Drilling Tool Auto-Stop Control for Uniform Hole Depth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drilling tools face challenges in forming uniform drill holes due to vibrations and dust, which affect the accuracy of depth measurements, and require complex wiring and additional sensors, increasing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A drilling tool with a controller that automatically stops based on predefined conditions without the need for special sensors or complex wiring, allowing for uniform depth drilling through mode settings and drive control, enabling flexible operation and reduced manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a distance sensor is used to calculate drilling depth, then drilling depth can be controlled, but vibrations and dust cause inaccurate measurements and depth variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the distance sensor from the system entirely. Instead of using optical/electronic sensing that is vulnerable to vibrations and dust, the invention extracts the depth control function and implements it through mechanical counting of drive source rotations, which is immune to environmental interference during drilling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electronic/optical measurement system (distance sensor) with a mechanical counting system. The controller counts the number of rotations of the drive source (motor) to calculate drilling depth, substituting vulnerable electronic sensing with a robust mechanical-based measurement approach that is not affected by vibrations or dust.
2Ease of operation
If a distance sensor and control unit are added to control drilling depth, then drill holes can be formed at desired depth, but wiring and additional components increase construction complexity and manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing controller perform multiple functions: it not only controls the drive source operation but also counts motor rotations to calculate drilling depth and determines when to stop drilling. By integrating the depth control function into the existing controller rather than adding a separate depth measurement system, the invention reduces overall device complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller utilizes information already available from the drive source (rotation count) to perform depth calculation and stop condition determination. The system serves itself by using its own operational data (motor rotation counts) for depth measurement, eliminating the need for external sensors and reducing wiring requirements.
3Ease of operation
If a distance sensor and control unit are added to control drilling depth, then drill holes can be formed at desired depth, but additional components increase manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The existing controller is made multi-functional by adding depth control capabilities to its existing drive source control function. This eliminates the need for separate distance sensors and associated wiring, reducing component count and manufacturing cost while maintaining the ability to form drill holes at desired depths.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller uses its own internal counting capability to track drive source rotations and determine drilling depth, rather than requiring external sensing components. This self-service approach eliminates additional component costs for distance sensors, wiring, and associated electronics.
Data Source
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AI summary
There in provided a drilling tool having a low cost and a simple construction and can easily form a plurality of drill holes at a uniform depth. The drilling tool includes: a drive source for generating a drive force; a bit attachment portion to which an end bit is attachable; a power transmission portion configured to apply at least one of a rotational force and a striking force to the end bit attached to the bit attachment portion by receiving the drive force; a setting operation receiving portion configured to receive a setting operation for setting a stop condition to stop the drive source; an operation portion switchable between an ON-state and an OFF-state by a manual operation; and a controller capable of controlling the drive source. The controller is configured to perform: a setting process to set the stop condition based on the setting operation received by the setting operation receiving portion; a driving start process to start driving of the drive source; and a driving stop process to stop driving of the drive source. The controller performs the driving start process in response to a first switching operation for switching the operation portion from the OFF-state to the ON-state. The controller performs the driving stop process in response to a second switching operation for switching the operation portion from the ON-state to the OFF-state. In a state where the stop condition is set, even when the operation portion is in the ON-state, the controller performs the driving stop process in response to the stop condition being met while the drive source is being driven.