Multi-speed power tool with electronic clutch

Abstract

A power tool and a method of operating a power tool including a motor, a clutch collar including a plurality of settings, a wireless transceiver operable to form a wireless connection with a remote device, and a processor coupled to the clutch collar and the wireless transceiver. The processor receives, via the wireless transceiver, a mapping including a plurality of torque levels corresponding to the plurality of settings. The processor detects that the clutch collar is set to a setting of the plurality of settings. The processor is further determines the torque level for the setting from the mapping and detects, during the operation of the power tool, that a torque of the power tool exceeds the torque level. The processor is also configured to generate an indication that the torque exceeds the torque level. The indication may include flashing a light, ratcheting the motor, and stopping the motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power tool comprising:
 a housing;   a motor within the housing;   a wireless transceiver operable to form a wireless connection with a remote device; and   a processor connected to the wireless transceiver, the processor configured to:
 receive, via the wireless transceiver, a torque level from the remote device, 
 detect, during operation of the power tool, that a torque of the power tool exceeds the torque level, and 
 generate an indication that the torque exceeds the torque level. 
   
     
     
         2 . The power tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a current sensor connected to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to detect the torque based on a motor current sensed by the current sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the indication includes at least one selected from the group consisting of flashing a light, ratcheting the motor, and stopping the motor. 
     
     
         4 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the indication includes ratcheting the motor, and an intensity of the ratcheting is set by the processor based on the torque level. 
     
     
         5 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the torque level is provided as a fixed magnitude of torque. 
     
     
         6 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the torque level is provided as a percentage of available torque. 
     
     
         7 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive, via the wireless transceiver, a request to enable an anti-kickback feature;   receive, via the wireless transceiver, an anti-kickback level for the anti-kickback feature;   set the anti-kickback torque level;   detect, during operation of the power tool, that the torque of the power tool exceeds the anti-kickback torque level; and   stop the motor when the torque exceeds the anti-kickback torque level.   
     
     
         8 . The power of  claim 1 , wherein the torque level is a first torque level provided for a first mode, the power tool further comprising:
 a mode selector configured to select between the first mode and a second mode;   the electronic processor is further configured to:
 receive, via the wireless transceiver, a second torque level from the remote device for the second mode, 
 receive, using the mode selector, a selection of the second mode, 
 detect, during operation of the power tool, that the torque of the power tool exceeds the second torque level, and 
 generate an indication that the torque exceeds the second torque level. 
   
     
     
         9 . A method of operating a power tool including a housing and a motor within the housing, the method comprising:
 receiving, with a processor via a wireless transceiver of the power tool, a torque level from a remote device;   detecting, with the processor, that a torque of the power tool exceeds the torque level during operation of the power tool; and   generating, with the processor, an indication that the torque exceeds the torque level.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein detecting the torque includes detecting a motor current and calculating an estimated torque based on the motor current. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the indication includes ratcheting the motor, and an intensity of the ratcheting varies with the torque level. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the indication includes at least one selected from the group consisting of flashing a light, ratcheting the motor, and stopping the motor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the torque level is provided as a fixed magnitude of torque. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the torque level is provided as a percentage of available torque. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, via the wireless transceiver, a request to enable an anti-kickback feature;   receiving, via the wireless transceiver, an anti-kickback level for the anti-kickback feature;   setting, with the processor, the anti-kickback torque level;   detecting, with the processor during operation of the power tool, that the torque of the power tool exceeds the anti-kickback torque level; and   stopping, with the processor, the motor when the torque exceeds the anti-kickback torque level.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the torque level is a first torque level provided for a first mode, the method further comprising:
 receiving, with the processor via the wireless transceiver, a second torque level from the remote device for a second mode;   receiving, using a mode selector for selecting between the first mode and the second mode, a selection of the second mode;   detecting, with the processor, that the torque of the power tool exceeds the second torque level during operation of the power tool; and   generating, with the processor, an indication that the torque exceeds the second torque level.   
     
     
         17 . A power tool comprising:
 a housing;   a motor within the housing;   a wireless transceiver operable to form a wireless connection with a remote device; and   a processor connected to the wireless transceiver, the processor configured to:
 receive, via the wireless transceiver, a plurality of torque levels for a plurality of operating modes from the remote device, 
 determine that the power tool is operating in a first mode of the plurality of operating modes; 
 detect, during operation of the power tool, that a torque of the power tool exceeds a first torque level of the plurality of torque levels corresponding to the first mode, and 
 generate an indication that the torque exceeds the first torque level. 
   
     
     
         18 . The power tool of  claim 17 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
 determine that the power tool is operating in a second mode of the plurality of operating modes;   detect, during operation of the power tool, that the torque of the power tool exceeds a second torque level of the plurality of torque levels corresponding to the second mode; and   generate a second indication that the torque exceeds the second torque level.   
     
     
         19 . The power tool of  claim 17 , further comprising a current sensor connected to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to detect the torque based on a motor current sensed by the current sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The power tool of  claim 17 , wherein the indication includes at least one selected from the group consisting of flashing a light, ratcheting the motor, and stopping the motor.