Patent ID: 12226885

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1shows a hand-held power tool12having an electronic apparatus comprising a memory unit30, an evaluation unit32, and a sensor unit34, and having an HMI36. The hand-held power tool12is provided in order to perform a method10for determining a remaining service life54. The sensor unit34is provided in order to sense operating data58, in particular a switch position of an on/off switch40and/or current, acceleration, or speed values of the current operation of the hand-held power tool12, and an operating time. The sensor unit34comprises a current measuring device for measuring the current values. The current measuring device is arranged in terms of circuitry so that the current values between an electric motor and a power source, in particular a battery, of the hand-held power tool12, are measured. The sensor unit34comprises a switch position detection function, which senses a switch position of an operating mode selection switch84by means of a sensor. The sensor unit34comprises a further sensor for sensing the switch position of the on/off switch40. The sensor unit34comprises a time-of-flight sensor, which is provided in order to sense the operating time of the hand-held power tool12. The sensor unit34comprises a speed sensor, which is provided for sensing the speed values of the hand-held power tool12. The sensor unit34comprises an accelerometer for measuring the acceleration values of the hand-held power tool12. The evaluation unit32is provided in order to align the operating data58and the operating time, which are in particular sensed by the sensor unit34, with a comparative value table56. It is conceivable that the sensor unit34can be configured as part of the device control of the hand-held power tool12. The device control function is configured such that operating data58, such as the switch position of the operating mode selection switch84, the switch position of the on/off switch40, the speed values, the current values, and/or the acceleration values of the hand-held power tool12required in order to operate the hand-held power tool12, are transmitted to the sensor unit34and/or directly to the evaluation unit32. The outputting unit is provided in order to transmit the calculated remaining service life time54, an operating mode52, and its operating time, and/or a signal upon reaching a critical remaining service life54by means of an HMI36, an optical output device38, and/or wirelessly to terminal device46. The outputting unit comprises a Bluetooth module for wirelessly transmitting data to the terminal device46. The HMI36is configured as a touchscreen. The optical output device38is configured as an LED.

FIG.2shows a method10for determining the remaining service life time54of the hand-held power tool12, wherein, in an operating mode detection step14, the operating mode52of the hand-held power tool12is detected by an alignment of the operating data58of the hand-held power tool12with a comparative value table56stored on the hand-held power tool12and/or by a switch position detection function of the operating mode selection switch84. In a computing step16, the remaining service life54of the hand-held power tool12is calculated via at least the operating mode52and its operating time and output to a user of the hand-held power tool12in an outputting step18. The hand-held power tool12has different operating modes52. In the operating mode detection step14, the operating mode52of the hand-held power tool12is detected by means of alignment of the operating data58of the hand-held power tool12with the comparative value table56stored on the hand-held power tool12. The comparative value table56has four columns of comparative values. Each of the comparative value columns preferably has values for alignment with the operating data58of the hand-held power tool12. It is also conceivable that, in the operating mode detection step14, the operating mode52of the hand-held power tool12is detected by means of a switch position detection function of the operating mode selection switch84. In one method step, the switch position detection function transmits a signal to the evaluation unit32of the hand-held power tool12. In one method step, the evaluation unit32evaluates the operating mode52of the hand-held power tool12based on the signal of the switch position detection function. A service life of the hand-held power tool12is sensed from the operating mode52and its operating time. In the outputting step18, the service life is output.

The operating mode detection step14, the computing step16, and the outputting step18are performed at each power-on48of the hand-held power tool12. In a memory step20, the hand-held power tool12stores all operating data58, operating modes52, and/or its operating times in the memory unit30, in particular in a flash drive, of the hand-held power tool12(FIG.2). For the power-on48of the hand-held power tool12, the on/off switch40of the hand-held power tool12is operated, in particular pushed. In one method step, the on/off switch40is actuated by a user of the hand-held power tool12. The hand-held power tool12is switched on when the on/off switch40is actuated by the user, in particular pushed. The hand-held power tool12shuts off upon disengagement of the on/off switch40. In the computing step16, the remaining service life time54is recalculated after each power-on48. In the outputting step18, the current remaining service life54is displayed to the user after each power-on48, in particular after each power-off. In the storage step20, the current remaining service life time54is stored in the memory unit30.

In a data collection step22, the operating data58of the hand-held power tool12is detected, in particular a switch position of the on/off switch40and/or at least a current, acceleration, or speed value of the ongoing operation of the hand-held power tool12(FIG.2). The hand-held power tool12comprises the sensor unit34, which is provided in order to sense at least a portion of the operating data58. The sensor unit34senses the current values during operation of the hand-held power tool12during the data collection step22. The current values of the hand-held power tool12are measured in terms of circuitry between the electric motor and a power source, in particular a battery, of the hand-held power tool12. The sensor unit34senses the switch position of the on/off switch40in the data collection step22. In the data collection step22, the sensor unit34senses the operating time in which the hand-held power tool12is powered on.

In a verification step50, the switch position of the on/off switch40is verified (FIG.3). The verification step50is a sub-step of the operating mode detection step14. In the verification step50, a time is sensed in which the on/off switch40is in the actuated, in particular pushed, switch position. During the verification step50, the sensed switch position and the time in the particular switch position are aligned with the comparative value table56. The comparative value table56contains comparative data in a first of the at least four comparative value columns. The comparative data of the first comparative value column indicates how long the on/off switch40must be in an actuated switch position for the operation to be assigned to an operation operating mode52. The comparative data of the first comparative value column indicates that the on/off switch40must be operated least 0.3 seconds, preferably 0.4 seconds, and more preferably at least 0.5 seconds for the operating mode detection. In the verification step50, it is verified whether the on/off switch40is operated long enough.

In a first classification step24, an average and a slope of the current value are classified (FIG.3). The first classification step24is a sub-step of the operating mode detection step14. The first classification step24is performed after the verification step50. A second of the at least four comparative value columns contains comparative data for the current values from the data collection step22. The comparative data of the current values are divided into four average classes60,62,64,66for averages and three slope classes68,70,72for the slope of the current value. The slope and average when operating the hand-held power tool12are determined in the data collection step22. During the data collection step22, a moving average, a minimum, and a maximum of the current value are determined during the operation of the hand-held power tool12. The slope of the current value is determined in the data collection step22upon reaching a certain threshold. In the classification step24, the determined average, in particular the moving average, and the slope of the current value are divided into the respective classes of the second comparative value column. The first average class60contains all averaged current values greater than 50 A. The second average class62contains all averaged current values between 12 A and 50 A. The third average class64contains all averaged current values between 1 A and 12 A. The fourth average class66contains all averaged current values less than 1 A. The first slope class68contains all slopes of the current values greater than 50 A. The second slope class70contains all slopes of the current values between 12 A and 50 A. The third slope class72contains all slopes of the current values between 1 A and 12 A.

In a second classification step26, an average and a slope of the acceleration value are classified (FIG.3). The second classification step26is performed after the verification step50. The second classification step26is a sub-step of the operating mode detection step14. A third of the at least four comparative value columns contains comparative data for the acceleration values from the data collection step22. The comparative data of the acceleration values are divided into four average classes for averages and three slope classes for the slope of the acceleration value. The slope and average of the acceleration value when operating the hand-held power tool12are determined in the data collection step22. During the data collection step22, a moving average, a minimum, and a maximum of the acceleration value are determined during the operation of the hand-held power tool12. In the data collection step22, the slope of the acceleration value is determined upon reaching a certain threshold. In the second classification step26, the determined average, in particular the moving average, and the slope of the acceleration value are divided into the respective classes of the third comparative value column. The first average class60′ of the acceleration values contains all averaged acceleration values greater than 200 m/s2. The second average class62′ of the acceleration values contains all average acceleration values between 100 m/s2and 200 m/s2. The third average class64′ of the acceleration values contains all averaged acceleration values between 50 m/s2and 100 m/s2. The fourth average class66′ of the acceleration values contains all averaged acceleration values less than 50 m/s2. The first slope class68′ of the acceleration values contains all slopes of the acceleration values greater than 200 m/s2. The second slope class70′ of the acceleration values contains all slopes of the acceleration values between 50 m/s2and 200 m/s2. The third slope class72′ of the acceleration values contains all slopes of the acceleration values between 0 m/s2and 50 m/s2.

In a third classification step28, an average and a slope of the speed value are classified. The third classification step28is performed after the verification step50. The third classification step28is a sub-step of the operating mode detection step14. A fourth of the at least four comparative value columns contains comparative data for the speed values from the data collection step22. The comparative data of the speed value is divided into three average classes for averages and two slope classes for the slope of the speed value. The slope and average of the speed value during operation of the hand-held power tool12are determined in the data collection step22. During the data collection step22, a moving average, a minimum, and a maximum of the speed value are determined during the operation of the hand-held power tool12. The slope of the speed value is determined in the data collection step22upon reaching a certain threshold. In the third classification step28, the determined average, in particular the moving average, and the slope of the speed value are divided into the respective classes of the fourth comparative value column. In the operating mode detection step14, an operating mode52of the hand-held power tool12is derived by dividing the current, acceleration, and speed values into a respective class. The first average class60″ of the speed values contains all average speed values greater than 20,000 rpm. The second average class62″ of the speed values contains all averaged speed values that range from 18,000 rpm to 20,000 rpm. The third average class64″ of the speed values contains all average speed values less than 18,000 rpm. The first slope class68″ of the speed values contains all slopes of the speed values between 500 rpm and 1,000 rpm. The second slope class70″ of the speed values contains all slopes of the speed values less than 500 rpm.

In a collection step42, in particular prior to the production of the hand-held power tool12, and in particular during the development phase, the comparative value table56is created by an operating mode measurement (FIG.4). In the collection step42, various measurements are taken in which current, acceleration, and speed values of the hand-held power tool12are recorded in every possible operating mode. The values measured in the collection step42are stored on the memory unit30, in particular the flash drive, of the hand-held power tool12. The values from the collection step42are used in order to define the classes of the comparative value table56. The comparative value table56comprises at least one combination of three average classes and three slope classes for every possible operating mode52. The combination for determining the operating mode52is determined with an average class and a slope class from the second comparative value column, an average class and a slope class from the third comparative value column, and an average class and a slope class from the fourth comparative value column of the comparative value table.

In an updating step44, the comparative value table56is updated, in particular in a regular time interval (FIG.2). The regular time interval is a maximum of one year, preferably six months, preferably three months, and particularly preferably one month. In the updating step44, the values in the classes of the comparative value table56are updated. In the updating step44, the classes for the classification steps24,26,28are updated. In the updating step44, empirical values collected during operation of the hand-held power tool12are used in order to update the comparative value table56.

In the outputting step18, feedback regarding at least the remaining service life54, the operating modes52, and its operating times is displayed to the user by means of an HMI36and/or transmitted wirelessly to a terminal device46(FIG.3). The outputting step18is performed after the computing step16. The current operating mode52is displayed to the user in outputting step18by means of an optical output device38. The optical output device38is configured as an LED. Further optical output devices38that appear to be reasonable to a person skilled in the art can also be used, which can identify different operating modes52. The HMI36is arranged on the hand-held power tool12. The HMI36is configured as a touchscreen, or a comparable HMI36that appears reasonable to a person skilled in the art, which is provided so as to indicate a remaining service life54, an operating mode52, and its operating time. The current operating mode52is output to a user during the outputting step18, in particular via the HMI36, the optical output device38, and/or the terminal device46. During the outputting step18, the current operating time in the current operating mode52of the hand-held power tool12is output, particularly by way of the HMI36and/or the terminal device46. During the wireless transmission, the data of the remaining service life54, the operating mode52, and its operating time are transmitted to a terminal device46via Bluetooth. The hand-held power tool12comprises a Bluetooth module for wireless data transmission. The terminal device46is configured as a smartphone, a laptop, a computer, and/or a tablet. In the outputting step18, the user is informed when a critical remaining service life54is reached. The user is informed via the HMI36, the optical outputting unit38, and/or the terminal device46upon reaching the critical remaining service life54.

In the operating mode detection step14, in particular after the verification step50and the three classification steps24,26,28, an allocation74is performed. The operating data58is allocated into at least three average classes and at least three slope classes each time the hand-held power tool is operated 12. For each operating mode52, the allocation74comprises at least one combination of three average classes and three slope classes for clear detection of the operating mode52. The combination comprises a first composition of an average class60,62,64,66and a slope class68,70,72of the current values, a second composition of an average class60′,62′,64′,66′ and a slope class68′,70′,72′ of the acceleration values, and a third composition of an average class60″,62″,64″ and a slope class68″,70″. The allocation74for each operating mode52comprises at least one combination having three combinations of average classes and slope classes. The allocation74comprises combinations for sensing an idling76, a drilling78, a chiseling80, and a hammer-drilling82. The allocation74comprises two combinations each for the drilling78, chiseling80, and hammer-drilling82, with three respective average classes and three respective slope classes. For example,FIG.4shows that a combination with a composition of the first average class60of the current values with the second slope class70of the current values, a combination of the fourth average class66′ of the acceleration values with the third slope class72′ of the acceleration values, and a combination of the second average class62″ of the speed values with a second slope class70″ of the speed values is allocated to the drilling78. It is shown inFIG.3that certain average classes and certain slope classes do not lead to any allocation. The first and fourth average classes60,66of the current values, the first slope class68of the current values, the first average class60′ and the first slope class68′ of the acceleration values, as well as the first and third average class60″ and64″ of the speed values do not result in an allocation74to any operating mode52.