Power tool including configurable motor stator windings
AssigneeMilwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
InventorsZachary G. Stanke, Gareth Mueckl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power tool that includes an electric motor. The electric motor includes a plurality of stator windings, a plurality of switches for selectively coupling the plurality of stator windings in a first configuration or a second configuration, and a controller connected to the plurality of switches. The controller is configured to control the plurality of switches to configure the plurality of stator windings in the first configuration, monitor a condition of the power tool, and control the plurality of switches to configure the plurality of stator windings in the second configuration based on the condition of the power tool.
Claims18
A power tool comprising:
- an electric motor having a plurality of stator windings, the stator windings defining a plurality of phases, the plurality of phases including:
- a first phase, a second phase, and a third phase, and
- a first stator winding pair, a second stator winding pair, and a third stator winding pair;
- a plurality of switches for selectively coupling the plurality of stator windings in a first configuration or a second configuration, the plurality of switches including a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a fourth switch, and a fifth switch, the plurality of switches connected to the plurality of phases;
- and
- a controller connected to the plurality of switches, the controller configured to:
- control the plurality of switches to configure the plurality of stator windings in the first configuration,
- monitor a condition of the power tool, and
- control the plurality of switches to reconfigure the plurality of stator windings from the first configuration to the second configuration based on a detected change in the condition of the power tool.
A method for operating a power tool having a user interface and an electric motor, the electric motor including a plurality of stator windings, the method comprising:
- controlling a plurality of switches to configure the plurality of stator windings in a first configuration
- monitoring a condition of the power tool based on an input provided via the user interface;
- and
- controlling the plurality of switches to reconfigure the plurality of stator windings from the first configuration to a second configuration based on a detected change in the condition of the power tool received via the user interface.
A power tool comprising:
- an electric motor having a plurality of stator windings, each of the plurality of stator windings including a plurality of phases, the plurality of phases including:
- a first phase, a second phase, a third phase, and a fourth phase, and
- a first stator winding pair, a second stator winding pair, and a third stator winding pair;
- a plurality of switches for selectively coupling the first phase winding and the second phase winding in a first configuration or a second configuration, the plurality of switches including a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch, the plurality of switches connected to the plurality of phases, wherein
- the first switch is connected between the first phase and the fourth phase,
- the second switch is connected between the third phase and the third switch, and
- the third switch is connected between the second phase and the second switch;
- and
- a controller connected to the plurality of switches, the controller configured to:
- control the plurality of switches to configure each of the first phase windings and the second phase windings in the first configuration,
- monitor a condition of the power tool, and
- control the plurality of switches to reconfigure each of the first phase windings and the second phase windings from the first configuration to the second configuration based on a detected change in the condition of the power tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.