Electric Tool Control Device for Recoil Force Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable electric power tools face challenges in maintaining a compact size due to the increased size of power transmission units with multiple speed-changing gears, leading to large differences in speed reduction ratios, which result in excessive recoil forces when shifting to high speed reduction gears, especially during improper fastening tasks.

Innovation Solution

An electric power tool with a motor, power transmission unit, speed shift actuator, torque detector, and controller that detects load torque and rotation speed to prevent excessive speed reduction ratio changes, deactivates the motor when locking is detected, and performs a slow start upon reactivation to minimize recoil forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the number of speed changing gears in the power transmission unit is increased, then the speed reduction ratio can be changed more frequently, but the overall size of the electric power tool increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed changing capabilityVSAvoidoverall size
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The power transmission unit is designed with a variable speed reduction ratio mechanism that can dynamically adjust between different gear ratios (first speed reduction ratio and second speed reduction ratio) based on operating conditions. This allows the system to adapt to different speed requirements without requiring multiple fixed gears, thereby reducing the overall number of components and size of the power transmission unit while maintaining versatile speed changing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Volume of moving object

If the difference in speed reduction ratio between gears is increased, then the size of the power transmission unit is reduced, but the recoil force applied to the user increases when shifting to high speed reduction gear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower transmission unit sizeVSAvoidrecoil force
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit continuously monitors the rotational speed of the output shaft and automatically shifts between different speed reduction ratios based on the detected speed. When the output shaft rotational speed exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control unit switches to a gear with a different speed reduction ratio. This feedback-based automatic shifting ensures smooth transitions and prevents sudden large changes in speed reduction ratio that would cause excessive recoil force, while still allowing for significant ratio differences to maintain compact size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the speed reduction ratio is increased to handle high load torque, then the motor can overcome tighter fastening conditions, but excessive recoil force is applied to the user when the motor is locked

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor locking resistanceVSAvoidrecoil force to user
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit proactively monitors the rotational speed of the output shaft and predicts potential motor locking conditions by detecting when the speed exceeds predetermined thresholds. Before the motor becomes locked and generates harmful recoil force, the control unit preemptively shifts the speed reduction ratio to an appropriate gear level. This preliminary action prevents the motor from operating in a locked state, thereby protecting the user from excessive recoil force while still enabling the motor to handle tight fastening conditions when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2826603B1Electric tool, and electric tool control device
Publication Date: 2016.06.01 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP2826603B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2826603B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP2826603B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An electric tool (10) is provided with a power transmission unit (22) for decelerating and then transmitting the rotational power of a motor (21) to an output shaft (25), a shift actuator (27) for changing the deceleration rate of the power transmission unit, a torque detection unit (41) for detecting the load torque applied to the output shaft (25), and a control unit (23) for controlling the shift actuator (27) so as to change the deceleration rate of the power transmission unit in accordance with the detected load torque. The control unit (23) does not increase the deceleration rate of the power transmission device and determines that the motor was locked when the load torque detected by means of the torque detection unit increased within a predetermined time from a threshold value of a shifting condition set to increase the deceleration rate to a threshold value of a locking condition set to detect that the motor was locked.