multiple operating modes and / or the ambient light mode. Therefore, a simple and easily identifiable operation enables or disables the ambient light mode of the lighting unit.

[0007] After the ambient light mode is activated, if it is switched to any of the multiple operating modes via the setting switch, the ambient light mode will be disabled. Since the setting switch in this invention is configured to sequentially switch between the multiple operating modes and the ambient light mode, when the power tool is switched to ambient light mode via the setting switch, switching the setting switch again will switch the power tool to one of the multiple operating modes. Therefore, this invention achieves the disabling of the ambient light mode in a simple and convenient manner.

[0008] After the ambient light mode is activated, if the setting switch is not switched to any operating mode and the main switch is not turned on, the ambient light mode will be disabled after a first given time. One way to disable the ambient light mode is to automatically turn off the lighting unit if the power tool is not used for a certain period of time.

[0009] After the ambient light mode is activated, if the switch is not switched to any operating mode in the operating mode, and the main switch is briefly turned on and then turned off within a first given time, the first given time will be recalculated. Therefore, when the ambient light mode is activated, if the main switch is briefly turned on, the lighting unit will not switch from the ambient light mode to the operating light mode, and the lighting unit will only switch from the ambient light mode to the operating light mode when the main switch is continuously turned on.

[0010] Alternatively, ambient light mode can be activated by turning on the setting switch and the main switch and keeping them on for a second given period of time. This provides another way to enable ambient light mode, and this method can be used as an alternative to the aforementioned activation methods.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the lighting unit includes a light source mounted on the housing, and both the working light mode and the ambient light mode are achieved through a single light source. Therefore, the structural configuration of the lighting unit helps to minimize the power tool and reduce costs.

[0012] Alternatively, according to another embodiment of the invention, the lighting unit includes two or more light sources mounted on the housing, and the working light mode and the ambient light mode are implemented through different light sources. Therefore, the lighting unit includes multiple light sources to accommodate different lighting needs. For example, the light source for working light may be mounted on the housing near the front end of the tool to illuminate the working area, while the light source for ambient light may be mounted on the side and / or rear end of the housing to illuminate the environment around the power tool.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the setting switch is a mechanical switch that is turned on when operated by the user and turned off when not operated by the user, and performs sequential switching between multiple action modes and ambient light modes each time the user operates the setting switch. Conventional setting switches configured to switch only between action modes include, but are not limited to, mechanical switches, such as state toggle buttons and state toggle levers. In this invention, an ambient light mode is added to the switching settings of a conventional setting switch. Therefore, while keeping the switch setup simple, it follows the user's operating habits.

[0014] The power tool also features a display unit that shows the currently selected operating mode or ambient light mode based on the setting switch. Therefore, the user can directly determine the power tool's operating mode and whether the ambient light is on from the display unit.

[0015] By configuring a setting switch that switches between multiple operating modes and simultaneously turns the ambient light of the lighting unit on and off, controlling the activation and deactivation of the ambient light mode of the power tool of this invention is extremely simple, convenient, and easy. Therefore, it greatly improves the convenience of using the power tool. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a 3-D view of the appearance of a power tool in an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A partial view of the power tool shown.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for switching between the operation mode setting and the lighting mode setting of the power tool according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Figure 1 A power tool 1, designed as an impact drill in an illustrative embodiment of the invention, is shown. Although the illustrative embodiment shown is an impact drill, it should be understood that the invention can include any suitable type of power tool having multiple modes of operation.

[0020] like Figure 1 As shown, the power tool 1 in this embodiment includes a housing 2 and a battery pack. The housing 2 is formed by assembling a left half and a right half, and a handle portion 3 extends from the housing 2. The battery pack (not shown) is detachably mounted at the lower end of the handle portion 3. A main switch 5 is located on the front side of the upper end of the handle portion 3. When the handle portion 3 is held, the user can operate the main switch 5 to turn the power tool 1 on or off. It should be noted that the power tool of this invention can also be powered by AC power.

[0021] An electric motor (not shown) serving as the drive source for the power tool 1 is housed within the housing 2, and a gear reduction mechanism and a hammering mechanism (both not shown) are located in front of the electric motor. Additionally, an output shaft protrudes from the front end of the housing 2, and this output shaft is configured to mount a front-end tool (e.g., a drive drill bit, not shown) to the front end of the housing. The rotation of the electric motor is transmitted to the output shaft after being reduced in speed by the gear reduction mechanism, and based on the rotational force, the hammering mechanism intermittently impacts the output shaft in the direction of its rotation.

[0022] Furthermore, the power tool is further provided with a lighting unit 6. According to one embodiment of the invention, the lighting unit 6 includes a lamp 7 mounted on the housing 2, and preferably, the lamp 7 is an LED lighting ring mounted at the front end of the housing and configured to illuminate the front of the power tool 1. When the user operates the main switch 5 to actuate the electric motor, the lamp 7 is turned on, thus activating the working light mode of the lighting unit 6 of the present invention. Additionally, the lamp 7 can be used as ambient light to illuminate the surrounding environment, i.e., when the electric motor is not actuated and the lamp 7 is still on, thus activating the ambient light mode of the lighting unit 6 of the present invention. Preferably, when used as both ambient light mode and working light mode, the lamp 7 can emit light of different colors or light with different illuminance.

[0023] Alternatively, according to another embodiment of the invention (not shown), the lighting unit 6 includes two or more light sources (e.g., LEDs) mounted on the housing, and implements a working light mode and an ambient light mode through different light sources. Therefore, the lighting unit 6 includes multiple light sources to provide different lighting needs. For example, the light source for working light may be the aforementioned LED lighting ring mounted on the housing near the front end of the tool and used to illuminate the work area when the power tool is in operation; the light source for ambient light may be an LED lamp or light strip mounted on the side and / or rear end of the housing and used to illuminate the environment around the power tool. It is understood that the two or more light sources in this embodiment can be used in combination. For example, in working light mode, only the light source used to illuminate the work area is turned on, while in ambient light mode, all light sources are turned on.

[0024] Figure 2 As shown Figure 1 A partial view of the base portion of the power tool shown. (Reference) Figure 2 A switch panel 4 is provided on the lower side of the handle portion 3, and the switch panel 4 is provided with a setting switch 8 for the user to operate to switch between the operation mode and the ambient light mode, and a display unit 9 for displaying the mode set by the setting switch 8. Therefore, a setting switch 8 can be used in the power tool 1 of the present invention to switch between the operation mode and the ambient light mode of the lighting unit 6.

[0025] According to the present invention, preferably, the setting switch 8 is a mechanical switch that is turned on when operated by the user and turned off when not operated by the user. For example, the setting switch 8 is configured as a push-button type operating switch, and each time the user presses the setting switch, it sequentially switches between various operating modes and ambient light modes. Alternatively, the setting switch 8 can be configured as a state toggle lever or knob. In the present invention, the ambient light mode is added to the switching settings of the setting switch. Therefore, a single setting switch is simultaneously configured to: switch the operating mode setting and activate or disable the ambient light mode of the lighting unit 6 without the need for a separate switch for the ambient light mode of the lighting unit 6. This saves switch configuration space and reduces wiring complexity (avoiding both larger power tools and reduced costs).

[0026] In this invention, as an illustrative embodiment, the power tool 1, designed as an impact drill, has three operating modes: gear 1, gear 2, and gear 3, which correspond to the no-load RPM of the power tool 1. For example, gear 1: 1800 rpm; gear 2: 2000 rpm; and gear 3: 3600 rpm. The ambient light mode of the aforementioned lighting unit 6 is set to gear 0. The three operating modes, "gear 1," "gear 2," and "gear 3," and the ambient light mode of gear 0 of the lighting unit 6 are configured so that they can be selectively switched when the setting switch is operated. Furthermore, the aforementioned three operating modes at different RPMs are merely one example of the various operating modes of this invention. It is understood that the various operating modes of the power tool are not limited to three operating modes at different RPMs. For example, more than two or three operating modes at different RPMs can be set. Additionally, the various operating modes of the power tool are not limited to different RPM settings and can be, for example, an impact mode, a drilling mode, and a tightening mode.

[0027] The power tool 1 further includes a control unit (not shown), which receives current from a battery pack to operate and rotates an electric motor according to the operating stroke of the main switch 5. In the power tool 1 of this embodiment, if the user operates the main switch 5, the electric motor rotates at a set rpm corresponding to the operating stroke (pulling stroke) of the main switch 4, but not exceeding the maximum rpm corresponding to the set operating mode. When the main switch 5 is slightly pulled, the electric motor does not start rotating immediately, and from the moment the main switch is pulled until the main switch is pulled to the limited operating stroke (a very small stroke of the pulling operation), the electric motor does not rotate. When the stroke of the pulling operation exceeds the limited stroke, the electric motor starts rotating. Thereafter, the rpm of the electric motor increases according to the stroke of the switch being pulled (e.g., approximately proportional to the pulling stroke of the switch). In addition, when the main switch is pulled to a limited position (e.g., fully pulled to the bottom), the rpm of the electric motor reaches the maximum rpm according to the set operating mode.

[0028] Display unit 9 is connected to the control unit to display the operating mode or ambient light mode set via setting switch 8. As an example, display unit 9 consists of three LEDs. (Reference) Figure 3 When the tool is switched to operating mode 3 via setting switch 8, all three LEDs are on; when switched to operating mode 2 via setting switch 8, two LEDs are on; when switched to operating mode 1 via setting switch 8, one LED is on; when switched to ambient light mode 0 via setting switch 8, no LEDs are on, i.e., all three LEDs are off, but light 7 remains on. The user can directly obtain the operating mode of the power tool and whether the ambient light is on from the display unit 9. It is understood that the display unit 9 is not limited to a configuration of three LEDs, but can be configured with any display unit as needed (which can differentiate and indicate different modes set via setting switch 8). For example, different operating modes and ambient light modes can be differentiated and indicated by using LEDs of different colors or by using a display screen that directly displays numbers or text.

[0029] Furthermore, the control unit controls the operation of the electric motor and the activation and switching of the lighting unit 6 by turning the main switch 5 and the setting switch 8 on and off. The operating modes and the ambient light mode of the lighting unit 6 are stored in the control unit's flash memory. The contents stored in the flash memory are updated each time the user switches the settings. The control unit controls the electric motor to enter the setting mode by referring to the various setting information stored in the flash memory. Switching between multiple operating modes and controlling the operation of the electric motor by operating the setting switch 8, and enabling the operating light mode of the lighting unit 6 by operating the main switch 5, are known in the art and will not be described further here. The following will describe in detail how to activate and disable the ambient light mode of the lighting unit 6 by operating the setting switch 8.

[0030] Power tool 1 is typically in a dormant state upon first use or after its last operation. In this case, it is usually necessary to briefly trigger the main switch 5 to activate the power tool. The setting switch 8 is only activated when power tool 1 is in an active state. That is, if power tool 1 is in a dormant state, it will not switch to any operating mode by toggling the setting switch 8.

[0031] After the power tool 1 is activated, the control unit reads the setting of the setting switch 8 stored in the flash memory of the control unit after the last operation. For example, if the setting switch 8 was set to position 0 (i.e., ambient light mode) after the last operation, the ambient light mode of the lighting unit 6 can be directly activated, and the lamp 7 turns on after the power tool 1 is activated. If the setting switch 8 was set to position 2 after the last operation, the user operates the setting switch 8 to sequentially switch between the first three operation modes and the ambient light mode, depending on the action mode required for the current operation to be performed. For example, if the current operation mode is position 3, it is necessary to operate the setting switch 8 to switch the operation mode. When the setting switch is switched for the first time, position 2 is switched to position 1; when the setting switch is switched for the second time, position 1 is switched to position 0, and at this time the ambient light mode of the lighting unit 6 is activated, and the lamp 7 turns on; then, when the setting switch is switched for the third time, position 0 is switched to position 3, and at this time the ambient light mode of the lighting unit 6 is disabled, the lamp 7 immediately turns off, and the power tool has switched to the expected operation mode of position 3. If the limit travel of the main switch 5 is triggered, the electric motor begins to rotate. The working light mode of the lighting unit 6 is activated, and the lamp 7 turns on. Thereafter, the rpm of the electric motor increases according to the pulling distance of the main switch. When the main switch 5 is pulled to the limit position, the rpm of the electric motor reaches the maximum of 3600 rpm corresponding to the set operation mode setting 3. The lamp 7 remains on throughout the operation of the power tool 1. After the operation is completed, the main switch 5 is turned off. The lamp 7 will remain on for a given time (e.g., 4 seconds), after which the working light mode is automatically disabled and the lamp 7 is turned off.

[0032] If the user is not yet ready to perform the current operation or needs to check the surrounding environment after the power tool 1 is activated, the user can operate the setting switch 8 to switch positions. As mentioned earlier, if the setting switch 8 was set to position 3 from the last operation, then when the setting switch is switched for the first time, position 3 is switched to position 2; when the setting switch is switched for the second time, position 2 is switched to position 1; when the setting switch is switched for the third time, position 1 is switched to position 0, and at this time the ambient light mode of the lighting unit 6 is activated, and the lamp 7 is turned on. When the user wants to turn off the ambient light, the user can switch the setting switch 8 again. At this time, position 0 switches to position 3, the ambient light mode is disabled, and the lamp 7 is turned off.

[0033] Additionally, the ambient light mode can be automatically disabled. In the active state, if the user does not perform any operation within a first given time (e.g., 2 minutes), light 7 will automatically turn off. In this case, if power tool 1 is activated again, the ambient light mode will be directly activated because the setting switch 8 is set to position 0. If the user only briefly turns on the main switch 5 in the active state (in this case, the main switch 5 cannot be continuously turned on because no operating mode is selected), the first given time (e.g., 2 minutes) will be recalculated. Therefore, when the ambient light mode is activated, if the main switch is briefly turned on, the ambient light mode of lighting unit 6 will not switch to the working light mode. The ambient light mode will only switch to the working light mode when the main switch 5 is pulled to the designated position and continuously turned on.

[0034] Therefore, it can be seen that each time setting switch 8 is operated and switched, the action mode and / or ambient light mode switch sequentially and cyclically. The cycle is unidirectional: gear 3 Gear 2 Gear 1 Gear 0 Gear 3 Position 2… This is particularly advantageous for setting switch 8, which is a mechanical switch that is turned on when operated by the user and turned off when not operated by the user. The simple and easily identifiable operation enables or disables the ambient light mode of lighting unit 6. Furthermore, the unidirectional cyclic switching between operating mode and ambient light mode greatly simplifies the complexity of the electronic control system.

[0035] Alternatively, the ambient light mode can be activated by turning on both the setting switch 8 and the main switch 5 and keeping them on for a second given time (e.g., 3 seconds). This provides an alternative method for enabling the ambient light mode, which can be used as a solution to the aforementioned activation methods.

[0036] In summary, by adding a setting to enable and disable the ambient light mode of the lighting unit to a setting switch configured to switch between multiple operating modes, the enabling and disabling of the ambient light mode is achieved in a simple and clear manner without the need for additional switch settings. This significantly improves the ease of operation of power tools.

[0037] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to any of the embodiments described above. Of course, various embodiments can be adopted within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A power tool (1) having multiple operating modes and comprising: The housing (2) and the front tool, wherein an electric motor for driving the front tool is provided in the housing (2); A main switch (5) that allows the electric motor to operate when turned on and allows the electric motor to stop when turned off; a lighting unit (6) that illuminates the exterior of the power tool (1), wherein the lighting unit (6) includes a working light mode activated when the electric motor operates and an ambient light mode activated when the electric motor does not operate; and a setting switch (8) configured to switch between settings of the various operating modes, characterized in that... The setting switch (8) is further configured to activate the ambient light mode of the lighting unit (6).

2. The power tool (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ambient light mode and the multiple action modes are configured to switch sequentially and cyclically each time the setting switch (8) is operated.

3. The power tool (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the ambient light mode is activated, if the tool switches to any of the multiple action modes via the setting switch (8), the ambient light mode will be disabled.

4. The power tool (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, If the tool is not switched to any action mode via the setting switch (8) and the main switch (5) is not turned on when the ambient light mode is activated, the ambient light mode will be disabled after a first given time.

5. The power tool (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, If the tool is not switched to any action mode by the setting switch (8) when the ambient light mode is activated, and the main switch (5) is briefly turned on and then turned off within a first given time, the first given time will be recalculated.

6. The power tool (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The ambient light mode can also be activated by turning on both the setting switch (8) and the main switch (5) and keeping them on for a first given time.

7. The power tool (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The lighting unit (6) includes a light source mounted on the housing (2), and the working light mode and the ambient light mode are achieved through a single light source.

8. The power tool (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The lighting unit (6) includes two or more light sources mounted on the housing (2), and the working light mode and the ambient light mode are implemented by different light sources.

9. The power tool (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The setting switch (8) is a mechanical switch that is turned on when operated by the user and turned off when not operated by the user, and the multiple operating modes and the ambient light mode are switched sequentially each time the setting switch (8) is operated.

10. The power tool (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The power tool has a display unit (9) that displays the currently set operating mode or ambient light mode according to the switching of the setting switch (8).

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