Makita Corporation

Nobuyasu Furui

Masaaki Fukumoto

Hitoshi Suzuki

Takuya Umemura

Kosuke Ito

Hitoshi Sengiku

Shuji Yoshikawa

Tatsuya Nagahama

Hidenori Nagasaka

Kazunori Tsuge

Motohiro Omura

Kenji Abe

Takeshi Nishimiya

Masayoshi Okumi

Kenji Shibata

Kenichi Ota

Kiyoshi Aoyama

Masanori Higashi

Koki Hyodo

A power tool includes a motor and a controller in a power tool housing. A battery pack interface is defined on and/or in the power tool housing. A receptacle is defined on and/or in the power tool housing to removably accommodate a wireless communication adapter such that the wireless communication adapter is disposed entirely within a shell of the power tool and no portion of the wireless communication adapter extends beyond an outer contour of the power tool housing. At least one communication terminal is disposed within the receptacle and is electrically connectable to the wireless communication adapter. The controller outputs to the at least one communication terminal a signal indicating a charge level of a battery pack attached to the battery pack interface, a number of hours of operation of the power tool, a power tool overheated alert, and/or a battery pack overloaded alert.

Power tool system having receptacle for wireless communication adapter

A power tool includes a power tool housing accommodating a motor; a battery pack interface electrically connected to the motor and being configured to be physically and electrically connected to and disconnected from a power tool interface of a battery pack; and a wireless communicator configured to be attached to or detached from the power tool housing. The wireless communicator wirelessly transmits data between the power tool and an external device using radio waves. In addition, the power tool housing includes a receptacle opening configured to accommodate the wireless communicator within the power tool housing such that no part of the wireless communicator projects or protrudes beyond an outer surface or contour of the power tool housing.

Power tool system having wireless communicator

A power tool system includes a hand-held power tool having a power tool housing accommodating a motor, and a battery pack interface electrically connected to the motor within the power tool housing. A battery pack includes a battery pack housing accommodating at least one battery cell and a power tool interface electrically connected to the at least one battery cell within the battery pack housing. The power tool interface is configured to be physically and electrically connected to and disconnected from the battery pack interface of the power tool. A wireless communicator is attached to or accommodated within the battery pack housing. The wireless communicator is configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device using radio waves while the power tool interface of the battery pack is physically and electrically connected to the battery pack interface of the hand-held power tool.

Power tool system and battery pack therefor having wireless communicator

A power tool system includes a hand-held power tool having a power tool housing accommodating a motor, and a battery pack interface electrically connected to the motor within the power tool housing. A battery pack includes a battery pack housing accommodating at least one battery cell and a power tool interface electrically connected to the at least one battery cell within the battery pack housing. The power tool interface is configured to be physically and electrically connected to and disconnected from the battery pack interface of the power tool. A communicator is attached to or accommodated within the battery pack housing. The communicator is configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device.

A method for recharging a battery pack (') includes attaching a portable charger () to a user, which portable charger comprises or is attached to a self-contained power supply () and wherein a first charging port () of the portable charger is disposed, e.g., on a belt () worn by the user, hanging the battery pack on the belt while the battery pack is physically engaged and in electrical communication with a power tool (&#x2032;), and initiating a transfer of power from the charger to the battery pack when the first charging port is at least proximal to a second charging port () that is in electrical communication with at least one battery cell () of the battery pack. A portable charging system capable of performing this method, as well as an adapter for use in performing this method, are also disclosed.

Portable battery pack charging system, method for recharging a battery pack, and adapter therefor

A power tool system includes a hand-held power tool having a motor or a solenoid that drives a tool, and a first memory that stores at least one pass code. A battery pack is detachably attached to, and supplies current to, the power tool and has a second memory that stores at least one pass code. An electronically-actuatable lock and a first controller are provided in the power tool and/or in the battery pack. The first controller reads the pass codes from the first and second memories when the battery pack is attached to the power tool, directly compares the pass codes from the first memory and the second memory, and causes the first electronically-actuatable lock to prohibit or impair operation of the power tool when the pass codes do not match or otherwise correspond in a predetermined manner.

Theft-deterrence system for power tool system, and adapter and method therefor

An operation switch sends an ON signal to a control processor indicating the operation switch is triggered by a user. A magnetic sensor sends a sensor signal to the control processor based on a displacement of a chip rod in a rearward direction. In the case where the sensor signal has not yet been sent, the control processor performs a control in a first mode where a brushless DC motor is not driven. In the case where sensor signal is sent, control processor performs a control in a second mode wherein the brushless DC motor is driven. An output in the first mode is lower than in the second mode. Because of this manner of construction, even if an ON input is triggered and held by the user, electric power is conserved while the operation switch is switched on and a hexagonal nut is not fastened, improving power consumption efficiency.

Nut-fastening tool

A charger for a hand-held power tool includes a power source interface, a charger base and a charging cradle rotatably supported on the charger base. The rotatable charging cradle includes at least two charging output terminals electrically connected to the power source interface. A power tool system includes the charger and the hand-held power tool. A method of charging the power tool system includes contacting charging input terminals of the power tool with the charging output terminals, rotating the charging cradle and the power tool relative to the charging base and supplying charging current to at least one battery cell while the charging cradle and the power tool are allowed to freely swing relative to the charging base.

Charger for hand-held power tool, power tool system and method of charging a power tool battery

A method for recharging a battery pack includes attaching a portable charger to a user, which portable charger includes or is attached to a self-contained power supply and wherein a first charging port of the portable charger is disposed, e.g., on a belt worn by the user, hanging the battery pack on the belt while the battery pack is physically engaged and in electrical communication with a power tool, and initiating a transfer of power from the charger to the battery pack when the first charging port is at least proximal to a second charging port that is in electrical communication with at least one battery cell of the battery pack. A portable charging system capable of performing this method, as well as an adapter for use in performing this method, are also disclosed.

An adapter for a power tool powered by a detachable battery pack includes a connector for directly connecting the adapter only to the power tool in a detachable manner, a controller, at least one memory and/or storage device in communication with the controller, and at least one communication port configured to transmit electrical communications from the adapter controller to a controller located in the power tool and vice versa. The adapter is further configured such that, when a battery pack, which also includes a controller, is connected to the power tool, a communication path is established from the battery pack controller to the adapter controller via the power tool controller.

Adapter for power tools, power tool system and method of operating the same

An adapter for a power tool powered by a detachable battery pack which adapter includes a connector configured to detachably connect the adapter directly to the power tool, an adapter controller, at least one memory and/or storage device in communication with the adapter controller and configured to store maintenance information concerning the battery pack or to store maintenance information concerning the battery pack and the power tool, at least one communication port configured to transmit electrical communications, including said maintenance information, from the adapter controller to a controller located in the power tool and vice versa, and a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the maintenance information to an external device.

Adapter for power tools, power tool system and method for wirelessly communicating maintenance information therefor

A hand-held power tool includes a motor having a stator and a rotor, the motor being configured to rotate the rotor at a speed of at least 40,000 rpm, an output shaft directly driven by the rotor, a tool accessory shaft configured to support a tool accessory, and a two-stage speed reducing transmission operably connecting the output shaft to the tool accessory shaft. The two-stage speed reducing transmission is configured to drive the tool accessory shaft at a rate less than the rotor speed, for example, at a rate less than or equal to 37.5% of the rotor speed.

Power tool with high-speed electric motor

Object of the invention is to provide an improved technique for winding a wire to form an armature winding between a commutator and an armature. Representative motor is provided with a motor with an armature having slots, a commutator, and segments on the commutator and an armature winding having first and second unit windings. The first unit winding is defined by a first to a third segments, a coil of a first group and a coil of a second group in series, and a first equalizing wire. The second unit winding of the motor is defined by a third to a fifth segments, a coil of a first group and a coil of a second group for the second unit winding, and a second equalizing wire. The coils are disposed in series with this order and in a position shifted from the coils of the first and the second groups for the first unit winding. The third segment defines an endpoint of the first unit winding and also defines a starting point of the second unit winding. With such construction, the wire for forming the armature winding can be wound between the commutator and the armature in a balanced manner.

Motor and method for manufacturing the motor

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved technique for controlling the output characteristic of a motor. Representative power tool includes a tool bit and a motor. The motor drives the tool bit and includes an armature, a coordinator, a plurality of segments and a plurality of armature windings. The armature has a plurality of slots. The communicator rotates together with the armature. Plurality of segments is provided on the communicator. Respective armature windings are connected at the both ends of the segments. Each of the armature windings is defined by coils that are wound between respective pairs of the slots of the armature. Each of the armature windings is formed by at least two coils connected in series. At least one of the coils defining the armature winding has a different number of turns of a wire wound between the associated slots from the other coils in the same armature winding. On the same time, the total number of turns of the coils of each of the armature windings is the same. Thus, as a result, the magnetic field around each of the armature windings can be kept substantially the same while providing fine adjustment of the numbers of turns in the armature windings.

Growing community of inventors

Anjo, Japan

Nobuyasu Furui