Braking apparatus for electric power tool

A braking apparatus for an electric power tool that causes a three-phase brushless motor provided in the electric power tool and having three terminals to generate a braking force, the braking apparatus comprising:

• a switching circuit comprising six switching elements, the six switching elements comprising:
• a first set of three switching elements forming a high-side switch group provided on a positive side current conduction path that connects the three terminals with a positive electrode side of a direct current power source so as to connect or disconnect the positive side current conduction path;
• and
• a second set of three switching elements forming a low-side switch group provided on a negative side current conduction path that connects the three terminals with a negative electrode side of the direct current power source so as to connect or disconnect the negative side current conduction path, and
• each of the six switching elements including a diode connected in parallel thereto;
• and
• a brake control unit configured such that during rotation of the three-phase brushless motor, upon receiving an input of one of a stop command and a deceleration command of the electric power tool, the brake control unit controls an on/off state of the three switching elements of the high-side switch group and an on/off state of the three switching elements of the low-side switch group to cause a braking current to flow to the three-phase brushless motor, thereby generating the braking force, and
• wherein the brake control unit is further configured to switch any one selected switching element of the three switching elements forming one selected switch group of the high-side switch group and the low-side switch group to the off state from the on state at a timing at which the braking current flows through the diode connected in parallel to the selected switching element upon turn-off of the selected switching element.