Power tool dual-trigger operation
AssigneeBlack & Decker Inc.
InventorsDaniel F. NACE, Levi G. BOWERS, James H. STILES, III, Eric S. ROHRER, Christopher T. KING
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power tool is provided including a housing, an electric motor, a main trigger switch, a side handle having an auxiliary trigger, and a controller operable to control a flow of electric current from a power source to the electric motor. In an embodiment, the controller the motor at start-up only if the main trigger is actuated after the auxiliary trigger is actuated, and otherwise prevent motor operation until both the main trigger and the auxiliary triggers are released. In an embodiment, an orientation of the auxiliary trigger relative to the gear case is adjustable.
Claims21
(canceled)
A power tool comprising:
- a housing including a motor case, a handle portion extending longitudinally from the motor case, and a gear case accommodating an output spindle;
- an electric motor disposed within the motor case;
- a main trigger switch mounted on the handle portion;
- a side handle mounted on the gear case, the side handle having an auxiliary trigger;
- and
- a controller disposed within the housing operable to control a flow of electric current from a power source to the electric motor, wherein the controller is configured to activate the motor only while the main trigger and the auxiliary trigger are both actuated,
- wherein an orientation of the auxiliary trigger relative to the gear case is adjustable.
The power tool of claim 25, wherein the time threshold is less than approximately 0.5 seconds.
A power tool comprising:
- a housing;
- an electric motor disposed within the housing;
- a main trigger switch mounted on the housing;
- a side handle mounted on the housing, the side handle having an auxiliary trigger;
- and
- a controller operable to control a flow of electric current to the electric motor,
- wherein the controller is configured to permit operation of the electric motor only when both the main trigger switch and the auxiliary trigger are actuated, and to discontinue operation of the electric motor when either the main trigger switch or the auxiliary trigger is released, and
- wherein the controller is further configured to permit operation of the electric motor at start-up only if the main trigger switch is actuated after the auxiliary trigger and within a predetermined time interval following actuation of the auxiliary trigger, and to prevent operation of the electric motor until both the main trigger switch and the auxiliary trigger are released if the main trigger switch is actuated before the auxiliary trigger or after expiration of the predetermined time interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.