If you’ve browsed the aisles in your local building-supply store recently, you’ve no doubt noticed some big changes in the power-tool and garden-appliance sections. Such products range from drills, sanders, and circular saws to lawnmowers and edge-trimmers to vacuum cleaners.
First came the move to cordless devices powered by batteries. Later generations of power tools added more sophisticated electronic controls, beginning with full-bridge drivers for brushed motors, then a change to more-efficient brushless dc (BLDC) motors. These allowed for longer battery life but required a more complex control scheme with sensors, half-bridge power drivers, and a controller to manage the switching sequence.
The latest power tools are even including wireless connectivity via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Homeowners can now track down their borrowed tools, and the construction professional can improve their anti-theft and inventory-tracking systems.
A Cordless Power Tool Must Satisfy Multiple Requirements
What’s needed in a state-of-the-art cordless garden tool these days?
The Cordless Handheld Garden Tool overview page (Fig. 1) from the Texas Instruments website shows some of the available options. Online, each block is a clickable link that brings up relevant reference designs, products, training, and other resources.