Black Decker Inc.

Michael D Grove

Madhur M Purohit

Joshua M Lewis

Marcell E Coates

Victor A Dorado

Erik A Ekstrom

Colin M Crosby

Ryan F Schroeder

Barak N Gohn

Daniel F Heck

Alpay Hizal

Michael P Sikora

Alexandros T Theos

Christian B Rogerson

Connor T Mohan

James R Clarke

Nicholas J Lowe

Matthew J Velderman

John B Fogle

Redeat Girma Alemu

Joel D Sayles

A brushless direct-current (BLDC) motor for a power tool includes a rotor assembly and a stator assembly including stator windings. A ratio of a motor size (Km) constant of the motor to an electrical envelope of the motor including electrical parts of the motor is greater than approximately 850 (N·m/√W)/m{circumflex over ( )}3. A ratio of a motor size (Km) constant of the motor to a magnetic envelope of the motor including stator core and windings is greater than approximately 980 (N·m/√W)/m{circumflex over ( )}3.

Brushless DC motor having high power density for power tool

A brushless direct-current (BLDC) motor for a power tool includes a rotor assembly; a stator assembly including a stator having stator teeth forming slots therebetween and stator windings wound around the stator teeth; stator terminals extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis from the stator assembly and being substantially aligned with centerlines of the slots of the stator assembly; and a circuit board mounted on the stator terminals adjacent the stator assembly. The circuit board includes conductive traces facilitating a one of a delta or a series connection between the stator windings. An end insulator is provided at an axial end of the stator to electrically insulate the stator from the stator windings, the end insulator including support members to support the stator terminals relative to the stator assembly. The circuit board is mounted and fastened to the support members.

Brushless DC motor with circuit board for winding interconnections

An electronic module is provided including a circuit board defining a longitudinal axis and having a first surface and a second surface. A module housing is provided having a bottom surface and side walls extending from the bottom surface to form an open face through which the circuit board is received. Power switches configured as an inverter circuit to drive an electric motor are mounted on the second surface of the circuit board facing the bottom surface of the module housing, and a series of heat sinks are discretely mounted on the first surface of the circuit board facing the open face opposite the power switches. Potting material is disposed in the distance between the circuit board and the bottom surface of the module housing to cover the power switches. Thermal vias are disposed through the circuit board between corresponding ones of the heat sinks and the power switches.

Electronic switch module with oppositely-arranged power switches and discrete heat sinks

A brushless direct-current (BLDC) motor includes a stator assembly and a rotor assembly including a rotor supporting permanent magnets rotatable relative to the stator assembly. The stator assembly includes a stator comprising a stator core and stator teeth radially extending from the stator core and defining slots therebetween. A first set of stator windings is wound on the stator teeth, and a second set of stator windings is also wound on the stator teeth such that, on each stator tooth, the first and second windings are provided in an electrically parallel configuration.

Brushless DC motor with stator teeth having multiple parallel sets of windings

A power module for driving a motor is provided including a power circuit board, power switches operatively connected to the motor disposed on a first side of the circuit board, and positional sensors disposed on a side surface of the power circuit board facing the motor. The power circuit board includes a thermally-conductive core carrier layer, a first electrically-insulating layer disposed on a first surface of the core carrier layer and on which the power switches are mounted, and a second electrically-insulating layer disposed on a second surface of the core carrier layer and on which the positional sensors are mounted. The second electrically-insulating layer is etched to expose the conductive core layer on at least approximately 70% of a surface area of the second side of the circuit board.

Power module for a brushless motor in a power tool

A power tool including an electric motor is provided. The tool includes a substantially disc-shaped printed circuit board (PCB), power switches mounted on the PCB; magnetic sensors mounted on the PCB facing the motor; a heat sink in thermal communication with the power switches disposed between the PCB and the electric motor; and a molded casing structurally securing the heat sink relative to the PCB. The molded casing includes a center opening, at least one first opening provided at a first radial distance from the center opening arranged to receive the magnetic sensors therein, and at least one second opening provided at a second radial distance from the center opening arranged to securely receive the heat sink therein.

Control and power module for brushless motor

An electronic module is provided including power switches mounted on a circuit board and configured as an inverter circuit for an electric motor. A sliding member is coupled to an actuator. A power contact switch is provided including a first conductive body, a second conductive body, and a contact switch. The first and second conductive bodies are mounted on a first surface of the circuit board and include pins received through through-holes of the circuit board to make electrical contact with two conductive tracks on a second surface of the circuit board. The contact switch pivotably is secured to the first conductive body and pivotably moveable by the sliding member to make contact with the second conductive body with movement of the actuator. A flyback diode is electrically connected between the first and second conductive track on the second surface of the circuit board parallel to the power contact switch.

Electronic switch module with an integrated flyback diode

An electronic module is provided for a power tool having an electric motor. The module includes a module housing having a radial portion and a cylindrical portion extending from the radial portion away from the electric motor and defining an open end, a printed circuit board (PCB) received within the module housing through the open end thereof, power switches mounted on the PCB, and magnetic sensors mounted on the PCB facing the motor substantially equidistantly from a center of the PCB. The module housing includes openings disposed in the radial portion angularly around a center of the module housing to receive the magnetic sensors therein to allow the magnetic sensors to magnetically interface with the electric motor.

A power tool is provided, including a housing; an electric brushless DC motor disposed within the housing; and a power module disposed within the housing and electrically coupled to the motor. The power module includes a circuit board, a first set of power switches mounted on a first surface of the circuit board, a second set of power switches mounted on a second surface of the circuit board substantially opposite the first set of power switches and electrically coupled to the first set of power switches forming an inverter bridge circuit, power terminals arranged on a side edge of the circuit board and coupled to the output of the inverter bridge, a first heat sink mounted on the first surface of the circuit board covering the first set of power switches, and a second heat sink covering the first heat sink and at least portions of the power terminals.

Power module for a brushless motor

An electronic module is provided for a power tool having an electric motor. The module includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first surface and a second surface; first set of power switches mounted on the first surface of the PCB; second set of power switches mounted on the PCB and electrically coupled to the first power switches forming an inverter bridge circuit for driving the electric motor; a first heat sink surface-mounted on the first surface of the PCB and having a planar main body disposed over the first power switches; a module housing arranged to receive the PCB therein; and a second heat sink secured to the module housing in thermal communication with the first heat sink to transfer heat from the first power switches.

An electronic module is provided for a power tool having an electric motor. The electronic module includes a printed circuit board (PCB) being substantially disc-shaped; power switches mounted on the PCB forming an inverter bridge circuit for driving the electric motor; a controller mounted on the PCB and configured to control a switching operation of the power switches; positional sensors mounted on the PCB substantially equidistantly from a center of the PCB within the control portion and in communication with the controller to provide positional signals related to a rotational position of the electric motor to the controller; and a module housing arranged to receive the PCB therein. The module housing includes a planar portion in parallel to the PCB and openings disposed in the planar portion angularly around a center of the module housing to receive the positional sensors therein.

A power tool is provided, including a housing; an electric brushless DC motor disposed within the housing; and a control unit disposed within the housing and electrically coupled to the motor. The control unit includes a circuit board, a first set of power switches mounted on a first surface of the circuit board, a second set of power switches mounted on a second surface of the circuit board substantially opposite the first set of power switches and electrically coupled to the first set of power switches forming an inverter bridge circuit, power terminals arranged on a side edge of the circuit board and coupled to the output of the inverter bridge, and a heat sink mounted on the first surface of the circuit board covering the first set of power switches.

Packaging of a control module for a brushless motor

An electronic module is provided including: a circuit board including conductive pads and a sense pad coupled to an output signal; an actuator having a wiper member accommodating a conductive wiper, the wiper having a first end arranged to slidably engage the sense pad and a second end arranged to slidably engage at least one of the conductive pads; and at least one gap disposed to partition the sense pad into segments along an axial movement path of the conductive wiper, the segments being electrically connected to each other to have the same electric potential.

Variable-speed input unit having segmented pads for a power tool

An electronic switch and control module for a power tool having an electric motor is provided. The module includes a printed circuit board (PCB), an encapsulation member forming an enclosed compartment enclosing a portion of a surface of the PCB, and power switches mounted on the surface of the PCB outside the enclosed compartment, where the power switches are electrically configured to switchably connect a supply of electric power from a power source to the electric motor. The module further includes an input unit having at least one electro-mechanical element at least partially disposed within the enclosed component and generating a signal for controlling a switching operation of the plurality of power switches.

Integrated electronic switch and control module for a power tool

An electronic switch and control module for a power tool having an electric motor is provided. The module includes a module housing including a bottom surface, side walls, and an open face, a printed circuit board (PCB) received from the open face of the module housing and securely disposed within the module housing at a distance from the bottom surface of the module housing; power switches mounted on a top surface of the PCB, and heat sinks discretely arranged and each mounted over a respective one of the plurality of power switches and secured to the top surface of the PCB to transfer heat away from the power switch through the open face of the module housing. The module further includes an input unit having conductive tracks disposed on the PCB and an electro-mechanical element engaging the plurality of conductive tracks, the input unit generating a signal for controlling a switching operation of the plurality of power switches, and a controller mounted on the PCB configured to control the switching operation of the power switches based on the signal from the input unit.

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Windsor, PA, United States of America

Michael D Grove