IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,220,790
Granted Patent B2
US 12,220,790 · App. 17/774,014 · Granted Feb 11, 2025

Impact tool, method for controlling the impact tool, and program

Inventors: Masayuki Nakahara (Osaka, JP); Takashi Kusagawa (Osaka, JP); Takahiro Ueda (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
B25B21/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,220,790
App. No.
17/774,014
Granted
Feb 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An impact tool includes a motor, a control unit, an output shaft, a transmission mechanism, and an impact detection unit. The transmission mechanism includes an impact mechanism. The impact mechanism performs an impact operation according to magnitude of torque applied to the output shaft. The impact detection unit determines, based on at least one of an excitation current (current measured value) to be supplied to the motor or a torque current (current measured value) to be supplied to the motor, whether or not the impact operation is being performed. The control unit fulfills an impact response function by performing restriction processing in response to detection of the impact operation by the impact detection unit as a trigger. The restriction processing includes at least one of lowering the number of revolutions of the motor or stopping rotating the motor.

Claims (45)

1. An impact tool comprising:

a motor;

a control unit configured to perform vector control on the motor, wherein the vector control comprises breaking down a current supplied to the motor into two current components of an excitation current that generates a magnetic flux and a torque current that generates a torque, and controlling the two current components independently of each other to control the motor;

an output shaft configured to be coupled to a tip tool;

a transmission mechanism including an impact mechanism and configured to transmit motive power of the motor to the output shaft, the impact mechanism being configured to perform an impact operation of applying impacting force to the output shaft according to magnitude of torque applied to the output shaft; and

an impact detection unit configured to determine, based on at least one of the excitation current or the torque current, whether or not the impact operation is being performed,

the control unit having an impact response function, the control unit fulfilling the impact response function by performing restriction processing in response to detection of the impact operation by the impact detection unit as a trigger,

the restriction processing including at least one of lowering a number of revolutions of the motor or stopping rotating the motor.

2. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein

the control unit has, as mutually switchable operation modes, a first mode in which the control unit enables the impact response function and a second mode in which the control unit disables the impact response function.

3. The impact tool of claim 2 , wherein

the control unit is configured to, while the motor is rotating in such a direction as to make the tip tool tighten a fastening member, switch the operation mode to the first mode, and is configured to, while the motor is rotating in such a direction as to make the tip tool loosen the fastening member, switch the operation mode to the second mode.

4. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein

the control unit is configured to fulfill the impact response function by limiting the number of revolutions of the motor to a predetermined limit value or less in response to the detection of the impact operation by the impact detection unit as a trigger.

5. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein

the control unit is configured to fulfill the impact response function by lowering the number of revolutions of the motor in response to the detection of the impact operation by the impact detection unit as a trigger, and

the control unit is configured to determine the number of revolutions that has been lowered based on the number of revolutions that has not been lowered yet.

6. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein

the control unit is configured to fulfill the impact response function by setting the number of revolutions of the motor at a predetermined number of revolutions in response to the detection of the impact operation by the impact detection unit as a trigger.

7. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein

the control unit has, as mutually switchable operation modes,

a deceleration mode in which the control unit is configured to fulfill the impact response function by lowering the number of revolutions of the motor in response to the detection of the impact operation by the impact detection unit as a trigger, and

a stop mode in which the control unit is configured to fulfill the impact response function by stopping rotating the motor in response to the detection of the impact operation by the impact detection unit as a trigger.

8. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein

the control unit is configured to fulfill the impact response function by performing the restriction processing when a predetermined decision condition is satisfied after the impact detection unit has detected the impact operation.

9. The impact tool of claim 8 , wherein

the predetermined decision condition is a condition about a period of time that has passed since the detection of the impact operation by the impact detection unit.

10. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein

the impact detection unit is configured to determine, based on an amplitude of the excitation current, whether or not the impact operation is being performed.

11. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein

the impact detection unit is configured to determine, based on a magnitude of decrease per predetermined time in the torque current, whether or not the impact operation is being performed.

12. The impact tool of claim 1 , wherein

the impact detection unit is configured to determine, based on at least one of a first condition or a second condition, whether or not the impact operation is being performed,

the first condition including a condition relating to the excitation current but not including a condition relating to the torque current,

the second condition not including the condition relating to the excitation current but including the condition relating to the torque current.

13. A method for controlling an impact tool, the impact tool including:

a motor;

a control unit configured to perform vector control on the motor, wherein the vector control comprises breaking down a current supplied to the motor into two current components of an excitation current that generates a magnetic flux and a torque current that generates a torque, and controlling the two current components independently of each other to control the motor;

an output shaft configured to be coupled to a tip tool; and

a transmission mechanism including an impact mechanism and configured to transmit motive power of the motor to the output shaft, the impact mechanism being configured to perform an impact operation of applying impacting force to the output shaft according to magnitude of torque applied to the output shaft,

the method including:

performing impact detection processing including determining, based on at least one of the excitation current or the torque current, whether or not the impact operation is being performed; and

performing restriction processing in response to detection of the impact operation through the impact detection processing as a trigger,

the restriction processing including at least one of lowering a number of revolutions of the motor or stopping rotating the motor.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a program designed to cause one or more processors of the computer to perform the method for controlling the impact tool according to claim 13 .

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Aug 6, 2026
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: NEXRA FIELD WORKS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 076114/0584 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2022
From: NAKAHARA, MASAYUKI; KUSAGAWA, TAKASHI; UEDA, TAKAHIRO
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060478/0966 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-211832 · Nov 22, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220379445A1 · Dec 1, 2022
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