Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing, a brushless motor disposed within the housing, a power switch circuit that supplies power from a power source to the brushless motor, and a controller configured to receive at least one signal associated with a phase current of the motor, detect an angular position of the rotor based on the phase current of the motor, and apply a drive signal to the power switch circuit to control a commutation of the motor based on the detected angular position of the rotor. If the supply of power to the motor is turned OFF to cause the motor to slow down and is turned back ON while the rotor speed exceeds a speed threshold, the controller electronically brakes the motor for a time interval to measure the phase current of the motor and detects the angular position of the rotor based on the measured phase current.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing, a brushless motor disposed within the housing, a power switch circuit that supplies power from a power source to the brushless motor, and a controller configured to apply a drive signal to the power switch circuit to control the supply of power to the brushless motor. The controller is configured to receive at least one signal associated with a phase current of the motor, detect an angular position of the rotor based on the phase current of the motor within a variable speed range of zero to at least 15,000 rotations-per-minute (RPM), and control the drive signal based on the detected angular position of the rotor to electronically commutate the motor within a torque range of zero to at least 15 newton-meters (N.m.) and a power output of zero to at least 1500 watts.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing, a brushless motor disposed within the housing, a power switch circuit that supplies power from a power source to the brushless motor, and a controller configured to receive at least one signal associated with a phase current of the motor, detect an angular position of the rotor based on the phase current of the motor, and apply a drive signal to the power switch circuit to control a commutation of the motor based on the detected angular position of the rotor. The controller detects an initial sector within which the rotor is located at start-up, apply the drive signal so as to rotate the motor to a parking angle associated with the detected initial sector, and control a commutation sequence to drive the motor beginning at the parking angle.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a brushless motor having a stator defining a plurality of phases and a rotor. A power unit is provided including power switches and a control unit outputs a drive signal to the motor switches to drive the phases of the motor using a trapezoidal control scheme over a series of sectors. The control unit sets a conduction band within which each phase is commutated to a baseline value that is greater than 120 degrees, sets at least one commutation transition point as a function of the set conduction band, and within each sector, monitors an open-phase voltage of the motor to detect a back electromotive force (back-EMF) voltage of the motor and control commutation of at least one phase based on the open-phase voltage of the motor in relation to the at least one commutation transition point.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a brushless motor having a stator defining a plurality of phases and a rotor. A power unit is provided including power switches operable to deliver power to the motor. A primary controller is interfaced with the power unit to output drive signals to drive the phases of the motor over a series of sectors of the rotor rotation. The primary controller measures a back-electromotive force voltage of the motor and transitions motor commutation from the present sector to the next sector based in relation to the back-EMF voltage. A second controller is provided to receive at least one of the drive signals, calculate a speed and/or direction of rotation of the motor from the drive signals, and take corrective action to cut off supply of power to the motor if it detects an overspeed condition or incorrect direction of rotation.

Abstract: A power tool comprising a housing, a motor, and a circuit board residing in the housing is provided. A rectifier that receives an alternating current and converts the alternating current to a direct current, a switching arrangement having a plurality of motor switches connected electrically between the rectifier and the motor, and a capacitor connected electrically between the rectifier and the switching arrangement, are mounted on a rear portion of a planar surface of the circuit board. A switching arrangement and at least one heat sink in thermal communication therewith are mounted on a front portion of the planar surface of the circuit board.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a power supply interface receiving a medium-voltage-rated removable battery pack having a maximum rated voltage in the range of 40 to 80 volts, and a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor. The motor includes a rotor and a stator having at least three stator windings corresponding to at least three phases of the motor, the rotor being moveable by the stator when the stator windings are appropriately energized within the corresponding phases, each phase being characterized by a corresponding voltage waveform energizing the corresponding stator winding. A multi-phase inverter bridge circuit is disposed between the power supply interface and the motor, and a controller is configured to output drive signals to the inverter bridge circuit to control flow of current from the battery pack to the motor such that the motor produces a maximum power output of at least 2500 watts.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a brushless electric motor, a switching arrangement having motor switches and interposed between the electric motor and a power supply, and a controller configured to control a switching operation of the motor switches for driving the electric motor and enforce a current limit on the current delivered to the electric motor. The controller receives a measure of current passing from the power supply to the switching arrangement and takes corrective action to reduce current delivered to the electric motor if the measured current exceeds the current limit. The controller further receives a signal corresponding to at least one of a type and/or a nominal voltage of the power supply and sets the current limit based on the received signal.

Abstract: A power tool includes a tool body including a motor having an output member that drives an accessory. A chuck is coupled for rotation with the output member relative to the tool body and configured to retain the accessory. The chuck has a chuck body that defines at least one light pipe formed therethrough. A light source disposed on a light ring coupled to the tool body and includes at least one light. Each at least one light source aligns with each of the at least one light pipe intermittently during rotation of the chuck.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a brushless motor. A power supply interface is arranged to receive at least one of AC power from an AC power supply having a first nominal voltage or DC power from a DC power supply having a second nominal voltage, where the first and second nominal voltages both fall approximately within the operating voltage range of the motor. A motor control circuit is provided including a rectifier circuit converting the AC power to a rectified voltage signal, a power switch circuit having power switches to supply electric power from at least one of the DC power or the rectified voltage signal to the motor, and a controller controlling a switching operation of the power switches to regulate the supply of electric power to the motor at a level corresponding to the operating voltage range of the motor.

Abstract: A power tool includes a tool body including a motor having an output member that drives an accessory. A chuck is coupled for rotation with the output member relative to the tool body and configured to retain the accessory. The chuck has a chuck body that defines at least one light pipe formed therethrough. A light source disposed on a light ring coupled to the tool body and includes at least one light. Each at least one light source aligns with each of the at least one light pipe intermittently during rotation of the chuck.

Abstract: A power tool is provided with a multi-phase brushless motor including a rotor and a stator having stator windings corresponding to at least three phases of the motor. A power switch circuit is provided including high-side and low-side power switches. A power supply interface receives alternating-current (AC) power from an AC power supply or battery direct-current (DC) power from one or more battery packs. A rectifier converts the AC power to a rectified DC voltage on a bus line. A capacitor is disposed across the bus line such that, within each half cycle of the AC power voltage waveform, the power switch circuit draws current from the AC power supply within a first time period and from the capacitor within a second time period, the capacitor having a capacitance value such that the first time period is greater than the second time period.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a brushless motor having a rotor and a stator. A power supply interface is arranged to selectively receive a first power input from a first power supply having a first nominal voltage and a second power input from a second power supply having a second nominal voltage, where the second nominal voltage is less than the first nominal voltage. A motor control circuit is provided including a power switch circuit having a power switches disposed between the power supply interface and the motor, and a controller outputting drive signals to the power switches within each phase of the motor to control power supplied to the brushless motor from the power supplies. Each phase is associated with a conduction band (CB). The controller sets the conduction band for each phase to a first CB value when receiving power from the first power supply and to a second CB value that is less that the first CB value when receiving power from the second power supply.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a brushless electric motor, a switching arrangement having motor switches and interposed between the electric motor and a power supply, and a controller configured to control a switching operation of the motor switches for driving the electric motor and enforce a current limit on the current delivered to the electric motor. The controller receives a measure of current passing from the power supply to the switching arrangement and takes corrective action to reduce current delivered to the electric motor if the measured current exceeds the current limit. The controller is further configured to initiate a protective response if a number of time intervals in which the measured current exceeds the current limit exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including an electric universal motor. A power supply interface is arranged to receive at least one of Alternating Current (AC) power from an AC power supply having a first nominal voltage higher than the operating voltage of the motor, or Direct Current (DC) power from a DC power supply having a second nominal voltage that falls approximately within the operating voltage range of the motor. The power supply interface outputs the AC power via an AC power line and the DC power via a DC power line. A motor control circuit supplies electric power from one of the AC power line or the DC power line via a common node, and reduces a supply of power from the AC power line to a level corresponding to the operating voltage of the operating voltage range of the motor.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including an electric universal motor configured to operate within an operating voltage range of approximately 90V to 132V. A power supply interface is arranged to receive at least one of Alternating Current (AC) power from an AC power supply having a first nominal voltage or Direct Current (DC) power from a DC power supply having a second nominal voltage, where the first and second nominal voltages fall approximately within the operating voltage range of the motor. The power supply interface is configured to output the AC power via an AC power line and the DC power via a DC power line. A motor control circuit supplies electric power from one of the AC power line or the DC power line via a common node to the motor such that the motor brushes are electrically coupled to one of the AC or DC power supplies.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a brushless motor having a rotor and a stator. A power supply interface is arranged to selectively receive a first power input from a first power supply having a first nominal voltage and a second power input from a second power supply having a second nominal voltage, where at least the first nominal voltage does not fall within approximately the operating voltage range of the motor. A motor control circuit is provided including a power switch circuit having power switches that supply electric power from at least one of the first power input or the second power input to the motor, and a controller that controls a switching operation of the power switches to optimize the supply of electric power from the first power input at a level corresponding to the operating voltage range of the motor.

Abstract: Conduction band control schemes are presented for reducing noise and/or lower harmonics in power tools. A controller in the tool is interfaced with a plurality of motor switches and, for each phase, operates to output a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal to one or more of the motor switches to control power supplied to the electric motor. The controller is also configured to monitor a parameter indicative of the load on the motor. In response to detecting a load greater than a threshold, the controller controls power output of the motor by setting conduction band of the motor switches and the advance angle to baseline values predetermined values. In response to detecting a load less than the threshold, the controller reduces at least one of the conduction band and the advance angle to a value less than the baseline values.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including an electric universal motor. A power supply interface is arranged to receive at least one of Alternating Current (AC) power from an AC power supply having a first nominal voltage higher than the operating voltage of the motor, or Direct Current (DC) power from a DC power supply having a second nominal voltage that falls approximately within the operating voltage range of the motor. The power supply interface outputs the AC power via an AC power line and the DC power via a DC power line. A motor control circuit supplies electric power from one of the AC power line or the DC power line via a common node, and reduces a supply of power from the AC power line to a level corresponding to the operating voltage of the operating voltage range of the motor.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including an electric direct-current (DC) motor. A power supply interface is arranged to receive at least one of Alternating Current (AC) power from an AC power supply having a first nominal voltage, or Direct Current (DC) power from a DC power supply having a second nominal voltage. The power supply interface outputs the AC power via an AC power line and the DC power via a DC power line. A motor control circuit supplies electric power from one of the AC power line or the DC power line via a common node.