Braking apparatus for electric power tool

1. A braking apparatus for an electric power tool that causes a three-phase brushless motor provided in the electric power tool and having three terminals to generate a braking force, the braking apparatus comprising:

a switching circuit comprising six switching elements, the six switching elements comprising:

a first set of three switching elements forming a high-side switch group provided on a positive side current conduction path that connects the three terminals with a positive electrode side of a direct current power source so as to connect or disconnect the positive side current conduction path; and

a second set of three switching elements forming a low-side switch group provided on a negative side current conduction path that connects the three terminals with a negative electrode side of the direct current power source so as to connect or disconnect the negative side current conduction path, and

each of the six switching elements including a diode connected in parallel thereto; and

a brake control unit configured such that during rotation of the three-phase brushless motor, upon receiving an input of one of a stop command and a deceleration command of the electric power tool, the brake control unit controls an on/off state of the three switching elements of the high-side switch group and an on/off state of the three switching elements of the low-side switch group to cause a braking current to flow to the three-phase brushless motor, thereby generating the braking force, and

wherein the brake control unit is further configured to switch any one selected switching element of the three switching elements forming one selected switch group of the high-side switch group and the low-side switch group to the off state from the on state at a timing at which the braking current flows through the diode connected in parallel to the selected switching element upon turn-off of the selected switching element.

2. The braking apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the selected switch group is the low-side switch group, and

wherein the brake control unit is configured to switch the selected switching element from the on state to the off state when the braking current is flowing to the three-phase brushless motor from the low-side switch group.

3. The braking apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the selected switch group is the high-side switch group, and

wherein the brake control unit is configured to switch the selected switching element from the on state to the off state when the braking current is flowing to the high-side switch group from the three-phase brushless motor.

4. The braking apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to switch the selected switching element from the on state to the off state when the braking current flowing through the selected switching element decreases.

5. The braking apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a rotational position detection unit that is configured to detect a rotational position of the three-phase brushless motor at every given angle of rotation of the three-phase brushless motor, and

wherein the brake control unit is configured to switch the selected switching element from the on state to the off state based on the rotational position detected by the rotational position detection unit.

6. The braking apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to switch the selected switching element from the on state to the off state, after an elapse of a given time period subsequent to detection of a specified rotational position by the rotational position detection unit.

7. The braking apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to switch the selected switching element from the on state to the off state based on a drive condition of the three-phase brushless motor.

8. The braking apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to:

detect, as the drive condition of the three-phase brushless motor, at least one of a revolution of the three-phase brushless motor, a temperature of the three-phase brushless motor, a voltage of the direct current power source, and an operated amount of an operation unit that instructs driving of the electric power tool; and

switch the selected switching element from the on state to the off state based on the drive condition detected.

9. The braking apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to switch the selected switching element from the off state to the on state based on the rotational position detected by the rotational position detection unit.

10. The braking apparatus according to claim 9 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to switch the selected switching element from the off state to the on state, after an elapse of a given time period subsequent to detection of a specified rotational position by the rotational position detection unit.

11. The braking apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to switch the selected switching element from the off state to the on state based on a drive condition of the three-phase brushless motor.

12. The braking apparatus according to claim 11 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to:

detect, as the drive condition of the three-phase brushless motor, at least one of a revolution of the three-phase brushless motor, a temperature of the three-phase brushless motor, a voltage of the direct current power source, and an operated amount of an operation unit that instructs driving of the electric power tool; and

switch the selected switching element from the off state to the on state based on the drive condition detected.

13. The braking apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to simultaneously make the three switching elements of the selected switch group be in off state for at least a given period of time.

14. The braking apparatus according to claim 13 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to alternately perform a current conduction control and a current non-conduction control,

the current conduction control being configured to selectively make any two elements of the three switching elements of the selected switch group be in on state to cause the braking current to flow to the three-phase brushless motor; and

the current non-conduction control being configured to simultaneously make the three switching elements of the selected switch group be in off state.

15. The braking apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to simultaneously make the three switching elements of the selected switch group be in on state for at least a given period of time.

16. The braking apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the brake control unit is configured to alternately use the high-side switch group and the low-side switch group as the selected switch group.