Abstract: A method of operating a power tool having a motor and a controller is provided. The method includes: setting a protection time limit associated with a condition of the motor; taking protective action to shut down the motor if the condition of the motor persists for a duration of the protection time limit; and in response to occurrence of the condition during a start-up period of operation of the motor, extending the protection time limit for a duration of a constant-clutch time period to allow an output speed of the motor to reach or exceed a speed threshold, and taking protective action to shut down the motor if the output speed of the motor remains below the speed threshold for the duration of the constant-clutch time period.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing; an electric motor disposed within the housing; a main trigger switch mounted on the housing; a side handle mounted on the housing, the side handle having an auxiliary trigger; and a controller disposed within the housing operable to control a flow of electric current from a power source to the electric motor. The controller activates the motor only if the main trigger and the auxiliary trigger are both actuated. If the one of the triggers is released while the other trigger is still engaged, the controller is configured to continue operating the motor only if the released trigger is reengaged within a time threshold, but otherwise discontinue operating the motor until both the main trigger and the auxiliary triggers are released and reengaged.

Abstract: A side handle for a power tool is provided including a main gripping body; a rod extending through the main gripping body and having a threaded end extending through a frontal end of the main gripping body; and a knob mounted on an end of the rod opposite the threaded end and being rotatable relative to the main gripping body. The frontal end of the main gripping body includes a keying feature operable to engage a portion of the power tool to prevent rotation of the main gripping body relative to the power tool while the knob is rotated to fasten the threaded end of the rod to a threaded opening of the power tool.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a motor having an axial length of smaller than or equal to 65 mm and an outer diameter of smaller than or equal to 63 mm. The electric motor is configured to produce a maximum power output of greater than or equal to 2800 watts when the battery pack coupled to the battery receiver has a nominal voltage output of smaller than or equal to 60 volts and a rated capacity of approximately 9 ampere-hours (A.h.). Further, the motor drives an output spindle so as to maintain an output rotational speed of greater than 3,500 rotations-per-minute (RPM) within a torque range of 30 inch-lbs to 45 inch-lbs and exhibit a drop in the output rotational speed that is less than or equal to approximately 11.5% as the torque increases from 30 inch-lbs to 45 inch-lbs.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing including a motor case and a handle; an electric motor housed within the motor case and rotatably driving a motor spindle; a gear case mounted on the housing; and an output spindle rotatably coupled to the motor spindle. The output spindle, motor spindle, and the handle form the plane through the housing. A fan is coupled to the motor to generate an airflow through the housing. The housing includes a first air inlet on a first side of the plane and a second air inlet a second side of the plane opposite the first air inlet, both adjacent the motor. The first air inlet is larger than the second air inlet to allow a larger volume of air to enter the housing from the first side of the plane than from the second side of the plane.

Abstract: A power adaptor is provided including a housing receiving a first power cord couplable to a power source through a and a second power cord couplable to a load through a second axial end, a protective capacitor mounted on a circuit board within the housing, a first set of terminals mounted on a first side of the circuit board adjacent the protective capacitor and configured to electrically couple line and neutral wires of the first power cord to the protective capacitor, and a second set of terminals mounted on a second side of the circuit board adjacent the protective capacitor and configured to electrically couple line and neutral wires of the second power cord to the protective capacitor. The protective capacitor is configured to discharge when current draw by the load exceeds a current threshold.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing defining a cavity therein, where the housing includes a motor case and a handle portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the housing from the motor case; an electric motor having a drive shaft and mounted within the motor case; a partitioning wall extending radially and separating the motor case portion from the non-motor case portion of the housing; and a bearing pocket with an open end facing the motor case portion formed in the partitioning wall and a main body extending away from the electric motor for receiving a rotor bearing. The handle portion includes two elongate walls extending from the partitioning wall, a circuit board supported by the two elongate walls and including a motor drive circuit, and two covers secured to the two elongate walls to cover the circuit board.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a motor case and a handle portion. An electric motor having a drive shaft is mounted within the motor case. A circuit board is disposed in the handle portion to accommodate a motor drive circuit. The motor drive circuit includes a rectifier configured to receive an alternating current from an alternating current (AC) power source and convert it to a direct current supplied to a DC power bus, and a bridge circuit having motor switches connected between the rectifier and the electric motor. A bus capacitor is mounted on the circuit board and coupled across the DC power bus. An auxiliary capacitor having higher capacitance than the bus capacitor is switchably coupled across the DC power bus. The handle portion includes a support member protruding radially outwardly to accommodate the auxiliary capacitor.

Abstract: A side handle for a power tool is provided including a main gripping body; a rod extending through the main gripping body and having a threaded end extending through a frontal end of the main gripping body; and a knob mounted on an end of the rod opposite the threaded end and being rotatable relative to the main gripping body. The frontal end of the main gripping body includes a keying feature operable to engage a portion of the power tool to prevent rotation of the main gripping body relative to the power tool while the knob is rotated to fasten the threaded end of the rod to a threaded opening of the power tool.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing; an electric motor disposed within the housing; a main trigger switch mounted on the housing; a side handle mounted on the housing, the side handle having an auxiliary trigger; and a controller disposed within the housing operable to control a flow of electric current from a power source to the electric motor. The controller activates the motor only if the main trigger and the auxiliary trigger are both actuated. If the one of the triggers is released while the other trigger is still engaged, the controller is configured to continue operating the motor only if the released trigger is reengaged within a time threshold, but otherwise discontinue operating the motor until both the main trigger and the auxiliary triggers are released and reengaged.

Abstract: The present directed to a cordless power tool system including a plurality of cordless power tools, a plurality of fixed voltage and multi-voltage battery packs and a plurality of battery pack chargers. The battery packs include circuitry to indicate various parameters about the battery pack and communicate this indication to the power tools in order to enable the power tools to alter their motor output schemes to improve performance. The indication may include whether the battery pack is a fixed voltage battery pack or a multi-voltage battery pack and when the multi-voltage battery pack is in a first configuration or a second configuration.

Abstract: A power adaptor is provided including a housing receiving a first power cord couplable to a power source through a and a second power cord couplable to a load through a second axial end, a protective capacitor mounted on a circuit board within the housing, a first set of terminals mounted on a first side of the circuit board adjacent the protective capacitor and configured to electrically couple line and neutral wires of the first power cord to the protective capacitor, and a second set of terminals mounted on a second side of the circuit board adjacent the protective capacitor and configured to electrically couple line and neutral wires of the second power cord to the protective capacitor. The protective capacitor is configured to discharge when current draw by the load exceeds a current threshold.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including an output spindle rotatably driven by an electric motor. The output spindle defines a longitudinal axis and includes a threaded portion near a distal end and an annular rim. A retention flange is provided including a radially-oriented disc-shaped portion having a center through-hole through which the output spindle extends and a cylindrical wall peripherally extending from the disc-shaped portion around the output spindle. The disc-shaped portion is located between the distal end and the annular rim, and the cylindrical wall extends around the annular rim. At least one spring member is disposed between the annular rim and the retention flange. A retention member is provided to restrain an axial displacement of the retention flange away from the annular rim due to the biasing force of the spring member.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing including a motor case and a handle; an electric motor housed within the motor case and rotatably driving a motor spindle; a gear case mounted on the housing; and an output spindle rotatably coupled to the motor spindle. The output spindle, motor spindle, and the handle form the plane through the housing. A fan is coupled to the motor to generate an airflow through the housing. The housing includes a first air inlet on a first side of the plane and a second air inlet a second side of the plane opposite the first air inlet, both adjacent the motor. The first air inlet is larger than the second air inlet to allow a larger volume of air to enter the housing from the first side of the plane than from the second side of the plane.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing, a brushless direct-current (BLDC) electric motor disposed inside the housing, power switches disposed between a power supply and the electric motor and including high-side switches and low-side switches, and a control unit configured to control a switching operation of the power switches to operate the electric motor and electronically brake the motor by simultaneously activating the high-side switches or the low-side switches to stop the rotation of the motor upon detection of a condition prompting the braking of the motor. The control unit is configured to detect the condition that prompts the braking of the electric motor, set a braking profile for braking the electric motor based on the detected condition, and execute braking of the electric motor using the braking profile.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing, a motor disposed within the housing, an on/off switch having a contact tip disposed within the housing for activating the motor, a paddle switch coupled to the housing via a pivot member and having a paddle trigger engageable by a user, a switch contact lever disposed in selectable engagement with the contact tip of the on/off switch to activate or deactivate the on/off switch, and a biasing member disposed between the switch contact lever and the paddle switch to absorb a travel distance of the paddle trigger with respect to the switch contact lever.

Abstract: A handheld grinder includes an elongated housing, an electric motor, an output shaft, a wall, a planar circuit board, and a motor drive circuit. The elongated housing defines a cavity therein and includes a motor case disposed at a front end and a handle portion to a rear end. The electric motor has a drive shaft that is mounted within the motor case. The output shaft is drivably coupled to the drive shaft of the electric motor. The wall separates the cavity between the motor case and the handle portion of the housing. The planar circuit board disposed in the handle portion of the housing. The motor drive circuit is accommodated entirely within the handle portion of the housing on the planar circuit board.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a motor case and a handle portion. An electric motor having a drive shaft is mounted within the motor case. A circuit board is disposed in the handle portion to accommodate a motor drive circuit. The motor drive circuit includes a rectifier configured to receive an alternating current from an alternating current (AC) power source and convert it to a direct current supplied to a DC power bus, and a bridge circuit having motor switches connected between the rectifier and the electric motor. A bus capacitor is mounted on the circuit board and coupled across the DC power bus. An auxiliary capacitor having higher capacitance than the bus capacitor is switchably coupled across the DC power bus. The handle portion includes a support member protruding radially outwardly to accommodate the auxiliary capacitor.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including an elongated housing. The housing includes a motor case disposed at a front end thereof and a handle portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the housing from the motor case to a rear end of the housing. The handle portion includes two elongated walls extending from the motor case along the longitudinal axis of the housing to form a planar opening within the handle portion. A partition wall is arranged along an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing, separating the handle portion from the motor case. An electric motor having a drive shaft is mounted within the motor case, and a module casing supporting a planar circuit board is received within the planar opening and supported by the elongated walls within the handle portion of the housing axially along the longitudinal axis of the housing.

Abstract: A handheld grinder includes an elongated housing, an electric motor, an output shaft, a wall, a planar circuit board, and a motor drive circuit. The elongated housing defines a cavity therein and includes a motor case disposed at a front end and a handle portion to a rear end. The electric motor has a drive shaft that is mounted within the motor case. The output shaft is drivably coupled to the drive shaft of the electric motor. The wall separates the cavity between the motor case and the handle portion of the housing. The planar circuit board is disposed in the handle portion of the housing. The motor drive circuit is accommodated entirely within the handle portion of the housing on the planar circuit board.