Cordless Drill Battery Lock Detection to Prevent Power Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

Battery-operated drilling machines face accidental battery removal during operation, leading to sudden power loss and potential accidents such as the drilling machine falling or dropping, due to the lack of a mechanism to prevent unintended battery disconnection.

Innovation Solution

A battery-operated drilling machine with a battery locking member that moves between retracted and advanced positions to secure the battery, a position detecting device to monitor the locking member's position, and a status indicator to warn the operator of potential battery removal, along with a drive control circuit to prevent motor operation when the battery is at risk of being dislodged.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the battery is made removably loadable in the body frame for replacement, then the portability and maintainability of the drilling machine is improved, but the risk of accidental battery removal during operation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery replacementVSAvoidbattery retention
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The battery locking member is automatically engaged when the battery is loaded into the battery loading part, preventing accidental removal before operation begins. This preliminary locking action ensures the battery is securely retained while maintaining ease of replacement when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The position detecting device continuously monitors the position of the battery locking member and provides feedback to the control unit. When the locking member is not in the locked position, the control unit detects this state and can alert the operator or prevent operation, ensuring battery retention while allowing easy replacement when properly locked.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the battery locking member is automatically engaged when battery is loaded, then the battery retention is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery retentionVSAvoidlocking mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery locking member is designed to be automatically engaged when the battery is loaded into the battery loading part, without requiring manual intervention. The loading action itself triggers the locking mechanism, simplifying the overall system while maintaining reliable battery retention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the status indicator warns when battery locking member is not locked, then the safety is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational safetyVSAvoidmonitoring system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The position detecting device provides feedback on the battery locking member's position to the control unit, which then activates the status indicator when the battery is not properly locked. This feedback mechanism enhances safety by alerting operators to improper battery installation while using simple, integrated components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit that manages the drilling machine's operation also handles the monitoring of the battery locking member position and controls the status indicator. This multi-functionality approach avoids adding separate dedicated monitoring hardware, thereby minimizing increased device complexity while improving safety.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3006144B1Battery-type drilling machine
Publication Date: 2025.09.17 NITTO KOHKI CO LTD
  • EP3006144B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3006144B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3006144B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery-operated drilling machine (10) includes a drilling drive unit (14) having a motor for rotationally driving a drilling tool, and a drilling machine body unit (12) having a battery loading part (28). The drilling machine further includes a battery locking member (30) movable between a retracted position and an advanced position relative to a battery (16) and configured to prevent removal of the battery from the battery loading part when the battery locking member is in the advanced position, a limit switch (32) detecting a position of the battery locking member, and a status indicator (33) for indicating a status of the drilling machine. When the limit switch (32) detects a state in which the battery locking member (30) is not in the advanced position when the battery (16) is loaded in the battery loading part (28), the status indicator (33) indicates a warning sign that indicates the state.