JP5828110B2 - Electric tool - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a power tool.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-133867 discloses an electric tool that can change the operating characteristics thereof, for example, change the tightening torque according to a command from an external remote controller. This change is made among a plurality of options preset on the power tool side.

  On the other hand, even after the user purchases and hands over to the user, there are many needs that the user wants to customize by changing parameters related to operation characteristics, particularly operation feeling, according to preference.

  However, since the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 can only be changed among a plurality of preset options, customization according to the user's work content and preferences cannot be followed. In addition, since the user's preference for operation feelings varies, it is difficult to uniformly determine the parameters related to the operation feeling.

  Furthermore, after commercialization and delivery to the user's hand, even if there is an improvement on the supplier side (manufacturer side) based on the user's voice, it cannot be reflected in the power tool already in the user's hand. .

JP 2009-56555 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is possible to easily change operation characteristics according to user's preference or improved operation characteristics even after reaching the user's hand. It is an object to provide a tool.

The present invention includes a motor as a power source, a control unit that controls the operation of the motor via a switching element, and an external communication unit for communication with a personal computer. A non-volatile memory is provided, and the control unit is for rewriting acquired from the web server via the personal computer in connection with the personal computer connected to the web server on the Internet through user authentication . A rewriting function that rewrites the parameter stored in the memory with the parameter of, and the control unit transmits a serial number recorded in advance in the memory to the web server via the personal computer. Yes, the rewrite parameters are And serial number in the user information registered in advance in the server, in particular has features which are supplied from look web server when the serial number transmitted matches.

  The external communication unit may have a firmware rewriting function of the control unit, and the rewriting firmware may be supplied from the web server.

  Furthermore, the control unit may perform a predetermined theft process when it is determined that the transmitted serial number matches the serial number registered for the theft report on the web server side.

  As the rewriting parameter, at least one of the rising curve and the maximum number of rotations of the motor with respect to the operation amount of the trigger switch provided in the electric tool main body, or the energization angle and the advance amount of the brushless motor can be used. .

In the present invention, even after the user purchases and hands over, the user can easily update and customize the parameters related to the operation characteristics that lead to the operational feeling according to the preference. Moreover, since it is possible to grasp the operation characteristics directed by the user, grasp the change history of the operation characteristics, and the like from the supplier side, it is possible to provide services for each user.

It is a flowchart in an example of an embodiment of the invention. It is a block diagram same as the above. (a) (b) (c) is an explanatory view of an example of operation characteristics that can be changed. It is explanatory drawing of an example of a parameter table same as the above. (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the correlation between the energization angle and the operating characteristics, and the advance amount and the operating characteristics.

  An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 2, 1 is a power tool body, 2 is detachably attached to the power tool body 1, and power is supplied to the power tool body 1. Battery pack.

  The electric power tool main body 1 that uses a motor 11 that is a DC brush motor as a power source includes a control unit 10 that controls on / off of the motor 11 and the number of rotations via a switching element 13 in accordance with an operation amount of a trigger switch 12. In addition, the control unit 10 is connected or built in a non-volatile memory 14 that stores parameters for increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the motor 11 with respect to the operation amount of the trigger switch 12, for example, by PWM control.

  The electric power tool body 1 includes an external communication unit 15. The external communication unit 15 is used to connect the control unit 10 to the external personal computer 3 and is configured by a serial interface such as USB or RS232C. The control unit 10 is personalized via the external communication unit 15. Communication with the computer 3 is performed.

  The personal computer 3 is for connecting the control unit 10 in the electric power tool body 1 to a web server (homepage) 4 prepared by a supplier side (manufacturer side) through an internet line. The user can download the latest version of the software (firmware) for selecting and changing the parameters related to the driving of the motor 11 of the tool body 1.

  In addition, here, a user authentication page is provided in the web server 4, and if the personal computer 3 is connected to the web server 4 as shown in FIG. 1, authentication by the ID and password issued to the registered user is performed on the user side. To do.

  If it is confirmed that the connection is made by an authenticated user, the program running on the web server 4 prompts the user to connect the power tool body 1 to the personal computer 3, and if this connection is made, The personal computer 3 is instructed to read out information stored in the memory 14 of the electric power tool body 1 and transfer it to the web server 4 side.

  This is because the serial number of the electric power tool main body 1 is recorded in the memory 14 in advance, and the serial number is read to identify whether the electric power tool main body 1 is notified of theft on the web server 4 side. If it is a step and matches the serial number for which a theft report has been issued, a theft report is sent to the police side together with the IP address information of the connected person. A signal for disabling the power tool body 1 is sent to the power tool body 1 via the personal computer 3, and the control unit 10 of the power tool body 1 receives this signal to drive the motor 11 as a theft process. You may make it enter into the state always prohibited. Such a theft process has a deterring effect on the theft.

  When the serial number included in the registered user information matches the serial number received via the personal computer 3, the web server 4 selects a plurality of types of operation characteristics for the power tool body 1. Is presented to the user. If the user makes a selection, the parameter of the operation characteristic selected by the user is downloaded to the personal computer 3 and then the user is presented with a selection as to whether or not to execute rewriting. When execution is selected, the personal computer 3 is instructed to write the downloaded parameter into the memory 14 of the electric power tool body 1. When the writing is completed, the web server 4 updates the user information. By updating user information and checking serial numbers, users can be identified individually, and on the supplier side, understanding of user-oriented behavior characteristics, behavior characteristics change history, etc. Therefore, service for each user can be performed. Of course, the serial number cannot be changed.

  The case where the plurality of types of operation characteristics prepared on the web server 4 side are parameters for increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the motor 11 with respect to the operation amount of the trigger switch 12, for example, by PWM duty control will be described. In general, when the trigger switch 12 is pulled, the motor 11 is turned on. As the pulling amount (operation amount) of the trigger switch 12 is increased, the rotation speed of the motor 11 is increased and the trigger switch 12 is pulled to the maximum. For example, the control of rotating the motor 11 at the maximum number of rotations is usually performed, but a table of the operation amount (volume voltage) of the trigger switch and the number of rotations (drive duty ratio of the switching element 13) for this control is performed. Is stored in the memory 14 and the table is rewritten, It is to carry out the change of work characteristics.

  FIG. 3 (a) shows a case where the increase / decrease of the rotation speed with respect to the operation amount of the trigger switch 12 is steep, and FIG. 3 (b) shows a case where the increase / decrease of the rotation speed with respect to the operation amount of the trigger switch 12 is moderate. FIG. 3 (c) shows the motor 11 with the output (maximum rotation speed) limited. For example, bolts with a sharp increase / decrease in the number of rotations are suitable for work that does not require adjustment at the beginning of tightening, such as bolt tightening. It is suitable for work that requires adjustment at the beginning. Limiting the output of the motor 11 is effective when tightening small screws or when the tightening member is easily broken like resin. Of course, since the optimum motor output varies depending on the type of the mating member and the size of the screw, the web server 4 prepares various parameters in addition to the above parameters so that the user can select them.

  Of course, a combination of the increase / decrease of the rotation speed with respect to the operation amount of the trigger switch 14 and the limitation of the motor output may be prepared. Further, on the web server 4, a parameter corresponding to the user input is provided. May be generated so that this parameter can be written to the memory 14.

  In the case where the motor 11 is not a brush motor but a brushless motor, it is preferable to prepare parameters capable of performing the following control.

  That is, for driving a three-phase brushless motor, in addition to 120 ° energization in which no current flows in one phase of the UVW phase, the energization period is longer than 120 ° energization and the overlap period ( During this period, there is an overlap energization provided with a current flowing in all UVW phases) and a sine wave drive, etc., and the latter is closer to the induced voltage waveform of the motor, so that the output and efficiency of the motor are improved. In the 120 ° energization and the overlap energization, the output is higher when switching to 120 ° energization in the vicinity of the stationary torque.

Further, the output and efficiency are also changed by the advance angle control. The output is improved when the advance angle is larger than when there is no advance angle or when the advance amount is small. Further, in the 120 ° energization, the overlap energization, and the sine wave drive, the effect of the advance angle control becomes larger as the latter drive method is used. In FIGS. 5 (a) the relationship between the overlapping energization amount and the motor output and the motor efficiency and the motor current, the relationship between the advance angle amount and the motor output and the motor efficiency and the motor current shown in Figure 5 (b). Note that the advance angle control itself is well known in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-200363, and the description thereof is omitted here.

  Since the motor characteristics, that is, the operation characteristics can be changed by switching the drive method, the energization angle, and the advance angle amount, the drive method, the energization angle, and the advance angle amount may be used as parameters of the operation characteristics. This parameter is usually set in consideration of the balance between efficiency and output, but depending on the work content, a higher output is required, or high output is unnecessary, but it consumes less current and can be driven for a long time. You may want to be able to do it. For this purpose, for example, a table for the rotational speed, energization angle, and advance amount as shown in FIG. 4 is stored in the memory 14 so that the power tool body 1 performs an operation according to the contents of the table. In addition, another table having different rotation speed, energization angle, and advance amount is prepared on the web server 4, and the table on the memory 14 is prepared in the web server 4 when connected to the web server 4. So that it can be rewritten. Note that only one of the energization angle and the advance amount may be changed.

  In addition to a table prepared in advance on the web server 4, a new table may be created and written into the memory 14 by user input.

The firmware itself of the control unit 10 composed of a microcomputer may be rewritten. In this case, the external communication unit 15 having a microcomputer is used so that the microcomputer of the external communication unit 15 is responsible for communication with the personal computer 3 and the firmware of the control unit 10 is rewritten. preferable.

  In any case, if the firmware can be rewritten, an improved function or a new function according to feedback from the user side of the electric tool main body 1 is added to the electric tool main body 1 already in the user's hand. Is also possible. In addition, when a new type comes out of the battery pack to be mounted, the electric power tool main body 1 can be adjusted so that an operation corresponding to the new type of battery pack is obtained.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric tool main body 2 Battery pack 3 Personal computer 4 Web server 10 Control part 11 Motor 13 Switching element 14 Memory 15 External communication part

Claims (5)

A non-volatile storage comprising a motor as a power source, a control unit for controlling the operation of the motor via a switching element, and an external communication unit for communication with a personal computer, and storing motor control parameters Of memory,
The controller stores the parameter stored in the memory with a parameter for rewriting acquired from the web server via the personal computer in connection with the personal computer connected through a user authentication to a web server on the Internet. the has a rewriting function of rewriting,
The control unit transmits a serial number recorded in advance in the memory to the web server via the personal computer,
The electric power tool according to claim 1, wherein the rewriting parameter is supplied from the web server only when the serial number in the user information registered in advance in the web server matches the transmitted serial number . The electric tool according to claim 1, wherein the external communication unit has a firmware rewriting function of the control unit, and the rewriting firmware is supplied from the web server . 3. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs a predetermined theft process when it is determined that the transmitted serial number matches the serial number registered for the theft report on the web server side . Electric tool. The rewriting parameter is a rising curve of a motor rotation speed and a maximum rotation speed with respect to an operation amount of a trigger switch included in the electric power tool main body, according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . Electric tool. The electric tool according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rewriting parameter is at least one of a conduction angle and an advance angle amount for the brushless motor .

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