Patent attributes
A power tool includes a housing, a motor disposed in the housing, a transmission disposed in the housing and coupled to the motor, an output end effector coupled to the transmission, a control circuit for controlling power delivery from a power source to the motor, and a force sensing electronic clutch including a force sensor coupled to a substantially stationary element of the transmission. The force sensor senses a reaction torque transmitted from the end effector to at least a portion of the transmission. The sensor is configured to generate a first electronic signal corresponding to an amount of the reaction torque. The control circuit compares the first electronic signal with a second electronic signal corresponding to a desired threshold torque value, and initiates a protective operation when a value of the first electronic signal indicates that the reaction torque has exceeded the desired threshold torque value.
