Trigger switch and power tool including the same, control method for trigger switch and readable storage medium

Abstract

This invention provides a trigger switch that can suppress unintentional current consumption caused by vibrations, impacts, etc., during transportation or movement. The trigger switch 10 includes: a 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 brush 15d is integrally formed with the trigger 10a. The sensor unit 15e detects the amount of operation performed by pressing the trigger 10a. The trigger position detection unit 18 detects the position of the trigger 10a. When the detection unit 16aa detects movement of the brush 15d, the control unit 19 transitions to an activated state. Furthermore, when the trigger position detection unit 18 detects that the trigger 10a has returned to its initial position after being pressed, if the amount of operation detected by the sensor unit 15e is above a predetermined threshold, the control unit 19 maintains the activated state for a predetermined time; if the amount of operation performed by pressing the trigger is below the predetermined threshold, the control unit transitions from the activated state to a stopped state. The present invention also provides an electric tool including the trigger switch, a control method for the trigger switch, and a readable storage medium.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a trigger switch that drives a drive unit of, for example, an electric tool, and a control method and a readable storage medium for an electric tool including the trigger switch. [Previous Technology]

[0002] In recent years, trigger switches have been used to control the drive of the drive unit of power tools, etc., by pressing a trigger. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a trigger switch in which the switching mechanism (plunger) includes: a brush forming a sliding contact that has an on / off switching function for the drive unit, and a brush forming 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]

[0004] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, the conventional trigger switch has the following problems. That is, the sliding contact of the trigger switch disclosed in the publication has an electrode formed on a substrate and a brush provided in the switching mechanism as a sliding electrode portion, and by moving the switching mechanism, it switches between a state in which the brush is in contact with the electrode (the state in which it is in contact with the electrode) and a state in which it is not in contact with the electrode (the state in which it is not in contact with the electrode).

[0005] At this time, the following problem exists: when a trigger switch is accidentally pressed slightly due to vibrations or impacts generated during transportation or movement, the microprocessor or integrated circuit (IC) on the circuit is activated, resulting in unintentional current consumption. The object of the present invention is to provide a trigger switch, a power tool including the trigger switch, a control method for the trigger switch, and a control program, wherein the trigger switch can suppress unintentional current consumption caused by vibrations or impacts generated during transportation or movement. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0006] The trigger switch of the first invention receives an insertion operation on a trigger to drive a driving unit. The trigger switch includes: a trigger, a detected unit, a detection unit, an operation quantity detection unit, a trigger position detection unit, and a control unit. The trigger moves by the insertion operation. The detected unit moves in conjunction with the trigger. The detection unit detects the detected unit that moves along with the insertion operation on the trigger. The operation quantity detection unit detects the operation quantity of the insertion operation on the trigger. The trigger position detection unit detects the position of the trigger. When the detection unit detects the movement of the detected unit, the control unit moves to an activated state. When the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the insertion operation, if the operation quantity of the insertion operation detected by the operation quantity detection unit is above a predetermined threshold value, the control unit maintains the activated state for a predetermined time. If the operation quantity of the insertion operation is less than the predetermined threshold value, the control unit moves from the activated state to a stopped state.

[0007] Here, regarding the control unit that is started by pressing the trigger, when it detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position, if the pressing amount of the trigger is above a threshold value, the control unit is maintained in operation; if it is below the threshold value, it transitions to a stop state. Here, this trigger switch is used, for example, to drive a drive motor (drive unit) mounted in a power tool or similar device.

[0008] Furthermore, the detection unit and the sensing unit included in the trigger switch can be configured as normally closed (NC) contacts that are in a contact state before the trigger is pressed and become non-contact when the trigger is pressed, or normally open (NO) contacts that are non-contact before the trigger is pressed and become contact when the trigger is pressed. This prevents the following situation: unintentional pressing of the trigger by the user due to vibration or impact during transport, thus maintaining the control unit in the activated state and generating unnecessary power consumption.

[0009] On the other hand, when the amount of the operation for pressing the trigger is above a predetermined threshold, the start-up state is maintained for a predetermined time, thereby ensuring the responsiveness of the trigger and avoiding operation delay. As a result, the responsiveness of the trigger is ensured, and unintentional current consumption caused by vibrations, shocks, etc., during transportation or movement can be suppressed.

[0010] The trigger switch of the second invention is similar to the trigger switch of the first invention, wherein the control unit sets a predetermined threshold value based on the pressed position of the trigger that activates the controller on the main body side equipped with the drive unit. Thereby, it can be determined whether to maintain the activation of the control unit based on a comparison between the operation amount of the pressed operation on the trigger and the threshold value set based on the pressed position that activates the controller on the main body side equipped with the trigger switch.

[0011] The trigger switch of the third invention is like the trigger switch of the first or second invention, wherein the trigger position detection unit detects the state in which the movement of the detected unit is detected or not detected by the detection unit as the trigger being in the initial position. Therefore, when the detected unit and the detection unit form an NC contact, it is easy to detect the state in which the detection unit detects the detected unit as the trigger being in the initial position where no pressing operation has been performed; and when the detected unit and the detection unit form a NO contact, it is easy to detect the state in which the detection unit does not detect the detected unit as the trigger being in the initial position where no pressing operation has been performed.

[0012] The trigger switch of the fourth invention is similar to the trigger switch of the first or second invention, wherein the detection unit and the detected unit are configured as contacts that are in a contact state before the trigger is pressed and become non-contact when the trigger is pressed. This reduces power consumption in the trigger switch configured as an NC (Normal Close) contact that is in a contact state before the trigger is pressed and becomes non-contact when the trigger is pressed.

[0013] The trigger switch of the fifth invention is similar to the trigger switch of the first or second invention, wherein the detection unit and the detected unit are configured as contacts that are in a non-contact state before the trigger is pressed and become contact when the trigger is pressed. Therefore, in a trigger switch configured as a NO (Normal Open) contact that is in a non-contact state before the trigger is pressed and becomes contact when the trigger is pressed, power consumption can be reduced.

[0014] The power tool of the sixth invention includes: a main body portion having a drive unit; and a trigger switch that receives a pressing operation on a trigger to drive the drive unit. The trigger switch includes: a trigger that moves by a pressing operation; a detected portion that moves in conjunction with the trigger; a detection unit that detects the movement of the detected portion caused by the pressing operation on the trigger; an operation amount detection unit that detects the operation amount of the pressing operation on the trigger; and a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger. The main body portion includes: a drive unit; and a control unit that, when the detection unit detects the movement of the detected portion, transitions to an start state, and when the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the pressing operation, maintains the start state for a predetermined time if the operation amount of the pressing operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is above a predetermined threshold value, and transitions from the start state to a stop state if the operation amount of the pressing operation is less than the predetermined threshold value.

[0015] Here, regarding the control unit that is started by pressing the trigger, when it detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position, if the pressing amount of the trigger is above a threshold value, the control unit is maintained in operation; if it is below the threshold value, it transitions to a stop state. Here, this trigger switch is used, for example, to drive a drive motor (drive unit) mounted in a power tool or similar device.

[0016] Furthermore, the detection unit and the sensing unit included in the trigger switch can be configured as NC (Normal Close) contacts that are in a contact state before the trigger is pressed and become non-contact when the trigger is pressed, or as NO (Normal Open) contacts that are non-contact before the trigger is pressed and become contact when the trigger is pressed. This prevents the following situation: unintentional pressing of the trigger by the user due to vibration or impact during transport, thus maintaining the control unit in an activated state and generating unnecessary power consumption.

[0017] On the other hand, when the amount of the operation for pressing the trigger is above a predetermined threshold, the start-up state is maintained for a predetermined time, thereby ensuring the responsiveness of the trigger and avoiding operation delay. As a result, the responsiveness of the trigger is ensured, and unintentional current consumption caused by vibrations, shocks, etc., during transport or movement can be suppressed.

[0018] The control method for the trigger switch of the seventh invention is a control method for a trigger switch driven by a drive unit upon receiving an insertion operation of a trigger. The control method includes: a step of transitioning to an activation state when a detection unit detects movement of a detected part; a step of maintaining the activation state for a predetermined time when an activation position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after an insertion operation, provided that the operation amount detected by an operation amount detection unit is above a predetermined threshold value; and a step of transitioning from the activation state to a stop state when the operation amount of the insertion operation is less than the predetermined threshold value. The trigger switch includes: a trigger that moves by an insertion operation; a detected part that moves in conjunction with the trigger; a detection unit that detects the movement of the detected part accompanying the insertion operation of the trigger; an operation amount detection unit that detects the operation amount of the insertion operation of the trigger; and a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger.

[0019] Here, regarding the control unit that is started by pressing the trigger, when it detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position, if the pressing amount of the trigger is above a threshold value, the control unit is maintained in operation; if it is below the threshold value, it transitions to a stop state. Here, this trigger switch is used, for example, to drive a drive motor (drive unit) mounted in a power tool or similar device.

[0020] Furthermore, the detection unit and the sensing unit included in the trigger switch can be configured as NC (Normal Close) contacts that are in a contact state before the trigger is pressed and become non-contact when the trigger is pressed, or as NO (Normal Open) contacts that are non-contact before the trigger is pressed and become contact when the trigger is pressed. This prevents the following situation: unintentional pressing of the trigger by the user due to vibrations or shocks during transport, thus maintaining the control unit in an activated state and generating unnecessary power consumption.

[0021] On the other hand, when the amount of the operation for pressing the trigger is above a predetermined threshold, the start-up state is maintained for a predetermined time, thereby ensuring the responsiveness of the trigger and avoiding operation delay. As a result, the responsiveness of the trigger is ensured, and unintentional current consumption caused by vibrations, shocks, etc., during transportation or movement can be suppressed.

[0022] The control program of the trigger switch of the eighth invention is a control program for a trigger switch that is driven by a drive unit upon receiving an insertion operation of a trigger. The control program causes a computer to execute a control method for the trigger switch. The control method includes: a step of transitioning to an active state when a detection unit detects movement of a detected unit; a step of maintaining the active state for a predetermined time when an operation quantity detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after an insertion operation, provided that the operation quantity detected by the operation quantity detection unit is above a predetermined threshold value; and a step of transitioning from the active state to a stop state when the operation quantity of the insertion operation is less than the predetermined threshold value. The trigger switch includes: a trigger that moves by an insertion operation; a detected unit that moves in conjunction with the trigger; a detection unit that detects the movement of the detected unit accompanying the insertion operation of the trigger; an operation quantity detection unit that detects the operation quantity of the insertion operation of the trigger; and a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger.

[0023] Here, regarding the control unit that is started by pressing the trigger, when it detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position, if the pressing amount of the trigger is above a threshold value, the control unit is maintained in operation; if it is below the threshold value, it transitions to a stop state. Here, this trigger switch is used, for example, to drive a drive motor (drive unit) mounted in a power tool or similar device.

[0024] Furthermore, the detection unit and the sensing unit included in the trigger switch can be configured as NC (Normal Close) contacts that are in a contact state before the trigger is pressed and become non-contact when the trigger is pressed, or as NO (Normal Open) contacts that are non-contact before the trigger is pressed and become contact when the trigger is pressed. This prevents the following situation: unintentional pressing of the trigger by the user due to vibrations or shocks during transport, thus maintaining the control unit in an activated state and generating unnecessary power consumption.

[0025] On the other hand, when the amount of the operation for pressing the trigger is above a predetermined threshold, the start-up state is maintained for a predetermined time, thereby ensuring the responsiveness of the trigger and avoiding operational delays. As a result, the responsiveness of the trigger is ensured, and unintentional current consumption caused by vibrations or impacts during transport or movement is suppressed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] By means of the trigger switch of the present invention, the operational responsiveness of the trigger can be ensured, and the unintentional current consumption caused by vibration, impact or other factors during transportation or movement can be suppressed.

Implementation Method

[0028] If a trigger switch of one embodiment of the present invention is described using Figures 1 to 8, it will be as follows. Furthermore, in this embodiment, descriptions that exceed necessary detail are sometimes omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters or repetitive descriptions of substantially the same structures are sometimes omitted. This is to avoid making the following description unnecessarily lengthy and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0029] Furthermore, the applicant has provided the accompanying drawings and the following description in order to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present invention, but it is not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims. The trigger switch 10 of this embodiment is, for example, mounted on an electric tool 50 including a motor or other drive unit such as an electric drill, electric screwdriver, electric wrench, electric grinder (see Figure 1). In addition, the trigger switch 10 of this embodiment has an NC (Normal Close) contact, which becomes a non-contact state as the circuit included inside the electric tool 50 shifts from an on position to an off position.

[0030] (1) Power tool 50 As shown in FIG1, the power tool 50 of this embodiment includes: a main body 20, which is held by the user of the power tool 50; and a trigger switch 10, which is assembled on the main body 20 and accepts the user's press operation.

[0031] Furthermore, as shown in FIG1, the power tool 50 has a downwardly extending handle portion (main body 20) installed on the generally cylindrical portion 21 for mounting the top tool 51. In the following description, for ease of explanation, the upper part of the power tool 50 in the position shown in FIG1 will be designated as "up", the lower part as "down", the direction of the trigger 10a of the trigger switch 10 (right in the figure) as "forward", and the direction in which the trigger 10a is pressed (left in the figure) as "forward".

[0032] The main body 20 is provided with a door 20a, which can be opened and closed, and a window 20b, which allows the installation state of the trigger 10a of the trigger switch 10 to be viewed. In the released state shown in FIG. 1, the power tool 50 is not pressed into the trigger switch 10, and the tip tool 51 is not rotated. Furthermore, from the released state shown in FIG. 1, when the user places their finger on the trigger 10a and presses it towards the rear of the main body 20, the motor (drive unit) M1 (see FIG. 5) built into the main body 20 is driven, causing the tip tool 51 to rotate. The circuit structure 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 using the power tool 50 to perform various operations. As shown in FIG2, it includes: a trigger 10a for pressing operation input; a plunger 11a; a reset spring 11b for applying force to the trigger 10a; a frame 12, which is enclosed in the main body 20 of the power tool 50; a cover member 13; and a switching lever 14 for switching the driving direction of the motor (drive unit) M1 (e.g., the forward or reverse rotation direction of the tip tool 51).

[0034] The trigger 10a is a component that receives a user's press operation, and the portion of its front surface where the user's fingers rest during operation is formed in an arc shape. The plunger 11a has a rod-shaped shaft portion 11aa and a drive switching mechanism 11ab continuously formed with the rear end of the shaft portion 11aa. The shaft portion 11aa is supported with the trigger 10a embedded in its front end.

[0035] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the frame portion 12 is a hollow shell with a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, consisting of a first cover 12a and a second cover 12b formed symmetrically from left to right. A drive switching mechanism 11ab is housed within the internal space of the frame portion 12. Furthermore, a substrate 16a is mounted on the inner surface of the first cover 12a. A circuit (not shown) for driving the motor (drive unit) M1 is disposed on the substrate 16a.

[0036] A roughly circular through hole 12e is provided on the front surface of the frame portion 12, which passes through the rear end (other end side) of the shaft portion 11aa. The periphery of the through hole 12e protrudes forward in a cylindrical shape. A switching lever 14 is installed on the upper surface of the frame portion 12. The internal space of the frame portion 12 is divided into a lower chamber 12c and an upper chamber 12d. The lower chamber 12c inside the frame portion 12 houses the drive switching mechanism 11ab. The upper chamber 12d houses the action direction switching mechanism 14a.

[0037] The drive switching mechanism 11ab turns the circuit formed on the substrate 16a on and off, thereby controlling the motor (drive unit) M1. The drive switching mechanism 11ab moves back and forth along with the movement of the shaft 11aa. That is, the drive switching mechanism 11ab moves between the pressed position and the pressed-out position in response to the pressing operation and the releasing operation of the trigger 10a. That is, by pressing the trigger 10a, the drive switching mechanism 11ab moves backward, thereby driving the motor (drive unit) M1. On the other hand, by resetting the drive switching mechanism 11ab forward, the driving of the motor (drive unit) M1 is stopped.

[0038] The return spring 11b is formed using a compression coil spring or the like. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the return spring 11b is wound around the outer periphery of the shaft 11aa on the outside of the frame 12, and applies force to the shaft 11aa in the opposite direction to the pressing direction, i.e., forward. This returns the shaft 11aa, which was pressed backward along with the trigger 10a, to its 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 in the frame 12.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in FIG3, the following are provided in the internal space of the frame portion 12: a brush (detected portion) 15d, a flat cable 16c, a cam 16d, a spring 16e, a cam plate 16f, a switching spring 16g, a roller 16h, a roller pin 17a, an E-ring 17b, and a sealing rubber 17c. The brush 15d is mounted on the side of the drive switching mechanism 11ab and moves in conjunction with the trigger 10a by means of a pressing operation on the trigger 10a. Moreover, the brush 15d is detected when it is in contact with the detection portion 16aa provided on the substrate 16a side at the initial position of the trigger 10a. Moreover, when there is a pressing operation on the trigger 10a, the contact between the brush 15d and the detection portion 16aa provided on the substrate 16a side is released and it cannot be detected.

[0040] Furthermore, when the pressing operation of the trigger 10a exceeds a predetermined threshold value (e.g., 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm), the brush 15d will not be detected by the detection unit 16aa, thereby detecting the pressing operation of the trigger 10a. The flat cable 16c is provided for power input from the power tool 50 or for signal output to the power tool 50.

[0041] The cam 16d is provided to convert the rotational motion of the switching lever 14 into linear motion and to move the position of the cam plate 16f according to the action of the switching lever 14. The spring 16e is disposed between the cam 16d and the cam plate 16f to apply force in the direction of pushing the cam plate 16f toward the base plate 16a and to keep the distance between the cam plate 16f and the base plate 16a constant.

[0042] The cam plate 16f is fixed to the cam 16d and is provided to transmit the operating state (position) of the switching lever 14 to the base plate 16a, and its position relative to the base plate 16a changes according to the position of the switching lever 14. The switching spring 16g is provided to apply force in the direction of pushing the pressure roller 16h toward the switching plate 16i and generate the operating reaction force when the switching lever 14 rotates.

[0043] Roller 16h is subjected to a force applied by switching spring 16g relative to switching plate 16i, and slides on the concave-convex shape of switching plate 16i together with the rotational movement of switching lever 14. In this way, the operating reaction force corresponding to the concave-convex shape can be transmitted to switching lever 14. Roller pin 17a is provided to fix the trigger cover of trigger 10a to plunger 11a.

[0044] The E-ring 17b is fixed to the plunger 11a to transmit the reaction force of the return spring 11b to the plunger 11a. The sealing rubber 17c is provided to fill the structural gaps between the switching rod 14 and the second cover 12b and the first cover 12a and to ensure sealing. The cover member 13 is formed into a generally cylindrical corrugated shape that expands and contracts axially, covering the outer periphery of the shaft portion 11aa and the return spring 11b on the outside of the frame portion 12. The front end of the cover member 13 is mounted to the shaft portion 11aa. The rear end of the cover member 13 is mounted to cover the protruding portion around the periphery of the through hole 12e of the frame portion 12. The cover member 13 is formed using a flexible and sealing material such as rubber.

[0045] The operation direction switching mechanism 14a is mounted on the switching lever 14. When the switching lever 14 is operated, it switches the wiring of the circuit that is opened and closed by driving the switching mechanism 11ab, thereby switching the operation direction of the motor (drive unit) M1. The switching lever 14 is a component that swings left and right after the user accepts the operation to switch the drive direction of the motor (drive unit) M1, and transmits the swinging motion to the operation direction switching mechanism 14a. In addition, when the switching lever 14 is operated in a manner that is located in the middle of the swing range, the switching lever 14 functions as a locking mechanism to prevent the trigger 10a from being pressed.

[0046] The trigger switch 10 is assembled into the power tool 50 by the above structure and is operated by the user. The user of the power tool 50 performs operations such as pressing the trigger 10a and switching the lever 14. The trigger 10a, which is pressed, moves rearward. As the trigger 10a moves forward, the shaft 11aa mounted on the trigger 10a moves rearward. As the shaft 11aa moves rearward, the drive switching mechanism 11ab, which is continuous with the rear end of the shaft 11aa, also moves rearward, and the motor (drive unit) M1 is driven. In addition, as the shaft 11aa moves rearward, the return spring 11b and the cover member 13 are compressed axially.

[0047] When the user stops the motor (drive unit) M1, the trigger 10a is released. When the trigger 10a is released, the trigger 10a, shaft 11aa, and drive switching mechanism 11ab move forward and return to the released position by the force applied by the return spring 11b. In addition, as the shaft 11aa moves forward, the return spring 11b and the cover member 13 extend axially.

[0048] The trigger switch 10 includes: a sensor unit (operation quantity detection unit) 15e, which detects the movement or position of the trigger 10a when it is pressed; and a switching unit 15, which switches the driving and stopping of the motor (drive unit) M1 according to the movement of the trigger 10a. The switching unit 15 has a switching circuit 15c. The switching circuit (operation quantity detection unit) 15c is configured using, for example, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, an electrostatic sensor, a resistance sensor, etc. The switching circuit 15c outputs an access signal or a disconnect signal according to the position of the trigger 10a detected by the sensor unit 15e, and the sensor unit 15e detects the movement or position of the trigger 10a in a non-contact manner.

[0049] Furthermore, the switching circuit 15c can also output an access signal or a disconnect signal based on the contact between the movable and fixed contacts accompanying the movement or position of the trigger 10a. A trigger plate 15a made of conductive metal is provided on the left side of the switch of the drive switching mechanism 11ab. As shown in Figure 3, the trigger plate 15a is mounted on the drive switching mechanism 11ab via two springs 16b, and the springs 16b apply force to the first cover 12a.

[0050] Furthermore, a detection unit 15b (the dashed portion in FIG. 4) is formed at a rearward position on the substrate 16a mounted on the inner side of the first cover 12a, capable of detecting the position of the trigger plate 15a. That is, in the unlocked state where no pressing operation is performed on the trigger 10a, as shown in FIG. 4, when viewed from the side, the trigger plate 15a is located at a position deviated from the position of the detection unit 15b (disconnected state). At this time, the switching circuit 15c for driving the motor (drive unit) M1 is in the unlocked state, and the rotation of the motor (drive unit) M1 stops.

[0051] When the state axis 11aa and drive switching mechanism 11ab move backward by pressing the trigger 10a, at the point when the movement reaches a predetermined amount, when viewed from the side, the trigger plate 15a is in a position overlapping (facing each other) with the detection unit 15b (on state), and the motor (drive unit) M1 is driven. In addition, in this embodiment, by sensing the position of the trigger plate 15a that changes with the pressing operation of the trigger 10a, the motor M1 is controlled to increase the rotational speed of the motor (drive unit) M1.

[0052] <Control Structure> Here, the control structure of the power tool 50 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG5, the power tool 50 transmits and receives signals between the main body 20 and the trigger switch 10. The main body 20 includes a control unit 22 and a motor (drive unit) M1.

[0053] The trigger switch 10 includes a sensor unit (operation quantity detection unit) 15e, a trigger position detection unit 18, and a control unit 19. The trigger position detection unit 18 detects the state (NC contact) of the brush 15d in the detection unit 16aa on the substrate 16a and determines that the trigger 10a is in the initial position. The control unit 19 outputs a drive signal to the main body 20 based on the signals from the sensor unit (operation quantity detection unit) 15e and the trigger position detection unit 18. The control unit 19 is, for example, a microcomputer using various large-scale integrated circuits (LSI), very large-scale integrated circuits (VLSI), and other integrated circuits, or a circuit composed of electronic components and various terminals, and is disposed on the substrate 16a within the frame 12.

[0054] Furthermore, the control unit 19 receives signals from the sensor unit 15e and the trigger position detection unit 18 as inputs, and performs various processes based on these inputs, outputting a drive signal to the control unit 22 contained in the main body 20 of the power tool 50 to drive the motor M1. Additionally, in the power tool 50 of this embodiment, when the contact between the brush 15d and the detection unit 16aa on the substrate 16a side is released during a pressing operation of the trigger 10a, a signal (communication signal) is sent from the switching circuit 15c. That is, as the pressing operation of the trigger 10a proceeds, the control unit 19 transitions from a stopped state (sleep state) to a started state.

[0055] <Insertion Operation of Trigger 10a> Next, the state of the switching circuit 15c and the control unit 22, as well as the change in the device rotation speed, will be explained when the trigger is inserted. When the trigger switch 10 is in the released state, as shown in FIG6(a), the brush 15d is in contact with the substrate 16a side. Moreover, in this state, the control unit 22 is in a stopped (dormant) state. In addition, the switching circuit 15c is in the disconnected state (the trigger plate 15a is in the disconnected position), and the motor M1 stops.

[0056] When the trigger 10a is pressed from this state, the plunger 11a moves rearward along with the pressing operation. Furthermore, as the plunger 11a moves rearward, the brush 15d, as shown in FIG6(b), moves to a disconnected state where contact with the detection unit 16aa on the substrate 16a side is released, and the control unit 19 of the trigger switch 10 is activated. Subsequently, when the plunger 11a moves further rearward as the pressing operation of the trigger 10a continues, the trigger plate 15a is in an on state where it overlaps with the detection unit 15b, and the motor M1 is driven. Moreover, as the pressing operation of the trigger 10a proceeds, the signal from the switching circuit 15c changes, and the rotational speed of the motor M1 increases accordingly.

[0057] <Control method of trigger switch 10> Regarding the trigger switch 10 of this embodiment, using the above-described structure, when there is an insertion operation for trigger 10a, the contact between the brush 15d, which moves in conjunction with trigger 10a, and the substrate 16a side is released, thereby outputting a signal to start the control unit 19 inside the trigger switch 10, and the control unit 19 is started.

[0058] At this time, for example, if there are a few press operations on the trigger 10a due to vibration or impact, and the trigger 10a immediately returns to the initial position (the position without press operation), unnecessary power consumption will occur when the control unit 19 is kept in the start state in order to improve the operation responsiveness of the trigger 10a. Therefore, in the trigger switch 10 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG7(a), for example, if there are a few press operations on the trigger 10a due to vibration or impact during transportation, and the trigger 10a immediately returns to the initial position (the position without press operation), control is performed in such a way that the control unit 19 is started and immediately changes from the start state to the stop state (dormant state).

[0059] More specifically, as shown in FIG7(a), when there is an insertion operation on the trigger 10a, and although the travel of the trigger 10a exceeds the contact disconnect (OFF) position of the detection unit 16aa on the side of the brush 15d and the substrate 16a, it does not reach the specified threshold value (operation amount) and returns to the initial position, after outputting a start signal to start the control unit 19, the control unit 19 is immediately transferred to the stop state (sleep state).

[0060] Thus, for example, even if an operation is input to the trigger 10a due to vibration or impact, when the trigger 10a immediately returns to the initial position, it is determined that the power tool 50 is not intended to be used, and the state of starting the control unit 19 is not maintained. Instead, the state is immediately switched to the stop state each time, thereby suppressing the generation of unnecessary power consumption. On the other hand, as shown in FIG7(b), when there is an operation to the trigger 10a, and the travel of the trigger 10a exceeds the contact disconnect position, and the operation amount exceeds the specified threshold value, a start signal to start the control unit 19 is output, and the start state of the control unit 19 is maintained for X seconds after the trigger 10a returns to the initial position (the contact disconnect position).

[0061] Therefore, when a user operates trigger 10a to use the power tool 50, and the travel of trigger 10a exceeds a predetermined threshold, by maintaining the start state of control unit 19, the responsiveness of the power tool 50 when operating trigger switch 10 can be ensured, and operation delay can be avoided. Furthermore, control unit 19 sets a predetermined threshold value relative to the travel of trigger 10a, based on the pressed position of trigger 10a used to start control unit 22 on the main body 20 side where motor M1 is installed.

[0062] Here, the pressed position of the trigger 10a used to activate the control unit 22 on the main body 20 side is, for example, the position of the trigger plate 15a detected in the detection unit 15b. Thereby, it can be determined whether to maintain the activation of the control unit 19 based on the comparison result between the operation amount of the pressing operation of the trigger 10a and a threshold value set based on the pressed position of activating the control unit 22 on the main body 20 side equipped with the trigger switch 10.

[0063] Furthermore, while setting X seconds to a short value can reduce power consumption, the repeated starting and stopping of the control unit 19 will cause a delay in the operation of the power tool 50. Therefore, considering the ease of use of the power tool 50, it is preferable not to set X seconds too short, but to set it to a specified length or longer.

[0064] <Control Method of Trigger Switch 10> The control method of trigger switch 10 in this embodiment will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG8, as follows. That is, in step S11, the control unit 19 of trigger switch 10 is in a stop state (dormant state), and in step S12, it remains in standby until the mechanical contact between brush 15d and the detection unit 16aa on the substrate 16a side becomes open due to the pressing operation of trigger 10a. Then, when the mechanical contact changes to the open state, step S13 is entered. Next, in step S13, since the mechanical contact became open in step S12, the control unit 19 of trigger switch 10 changes from the stop state to the start state.

[0065] Next, in step S14, it is determined whether the travel amount of the press operation of the trigger 10a is less than the predetermined threshold value PT1. Here, if the travel amount is less than the predetermined threshold value PT1, proceed to step S15; if it is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold value PT1, proceed to step S16. Next, in step S15, since it was determined in step S14 that the travel amount is less than the predetermined threshold value PT1, the start signal is set to low.

[0066] On the other hand, in step S16, since it is determined in step S14 that the stroke amount is above the predetermined threshold value PT1, the start signal is set to High and maintained until the stroke amount is less than the threshold value PT1. In this way, the motor M1 of the power tool 50 can be rotated to perform various operations using the power tool 50.

[0067] Next, in step S17, it is determined whether the start signal set low in step S15 has ever become high. If it has become high once, proceed to step S18; otherwise, proceed to step S19. Next, in step S18, since it was determined in step S17 that the start signal set low in step S15 sometimes becomes high, it is determined whether X seconds have elapsed.

[0068] Here, when it is determined that X seconds have elapsed, the process returns to step S11; if X seconds have not elapsed, it proceeds to step S20. This maintains the start-up state of the control unit 19 for X seconds, thereby ensuring the operational responsiveness of the trigger 10a and preventing operational delays. On the other hand, in step S19, since it was determined in step S17 that the start signal set low in step S15 has not changed high even once, it is determined whether the mechanical contact is ON.

[0069] Here, when the mechanical contact is on, the trigger 10a returns to its initial position, thus returning to the sleep state in step S11. When it is not on, the trigger 10a does not return to its initial position, thus returning to step S14 to determine whether the travel amount of the trigger 10a is less than the predetermined threshold value PT1. On the other hand, in step S20, since it is determined in step S17 that the start signal set low in step S15 sometimes becomes high once, and it is determined in step S18 that X seconds have elapsed, it is determined whether the mechanical contact is open. Here, when the mechanical contact is open, the trigger 10a is pressed, thus returning to step S13 and becoming the start state. On the other hand, when the mechanical contact is not open (on), it returns to step S18, and the determination of whether X seconds have elapsed is repeated until the mechanical contact is open.

[0070] <Key Features> The trigger switch 10 of this embodiment is a switch that drives the motor M1 by accepting a pressing operation on the trigger 10a, and includes: trigger 10a, brush 15d, detection unit 16aa, sensor unit 15e, trigger position detection unit 18, and control unit 19. The trigger 10a moves by the pressing operation. The brush 15d moves in conjunction with the trigger 10a. The detection unit 16aa detects the brush 15d that moves with the pressing operation on the trigger 10a. The sensor unit 15e detects the amount of operation 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 switches to the start state. When the trigger position detection unit 18 detects that the trigger 10a has returned to the initial position after the press operation, and the sensor unit 15e detects that the operation amount of the press operation is above a predetermined threshold value, the control unit 19 maintains the start state for a predetermined time. When the operation amount of the press operation is less than the predetermined threshold value, the control unit switches from the start state to the stop state.

[0071] This prevents situations where the user unintentionally presses the trigger 10a due to vibrations or impacts during transport, thus maintaining the control unit 19 in the activated state and causing unnecessary power consumption. On the other hand, when the amount of operation for pressing the trigger 10a is above a predetermined threshold, the activated state of the control unit 19 is maintained for a predetermined time, thereby ensuring the responsiveness of the trigger 10a and preventing operation delays. As a result, the responsiveness of the trigger 10a is ensured, and unintentional current consumption caused by vibrations or impacts during transport or movement is suppressed.

[0072] [Other Embodiments] The present invention has been described above in one embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the described embodiment and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0073] (A) In the described embodiment, examples of implementing the present invention as a trigger switch and a control method for the trigger switch have been given. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention can also be implemented as a control program that causes a computer to execute the control method for the trigger switch.

[0074] The control program is stored in a memory (storage unit) mounted on the trigger switch. The Central Processing Unit (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 the steps described above, thereby achieving the same effect as described. Alternatively, the present invention can also be implemented as a recording medium storing the control program of the trigger switch.

[0075] (B) In the described embodiment, an example is given where, when the trigger 10a is pressed, it is determined whether the control unit 19 provided on the trigger switch 10 side transitions from the start state to the stop state. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may also be structured such that it determines whether the control unit (controller) provided on the main body side of the power tool transitions from the start state to the stop state.

[0076] (C) In the embodiment described above, a trigger switch 10 constituting an NC (Normal Close) contact is used as an example. The NC (Normal Close) contact is released from contact as the circuit included inside the power tool 50 moves from an on position to an off position. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a trigger switch constituting an NO (Normal Open) contact, which is released from contact as the circuit included inside the power tool moves from an off position to an on position.

[0077] (D) In ​​the described embodiment, examples of applying the present invention to a trigger switch 10 mounted on a power tool 50 have been given. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention can also be applied to trigger switches mounted on other devices such as vacuum cleaners or chainsaws.

[0078] <Note> The trigger switch of the first invention receives an insertion operation on a trigger to drive a driving unit. The trigger switch includes: the trigger, which moves by the insertion operation; a detected unit that moves in conjunction with the trigger; a detection unit that detects the movement of the detected unit that accompanies the insertion operation on the trigger; an operation amount detection unit that detects the operation amount of the insertion operation on the trigger; a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger; and a control unit that, when the detection unit detects the movement of the detected unit, transitions to an active state, and when the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the insertion operation, maintains the active state for a predetermined time if the operation amount of the insertion operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is above a predetermined threshold value, and transitions from the active state to a stop state if the operation amount of the insertion operation is less than the predetermined threshold value.

[0079] The trigger switch of the second invention is like the trigger switch of the first invention, wherein the control unit sets the predetermined threshold value based on the pressed position of the trigger that causes the controller on the main body side where the drive unit is provided to start. The trigger switch of the third invention is like the trigger switch of either the first invention or the second invention, wherein the trigger position detection unit detects the state of the detected unit when the detected unit detects or does not detect the detected unit as the trigger being in the initial position.

[0080] The trigger switch of the fourth invention is like the trigger switch of any one of the first to third inventions, wherein the detection unit and the detected unit are configured as contacts that are in a contact state before the trigger is pressed and become contacts that are in a non-contact state when the trigger is pressed. The trigger switch of the fifth invention is like the trigger switch of any one of the first to third inventions, wherein the detection unit and the detected unit are configured as contacts that are in a non-contact state before the trigger is pressed and become contacts when the trigger is pressed. [Industrial Applicability]

[0081] The trigger switch of the present invention has the following effect: it can suppress the unintentional current consumption caused by vibration, impact or other factors during transportation or movement, and therefore can be used as a switch for driving various drive units. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0027] FIG1 is a perspective view showing the external structure of a power tool equipped with a trigger switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the trigger switch equipped in the power tool of FIG1. ​​FIG3 is a side view showing the internal structure of the trigger switch of FIG2. FIG4 is a side view showing an example of the released state of the trigger switch of FIG2. FIG5 is a control block diagram showing the structure of the power tool of FIG1. ​​FIG6(a) is a perspective view showing the state of the trigger switch being off (the brush is in contact with the substrate side). FIG6(b) is a perspective view showing the state of the trigger switch being on (the brush is not in contact with the substrate side). FIG7(a) is a timing diagram showing the start control when a small amount of input is pressed on the trigger switch due to vibration or impact. FIG7(b) is a timing diagram showing the start control when the user presses the trigger switch to use the power tool. FIG8 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the control method of the trigger switch of this embodiment.

Claims

1. A trigger switch that accepts an input operation to a trigger to drive a driving unit, the trigger switch comprising: The trigger moves by the pressing operation; the detected unit moves in conjunction with the trigger. The detection unit detects the movement of the detected part accompanying the insertion operation on the trigger; the operation amount detection unit detects the operation amount of the insertion operation on the trigger; the trigger position detection unit detects the position of the trigger; and the control unit, when the detection unit detects the movement of the detected part, transitions to an active state, and when the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the insertion operation, maintains the active state for a predetermined time if the operation amount of the insertion operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is above a predetermined threshold value, and transitions from the active state to a stop state if the operation amount of the insertion operation is less than the predetermined threshold value.

2. The trigger switch as described in claim 1, wherein, The control unit sets the predetermined threshold value based on the pressed position of the trigger that starts the controller on the main body side where the drive unit is located.

3. The trigger switch as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The trigger position detection unit will detect the state of the detected unit, whether it is detected or not, as the trigger being in its initial position.

4. The trigger switch as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The detection unit and the detected unit are configured as contacts that are in a contact state before the trigger is pressed and become non-contact when the trigger is pressed.

5. The trigger switch as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The detection unit and the detected unit are configured as contacts that are in a non-contact state before the trigger is pressed and become contact when the trigger is pressed.

6. An electric tool, comprising: The main body is equipped with a drive unit; The power tool includes a trigger switch that receives a pressing operation on the trigger to drive the drive unit. The trigger switch comprises: the trigger, which moves by the pressing operation; a detected unit that moves in conjunction with the trigger; a detection unit that detects the movement of the detected unit accompanying the pressing operation on the trigger; an operation amount detection unit that detects the operation amount of the pressing operation on the trigger; and a trigger position detection unit that detects the position of the trigger. The main body comprises: the drive unit; and a control unit that, when the detection unit detects movement of the detected unit, transitions to a start state, and when the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the pressing operation, maintains the start state for a predetermined time if the operation amount of the pressing operation detected by the operation amount detection unit is above a predetermined threshold value, and transitions from the start state to a stop state if the operation amount of the pressing operation is less than the predetermined threshold value.

7. A control method for a trigger switch, comprising a method for controlling a trigger switch that is driven by a driving unit in response to an insertion operation of a trigger, wherein the trigger switch comprises: The trigger moves by the press operation; The detected part moves in conjunction with the trigger; The detection unit detects the movement of the detected unit that occurs during the insertion operation on the trigger; the operation amount detection unit detects the operation amount of the insertion operation on the trigger. The control method includes a trigger position detection unit for detecting the position of the trigger, and a step of transferring to the start state when the detection unit detects the movement of the detected unit. When the trigger position detection unit detects that the trigger has returned to its initial position after the press operation, the step of maintaining the start state for a predetermined time when the operation amount detected by the operation amount detection unit is above a predetermined threshold value; and the step of transferring from the start state to the stop state when the operation amount of the press operation is less than the predetermined threshold value.

8. A readable storage medium storing thereon a control program for a trigger switch, the control program for a trigger switch driven by a drive unit in response to an insertion operation of a trigger, the trigger switch comprising: The trigger moves by the pressing operation; the detected unit moves in conjunction with the trigger. The detection unit detects the movement of the detected unit that occurs during the insertion operation on the trigger; the operation amount detection unit detects the operation amount of the insertion operation on the trigger. The system includes a trigger position detection unit for detecting the position of the trigger, and a control program for executing a control method for the trigger switch, the control method including: a step of transferring to an activation 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 press operation, the step of maintaining the start state for a predetermined time when the operation amount detected by the operation amount detection unit is above a predetermined threshold value; and the step of transferring from the start state to the stop state when the operation amount of the press operation is less than the predetermined threshold value.

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