Power tool
A power tool includes a tool head, a frame that rotationally couples with the tool head, a piston, and a motor that is operable to drive the piston to perform an operation on a workpiece. The power tool also includes a sensor that senses movement of the piston to provide sensor information indicative of the movement of the piston. The power tool further includes a controller that receives the sensor information from the sensor. The controller operates the motor to perform work on the workpiece until the sensor determines the piston has moved a target distance.
1 . A power tool comprising:
a tool head;
a frame that rotationally couples with the tool head;
a piston;
a motor that is operable to drive the piston to perform an operation on a workpiece,
a sensor that senses movement of the piston to provide sensor information indicative of the movement of the piston, the sensor including a first sensor portion that is moveable relative to the frame and a second sensor portion that moves in accordance with the piston; and
a controller that receives the sensor information from the sensor, the controller operates the motor to perform work on the workpiece until the sensor determines the piston has moved a target distance.
2 . The power tool of claim 1 , further comprising a wire that extends from a proximal end of the tool head along a direction substantially parallel to a central axis of the power tool.
3 . The power tool of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing element that biases the sensor toward the tool head so that the sensor maintains a fixed position relative to the tool head when the tool head moves axially during rotation of the tool head relative to the frame.
4 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor portion is coupled to a bushing that moves relative to the frame and the second sensor portion is coupled directly to the piston.
5 . The power tool of claim 4 , wherein the first sensor portion includes a hall-effect sensor and the second sensor portion includes a surface of the piston.
6 . The power tool of claim 1 , the sensor is a first sensor and further comprising a second sensor that includes at least one of a pressure sensor, a strain sensor, a timer, a motor speed sensor, and a current sensor.
7 . The power tool of claim 6 , wherein the controller evaluates second sensor information from the second sensor upon determining that the target distance has been reached to further determine if a crimp was good.
8 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is received by the tool head and moves with the tool head as the tool head rotates relative to the frame to maintain a predetermined axial position relative to the tool head.
9 . The power tool of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is in a floating arrangement within a cavity of the tool head so that the sensor is biased into contact with the tool head by a biasing element as the tool head translates axially.
10 . The power tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool head is threadably coupled to the frame.
11 . The power tool of claim 1 further comprising a remote controller that provides a signal to the controller to operate the motor.
12 . A power tool comprising:
a frame;
a tool head rotatably coupled to the frame;
a piston moveable along an axis to perform a work operation on a workpiece;
a first sensor in a floating arrangement within a cavity of the tool head;
a biasing element that biases the first sensor to maintain the first sensor in a predetermined axial position relative to the tool head;
a second sensor; and
a controller that determines if the work operation was completed by comparing information from the first sensor and the second sensor.
13 . The power tool of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor provides first sensor information to indicate if the piston has moved a target distance and the second sensor provides second information to indicate a quality of the work operation.
14 . The power tool of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor is coupled to a bushing that is moveably received in the frame and the biasing element extends between the frame and the bushing to bias the first sensor to the predetermined axial position.
15 . The power tool of claim 12 further comprising a wire that extends from the first sensor to the controller, the wire extending from within the cavity of the tool head and into the frame.
16 . A power tool comprising:
a frame;
a tool head rotatably coupled to the frame;
a piston moveable along an axis to perform a crimp on a workpiece;
a first sensor that moves relative to the frame to maintain a predetermined axial position relative to the tool head, the first sensor sensing movement of the piston; and
a controller that receives first sensor information from the first sensor and determines a crimp profile based on the first sensor information.
17 . The power tool of claim 16 , wherein the tool head moves axially relative to the frame and a biasing element is arranged between the frame and the first sensor to bias the first sensor to the predetermined axial position.
18 . The power tool of claim 16 further comprising a second sensor that senses at least one of a hydraulic pressure, an electrical current, a motor speed, a time, and a strain;
wherein the controller receives second sensor information from the second sensor and determines the crimp profile based on the first sensor information and the second sensor information.
19 . The power tool of claim 16 , wherein the controller compares the crimp profile with a reference crimp profile and determines a characteristic of the crimp performed on the workpiece.