Cordless Machining Tool Battery Limit Feedback for Full Power Use

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Solution Overview

Problem

Battery-powered processing tools often fail to utilize their full performance potential when used with removable battery packs or batteries that have insufficient power delivery capacity, leading to unsatisfactory work progress and potential operator misperception of tool defects.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that record performance characteristics of removable battery packs or batteries at defined times during operation and calculate the frequency at which these batteries are operated at their performance limit, providing operators with timely notifications to upgrade to more powerful battery packs or batteries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If operators use removable battery packs or batteries with insufficient power delivery capacity, then the battery-powered processing tool cannot fully utilize its performance, but the operator may get the impression that the tool is defective

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperator perception of tool reliabilityVSAvoidwork progress
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors the performance characteristics of the battery pack and provides feedback to the operator through the display unit. When the battery pack operates at its performance limit, the system calculates the frequency of this occurrence and displays it to the operator, enabling the operator to understand whether the tool or battery is at fault and take appropriate action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit acts as an intermediary between the battery pack and the processing tool. It monitors the electrical parameters, calculates the performance limit frequency, and communicates this information to the operator, thereby mediating the interaction between the battery's capabilities and the tool's performance requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If the battery-powered processing device provides detailed performance monitoring and notifications, then operators are reliably informed about performance limitations, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance information transparencyVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs multiple functions: it controls the processing tool's operation, monitors battery performance characteristics, calculates the frequency of performance limit occurrences, and displays information to the operator. By consolidating these functions in a single control unit, the system provides comprehensive performance monitoring without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system monitors changes in electrical parameters (current, voltage, power) of the battery pack and uses these parameter changes to determine when the battery is operating at its performance limit. This approach allows the system to detect performance limitations through standard electrical measurements rather than requiring complex specialized sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If the system calculates and displays the frequency of battery performance limit occurrences, then operators can make informed decisions about battery upgrades, but the processing time and computational load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery performance data accuracyVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates the frequency of performance limit occurrences based on monitored electrical parameters and provides this information to the operator. Rather than performing complex real-time optimization calculations, the system uses a straightforward frequency calculation approach that provides sufficient information for operator decision-making without excessive computational burden.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4081372B1Method for interacting with at least one user of a rechargeable-battery-operated machining tool, and system for carrying out the method
Publication Date: 2025.06.18 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP4081372B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4081372B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for interacting with at least one user of a rechargeable-battery-operated machining tool (14), which can be supplied with energy by means of at least one exchangeable rechargeable battery pack or exchangeable rechargeable battery (24). According to the invention, in one method step (38) a power characteristic variable (P) of the at least one exchangeable rechargeable battery pack or exchangeable rechargeable battery (24) is sensed by means of a sensing unit (32) of the rechargeable-battery-operated machining tool (14) and/or of the at least one exchangeable rechargeable battery pack or exchangeable rechargeable battery (24) at defined times during the operation of the rechargeable-battery-operated machining tool (14), and in an additional method step (40, 42) the frequency (F) with which the at least one exchangeable rechargeable battery pack or exchangeable rechargeable battery (24) has been operated at its power limit (PT) is calculated. The invention also relates to a system (10), comprising a rechargeable-battery-operated machining tool (14) and an exchangeable rechargeable battery pack or exchangeable rechargeable battery (24), for carrying out the method according to the invention.