Abstract: An improved electromechanical Blade Clutch Actuator (BCA) that employs an electric gear motor system to provide more economical, convenient and reliable user control with an electric switch to engage/disengage the cutting blades. The user control may be a switch remotely mounted anywhere on the mower for greater design freedom due to the removal of the manual interface. The BCA also incorporates a novel slip clutch for overload protection.

Abstract: An improved electromechanical Blade Clutch Actuator (BCA) that employs an electric gear motor system to provide more economical, convenient and reliable user control with an electric switch to engage/disengage the cutting blades. The user control may be a switch remotely mounted anywhere on the mower for greater design freedom due to the removal of the manual interface. The BCA also incorporates a novel slip clutch for overload protection.

Abstract: A protective redundancy circuit is provided for a power tool having an electric motor. The protective redundant subsystem is comprised of: a motor switch coupled in series with the motor; a motor control module that controls the switching operation of the motor switch; and a protective control module that monitors switching operation of the motor switch and disables the power tool when the switching operation of the motor switch fails. In the context of an AC powered tool, the switching operation of the motor switch is correlated to and synchronized to the waveform of the AC input signal. During each cycle or half cycle, the motor control module introduces a delay period before closing the motor switch and the protective control module determines the operational status of the motor switch by measuring the voltage across the motor switch during the delay period.

Abstract: A protective redundancy circuit is provided for a power tool having an electric motor. The protective redundant subsystem is comprised of: a motor switch coupled in series with the motor; a motor control module that controls the switching operation of the motor switch; and a protective control module that monitors switching operation of the motor switch and disables the power tool when the switching operation of the motor switch fails. In the context of an AC powered tool, the switching operation of the motor switch is correlated to and synchronized to the waveform of the AC input signal. During each cycle or half cycle, the motor control module introduces a delay period before closing the motor switch and the protective control module determines the operational status of the motor switch by measuring the voltage across the motor switch during the delay period.

Abstract: A protective redundancy circuit is provided for a power tool having an electric motor. The protective redundant subsystem is comprised of: a motor switch coupled in series with the motor; a motor control module that controls the switching operation of the motor switch; and a protective control module that monitors switching operation of the motor switch and disables the power tool when the switching operation of the motor switch fails. In the context of an AC powered tool, the switching operation of the motor switch is correlated to and synchronized to the waveform of the AC input signal. During each cycle or half cycle, the motor control module introduces a delay period before closing the motor switch and the protective control module determines the operational status of the motor switch by measuring the voltage across the motor switch during the delay period.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a housing and an electric motor disposed in the housing. The motor includes a stator having pole pieces mated together and field coils disposed on the pole pieces, the stator having an outside diameter. The motor also includes an armature having an outside diameter that is at least 0.625 of the outside diameter of the stator.

Abstract: A power tool has a motor having a stator made by separately forming pole pieces and field coils. The field coils are placed over necks of the pole path pieces. An armature has an outside diameter of at least 0.625 the outside diameter of the stator is placed in the stator. The housing has a girth of 200 mm or less with the motor wound to provide a maximum watts out to housing girth ratio of at least 5 maximum watts outs to 1 mm of housing girth. The field coils may be formed so that they extend beyond pole tips of the pole pieces.

Abstract: A power tool has a motor having a stator made by separately forming pole pieces and field coils. The field coils are placed over necks of the pole path pieces. An armature has an outside diameter of at least 0.625 the outside diameter of the stator is placed in the stator. The housing has a girth of 200 mm or less with the motor wound to provide a maximum watts out to housing girth ratio of at least 5 maximum watts outs to 1 mm of housing girth. The field coils may be formed so that they extend beyond pole tips of the pole pieces.

Abstract: A power tool has a motor having a stator made by separately forming pole pieces, return path pieces and field coils. The field coils are placed over necks of the pole path pieces and the return path pieces are affixed to the pole pieces. An armature having an outside diameter of at least 0.625 the outside diameter of the stator is placed in the stator. The field coils may be formed so that they extend beyond pole tips of the pole pieces.

Abstract: A universal termination system is provided for power tools. The universal termination system includes criteria for each of the main switch platforms that define the number, type, location and orientation of the terminations. That is, the number, type, location and orientation of the terminations in each main switch platform are standardized and the power tools that use that type main switch platform use the main switch platform having the standardized terminations. That is, power tools that use push button switches use the push button switch with the standardized terminations, power tools that use overhang switches use the overhang switch with the standardized terminations, and power tools that use in-line VSR switches use the in-line VSR switch with the standardized terminations. In an aspect of the invention, a right-angle pin terminal is received in one or more sets of the standardized terminations.

Abstract: A universal termination system is provided for power tools. The universal termination system includes criteria for each of the main switch platforms that define the number, type, location and orientation of the terminations. That is, the number, type, location and orientation of the terminations in each main switch platform are standardized and the power tools that use that type main switch platform use the main switch platform having the standardized terminations. That is, power tools that use push button switches use the push button switch with the standardized terminations, power tools that use overhang switches use the overhang switch with the standardized terminations, and power tools that use in-line VSR switches use the in-line VSR switch with the standardized terminations. In an aspect of the invention, a right-angle pin terminal is received in one or more sets of the standardized terminations.

Abstract: A universal termination system is provided for power tools. The universal termination system includes criteria for each of the main switch platforms that define the number, type, location and orientation of the terminations. That is, the number, type, location and orientation of the terminations in each main switch platform are standardized and the power tools that use that type main switch platform use the main switch platform having the standardized terminations. That is, power tools that use push button switches use the push button switch with the standardized terminations, power tools that use overhang switches use the overhang switch with the standardized terminations, and power tools that use in-line VSR switches use the in-line VSR switch with the standardized terminations. In an aspect of the invention, a right-angle pin terminal is received in one or more sets of the standardized terminations.

Abstract: A power tool has an electric motor with field windings. Each field winding includes two coils. When the motor is first energized, the two coils of each field winding are connected in series, reducing in-rush current. Upon expiration of a soft start period, the two coils of each field winding are connected in parallel. In another aspect, the field windings that are connected in series with a separate start winding when the motor is first energized. Upon expiration of the soft start period, the start winding is bypassed. In another aspect, the field windings are connected in series with a start impedance when the motor is first energized and a time delay relay having a set of delay contacts coupled across the start impedance energized. Upon expiration of the soft start period, the time delay contacts close, bypassing the start impedance. In an aspect, the motor is a universal motor.

Abstract: A power tool has a motor having a stator made by separately forming pole pieces, return path pieces and field coils. The field coils are placed over necks of the pole path pieces and the return path pieces are affixed to the pole pieces. An armature having an outside diameter of at least 0.625 the outside diameter of the stator is placed in the stator. The field coils may be formed so that they extend beyond pole tips of the pole pieces.

Abstract: A protective redundancy circuit is provided for a power tool having an electric motor. The protective redundant subsystem is comprised of: a motor switch coupled in series with the motor; a motor control module that controls the switching operation of the motor switch; and a protective control module that monitors switching operation of the motor switch and disables the power tool when the switching operation of the motor switch fails. In the context of an AC powered tool, the switching operation of the motor switch is correlated to and synchronized to the waveform of the AC input signal. During each cycle or half cycle, the motor control module introduces a delay period before closing the motor switch and the protective control module determines the operational status of the motor switch by measuring the voltage across the motor switch during the delay period.

Abstract: A power tool has a motor having a stator made by separately forming pole pieces, return path pieces and field coils. The field coils are placed over necks of the pole path pieces and the return path pieces are affixed to the pole pieces. An armature having an outside diameter of at least 0.625 the outside diameter of the stator is placed in the stator. The field coils may be formed so that they extend beyond pole tips of the pole pieces.

Abstract: A universal termination system is provided for power tools. The universal termination system includes criteria for each of the main switch platforms that define the number, type, location and orientation of the terminations. That is, the number, type, location and orientation of the terminations in each main switch platform are standardized and the power tools that use that type main switch platform use the main switch platform having the standardized terminations. That is, power tools that use push button switches use the push button switch with the standardized terminations, power tools that use overhang switches use the overhang switch with the standardized terminations, and power tools that use in-line VSR switches use the in-line VSR switch with the standardized terminations. In an aspect of the invention, a right-angle pin terminal is received in one or more sets of the standardized terminations.

Abstract: A power tool has an electric motor with field windings. In an aspect of the invention, each field winding includes two coils wound with the same number of turns of the same gauge magnet wire. When the motor is first energized, the two coils of each field winding are connected in series, reducing in-rush current. Upon expiration of a soft start period, which can be after the motor reaches a predetermined speed or upon expiration of a predetermined time period, the two coils of each field winding are connected in parallel. In another aspect of the invention, an electric motor used in a power tool includes field windings that are connected in series with a separate start winding when the motor is first energized. Upon expiration of the soft start period, the start winding is bypassed. In another aspect of the invention, the separate start winding includes two sub-windings.

Abstract: A tool and method for winding and forming a field coil for field assembly, such as a stator, includes separable tool halves defining a winding cavity therebetween. The winding cavity receives magnet wire that is wound therein, such as by rotating the tool or a winding nozzle. The magnet wire generally conforms to the shape of the winding cavity such that when the tool halves are separated, a field coil having a net shape is produced. Once the magnet wire is sufficiently deposited within the winding cavity, wires of the coil may be bonded together either through a resistive heating process such as by passing an electrical current through the coil or through other heating or chemical bonding methods to thereby maintain the net shape of the field coil once it is removed from the tool.

Abstract: A tool and method for winding and forming a field coil for field assembly, such as a stator, includes separable tool halves defining a winding cavity therebetween. The winding cavity receives magnet wire that is wound therein, such as by rotating the tool or a winding nozzle. The magnet wire generally conforms to the shape of the winding cavity such that when the tool halves are separated, a field coil having a net shape is produced. Once the magnet wire is sufficiently deposited within the winding cavity, wires of the coil may be bonded together either through a resistive heating process such as by passing an electrical current through the coil or through other heating or chemical bonding methods to thereby maintain the net shape of the field coil once it is removed from the tool.