Granted Patent B2

US 12,225,335 · App. 18/519,757 · Granted Feb 11, 2025

Inventors: Burtrom Lee Stampfl (Bristol, WI); Matthew J. Mergener (Mequon, WI); Alex Huber (Brookfield, WI); Paul Rossetto (Milwaukee, WI); Cole A. Conrad (Wauwatosa, WI); Stephen Matson (Milwaukee, WI); Scott R. Fischer (Menomonee Falls, WI); Mark A. Kubale (West Bend, WI); Christian Coulis (Sussex, WI)

Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation

H04Q9/00B23Q17/00B25B21/00B25F5/00H04W4/80H04W48/10H04W48/18H04Q2209/40

Abstract

Claims (61)

1. A system comprising:

a power tool device including a housing including a battery pack receiving portion, wherein the battery pack receiving portion includes:

a terminal block including first terminals configured to make contact with second terminals of a battery pack, wherein the terminal block is located in approximately a center of the battery pack receiving portion in a left-right direction that is perpendicular to a second direction along which the battery pack is configured to slide to engage a connecting structure of the battery pack receiving portion, the connecting structure configured to secure the battery pack to the battery pack receiving portion, and

a compartment configured to receive a modular unit device, wherein the compartment is positioned on a lateral side of the battery pack receiving portion in the left-right direction;

the modular unit device including a first wireless transceiver and a power source configured to provide power to the first wireless transceiver, wherein the modular unit device is removable from the compartment when the battery pack is decoupled from the battery pack receiving portion, and the modular unit device is not removable from the compartment when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion; and

an external device including:

a second wireless transceiver configured to communicate with the first wireless transceiver,

a display, and

an electronic processor coupled to the second wireless transceiver and to the display, the electronic processor configured to control the display to display information about the modular unit device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the information about the modular unit device includes text data indicating the power tool device in which the modular unit device is received.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the information about the modular unit device is displayed such that the information about the modular unit device indicates whether the modular unit device is within communication range of the external device.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to control the display to display an icon to indicate whether the modular unit device is within communication range of the external device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to control the display to display an icon to indicate a communication state of the modular unit device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the modular unit device includes a first modular unit device, and wherein the power tool device includes a first power tool device; and

wherein the electronic processor is configured to control the display to display a list of power tool devices, the list including first text data indicating the first power tool device in which the first modular unit device is received and second text data indicating a second power tool device in which a second modular unit device is received.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the list includes a first icon to indicate a first communication state of the first modular unit device and a second icon to indicate a second communication state of the second modular unit device.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the modular unit device includes:

a planar support structure; and

third terminals located on the planar support structure and configured to removably receive the power source;

wherein the third terminals are located on a side of the planar support structure that faces toward the terminal block of the power tool device when the modular unit device is located in the compartment;

wherein the power source is located on the side of the planar support structure that faces toward the terminal block of the power tool device when the modular unit device is located in the compartment and the power source is connected to the third terminals;

wherein the modular unit device is configured to be secured in the compartment using one or more screws;

wherein the one or more screws is inaccessible when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion, and the one or more screws is accessible when the battery pack is decoupled from the battery pack receiving portion;

wherein the power source is configured to provide power to a light-emitting diode (LED);

wherein the compartment is configured to receive the modular unit device along a third direction that is perpendicular to the second direction and perpendicular to the left-right direction; and

wherein the first wireless transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit a unique identifier to the external device.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power tool device further includes a motor within the housing, wherein the motor is configured to drive an output drive device.

10. A power tool device comprising:

a housing including a battery pack receiving portion;

wherein the battery pack receiving portion includes:

a terminal block including first terminals configured to make contact with second terminals of a battery pack, wherein the terminal block is located in approximately a center of the battery pack receiving portion in a left-right direction that is perpendicular to a second direction along which the battery pack is configured to slide to engage a connecting structure of the battery pack receiving portion, the connecting structure configured to secure the battery pack to the battery pack receiving portion, and

a compartment configured to receive a modular unit device including a wireless transceiver and a power source configured to provide power to the wireless transceiver and to a light-emitting diode (LED),

wherein the compartment is positioned on a lateral side of the battery pack receiving portion in the left-right direction,

wherein the modular unit device is removable from the compartment when the battery pack is decoupled from the battery pack receiving portion, and the modular unit device is not removable from the compartment when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion, and

wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit a unique identifier to an external device.

11. The power tool device of claim 10 , wherein the modular unit device is configured to be secured in the compartment using one or more screws; and

wherein the one or more screws are inaccessible when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion, and the one or more screws are accessible when the battery pack is decoupled from the battery pack receiving portion.

12. The power tool device of claim 10 , wherein the modular unit device comprises:

a planar support structure; and

third terminals located on the planar support structure and configured to removably receive the power source;

wherein the third terminals are located on a side of the planar support structure that faces toward the terminal block of the power tool device when the modular unit device is located in the compartment;

wherein the power source is located on the side of the planar support structure that faces toward the terminal block of the power tool device when the modular unit device is located in the compartment and the power source is connected to the third terminals; and

wherein the power source includes a coin cell battery.

13. The power tool device of claim 10 , wherein the compartment is configured to receive the modular unit device along a third direction that is perpendicular to the second direction and perpendicular to the left-right direction.

14. The power tool device of claim 10 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit a state of charge of the power source to the external device.

15. The power tool device of claim 10 , further comprising a motor within the housing, wherein the motor is configured to drive an output drive device.

16. A modular unit device configured to be inserted into a power tool device, the modular unit device comprising:

a wireless transceiver; and

a power source configured to provide power to the wireless transceiver;

wherein the modular unit device is configured to be inserted into a compartment of the power tool device, the compartment being positioned on a lateral side of a battery pack receiving portion of the power tool device in a left-right direction that is perpendicular to a second direction along which a battery pack is configured to slide to couple to a terminal block of the battery pack receiving portion; and

wherein the modular unit device is removable from the compartment when the battery pack is decoupled from the battery pack receiving portion, and the modular unit device is not removable from the compartment when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion.

17. The modular unit device of claim 16 , wherein the modular unit device is configured to be secured in the compartment using one or more screws; and

wherein the one or more screws are inaccessible when the battery pack is coupled to the battery pack receiving portion, and the one or more screws are accessible when the battery pack is decoupled from the battery pack receiving portion.

18. The modular unit device of claim 16 , wherein the modular unit device comprises:

a planar support structure; and

terminals located on the planar support structure and configured to removably receive the power source;

wherein the terminals are located on a side of the planar support structure that faces toward the terminal block of the power tool device when the modular unit device is located in the compartment;

wherein the power source is located on the side of the planar support structure that faces toward the terminal block of the power tool device when the modular unit device is located in the compartment and the power source is connected to the terminals; and

wherein the power source includes a coin cell battery.

19. The modular unit device of claim 16 , wherein the power source is configured to provide power to a light-emitting diode (LED).

20. The modular unit device of claim 16 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit a unique identifier to an external device.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (11)

References Cited (351)