Black Decker Inc.

Fugen Qin

Daniele C Brotto

Steven J Phillips

Nathan J Cruise

Danh Thanh Trinh

Andrew E Seman

Christopher Wade Shook

Daniel Joseph White

Andrew E Seman, Jr

David A Carrier

Keith D Flaharty

Daniel Puzio

Craig Alan Schell

Christopher J Murray

James B Watson

David C Campbell

Oleksiy P Sergyeyenko

Geoffrey Stephen Howard

Joseph Patrick Kelleher

Bhanuprasad V Gorti

Scott J Eshleman

Jason Carl McRoberts

Christine H Potter

Michael Varipatis

Rouse Roby Bailey, Jr

Kevin Stones

Michael W Roberts

Wong Kun Ng

Marco Alessandro Mattucci

Brian K Wohltmann

Abhisheka Moturu

Edward Allen Harrison

Snehal S Choksi

Dustin Jefferies

Michelle Lynn Bowers

Regina Gracia C Cunanan

Tarek Aydin

Jonathan Priestley

Marc W Mckinley

Keith E McQuaid

Hussein M Nosair

Luke R Barton

Dahn Trinh

Lyle Matson

Marco A Mattucci

Paul A Stephenson

David Miller

Shaun Lovelass

Regina Cunanan

Dale W Boswall

Derek E T Muir

Michael J Aronoff

Daniel J Albrecht

Jason Mcroberts

Wong Kung Ng

A hand-held power tool is configured to receive an input indicative of a clutch setting for an electronic clutch from the tool operator, where the clutch setting is selectable from a drill mode, an automated drive mode and one or more user-defined drive modes. Each of the user-defined drive modes specifies a different value of torque at which to interrupt transmission of torque to the output spindle. In an automated drive mode, the controller interrupt torque to the output spindle in an automated manner when a fastener being driven reaches a desired stopping position. In a selected one of the user-defined drive modes, the controller sets a value of a maximum current threshold in accordance with the selected one of the user-defined drive modes and interrupts torque to the output spindle when current measures exceeding the maximum current threshold.

Power tool having multiple operating modes

This application relates to a power tool system including a plurality of power tools, a plurality of battery packs and at least one battery pack charger and method for operating the power tools with the battery packs. This application also relates to a method for charging the battery packs and a method for monitoring a state of charge of the battery pack. In one implementation, the system includes an existing battery pack designed to provide (output) a relatively low voltage, an existing power tool designed to operate at the relatively low voltage, a new battery pack designed to provide (output) the relatively low voltage and a relatively high voltage, and a new power tool designed to operate at the relatively high voltage.

Cordless power tool system

The present disclosure is directed to a battery charger capable of charging a plurality of battery packs. The charger includes the ability to cool electronic components of the charger with a first fan and to cool the battery packs with a set of second fans.

Multi-port charger

A power tool having a tool portion, a chuck and a lock. The tool portion has a housing, a motor, and a spindle driven by the motor. The chuck has a body coupled to the spindle for rotation therewith, and a sleeve rotatably disposed about the body. The lock has a first lock structure pivotally coupled to the housing about a pivot axis, and a second lock structure. The first lock structure has a first locking feature. The second lock structure has a second locking feature and is coupled to the sleeve for rotation therewith. Pivoting the first lock structure into a first pivot position positions the first locking feature in a rotational path of the second locking feature. Engagement of the first and second locking features inhibits rotation of the sleeve so that rotation of the spindle will cause corresponding rotation of the body relative to the sleeve.

Power tool with automatic chuck

A simplified control scheme is presented for use in a power tool. The power tool may be comprised of two or more lithium-ion battery cells connected in series and operable to drive the motor in the tool. A charging circuit is configured to receive a charging current from an AC adapter and to supply the charging current to the battery cells. A microcontroller monitors the voltage of the battery cells and terminates charging of the battery cells in accordance with the monitored voltages of the battery cells. The microcontroller does not receive power from the battery cells but is only powered by the AC adapter. Of note, each of the battery cells preferably employs an electrolyte composition comprised of a redox shuttle material. In combination with other tool components, the use of the redox shuttle material reduces or eliminates the need for expensive charge and discharge controls, thereby reducing the cost of the tool.

Charge control scheme for use in power tools

An improved method is provided for operating a power tool. The method includes: monitoring rotational motion of the power tool about an axis using a rotational motion sensor disposed in the power tool; determining a direction of the rotational motion about the axis; and driving the output member in a direction defined by the detected rotational motion of the tool, where the output member is driven by a motor residing in the power tool. Thus, the output member is drive clockwise when the rotational motion of the tool is clockwise about the axis and the output member is drive counter-clockwise when the rotational motion of the tool is counter-clockwise about the axis.

Power screwdriver having rotary input control

A control module is included in a battery charger that is adapted to charge a plurality of battery packs of different types or a power tool that is adapted to be powered by at least one of the battery packs. The control module includes a remote sensing module that communicates remotely with one of the battery packs. The control module also includes a battery pack connection module that determines that the one of the battery packs is in electrical communication with at least one of the battery charger and the power tool. The control module also includes a battery pack identification (ID) module that determines a first type of the battery pack based on remote sensing module signals. The control module also includes a charge control module that determines at least one of a charge setting and a discharge setting for the battery pack based on the first type.

Battery pack identification system

A method for monitoring the voltage of each of a plurality of cells of a battery pack is provided. The method may include monitoring a voltage potential for each of a plurality of cells in a battery pack utilizing a single channel of battery control unit within the battery pack. If, during discharge of the battery, e.g., the battery is being used to power a hand tool, the voltage potential of any cell is determined by the battery control unit to be below a predetermined minimum voltage, the battery control unit discontinues a current flow from battery pack to the tool. Additionally, during charging of the battery pack, if a voltage differential between any one of the cells and any other one of the cells is determined to be above a predetermined maximum differential, the battery control unit reduces the voltage potential stored in the cell having the higher voltage potential.

Cell monitoring and balancing

A rechargeable battery pack for a power tool can have a data terminal that provides a signal that is indicative of whether the voltage is below a threshold and can serve as both a pre-charge signal for a charger and as a stop-discharge signal for a power tool. A charger can include a power supply circuit and a voltage detection circuit. A charger control module can receive a signal indicative of the voltage of the battery pack and determine a pre-charge time based on the voltage and can monitor a change in the voltage of the battery pack during the pre-charge operation and stop the pre-charge operation based on the change in voltage and the time period.

Signal for pre-charge selection in lithium charging and discharge control/pre-charge function

A power tool system component has a microprocessor, a one wire communication terminal connecting the microprocessor to an external device, and a flash memory storing: (a) an application program governing operation of an application mode during which the power tool system component is operated; and (b) a boot loader program governing operation of a boot loader mode during which at least part of the application program can be updated. The microprocessor accesses the flash memory and implements the boot loader program and the application program by setting up and observing a temporal window during which one or more predetermined conditions must be met for the boot loader mode to be entered. The predetermined conditions include successful completion of a calibration process that includes sending a calibration byte to the external device according to a format predetermined to allow the external device to adjust its baud rate for sending and receiving information. Upon successful completion of the conditions within the temporal window, the microprocessor sends a confirmation to the device that the conditions have been satisfied and enters the boot loader mode.

One wire boot loader

A method and system for authenticating a smart battery having a smart battery and an electronic device. Both the device and the smart battery generate encrypted random strings using key material based by A/D noise bits as a seed value. A pseudo random number is generated from the A/D noise that is transmitted to both the electronic device and the smart battery. The pseudo random number is used by both devices as a key index to select one of a plurality of keys stored in separate key libraries. The keys, or key material, is used to execute an encryption algorithm. The two encryption data streams are then compared to authenticate the smart battery.

Rechargeable battery pack and operating system

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Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Fugen Qin