Work Between Movable Tool And Pivot (e.g., Sweep-arm Bender) Patents (Class 72/217)
  • Patent number: 11925969
    Abstract: An orthodontic wire bending device includes a providing part, a bending unit and a cutting part. The providing part is configured to provide a wire. The bending unit is disposed at a front side of the providing part, and includes a fixing part and a bending part. The fixing part is configured to fix the wire. The bending part is configured to bend the wire fixed by the fixing part. The cutting part is configured to cut the wire bent by the bending part. The bending part includes a bending module, and the bending module is rotated along a circumferential direction or moves along a direction to make contact with at least one side of the wire for bending the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF MACHINERY & MATERIALS
    Inventors: Joonyub Song, Yongjin Kim, Youn Ho Jung, Kwang Sun Choi, Jae-hak Lee, Seung Man Kim
  • Patent number: 11759838
    Abstract: A tool, such as a conduit bender, that includes a gear assembly for providing a mechanical advantage when bending a workpiece conduit. The gear assembly comprises a pinion gear rotatably coupled to a handle, the handle including a pin that can be selectively engaged with the pinion gear. The conduit bender also includes a shoe with teeth that protrude radially inward from a curved outer portion. When the conduit bender is in use, the teeth of the pinion gear engage with the teeth of the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventor: George Barton
  • Patent number: 11752534
    Abstract: Provided herein are an apparatus and method for bending wire. The apparatus includes a feeding system with at least one feed roller pair and a controllable feed motor, at least one control platform axis, and at least one bending unit. The method includes i) providing the apparatus of claim 1; ii) advancing a wire with the feeding system; iii) engaging the wire with the at least one bending unit; iv) bending the wire with the at least one bending unit; v) retracting the at least one bending unit; and optionally repeating steps ii-v to form a desired structure. Also provided herein are algorithms for feeding, engaging, and bending the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NDSU RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Bashir Khoda, Nazmul Ahsan, Md Habib, Ruinan Xie
  • Patent number: 11642713
    Abstract: Tube bending devices for bending a tube. The tube bending devices include an actuator, a crank, a bending die, and a clamp assembly. The crank is mechanically coupled to the actuator. The bending die is mechanically coupled to the crank. The clamp assembly is operatively coupled to the bending die and configured to selectively secure the tube to the bending die. The actuator selectively drives the crank. The crank selectively rotates the bending die. The crank is configured to rotate the bending die over at least 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Rogue Fabrication, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Gambino
  • Patent number: 11389850
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a complex-curvature tubular product starting from a metal tube extending along a rectilinear longitudinal axis is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: CTE SISTEMI S.R.L.
    Inventor: Marco Dani
  • Patent number: 11325173
    Abstract: Machine for bending metal products (B) includes a drawing unit (11) configured to feed at least one metal product (B) along an axis of feed (D) and toward a bending unit (12) and a shearing unit (14) configured to shear the metal product (B). The bending unit (12) is mounted on a translating platform (13) able to be translated in a direction of translation (T) transverse to the axis of feed (D), and at least one part of the shearing unit (14) is mounted on the translating platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: M.E.P. MACCHINE ELETTRONICHE PIEGATRICI SPA
    Inventor: Giorgio Del Fabro
  • Patent number: 11305324
    Abstract: A tool, such as a conduit bender, that includes a gear assembly for providing a mechanical advantage when bending a workpiece conduit. The gear assembly comprises a pinion gear rotatably coupled to a handle, the handle including a pin that can be selectively engaged with the pinion gear. The conduit bender also includes a shoe with teeth that protrude radially inward from a curved outer portion. When the conduit bender is in use, the teeth of the pinion gear engage with the teeth of the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventor: George Barton
  • Patent number: 11173538
    Abstract: A device for bending wire includes a first plate with upper and lower surfaces and a center aperture extending therebetween. A cavity is formed in the upper surface that includes opposing sidewalls with a separation that decreases as they extend towards the center aperture and decreases as they extend up from a bottom surface of the cavity. A pin assembly disposed in the cavity includes a second plate having a pin extending from a top surface and having opposing side surfaces with a separation that decreases as they extend towards the center aperture and decreases as they extend up toward the top surface. A shaft extends through the center aperture and terminates in a bend head having a wire aperture and first and second bend surfaces adjacent the wire aperture. A first motor is configured to rotate the first plate about the shaft in opposing first and second rotational directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: PENSA LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Marco Perry, Oscar Frias
  • Patent number: 11173532
    Abstract: A tube bender is provided, including: a fixation portion, configured to be held by a fixation base; a plurality of bending portions, connected with the fixation portion, each of the plurality of bending portions has a circumferential guiding face, at least two of curvature of radiuses of the circumferential guiding faces of the plurality of bending portions are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Lih Yann Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Po-Lin Liao
  • Patent number: 10792727
    Abstract: Devices, systems and methods are disclosed which relate to a wire bending apparatus capable of both on and off-plane nose and mandrel bends. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention incorporate a center turret cluster with a plurality of radii possible, a nose-bending mandrel, and a mandrel-bending mandrel. This apparatus forms a bending head that is attached to a CNC wire bending machine. This combination allows increased flexibility in forming complex wire forms and cuts down secondary operations, such as operations from robot arms, sometimes associated with CNC wire bending. In addition, the turret cluster position in the center allows for bending support with mandrel bends or nose bending on the back side of the bending head, usually 180 degrees away from the normal bending area. This allows the manufacturing of double end-loop forms without the addition of external clamps or robotic manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: AIM, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom J. Christofilis, Constantine S. Grapsas
  • Patent number: 10792718
    Abstract: A bender includes a rotatable bending shoe having a plurality of channels therein configured to receive a workpiece and a follower assembly. The follower assembly includes a mount, a follower bar attached to the mount, the follower bar having a plurality of channels therein configured to receive the workpiece, a roller attached to the mount and engaged against the follower bar, the roller having an eccentric shaft extending therefrom, and a motor for rotating the shaft and roller, wherein rotation of the shaft and roller causes the follower bar to translate toward or away from the bending shoe. A drive member can be provided to move the mount toward or away from the bending shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: GREENLEE TOOLS, INC.
    Inventors: Sean Daugherty, Jeffrey Plummer, Ryan Mantell, Gerald Tully
  • Patent number: 10702323
    Abstract: An instrument for bending a surgical implant about a bending axis includes a handle defining a receiving area for receiving the surgical implant. A lever is pivotably connected to the handle about a pivot axis that can be orthogonal to the bending axis. A movable linkage can be connected to the lever for movement with the lever. The moveable linkage can be configured to bend the surgical implant about the bending axis upon pivoting the lever about the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Robert Leslie Richards, Ernest Corrao
  • Patent number: 10537770
    Abstract: Described herein is a golf club head comprising a faceplate, and a body, at least one of the faceplate and the body comprising a material having a specific strength and/or a specific flexibility greater than the specific strength and specific flexibility of known golf club heads, wherein the specific strength is measured as the ratio of the yield stress to the density of the material, and the specific flexibility is measured as the ratio of the yield stress to the modulus of elasticity of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew W. Simone, Eric J. Morales, Cory S. Bacon, Ryan M. Stokke
  • Patent number: 10441985
    Abstract: A bending head for an automatic bending machine includes a frame. A first rotationally driven bending roll is arranged in the frame. A bending arm is transversely arranged below the first bending roll and is coupled to a bi-directional drive, with an end of the bending arm rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the first bending roll. A rotatable second bending roll is mounted to an opposite end of the bending. A bending support is configured with the first and second bending rolls. The second bending roll is rotationally coupled to the first bending roll in a forced torque transmission manner for mutual counter-direction rotation of the first and second bending rolls. The bending rolls have axially symmetric reduced lateral circumferential sections. The bending roll controls an angle of mutual rotation of both of the first and second bending rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: MSV Systems CZ s.r.o.
    Inventor: Karel Vondracek
  • Patent number: 10427208
    Abstract: A wire bending device that includes a housing have a top plate, wherein the top plate includes a curved slot, a first pair of opposing wheels positioned over the top plate for feeding wire, and a bend head. The bend head includes an aperture configured to pass the wire fed from the first pair of opposing wheels, and first and second bend surfaces positioned adjacent to the curved slot and the aperture. A cam member that includes sloping cam surfaces, and a rotating pulley, both positioned under the top plate and configured to cause a first pin to rise up and travel along the curved slot for engaging with and bending wire against the first bend surface, and to cause a second pin to rise up and travel along the curved slot for engaging with and bending wire against the second bend surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Pensa Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Perry, Mark Prommel, Chad Ingerick, Pil Ho Chung, Avi Bajpai, Thomas Mattimore
  • Patent number: 10118208
    Abstract: There are provided: a seamless steel pipe formed from a cylindrical steel material billet through a hot isostatic extrusion step, wherein a depth of a contiguous flaw formed on an inner periphery surface and an outer periphery surface of the steel pipe is 50 ?m or less; a hollow spring obtained by forming a hollow body in a shape of a coil or a bar or a bar with curved part from the seamless steel pipe made of spring steel and applying a surface treatment to the hollow body so that the hollow body has compressive residual stress; and a method for producing seamless steel pipe including: a billet molding step; a first heating step; a hot isostatic extrusion step; a second heating step; an extension step; a third heating step; and a pickling step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignees: SHINKO METAL PRODUCTS CO., LTD., NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kotaro Toyotake, Koji Iwaya, Tomoyuki Minami, Noritoshi Takamura
  • Patent number: 9566636
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for bending elongated metal elements. The apparatus includes a bending station provided with a first contrasting pin, a bending support defining a first bending plane on which the elongated metal elements are positioned and advance, and a first bending pin mounted mobile around the first contrasting pin, in order to bend the elongated metal elements on the first bending plane in cooperation with the first contrasting pin. The bending station further includes a second contrasting pin mounted on the first bending pin, and a second bending pin disposed mobile with respect to a bending support in a slanting direction with respect to the first bending plane, in order to bend the elongated metal elements in cooperation with the second contrasting pin on a second bending plane, angled with respect to the first bending plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: M.E.P. MACCHINE ELETTRONICHE PIEGATRICI SPA
    Inventor: Giorgio Del Fabro
  • Patent number: 9468963
    Abstract: In a bending head for bending rod-shaped and tubular workpieces, with a retainer that can be rotated about a rotational axis and that carries a bending mandrel at one axial end, and with at least two further tools, which each comprise a retaining body with, at its axial end facing the bending mandrel, a bending pin and which can each be rotated—in each case independently of the other tools—the retaining bodies of the tools are arranged concentrically to the retainer of the bending mandrel and pivotable about its rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: WAFIOS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stefan Fries, Jörg Möck, Frank Weiblen, Carina Baier
  • Patent number: 8756967
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bending machine for the production of bent profile sections, in particular for exchanger tubes, including a frame on which an articulated arm is mounted consisting of a rotatably fixed arm capable moving along a transverse axis of movement, and a rotary arm supported by a rotary shaft and having a means for attaching a clamping jaw, a means for mounting either a freely rotating roller or a clamping shape rotatably secured about said rotary shaft on the rotary shaft of the articulated arm, driving rollers distributed in two series and positioned on either side of a bending axis, and a means for actuating said driving rollers for synchronously rotating the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Eaton Leonard Europe
    Inventor: Philippe Jaubert
  • Patent number: 8511135
    Abstract: A bending apparatus for manufacturing a bent member from a steel pipe with high dimensional accuracy and high productivity can be installed in a small space with good maintainability. The apparatus has a feed mechanism for feeding a steel pipe in its lengthwise direction, a first support mechanism for supporting the steel pipe while feeding it, a heating mechanism for heating a part or all of the steel pipe being fed, a cooling mechanism for cooling the portion of the heated steel pipe being fed, a second support mechanism for imparting a bending moment to the heated portion of the steel pipe to bend the steel pipe into a desired shape by moving two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally while supporting the fed steel pipe in at least one location, and a deformation preventing mechanism for preventing deformation of the steel pipe. The feed mechanism is a vertically articulated robot having seven axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignees: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Sumitomo Pipe & Tube Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinjiro Kuwayama, Atsushi Tomizawa, Saburo Inoue
  • Patent number: 8511123
    Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a stiff-back which is driven by a pivoting wedge. A linkage applies force from the actuator to the wedge in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stiff-back. The stiff-back pivots on a first fulcrum and the wedge slides on a bed which pivots on a second fulcrum. The actuator drives the wedge between the stiff-back and the bed to rotate the stiff-back at the first fulcrum and bend the pipe seated in the stiff-back against the pipe bending face of a die. The conversion of the longitudinal force applied to the wedge into a transverse force applied to the stiff-back provides a significant mechanical advantage which varies directionally as the stiff-back rotates about its fulcrum to maintain a constant force on the stiff-back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Scoville, Timothy R. Gwartney, Stephen Sears
  • Patent number: 8333097
    Abstract: An application for a device that bends a workpiece includes a rotary hydraulic actuator. The rotary hydraulic actuator is fluidly coupled to a controlled source of hydraulic fluid pressure and has an rotating flange that turns responsive to the hydraulic fluid pressure. A bending member is coupled to the rotating flange of the rotary hydraulic actuator and rotates responsive to the rotational motion of the rotating flange. A bending mandrel is mounted on a face of the bending member at a center of rotation of the bending member and a force mandrel mounted on the face of the bending member. An actuator controls the hydraulic fluid pressure and clips are provided for attaching the device for bending to a boom of, for example, a skid-steer loader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Inventor: Robert Frear
  • Patent number: 8234898
    Abstract: A bending assembly for extruded, stock material specifically including elongated channel stock initially supported on a mandrel in an operative position relative to a forming assembly which includes a movable section and a fixed section. The movable section includes a forming channel disposed about a periphery thereof and having a predetermined curved configuration corresponding to the intended curve of the stock material to be bent. Cooperative placement and structuring of the movable and fixed sections continuously force the stock material into the forming channel and along the length thereof upon travel of the movable section through a forming cycle. A locking assembly is structured to secure the stock material to the movable section, such that the stock material moves relative to the both the movable and fixed sections and with the movable section during the forming cycle. A brace assembly is mounted interiorly of the stock material in order to prevent unwanted deformation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Inventor: Brian S. Wilson
  • Patent number: 8201430
    Abstract: A hydraulically rebar bender for skid-steer loader includes a structural case with quick-attach flanges for attachment to skid-steer loaders. The case has an adjustable work tray mounted on the face for supporting the rebar when bending. One end of a hydraulic cylinder is connected to the case and a distal end is connected to a rack gear. The rack gear mates with a pinion gear that is mounted on an axle. The pinion gear is connected to a bending disc that rotates with the pinion gear. A force shaft is mounted on the bending disk. The force shaft travels in a circular cutout of the case and accepts various size mandrels. The axle protrudes out of the case and has a bend mandrel mounted thereon. Hydraulic power is supplied by the skid-steer loaders hydraulic system via hydraulic supply hoses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Inventor: Robert Frear
  • Patent number: 8171765
    Abstract: This invention is a manually operated tube bending machine with a power drive mechanism that is adjustably set to a desired bend speed. The bending machine includes a bending die, a counter die and a rotating hook die to form a desired bend into a tube or pipe. The tube bender includes a drive wheel with ratchet teeth around its perimeter. A drive pin grips one of the ratchet teeth. The drive pin is secured to a lever and torque bar. During each bending stroke, the lever and torque bar incrementally rotate the drive wheel a desired amount. The rotation of the drive wheel and hook die draw the tube through the bending and counter dies to bend the tube. An anti-spring back mechanism holds the position of the drive wheel while the power drive mechanism is advanced to grip the next ratchet tooth of the drive wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Inventor: Christopher J. Rusch
  • Patent number: 7878037
    Abstract: A device for the free-form bending of longitudinal profiles, in particular pipes, in which an axial sleeve is arranged downstream of a feed unit in its direction of feed. Arranged downstream of the axial sleeve in the direction of feed, is a bending sleeve. The feed unit and the axial sleeve in each case have a drive pointing in the direction of feed, wherein the axial sleeve can be adjusted independently of the feed unit. The feed unit and the axial sleeve further have rotary drives for the simultaneous rotation in the same direction of the longitudinal profile held and guided by them. The bending sleeve can only be adjusted in a translatory manner by means of a drive in an axis running transverse to the axis of the longitudinal profile and the feed device. In addition to this, it can be pivoted by means of a drive about an axis lying transverse to the axis of the longitudinal profile and the feed device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignees: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, Mewag Maschinenfabrik AG
    Inventors: Thomas Flehmig, Martin Kibben, Urs Kühni, Jacob Ziswiler
  • Patent number: 7739893
    Abstract: A two-way bending machine for a reinforcement includes a hollow worktable with a top, a drive mechanism, a bending mechanism and a retaining mechanism, the drive mechanism powered by a bi-directional motor to drive the bending mechanism at a reduced rotation, the bending mechanism being extended to the top where a turntable is provided, multiple positioning holes at the center of and on the turntable for insertion of a positioning member and a retaining member to hold the reinforcement in position, the retaining mechanism including two retaining blocks, a track and an air cylinder with both retaining blocks alternatively traveling laterally to get close to the left or the right side of the turntable to serve a support in the bending.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Inventor: Chun-Jen Chien
  • Publication number: 20100107715
    Abstract: A bending apparatus (1) is for bending a workpiece (object to be worked), using a bending die (2) formed in accordance with a bent form of the workpiece, and a linear die (3) linearly extended, and includes a table (10) having a work face (11a) where the bending die (2) and the linear die (3) are placed; and a pair of rollers (40, 50) configured to move along the work face (11a), wherein each of the rollers (40, 50) is configured to move from one end side of the bending die (2) and the linear die (3) to the other end side thereof in a state of pinching the bending die (2) and the linear die (3) in a die closing direction. According to this configuration, it is possible to configure the bending apparatus (1), to make a work space small, and to improve the work efficiency of the bending.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO WORKS, LTD.
    Inventors: Susumu Shioya, Kouichi Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20090126441
    Abstract: A device for the free-form bending of longitudinal profiles, in particular pipes, in which an axial sleeve is arranged downstream of a feed unit in its direction of feed. Arranged downstream of the axial sleeve in the direction of feed, is a bending sleeve. The feed unit and the axial sleeve in each case have a drive pointing in the direction of feed, wherein the axial sleeve can be adjusted independently of the feed unit. The feed unit and the axial sleeve further have rotary drives for the simultaneous rotation in the same direction of the longitudinal profile held and guided by them. The bending sleeve can only be adjusted in a translatory manner by means of a drive in an axis running transverse to the axis of the longitudinal profile and the feed device. In addition to this, it can be pivoted by means of a drive about an axis lying transverse to the axis of the longitudinal profile and the feed device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventor: Thomas Flehmig
  • Patent number: 7500375
    Abstract: A gutter cap forming tool is provided for use in a method of forming a gutter cap from a sheet stock blank. A flange of the gutter cap is initially formed by a bending brake or a flange bender. A roll forming operation is performed to form a reversely-turned arcuate bend in the gutter cap. The gutter cap is installed with either an extruded bracket or a molded bracket that secures the gutter cap to a building and a gutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Van Mark Products
    Inventors: Jeffrey Van Cleave, Eugene G. Eichhorn, Matthew S. Damron, Joseph W. Pawlow
  • Publication number: 20080190164
    Abstract: A portable bending apparatus includes a frame, a major gear, a forming member, a workpiece guide and a gear mechanism. The major gear is mounted rotatably to the frame about a bending axis. The forming member is carried on a front side face of the major gear, the forming member having an arcuate forming surface and a restraint. The workpiece guide is mounted to the frame. The gear mechanism has an input connected to a geartrain connected to an output gear, the geartrain providing a speed reduction between the input and the output gear. The input is configured to receive rotary input from a handheld motorized driver, such as a portable drill. The output gear is enmesh with gear teeth of the major gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Christopher J. Boon, Robert A. Kolarits
  • Patent number: 7404310
    Abstract: A mandrel assembly is provided for insertion into a hollow tube to support the interior walls of the tube during bending of the tube in a tube bending apparatus. The mandrel assembly includes at least one mandrel segment that is adapted for positioning within the tube and has an exterior support surface for supporting the interior walls of the tube during bending. The mandrel segment is anchored at a fixed axial location within the tube by an anchoring device that is radially expandable and retractable between an expanded condition in which an anchor shoe is engaged with the interior wall of the tube and a retracted condition in which the anchor shoe is loose within the tube. A mandrel support rod is attached to the anchoring device for inserting and withdrawing the anchoring device into the tube when the anchor shoe is retracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike M. Ghiran, Wei Ji, Paul D. Larsen, David R. Jensen
  • Patent number: 7383716
    Abstract: A tube bender comprising a mandrel, a forming member connected to the mandrel for coaction with the mandrel to effectuate bending of a tube wherein the forming member has at least two bending positions defined thereon, a handle pivotally connected to said forming member, and a release member movable relative to said handle and configured to be secured in a locked position relative to said forming member when said handle is selectively moved to any of one said at least two bending positions thereby preventing relative movement between said handle and said forming member. The release member enables an operator to move the release member to an unlocked position to permit such operator to move the handle relative to the forming member between the at least two bending positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Stride Tool Inc.
    Inventors: Darryle Bates, Patrick Mulvaney
  • Patent number: 7234338
    Abstract: An improved tubing bender of the type having a mounting base, a mandrel mounted upon the mounting base and having a tube recess, and a tube retainer mounted upon the mounting base. It is improved by the tube retainer being mounted upon the mounting base by a snap-lock journal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Arthur Mirtz, Richard Keith Bergquist
  • Patent number: 7188504
    Abstract: A wire bending device includes a bending head bearing two bending tools between which the wire to be bent is passed. Either tool is alternately capable of being fixed or being a pivot for rotation of the bending head therearound. The device also includes a mechanical device for feeding the wire axially in one direction or another; a mechanical device for rotatably driving the bending tools, in two different directions, about an axis of either bending tool; and a mechanical device for shifting the bending tools in a plane perpendicular to the axis about which the bending tools can rotate. There can be calculating controller for managing simultaneously the operation of the mechanical devices, so that the movements generated by the wire and bending tools are superposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ateliers de Constructions Mecaniques Latour et Fils
    Inventor: Yves Latour
  • Patent number: 7143629
    Abstract: The manual pipe bender has a stationary handle, a head, a bending die, a bending lever, and a bending handle. The stationary handle has a distal end, and the head is attached to the stationary handle. The bending die has a bending surface and multiple ratchet teeth. The bending lever attaches the bending die rotatably to the head. The bending handle is attached to and rotates the bending die around the head and has a drive bracket that engages a selected ratchet tooth on the bending die to keep the handles from crossing. Consequently, bending acute angles in pipes is convenient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Inventor: Ching-Su Chiu
  • Patent number: 7134310
    Abstract: A tube bender includes a worktable, a rail on the worktable, a tube-pushing device and a tube-bending device. The tube-pushing device is positioned on the worktable, having a moving base and a clamper at one side of the moving device. The clamper clamps a tube being bent, and a push driver moves the moving base together with the tube work to a preset location. The tube-bending device consists of a base unit, a guide unit and a driving unit, and when the tube work is moved to the tube-bending device, it is bent by the tube-bending device, with a guide roller and a main roller sandwiching the tube for preventing the bent section of the finished tube from disfiguring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Ying Lin Machine Industrial Col., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Kun Hu
  • Patent number: 7131309
    Abstract: A bending system comprising a series of bending stations, each equipped with a bending head. Workpieces are conveyed from one bending station to the next by grippers suspended from a two-axis gantry, that preferably grasp the workpiece at an intermediate portion. Each bending head grasps the tube at a different intermediate position, and in the preferred embodiment each bending station is capable of rotating to position the bending dye such that the free end of the workpiece being bent can be oriented in the bending plane without interference by an adjacent bending station. These features reduce the space requirements of the system considerably. A multi-level dispensing apparatus may be provided to load the bending heads. The bending system is preferably operated by computer, allowing the bending of long workpieces to precise configurations under the control of a single operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Martinrea International Inc.
    Inventors: David Burton, Nat Rea
  • Patent number: 7096707
    Abstract: A tube bender comprising a mandrel, a forming member connected to the mandrel for coaction with the mandrel to effectuate bending of a tube wherein the forming member has at least two bending positions defined thereon, a handle pivotally connected to said forming member, and a release member movable relative to said handle and configured to be secured in a locked position relative to said forming member when said handle is selectively moved to any of one said at least two bending positions thereby preventing relative movement between said handle and said forming member. The release member enables an operator to move the release member to an unlocked position to permit such operator to move the handle relative to the forming member between the at least two bending positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Stride Tool Inc.
    Inventors: Darryle Bates, Patrick Mulvaney
  • Patent number: 7024905
    Abstract: A pipe bending system for bending a length of pipe, using a pair of bending assemblies, each bending assembly having a hub having a central shaft having an outer circumference and a central shaft, and a roller assembly mounted for orbital movement around the outer circumference under the power of a motor. The roller assembly has a roller whereby the length of pipe is placed between the roller and outer circumference. When the roller assembly is moved around the hub, the pipe is bent to follow the outer circumference. The bending assemblies are mounted in proximity to each other to create complex bends in the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Inventors: Aaron Carlson, Roy Imwie, III
  • Patent number: 7017380
    Abstract: A bending assembly on a bending machine for the bending of rod and/or bar-shaped workpieces (8) includes a bending tool (10) and a bending drive unit (11) with a swivel arm (21) and a bending-drive motor (22). The bending tool (10) has at least one workpiece thrust block (12, 13), and the swivel arm (21) has at least one thrust pad (17, 18). The bending-drive motor (22) rotates the swivel arm (21) with the thrust pad (17, 18) around a bending axis (14) that extends in the transverse direction of the workpiece. The workpiece is bent when the thrust pad (17, 18) forces it against and around the associated workpiece thrust block (12, 13). The shaft of the bending drive motor (22) extends parallel to the bending axis (14), and both ends of the shaft are drive-connected to the swivel arm (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Trumpf Rohrtechnik GmbH &Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Schmauder, Winfried Richter
  • Patent number: 6993950
    Abstract: A portable devic for bending and cutting rebar, reinforcing rod, and the like. For cutting, a shaft assembly is movable along a first longitudinal axis (A—A) between a retracted and an extended position. A movable cutting head carried by the shaft assembly coacts with a fixed cutting head to shear rebar disposed between the cutting heads when the shaft assembly is moved to the extended position. For bending, a push rod movable along a second longitudinal axis (C—C) parallel to the first axis (A—A) couples movements of the shaft assembly through a clevis to a crankshaft such that longitudinal movements of the shaft assembly cause rotational movements of the crankshaft about an axis substantially perpendicular to axis (A—A). A first driven wheel, mounted for rotation with the crankshaft, has one or more bending blocks attached to the wheel by a radial arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Inventor: William Bryan
  • Patent number: 6912886
    Abstract: A bending apparatus is especially adapted for mounting to a vise to hold the bending apparatus in an aligned position so that the bending apparatus may impart a desired angle bend on a workpiece. The bending apparatus includes an orienting member with a cross-sectional shape to complement the shape of the vice jaws. The bending apparatus when secured in the vise jaws is oriented horizontally or vertically, thus enabling the bending apparatus to precisely create horizontal and vertical bends in a workpiece. Bends may be created in succession without requiring a user to continually adjust the orientation of the workpiece or the bending apparatus itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: aMAESing Tools Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger V. Maes
  • Patent number: 6883360
    Abstract: A tube bender comprising a mandrel, a forming member connected to the mandrel for coaction with the mandrel to effectuate bending of a tube wherein the forming member has at least two bending positions defined thereon, a handle pivotally connected to said forming member, and a release member movable relative to said handle and configured to be secured in a locked position relative to said forming member when said handle is selectively moved to any of one said at least two bending positions thereby preventing relative movement between said handle and said forming member. The release member enables an operator to move the release member to an unlocked position to permit such operator to move the handle relative to the forming member between the at least two bending positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Stride Tool Inc.
    Inventors: Darryle Bates, Patrick Mulvaney
  • Patent number: 6813922
    Abstract: A digitally controlled machine for bending, forming, or curving raw parts, such as rods, wires or profiled sections, comprises a conventional main frame (1) and a rotating bending head capable of bending articles in different planes. The rod (4) is horizontally displaced along a transport axis (5) by a feed station, located upstream, and is brought through a bending shank (7) borne by the main frame (1). The rod is then brought through a lathe (10) of the bending head. The lathe is formed by a bending roll (8) and a folding pin (9), and is capable of rotating in a horizontal plane about an axis of rotation aligned with the axis of the bending roll (8). The bending shank (7) is movably mounted in translation in a transport axis (5) and is continuously displaced between one or more projecting bending positions wherein the shank is proximate to the roll (8) and one or more retracted positions, facing upstream, which completely clear the bending zone between the lathe and the main frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Numalliance
    Inventor: Joël Etienne
  • Patent number: 6782728
    Abstract: A machine for high rate serial bending of a tube includes a bending head provided with a radius block and a backing block including, at the periphery, a groove with a semicircular cross-section and a driver for the backing block in rotation coaxial to the radius block, so as to drive the tube to be bent and wind it on the radius block. The radius block includes a disc including a beveled panel arranged along a chord of the disc and it includes device for moving the bending head relative to the axis of the tube along a path passing through the pins of the radius block and the backing block and a device for axially rotating the radius block independently from the displacement of the backing block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Ateliers de Constructions Mecaniques Latour et Fils
    Inventor: Yves Latour
  • Patent number: 6735995
    Abstract: A shaping device for producing a U-shaped conductor includes a holding portion, a feeding portion, a core metal portion and a shaping portion. The core metal portion includes a core metal and an upper guide portion. The core metal forms a die. The upper guide portion restrains upward movement of the conductor material during the shaping operation. The shaping portion includes a shaping element and a lower guide. The shaping element shapes the conductor material into the U-shape by urging the conductor material along the core metal. The lower guide restrains downward movement of the conductor material during the shaping operation. It is possible to move the shaping element downwardly after the conductor material is shaped into the U-shape. The conductor material can be fed forward without returning the shaping element to its initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Katsumi Shizu
  • Patent number: 6711927
    Abstract: A bending apparatus for a long material comprises: supporting device for supporting a long material in cantilever fashion at least in a bending direction; bending device which nips the material at an input point apart from the supporting device and is rotated by a predetermined angle so as to bend the material between the supporting device and the input point; driving device for rotating the bending device; feeding device for moving the material toward the bending device and setting a position of the material; and moving device which sets up a separation distance between the supporting device and the bending device prior to bending of the material and allows the supporting device and the bending device to move relatively during the bending of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignees: NHK Springs Co., Ltd., Morita & Company
    Inventors: Tsutomu Furuyama, Yoshihiro Koshita, Mitsushige Kawakubo, Osamu Shinkai
  • Patent number: 6681809
    Abstract: A device for bending an extremity of a torsional spring. The device includes a base plate; at least one flange projecting from the base plate; at least one bulge projecting from the at least one flange; a lever arm pivotally mounted onto the at least one flange about a first pivot axis; and at least one cam pivotally mounted onto the lever arm about a second pivot axis. The lever arm is operable between first and second positions and each cam has a contact surface being positioned for operatively cooperating with a corresponding bulge. Prior to the bending operation, the extremity of the torsional spring is inserted between a given bulge and the contact surface of a corresponding cam when the lever arm is in the first position. In operation, the extremity of the spring is bent about the given bulge by the contact surface of the corresponding cam when the contact surface is urged towards the bulge and forced about the same over the extremity of the spring as the lever arm is operated into the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Canimex Inc.
    Inventors: Normand Savard, Guillaume Allen, Philippe Larochelle
  • Patent number: 6609405
    Abstract: A tube bender comprising a mandrel, a forming member connected to the mandrel for coaction with the mandrel to effectuate at least 180 degree bending of a tube wherein the forming member has at least two bending positions defined thereon, a handle pivotally connected to the forming member, a release member movable relative to the handle wherein the release member is associated with the handle, and engagement means for securing the release member in a locked position relative to the forming member when the handle is selectively moved to any of one the at least two bending positions thereby preventing relative movement between the handle and the forming member. The release member enables an operator to move the release member to an unlocked position to permit such operator to move the handle relative to the forming member between the at least two bending positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Stride Tool Inc.
    Inventors: Darryle Bates, Patrick Mulvaney