Trigger switch, electric power tool including the same, and control method and control program for trigger switch

Abstract

To provide a trigger switch capable of suppressing generation of unintended consumption current due to vibration, impact or the like generated during transportation, movement or the like.SOLUTION: The trigger switch 10 includes a trigger 10a, a brush 15d, a detector 16aa, a sensor 15e, a trigger position detector 18, and a controller 19. The brush 15d is provided integrally with the trigger 10a. The sensor unit 15e detects the operation amount of the pressing operation on the trigger 10a. The trigger position detection unit 18 detects the position of the trigger 10a. When the detection unit 16aa detects the movement of the brush 15d, the control unit 19 transitions to the activated state, and when the trigger position detection unit 18 detects that the trigger 10a has returned to the initial position after the pushing operation, the control unit 19 maintains the activated state for a predetermined time in a case where it is detected that the operation amount detected by the sensor unit 15e is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a trigger switch for driving a drive unit of, for example, a power tool, a power tool including the trigger switch, a control method for the trigger switch, and a control program. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, trigger switches have been used that control the driving of a driving unit of a power tool or the like by pressing a trigger. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a trigger switch in which a switching mechanism (plunger) is provided with a brush that constitutes a sliding contact that has the function of switching the drive unit on / off and a brush that constitutes a sliding contact that adjusts the output of the drive unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-30999 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-described conventional trigger switch has the following problems. In other words, the sliding contact of the trigger switch disclosed in the above publication has an electrode formed on a substrate and a brush which is a sliding electrode portion provided on the switching mechanism, and by moving the switching mechanism, the brush is switched between a state in which it contacts the electrode (a state in which it has moved to a position in which it contacts the electrode) and a state in which it does not contact the electrode (a state in which it has moved to a position in which it does not contact the electrode).

[0005] In this case, if the trigger switch is accidentally pressed slightly due to vibrations or shocks that occur during transportation or movement, this can activate the microcomputer or IC on the circuit, resulting in unintended current consumption, which is an issue. The present invention aims to provide a trigger switch that can suppress unintended current consumption caused by vibrations, shocks, etc. that occur during transportation or movement, an electric tool equipped with the trigger switch, a control method for the trigger switch, and a control program. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A trigger switch according to a first aspect of the present invention is a trigger switch that drives a drive unit in response to a trigger depression operation, and includes a trigger, a detectable portion, a detection portion, an operation amount detection portion, a trigger position detection portion, and a control portion. The trigger moves when the trigger is depressed. The detectable portion moves in conjunction with the trigger. The detection portion detects the detectable portion that moves in response to the trigger depression operation. The operation amount detection portion detects the amount of depression of the trigger. The trigger position detection portion detects the position of the trigger. The control portion transitions to an activated state when the detection portion detects movement of the detectable portion, and when the trigger position detection portion detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the trigger depression operation, maintains the activated state for a predetermined time if the amount of depression operation detected by the operation amount detection portion is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and transitions from the activated state to a stopped state if the amount of depression operation is less than the predetermined threshold.

[0007] Here, when the control unit, which is activated by pressing the trigger, detects that the trigger has been returned to its initial position, it will maintain the control unit's activation if the amount of pressing on the trigger is greater than or equal to a threshold, or will transition to a stopped state if the amount of pressing on the trigger is less than the threshold. Here, the trigger switch is used to drive a drive motor (drive unit) mounted on a power tool or the like, for example.

[0008] The detectable portion and the detecting portion included in the trigger switch may form NC (Normal Close) contacts that are in contact until the trigger is pressed and become non-contact when the pressing operation is released, or they may form NO (Normal Open) contacts that are non-contact until the trigger is pressed and become contact when the pressing operation is released. This prevents the control unit from remaining activated and generating unnecessary power consumption when the user unintentionally presses the trigger due to vibrations or impacts during transport, etc.

[0009] On the other hand, if the amount of depression of the trigger is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the activated state is maintained for a predetermined period of time, thereby ensuring responsiveness to the trigger and avoiding operational delays. As a result, it is possible to ensure responsiveness to trigger operation while suppressing unintended current consumption caused by vibrations and shocks that occur during transportation and movement.

[0010] The trigger switch according to the second invention is the trigger switch according to the first invention, wherein the control unit sets a predetermined threshold value based on the depression position of the trigger that activates the controller on the main body side where the drive unit is provided. This makes it possible to determine whether or not to maintain the activation of the control unit based on the comparison result of the amount of pressure applied to the trigger with a threshold value set based on the pressure position that activates the controller on the main body side on which the trigger switch is mounted.

[0011] A trigger switch according to a third aspect of the present invention is a trigger switch according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the trigger position detection unit detects a state in which the detection unit detects or does not detect movement of the detected part as the trigger being in its initial position. As a result, when the detectable part and the detecting part form an NC contact, the state in which the detecting part detects the detectable part can be easily detected, and when the detectable part and the detecting part form an NO contact, the state in which the detecting part does not detect the detectable part can be easily detected, as being the initial position in which the trigger has not been pressed.

[0012] The trigger switch according to the fourth invention is the trigger switch according to the first or second invention, in which the detecting portion and the detected portion form contacts that are in contact until the trigger is pressed, and become non-contact when the trigger is pressed. This allows for reduced power consumption in a trigger switch that forms a normally closed (NC) contact, which is in contact until the trigger is pressed and goes into a non-contact state when the trigger is pressed.

[0013] The trigger switch according to the fifth invention is the trigger switch according to the first or second invention, wherein the detecting portion and the detected portion form contacts that are in a non-contact state until the trigger is pressed, and that come into contact when the trigger is pressed. This allows for reduced power consumption in a trigger switch that forms a NO (Normal Open) contact, which is in a non-contact state until the trigger is pressed and is in a contact state when the trigger is pressed.

[0014] A sixth aspect of the present invention provides a power tool including a main body having a drive unit and a trigger switch that drives the drive unit in response to a trigger depression. The trigger switch includes a trigger that moves when the trigger is depressed, a detectable part that moves in conjunction with the trigger, a detector that detects the movement of the detectable part in response to the trigger depression, an operation amount detector that detects the amount of depression of the trigger, and a trigger position detector that detects the position of the trigger. The main body includes a drive unit and a control unit that transitions to an activated state when the detector detects the movement of the detectable part, and that, when the trigger position detector detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the trigger depression, maintains the activated state for a predetermined time if the amount of depression detected by the operation amount detector is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and transitions from the activated state to a stopped state if the amount of depression is less than the predetermined threshold.

[0015] Here, when the control unit, which is activated by pressing the trigger, detects that the trigger has been returned to its initial position, it will maintain the control unit's activation if the amount of pressing on the trigger is greater than or equal to a threshold, or will transition to a stopped state if the amount of pressing on the trigger is less than the threshold. Here, the trigger switch is used to drive a drive motor (drive unit) mounted on a power tool or the like, for example.

[0016] The detectable portion and the detecting portion included in the trigger switch may form NC (Normal Close) contacts that are in contact until the trigger is pressed and become non-contact when the pressing operation is released, or they may form NO (Normal Open) contacts that are non-contact until the trigger is pressed and become contact when the pressing operation is released. This prevents the control unit from remaining activated and generating unnecessary power consumption when the user unintentionally presses the trigger due to vibrations or impacts during transport, etc.

[0017] On the other hand, if the amount of depression of the trigger is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the activated state is maintained for a predetermined period of time, thereby ensuring responsiveness to the trigger and avoiding operational delays. As a result, it is possible to ensure responsiveness to trigger operation while suppressing unintended current consumption caused by vibrations and shocks that occur during transportation and movement.

[0018] A seventh aspect of the present invention provides a method for controlling a trigger switch that drives a drive unit in response to a pressing operation of the trigger, and includes the steps of: transitioning to an activated state when a detection unit detects movement of a detectable unit; when a trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the pressing operation, maintaining the activated state for a predetermined time if the amount of pressing operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold; and transitioning from the activated state to a stopped state if the amount of pressing operation is less than the predetermined threshold. The trigger switch includes a trigger that moves in response to a pressing operation, a detectable unit that moves in conjunction with the trigger, a detection unit that detects movement of the detectable unit in response to a pressing operation of the trigger, an operation amount detection unit that detects the amount of pressing of the trigger, and a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger.

[0019] Here, when the control unit, which is activated by pressing the trigger, detects that the trigger has been returned to its initial position, it will maintain the control unit's activation if the amount of pressing on the trigger is greater than or equal to a threshold, or will transition to a stopped state if the amount of pressing on the trigger is less than the threshold. Here, the trigger switch is used to drive a drive motor (drive unit) mounted on a power tool or the like, for example.

[0020] The detectable portion and the detecting portion included in the trigger switch may form NC (Normal Close) contacts that are in contact until the trigger is pressed and become non-contact when the pressing operation is released, or they may form NO (Normal Open) contacts that are non-contact until the trigger is pressed and become contact when the pressing operation is released. This prevents the control unit from remaining activated and generating unnecessary power consumption when the user unintentionally presses the trigger due to vibrations or impacts during transport, etc.

[0021] On the other hand, if the amount of depression of the trigger is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the activated state is maintained for a predetermined period of time, thereby ensuring responsiveness to the trigger and avoiding operational delays. As a result, it is possible to ensure responsiveness to trigger operation while suppressing unintended current consumption caused by vibrations and shocks that occur during transportation and movement.

[0022] A control program for a trigger switch according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is a control program for a trigger switch that drives a drive unit in response to a pressing operation of a trigger, the control program causing a computer to execute a control method for a trigger switch including the steps of: transitioning to an activated state when a detection unit detects movement of a detectable unit; and when a trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the pressing operation, maintaining the activated state for a predetermined time if the amount of pressing operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold; and transitioning from the activated state to a stopped state if the amount of pressing operation is less than the predetermined threshold. The trigger switch includes a trigger that moves in response to a pressing operation, a detectable unit that moves in conjunction with the trigger, a detection unit that detects movement of the detectable unit in response to a pressing operation of the trigger, an operation amount detection unit that detects the amount of pressing of the trigger, and a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger.

[0023] Here, when the control unit, which is activated by pressing the trigger, detects that the trigger has been returned to its initial position, it will maintain the control unit's activation if the amount of pressing on the trigger is greater than or equal to a threshold, or will transition to a stopped state if the amount of pressing on the trigger is less than the threshold. Here, the trigger switch is used to drive a drive motor (drive unit) mounted on a power tool or the like, for example.

[0024] The detectable portion and the detecting portion included in the trigger switch may form NC (Normal Close) contacts that are in contact until the trigger is pressed and become non-contact when the pressing operation is released, or they may form NO (Normal Open) contacts that are non-contact until the trigger is pressed and become contact when the pressing operation is released. This prevents the control unit from remaining activated and generating unnecessary power consumption when the user unintentionally presses the trigger due to vibrations or impacts during transport, etc.

[0025] On the other hand, if the amount of depression of the trigger is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the activated state is maintained for a predetermined period of time, thereby ensuring responsiveness to the trigger and avoiding operational delays. As a result, it is possible to ensure responsiveness to trigger operation while suppressing unintended current consumption caused by vibrations and shocks that occur during transportation and movement. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] The trigger switch according to the present invention can suppress unintended current consumption caused by vibrations, shocks, etc. that occur during transportation, movement, etc., while ensuring responsiveness to trigger operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a power tool equipped with a trigger switch according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a trigger switch mounted on the power tool of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a side view showing the internal configuration of the trigger switch of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of the trigger switch in FIG. 2 in a released state. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a control block diagram showing the configuration of the power tool shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] (a) is a perspective view showing the trigger switch in the off state (the brush is in contact with the board), and (b) is a perspective view showing the trigger switch in the on state (the brush is not in contact with the board). [Figure 7] 1A is a time chart showing the start-up control when a small amount of pressing force is input to the trigger switch due to vibration, impact, etc. FIG. 1B is a time chart showing the start-up control when a user presses the trigger switch to use the power tool. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart showing the process flow of a trigger switch control method according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] A trigger switch according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of well-known matters or redundant explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following explanation and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0029] Furthermore, the applicant provides the accompanying drawings and the following description to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present invention, and they are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims. The trigger switch 10 according to this embodiment is mounted on a power tool 50 (see FIG. 1) such as an electric drill, an electric screwdriver, an electric wrench, or an electric grinder that includes a drive unit such as a motor. Furthermore, the trigger switch 10 of this embodiment has an NC (Normal Close) contact that is brought into a non-contact state when a circuit provided inside the power tool 50 transitions from an ON position to an OFF position.

[0030] (1) Power tools 50 As shown in FIG. 1, the power tool 50 of this embodiment includes a main body 20 that is held by a user of the power tool 50, and a trigger switch 10 that is attached to the main body 20 and receives a pressing operation by the user.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the power tool 50 has a handle portion (main body 20) extending downward attached to a substantially cylindrical portion 21 to which the tool tip 51 is attached. In the following explanation, for the sake of convenience, the upper side in the posture of the power tool 50 shown in Figure 1 will be referred to as "up," the lower side as "down," the direction in which the trigger 10a of the trigger switch 10 is located (right in the figure) as "front," and the direction in which the trigger 10a is pressed (left in the figure) as "rear."

[0032] The main body 20 is provided with an openable and closable door 20a and a window 20b through which the attachment state of the trigger 10a of the trigger switch 10 can be visually confirmed. 1, the power tool 50 is in the released state, and the trigger switch 10 is not pressed, so the tool bit 51 is not driven to rotate. When the user places his / her finger on the trigger 10a and presses it toward the main body 20 (rearward) from the released state shown in FIG. 1, the motor (drive unit) M1 (see FIG. 5) built into the main body 20 is driven, and the tool bit 51 is rotated. The circuit configuration for controlling the driving and stopping of the motor M1 will be described in detail later.

[0033] (2) Trigger switch 10 The trigger switch 10 of this embodiment is a switch operated by the user when performing various tasks using the power tool 50, and as shown in Figure 2, it includes a trigger 10a to which a pushing operation is input, a plunger 11a, a return spring 11b that biases the trigger 10a, a housing part 12 contained in the main body part 20 of the power tool 50, the housing part 12, a covering member 13, and a switching lever 14 that switches the driving direction of the motor (drive part) M1 (for example, the forward / reverse rotation direction of the tip tool 51).

[0034] The trigger 10a is a member that receives a pressing operation by the user, and the front surface thereof has an arc-shaped portion where the user places his / her finger when operating it. The plunger 11a has a rod-shaped shaft 11aa and a drive switching mechanism 11ab formed continuously with the rear end of the shaft 11aa. The shaft 11aa supports the trigger 10a in a fitted state at its front end.

[0035] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the housing 12 is a hollow case having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is composed of a first cover 12a and a second cover 12b formed symmetrically on the left and right. A drive switching mechanism 11ab is housed in the internal space of the housing 12. A circuit board 16a is attached to the inner surface of the first cover 12a. A circuit (not shown) for driving a motor (drive unit) M1 is disposed on the circuit board 16a.

[0036] A substantially circular through-hole 12e is formed in the front surface of the housing 12, and the rear end (other end side) of the shaft 11aa passes through it. The periphery of the through-hole 12e protrudes forward in a cylindrical shape. A switching lever 14 is attached to the top surface of the housing 12. The interior space of the housing 12 is divided into two compartments: a lower chamber 12c and an upper chamber 12d. A drive switching mechanism 11ab is housed in a lower chamber 12c within the housing 12. An operating direction switching mechanism 14a is housed in an upper chamber 12d.

[0037] The drive switching mechanism 11ab opens and closes a circuit formed on the substrate 16a to control the motor (drive unit) M1. The drive switching mechanism 11ab moves back and forth in accordance with the movement of the shaft 11aa. In other words, the drive switching mechanism 11ab moves between a pressed position and a released position in accordance with the pressing and releasing of the trigger 10a. That is, when the trigger 10a is pressed, the drive switching mechanism 11ab moves backward, thereby driving the motor (drive unit) M1. On the other hand, when the drive switching mechanism 11ab returns forward, the driving of the motor (drive unit) M1 is stopped.

[0038] The return spring 11b is formed using a spring such as a compression coil spring. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the return spring 11b is wound around the outer periphery of the shaft 11aa on the outside of the housing 12, and biases the shaft 11aa forward, in the direction opposite to the pushing direction. This causes the shaft 11aa, which has been pushed rearward together with the trigger 10a, to return to the forward release position. The front end of the return spring 11b is engaged with the shaft 11aa, and the rear end is engaged with the periphery of the through-hole 12e of the housing 12.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the internal space of the housing 12 is provided with a brush (detected part) 15d, a flat cable 16c, a cam 16d, a spring 16e, a cam plate 16f, a switching spring 16g, a roller 16h, a roll pin 17a, an E-ring 17b, and a sealing rubber 17c. Brush 15d is attached to the side of drive switching mechanism 11ab, and moves in conjunction with trigger 10a when trigger 10a is pressed. When trigger 10a is in its initial position, brush 15d is detected in contact with detector 16aa provided on substrate 16a. When trigger 10a is pressed, brush 15d is released from contact with detector 16aa provided on substrate 16a and is no longer detected.

[0040] When the amount of depression of trigger 10a exceeds a predetermined threshold (for example, 0.1 to 0.3 mm), brush 15d is no longer detected by detector 16aa, and thus the depression of trigger 10a is detected. The flat cable 16c is provided for inputting power from the power tool 50 or outputting signals to the power tool 50.

[0041] The cam 16d is provided to convert the rotational movement of the switching lever 14 into linear movement and to move the position of the cam plate 16f in accordance with the movement of the switching lever 14. The spring 16e is disposed between the cam 16d and the cam plate 16f, and is provided to apply a biasing force in a direction pressing the cam plate 16f toward the base plate 16a, thereby maintaining a constant distance between the cam plate 16f and the base plate 16a.

[0042] The cam plate 16f is fixed to the cam 16d and is provided to transmit the operational state (position) of the switching lever to the base plate 16a, and its position relative to the base plate 16a changes depending on the position of the switching lever . The switching spring 16g is provided to bias the roller 16h in a direction pressing it against the switching plate 16i, thereby generating an operational reaction force when the switching lever 14 rotates.

[0043] The roller 16h receives the biasing force of the switching spring 16g against the switching plate 16i and slides on the uneven surface of the switching plate 16i in conjunction with the rotation of the switching lever 14. This allows the operation reaction force corresponding to the uneven surface to be transmitted to the switching lever 14. The roll pin 17a is provided to secure the trigger cap of the trigger 10a to the plunger 11a.

[0044] The E-ring 17b is fixed onto the plunger 11a and is provided to transmit the reaction force of the return spring 11b to the plunger 11a. The seal rubber 17c is provided to fill structural gaps between the switching lever 14 and the second cover 12b and first cover 12a, thereby ensuring sealing performance. The covering member 13 is formed in a generally cylindrical bellows shape that expands and contracts in the axial direction, and covers the outer periphery of the shaft portion 11aa and the return spring 11b outside the housing portion 12. The front end of the covering member 13 is attached to the shaft portion 11aa. The rear end of the covering member 13 is attached so as to cover the protruding portion of the periphery of the through-hole 12e of the housing portion 12. The covering member 13 is made of a flexible, airtight material such as rubber.

[0045] The operating direction switching mechanism 14a is attached to the switching lever 14, and switches the operating direction of the motor (drive unit) M1 by switching the wiring of the circuit opened and closed by the drive switching mechanism 11ab when the switching lever 14 is operated. The switching lever 14 is a member that swings left and right in response to a switching operation from the user to switch the drive direction of the motor (drive unit) M1, and transmits the swinging motion to the operating direction switching mechanism 14a. When the switching lever 14 is operated to be positioned in the middle of its swing range, the switching lever 14 functions as a locking mechanism that prevents the trigger 10a from being pressed.

[0046] With the above-described configuration, the trigger switch 10 is incorporated into the power tool 50 and accepts operations by the user. The user of the power tool 50 performs operations such as depressing the trigger 10a and swinging the switching lever 14 to perform a switching operation. When the trigger 10a is pressed, it moves rearward. As the trigger 10a moves rearward, the shaft 11aa attached to the trigger 10a also moves rearward. As the shaft 11aa moves rearward, the drive switching mechanism 11ab connected to the rear end of the shaft 11aa also moves rearward, and the motor (drive unit) M1 is driven. As the shaft 11aa moves rearward, the return spring 11b and the covering member 13 are compressed in the axial direction.

[0047] To stop the motor (drive unit) M1, the user releases the pressure on the trigger 10a. When the pressure on the trigger 10a is released, the biasing force of the return spring 11b moves the trigger 10a, the shaft 11aa, and the drive switching mechanism 11ab forward and returns to the release position. Furthermore, as the shaft 11aa moves forward, the return spring 11b and the covering member 13 extend in the axial direction.

[0048] The trigger switch 10 includes a sensor unit (operation amount detection unit) 15e that detects the movement or position of the trigger 10a when the trigger 10a is pressed, and a switching unit 15 that switches between driving and stopping the motor (drive unit) M1 depending on the movement of the trigger 10a. The switching unit 15 includes a switching circuit 15c. The switching circuit (operation amount detection unit) 15c is configured using sensors such as an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, an electrostatic sensor, an electrical resistance sensor, etc. The switching circuit 15c outputs an ON signal or an OFF signal according to the position of the trigger 10a detected by a sensor unit 15e that detects the movement or position of the trigger 10a in a non-contact manner.

[0049] The switching circuit 15c may output an ON signal or an OFF signal in response to contact between the movable contact and the fixed contact caused by the movement or position of the trigger 10a. A trigger plate 15a made of conductive metal is provided on the surface of the drive switching mechanism 11ab on the left side of the switch. As shown in FIG. 3, the trigger plate 15a is attached to the drive switching mechanism 11ab via two springs 16b, and is biased toward the first cover 12a by the springs 16b.

[0050] Furthermore, a detection portion 15b (a portion indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4) capable of detecting the position of the trigger plate 15a is formed at a rear position on a substrate 16a attached to the inner surface of the first cover 12a. That is, in a released state where the trigger 10a is not being pressed, the trigger plate 15a is in a position (off state) that is disengaged from the position of the detection unit 15b in a side view as shown in Fig. 4. At this time, the switching circuit 15c for driving the motor (drive unit) M1 is in a released state, and the rotation of the motor (drive unit) M1 is stopped.

[0051] From this state, when the trigger 10a is pressed, the shaft 11aa and the drive switching mechanism 11ab move backward, and when the amount of movement reaches a predetermined amount, the trigger plate 15a overlaps with the detection part 15b (facing each other) in a side view (ON state), and the motor (drive part) M1 is driven. In this embodiment, the position of the trigger plate 15a, which changes as the pressing operation on the trigger 10a progresses, is sensed, and the motor M1 (drive unit) is controlled so that the rotation speed of the motor M1 increases.

[0052] <Control configuration> Here, the control configuration of the power tool 50 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the power tool 50 transmits and receives signals between the main body 20 and the trigger switch 10. The main body 20 has a control unit 22 and a motor (drive unit) M1.

[0053] The trigger switch 10 includes a sensor unit (operation amount detection unit) 15e, a trigger position detection unit 18, and a control unit 19. The trigger position detector 18 detects the state (NC contact) in which the detector 16aa on the substrate 16a detects the brush 15d as the trigger 10a being in the initial position. The control unit 19 outputs a drive signal to the main body 20 in response to signals from the sensor unit (operation amount detection unit) 15e and the trigger position detection unit 18. The control unit 19 is a circuit configured using, for example, a microcomputer using integrated circuits such as various LSIs and VLSIs, electronic elements, and various terminals, and is disposed on a substrate 16a inside the housing 12.

[0054] In addition, the control unit 19 accepts signals from the sensor unit 15e and the trigger position detection unit 18 as inputs, performs various processes based on the inputs, and outputs a drive signal to the control unit 22 included in the main body unit 20 of the power tool 50 to drive the motor M1. In the power tool 50 of this embodiment, when the contact between the brush 15d and the detection unit 16aa on the circuit board 16a is released as the trigger 10a is pressed, a signal (ON signal) is transmitted from the switching circuit 15c. That is, as the trigger 10a is pressed further, the control unit 19 transitions from a stopped state (Sleep state) to an activated state.

[0055] <Pushing the trigger 10a> Next, the states of the switching circuit 15c and the control unit 22 and the changes in the device rotation speed when the trigger is pressed will be described. When the trigger switch 10 is in the released state, as shown in Fig. 6(a), the brush 15d is in contact with the circuit board 16a. In this state, the control unit 22 is in a stopped (sleep) state. Also, the switching circuit 15c is in an OFF state (a state in which the trigger plate 15a is in the OFF position), and the motor M1 is stopped.

[0056] When the trigger 10a is pressed from this state, the plunger 11a moves backward in response to the pressing operation. As the plunger 11a moves backward, the brush 15d transitions to an OFF state in which it is no longer in contact with the detection unit 16aa on the circuit board 16a, as shown in FIG. 6(b), and the control unit 19 of the trigger switch 10 is activated. Thereafter, as the trigger 10a continues to be pressed and the plunger 11a moves further backward, the trigger plate 15a enters an ON state where it overlaps with the detector 15b, and the motor M1 starts to operate. As the trigger 10a continues to be pressed, the signal from the switching circuit 15c changes, and the rotation speed of the motor M1 increases accordingly.

[0057] <Control method of trigger switch 10> In the trigger switch 10 of this embodiment, with the above-described configuration, when the trigger 10a is pressed, the brush 15d, which moves in conjunction with the trigger 10a, is released from contact with the substrate 16a side, and a signal is output to activate the control unit 19 within the trigger switch 10, thereby activating the control unit 19.

[0058] At this time, for example, if there is a small amount of pressing on trigger 10a due to vibration or impact, and trigger 10a immediately returns to its initial position (the position where there is no pressing on trigger 10a), unnecessary power consumption will be generated if control unit 19 is kept activated in order to improve the operational responsiveness of trigger 10a. Therefore, in the trigger switch 10 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7(a), if there is a small amount of pressing on the trigger 10a due to vibration or impact during transportation, for example, and the trigger 10a immediately returns to its initial position (a position where there is no pressing on it), the control unit 19 is started and then immediately controlled to change from the started state to the stopped state (sleep state).

[0059] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7(a), when the trigger 10a is pressed and the stroke of the trigger 10a exceeds the contact OFF position between the brush 15d and the detection unit 16aa on the substrate 16a side but returns to the initial position without reaching a predetermined threshold (amount of operation), a start signal to start the control unit 19 is output, and then the control unit 19 is immediately transitioned to a stopped state (sleep state).

[0060] As a result, even if the trigger 10a is pressed due to vibration or impact, if the trigger 10a immediately returns to its initial position, it is determined that the power tool 50 is not intended to be used, and the control unit 19 is immediately switched to a stopped state each time, without maintaining the activated state, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7(b), when the trigger 10a is pressed and the stroke of the trigger 10a exceeds the contact OFF position and the operation amount exceeds a predetermined threshold, an activation signal to activate the control unit 19 is output, and the activated state of the control unit 19 is maintained for X seconds even after the trigger 10a returns to the initial position (contact OFF position).

[0061] As a result, when a user operates the trigger 10a to use the power tool 50 and the stroke of the trigger 10a exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control unit 19 remains activated, thereby ensuring the operational responsiveness of the power tool 50 when the trigger switch 10 is operated and avoiding operational delays. The control unit 19 sets the predetermined threshold value for the stroke of the trigger 10a described above based on the depression position of the trigger 10a for activating the control unit 22 on the main body unit 20 side where the motor M1 is provided.

[0062] Here, the pressed position of trigger 10a for activating control unit 22 on the main body 20 side is, for example, the position where trigger plate 15a is detected by detection unit 15b. This makes it possible to determine whether or not to maintain the activation of the control unit 19 based on the comparison result of the amount of depression of the trigger 10a with a threshold value set based on the depression position that activates the control unit 22 on the main body 20 side on which the trigger switch 10 is mounted.

[0063] Note that, although a short setting of X seconds reduces power consumption, the control unit 19 will have to repeatedly start and stop each time, which will result in a delay in the operation of the power tool 50. Therefore, in consideration of the usability of the power tool 50, it is preferable that X seconds is not set too short, but is set to a predetermined length or longer.

[0064] <Control method of trigger switch 10> The control method for the trigger switch 10 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. That is, in step S11, the control unit 19 of the trigger switch 10 is in a stopped state (sleep state), and in step S12, the control unit waits until the mechanical contact between the brush 15d and the detection unit 16aa on the circuit board 16a is turned OFF by pressing the trigger 10a. Then, when the mechanical contact is turned OFF, the process proceeds to step S13. Next, in step S13, since the mechanical contact has been turned OFF in step S12, the control unit 19 of the trigger switch 10 transitions from the stopped state to the activated state.

[0065] Next, in step S14, it is determined whether the stroke amount of the depression operation of the trigger 10a is less than a predetermined threshold value PT1. If the stroke amount is less than the predetermined threshold value PT1, the process proceeds to step S15, and if the stroke amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value PT1, the process proceeds to step S16. Next, in step S15, since it is determined in step S14 that the stroke amount is less than the predetermined threshold value PT1, the activation signal is set to Low.

[0066] On the other hand, in step S16, since it was determined in step S14 that the stroke amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value PT1, the activation signal is set to High and is maintained until the stroke amount becomes less than the threshold value PT1. This allows the motor M1 of the power tool 50 to be driven to rotate, and various tasks can be performed using the power tool 50.

[0067] Next, in step S17, it is determined whether the activation signal that was set to Low in step S15 has become High at least once, and if it has become High at least once, the process proceeds to step S18, and if not, the process proceeds to step S19. Next, in step S18, since it was determined in step S17 that the activation signal that was set to Low in step S15 has been set to High at least once, it is determined whether X seconds have elapsed.

[0068] If it is determined that X seconds have passed, the process returns to step S11, and if X seconds have not passed, the process proceeds to step S20. As a result, by maintaining the control unit 19 in an activated state for X seconds, it is possible to ensure the responsiveness to the operation of the trigger 10a and avoid the occurrence of an operational delay. On the other hand, in step S19, since it was determined in step S17 that the activation signal that was set to Low in step S15 has not been set to High even once, it is determined whether or not the mechanical contact is ON.

[0069] Here, if the mechanical contact is ON, the trigger 10a has returned to its initial position, and the process returns to the sleep state of step S11. If the mechanical contact is not ON, the trigger 10a has not returned to its initial position, and the process returns to step S14 to determine whether the stroke amount of the trigger 10a is less than a predetermined threshold value PT1. On the other hand, in step S20, since it is determined in step S17 that the activation signal that was set to Low in step S15 has been set to High at least once, and it is determined in step S18 that X seconds have passed, it is determined whether the mechanical contact is OFF. If the mechanical contact is OFF, the trigger 10a has been pressed, so the process returns to step S13 and the device is put into an activated state. On the other hand, if the mechanical contact is not OFF (is ON), the process returns to step S18 and repeatedly determines whether X seconds have passed until the mechanical contact is OFF.

[0070] <Major features> The trigger switch 10 of this embodiment is a switch that drives a motor M1 in response to a pressing operation on the trigger 10a, and includes the trigger 10a, a brush 15d, a detection unit 16aa, a sensor unit 15e, a trigger position detection unit 18, and a control unit 19. The trigger 10a moves when pressed. The brush 15d moves in conjunction with the trigger 10a. The detection unit 16aa detects the brush 15d that moves in response to the pressing operation on the trigger 10a. The sensor unit 15e detects the amount of pressing operation on the trigger 10a. The trigger position detection unit 18 detects the position of the trigger 10a. The control unit 19 transitions to an activated state when the detection unit 16aa detects the movement of the brush 15d, and when the trigger position detection unit 18 detects that the trigger 10a has returned to its initial position after being pressed, if the sensor unit 15e detects that the amount of pressing operation is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, the control unit 19 maintains the activated state for a predetermined time, or transitions from the activated state to a stopped state if the amount of pressing operation is less than the predetermined threshold.

[0071] This prevents unnecessary power consumption caused by the control unit 19 remaining activated due to the user unintentionally pressing the trigger 10a due to vibrations or impacts during transportation, etc. On the other hand, if the amount of depression of the trigger 10a is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the control unit 19 is maintained in an activated state for a predetermined period of time, thereby ensuring the responsiveness of the operation of the trigger 10a and avoiding operational delays. As a result, it is possible to ensure the responsiveness of the trigger 10a while suppressing the generation of unintended current consumption due to vibrations, shocks, etc. that occur during transportation, movement, etc.

[0072] [Other embodiments] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0073] (A) In the above embodiment, the present invention has been described as being implemented as a trigger switch and a control method for the trigger switch, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be realized as a control program that causes a computer to execute the above-described method for controlling a trigger switch.

[0074] This control program is stored in a memory (storage unit) mounted on the trigger switch, and the CPU reads the control program stored in the memory and causes the hardware to execute each step. More specifically, the CPU reads the control program and executes each of the steps described above, thereby achieving the same effects as those described above. The present invention may also be realized as a recording medium storing a control program for the trigger switch.

[0075] (B) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the control unit 19 provided on the trigger switch 10 side determines whether or not to transition from the activated state to the deactivated state when the trigger 10a is pressed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a control unit (controller) provided on the main body side of the power tool may be configured to determine whether or not to transition from the activated state to the stopped state.

[0076] (C) In the above embodiment, the trigger switch 10 is described as an example of a normally closed (NC) contact that is released when a circuit provided inside the power tool 50 transitions from an ON position to an OFF position. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to a trigger switch that constitutes a NO (Normal Open) contact that is released from contact as a circuit provided inside a power tool transitions from an OFF position to an ON position.

[0077] (D) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the present invention is applied to the trigger switch 10 mounted on the power tool 50. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to a trigger switch mounted on other devices such as a vacuum cleaner or a chainsaw.

[0078] <Additional Notes> A trigger switch according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: A trigger switch that drives a drive unit when a trigger is pressed, the trigger that moves in response to the pressing operation; a detected part that moves in conjunction with the trigger; a detection unit that detects movement of the detected portion in response to the pressing operation on the trigger; an operation amount detection unit that detects an operation amount of the pressing operation on the trigger; a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger; a control unit that transitions to an activated state when the detection unit detects movement of the detected part, and that, when the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the pressing operation, maintains the activated state for a predetermined time if the amount of the pressing operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and transitions from the activated state to a stopped state if the amount of the pressing operation is less than the predetermined threshold; It is equipped with:

[0079] A trigger switch according to a second aspect of the present invention is the trigger switch according to the first aspect of the present invention, The control unit sets the predetermined threshold value based on the depression position of the trigger that activates the controller on the main body side where the drive unit is provided. A trigger switch according to a third aspect of the present invention is the trigger switch according to either the first or second aspect of the present invention, The trigger position detection unit detects a state in which the detection unit detects or does not detect the detection target unit as the trigger being in an initial position.

[0080] A trigger switch according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the trigger switch according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, The detecting portion and the detected portion constitute a contact point that is in contact with each other until the trigger is pressed, and that becomes non-contact when the trigger is pressed. A trigger switch according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the trigger switch according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, The detecting portion and the detected portion constitute a contact point that is in a non-contact state until the trigger is pressed, and that comes into contact when the trigger is pressed. [Industrial Applicability]

[0081] The trigger switch of the present invention has the effect of suppressing unintended current consumption caused by vibrations, shocks, etc. that occur during transportation or movement, and is therefore widely applicable as a switch for driving various driving parts. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 10 Trigger switch 10a Trigger 11a Plunger 11aa shaft 11ab Drive switching mechanism 11b Return spring 12 Housing 12a 1st cover 12b 2nd cover 12c lower chamber 12d upper chamber 12e through hole 13 Covering material 14 Switching lever 14a Operation direction switching mechanism 15 Switching section 15a trigger plate 15b Detector 15c Switching circuit 15d Brush (detected part) 15e Sensor section (operation amount detection section) 16a board 16aa Detection unit 16b Spring 16c flat cable 16d Cam 16e spring 16f Cam Plate 16g switching spring 16h Laura 17a Roll Pin 17b E-ring 17c Seal rubber 18 Trigger position detector 19 Control Unit 20 Main body 20a Door section 20b Window 21 Approximately cylindrical portion 22 Control unit (controller) 50 Power tools 51 Tip tool M1 Motor (drive unit)

Claims

1. A trigger switch that drives a drive unit when a trigger is pressed, the trigger that moves in response to the pressing operation; a detected part that moves in conjunction with the trigger; a detection unit that detects the detected portion that moves in accordance with the pressing operation on the trigger; an operation amount detection unit that detects an operation amount of the pressing operation on the trigger; a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger; a control unit that transitions to an activated state when the detection unit detects movement of the detected part, and that, when the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the pressing operation, maintains the activated state for a predetermined time if the amount of the pressing operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and transitions from the activated state to a stopped state if the amount of the pressing operation is less than the predetermined threshold; A trigger switch is provided.

2. the control unit sets the predetermined threshold value based on a depression position of the trigger that activates a controller on a main body side where the drive unit is provided. The trigger switch according to claim 1 .

3. the trigger position detection unit detects a state in which the detection unit detects or does not detect the detection target as the trigger being in an initial position; 3. The trigger switch according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The detecting portion and the detected portion constitute a contact that is in contact with each other until the trigger is pressed, and that becomes non-contact when the trigger is pressed.

3. The trigger switch according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The detecting portion and the detected portion constitute a contact point that is in a non-contact state until the trigger is pressed, and that is in a contact state when the trigger is pressed.

3. The trigger switch according to claim 1 or 2.

6. A power tool including a main body provided with a drive unit and a trigger switch that drives the drive unit when a trigger is pressed, The trigger switch is the trigger that moves in response to the pressing operation; a detected part that moves in conjunction with the trigger; a detection unit that detects movement of the detected portion in response to the pressing operation on the trigger; an operation amount detection unit that detects an operation amount of the pressing operation on the trigger; a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger; It has The main body portion is The drive unit; a control unit that transitions to an activated state when the detection unit detects movement of the detected part, and that, when the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the pressing operation, maintains the activated state for a predetermined time if the amount of the pressing operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, and transitions from the activated state to a stopped state if the amount of the pressing operation is less than the predetermined threshold; It has Power tools.

7. A control method for a trigger switch that drives a drive unit in response to a trigger depression operation, comprising: The trigger switch is the trigger that moves in response to the pressing operation; a detected part that moves in conjunction with the trigger; a detection unit that detects movement of the detected portion in response to the pressing operation on the trigger; an operation amount detection unit that detects an operation amount of the pressing operation on the trigger; a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger; It is equipped with a step of transitioning to an activated state when the detection unit detects movement of the detected unit; When the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the pressing operation, if the amount of the pressing operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, maintaining the activated state for a predetermined time. If the amount of the pressing operation is less than a predetermined threshold, transitioning from the activated state to a stopped state; A method for controlling a trigger switch comprising:

8. A control program for a trigger switch that drives a drive unit when the trigger is pressed, The trigger switch is the trigger that moves in response to the pressing operation; a detected part that moves in conjunction with the trigger; a detection unit that detects movement of the detected portion in response to the pressing operation on the trigger; an operation amount detection unit that detects an operation amount of the pressing operation on the trigger; a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger; It is equipped with a step of transitioning to an activated state when the detection unit detects movement of the detected unit; When the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the pressing operation, if the amount of the pressing operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, maintaining the activated state for a predetermined time. If the amount of the pressing operation is less than a predetermined threshold, transitioning from the activated state to a stopped state; A trigger switch control program that causes a computer to execute a trigger switch control method comprising:

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