Foldable Conduit Bending Apparatus

Abstract

A tube bending apparatus comprising a tube bender having a head defining a channel therein to receive the tube, a tube stop, measurement marks indicating bending angle, and a handle with the proximal end affixed to the head; a foldable stand having a first leg with proximal and distal ends, an upper receiver to which the proximal end of the first leg is foldably affixed, a second leg defined by the bender handle and having a connector foldably affixed to the upper receiver, an alignment means for positioning the bender, and a clamp means for releasably attaching the bender to the stand, and a stabilization means for providing stability to the stand, whereby, the foldable stand can be transported to a worksite, deployed from a collapsed position into an operational position in which the bender handle becomes a second leg for the stand, and the stabilization means provides additional support so that the foldable stand with the bender engaged therewith is self-supporting, allowing a user to bend tubes more accurately and efficiently.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a folding apparatus for bending conduit. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus that may comprise a commercially available conduit bender and a self-supporting stand, allowing a user to bend tubes more accurately and efficiently than with a bender by itself

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for bending conduit. More particularly, the invention relates to a device that allows a commercially available conduit bender to be placed and maintained in the inverted position allowing the operator to view the angle and to use both hands during bending process to carefully manipulate the tubing and ensuring more precise and quicker repetitive bends. Traditionally, conduit is placed in the bender while the head is on the ground, the user places a foot on the foot pad connected to the head and grasps the handle with a hand then bends the conduit to the approximated angle. The user then removes the conduit to check the angle, if it the angle is insufficient then the conduit is placed back in the bender to further adjust the angle. This process is repeated until the desired angle is obtained. In general, prior art teaches various devices from simply adding a foot to the end of the handle to complicated devices for hydraulically or electrically bending conduit.

An early patent teaching a bender of the type to be used in conjunction with the present invention is U.S. Pat. No. 3,253,441 to Benfield, which teaches a device for variable radius bending of pipe and conduit with a foot pedal to permit the operator to apply foot pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,056 to Kozinski teaches an improved conduit bender head defining a pair of arcuate-shaped walls further defining therein two different pairs of curved inner surface sections to accommodate four of the more common types and sizes of conduit. U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,832 to Illguth teaches an electronic sensing device for use with a hand held bender, the improvement being an electronic system that signals the user when the tube has been bent to a predetermined angle. The foregoing patents related to hand held benders and improvements therein.

Another set of patents related to means for performing tubing bends using bench or stand-mounted bending equipment. U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,344 B2 to Godin teaches a device to attach a conduit bender that is claimed to be stable and relative transportable by a single individual. However, in reality, Godin does not teach or claim a device that can be easily transported and used, at least not without assembly at a work site. U.S. Pat. No. 6,912,886 B1 to Maes teaches a bender device adapted for mounting to a vise, which is attached to a permanently mounted single stanchion, to hold the manual conduit bender in a vertical or horizontal position. Maes teaches no means to stabilize the device without permanently mounting the stanchion at the work site. These bench or stand-mounted configurations are fine so far as they go, but they are not easily transportable, and they require users to make a significant investment in new equipment. Most tradespersons in the art have a hand bender, but they would have to buy a totally new set of bending equipment to use these stand or stanchion-based benders.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,537 B1 to Hartranft teaches an inverted manual conduit bender using the handle as a single leg that is rigidly affixed to a curved foot with a non-slip bottom. In a similar theme, U.S. Pat. No. 8,307,691 B1 to Bolander teaches an inverted manual conduit bender using the handle as a single leg that is pivotably affixed in the direction of the bend to a flat foot with a non-slip bottom thus correcting a portion of the lateral stability issue presented by Hartranft. Hartranft and Bolander might work for smaller angle bends, but as the bends approach and exceed 45 degrees, the acute angle of the bender relative to the ground would cause difficulties using the bender as taught by Hartranft and Bolander. Similarly, they fail to teach a means to maintain the bender in the operational position without active operator stabilization.

The present invention overcomes these shortcomings in the prior art by providing a simple yet stable support means for a tube bender, which can easily and quickly be deployed from a collapsed, more easily transported configuration, into a deployed configuration to assist in more easily bending tubes in the field. The present invention is a complement to the hand-held benders already in wide use by those skilled in the art of tubing bending.

There have thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in this application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the left side of the bender attached to the foldable stand, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the bender attached to the foldable stand, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the bender attached to the foldable stand, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a close-up view of the quick release receiver, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a collapsed view of the foldable stand, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates the bender 138 with its component parts, a bender head 100, with bender measurement marks 102 thereon, and the bender handle 106. The bender handle 106 is shown received within the quick-release receiver 104. A lower receiver 108 receives a lower end of the bender handle 106.

The lower receiver 108 is rotatably attached at the affixation point 110 to a central foot 112. A lower telescoping affixation point 116 is separately affixed to the lower receiver 108, and the central foot 112 also is affixed to a first horizontal affixation point 114 which extends through a first horizontal support 136 to a first foot 134.

The first foot 134 is rotatably affixed to a first joint 132. Extending upwardly from the first joint 132 is a first leg 130. First leg 130 is attached at the upper attachment point 126 to the quick-release receiver 104. The components recited up to this point—the bender handle 106, first horizontal support 136, and the first leg 130, thus form a triangle adapted to support the bender 138.

Prior to deploying a bender 138 with the apparatus, support is provided by the inner tube 118, the outer tube 120 within which the inner tube is received, held in place by a set screw 122 adapted to engage the inner tube 118 and retain it at a fixed location, all of which are attached at the upper telescoping affixation point 124 to a sliding collar 128.

The sliding collar 128 engages the first leg 130 in a sliding fashion. As shown in a deployed position in FIG. 1, the sliding collar 128 is disposed near the upper attachment point 126. In a collapsed position as shown in FIG. 5, the sliding collar 128 is disposed adjacent to the first foot 134. FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the present invention with a bender 138 deployed and ready for use.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the invention. The bender head 100 can be seen, and a couple of its components are illustrated, specifically the bender tube stop 200 and the bender channel 214.

FIG. 2 illustrates the sliding collar 128 engaged with both a first leg 130 and a second leg 204. As the sliding collar 128 moves toward the leg spacer 202, its fixed position and engagement with the first and second legs 130 and 204 tends to bias the first foot 134 and the second foot 212 away from one another. As the sliding collar 128 is moved toward the first and second feet 134 and 212, its fixed engagement with the first and second legs 130 and 204 tends to move the first and second feet 134 and 212 closer together into a collapsed position.

The first horizontal support 136 and the second horizontal support 208 can be seen in FIG. 2 extending from the first and second feet, respectively 134 and 212 back towards the central foot 112. Each of the horizontal supports 136 and 208 are affixed to the central foot 112, for example by a second horizontal affixation point 206.

The second foot 212 is rotatably affixed to a second joint 210. Extending upwardly from the second joint 210 is a second leg 204. Second leg 204 is attached at the upper attachment point 126 to the quick-release receiver 104.

FIG. 2 also illustrates the inner tube 118, the outer tube 120, and the set screw's 122 path from their connection to the central foot 112 at the lower end to their connection at the sliding collar 128 at an upper end. Shown behind them in FIG. 2 is the bender handle 106.

FIG. 3 is a perspective rear view of the present invention, and the bender channel 214 can be clearly seen in this figure. The thumb screw 300 is adapted to securely engage the bender handle 106. The second leg 204 extending downwardly towards the second foot 212 can be seen in FIG. 2. Again, from the second foot 212, the second horizontal support 208 extends toward the central foot 112. Central foot 112 passes back through the first horizontal support 136 toward the first foot 134. From the first foot 134, the first leg 130 extends upwardly toward the upper attachment point 126. The bender handle 106 can be seen extending upwardly from the lower receiver 108 towards the bender head 100.

FIG. 4 illustrates the quick-release receiver 104 in detail. A first receiver portion 416 extends through a connector section 404 to a second receiver portion 418 which continues on through a first and second protrusion 410 and 412 to define a notch 414 there between. A first end 400 is defined in the first receiver portion 416, and a first slot 402 is defined therein and adapted to receive the bender handle 106. A similar second slot 408 is defined in the second receiver portion 418. The second receiver portion 418 terminates at a second end 406. The thumb screw 300 also shown at FIG. 3 can be seen in FIG. 4.

The quick-release receiver 104 is in hinged engagement with the rest of the apparatus by the receiver connector 420. The hinged operation of the receiver connector 420 allows the quick-release receiver 104 to be rotated so that a void 422 defined between the first receiver and second receiver portions 416 and 418 respectively can engage the handle which can then, when the quick-release receiver 104 is rotated back into operational position be received within the first and second slots 402 and 408 respectively. The thumb screw 300 is then operated to engage the bender handle 106 securely with the quick-release receiver 104.

FIG. 5 shows the apparatus in a collapsed position. FIGS. 1 through 3 show the apparatus in an operational or deployed position. The device has the advantage of being easily transportable in a collapsed position shown in FIG. 5. Prior to collapsing the apparatus, the thumb screw 300 is loosened, and the quick-release receiver 104 is rotated to allow disengagement of the bender 138 from the remainder of the invention.

Shown in a collapsed position, the outer tube 120 has, in cooperation with the inner tube 118, shortened the overall distance between the sliding collar 128 and the lower telescoping affixation point 116. Also, the sliding collar 128 has moved from an operational position above the first foot 134 and the second foot 212 (not seen in FIG. 5) to a position where it is directly adjacent to them. The first joint 132 has allowed the first leg 130 to rotate into a position where it is closer to being parallel with the first horizontal support 136 than the angle shown in FIG. 1 between the first leg 130 and the first horizontal support 136. A similar effect acts on the second leg 204 and the second horizontal support 208. Also, in the collapsed position, the lower receiver 108 is adjacent to the quick-release receiver 104. The upper attachment point 126 allows the quick-release receiver 104 to rotate into a stored position as shown.

The purpose of the abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. While various methods of use and structures of the present invention are described herein, any methods or structures similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety and for all purposes. In addition, while the foregoing advantages of the present invention are manifested in the illustrated embodiments of the invention, a variety of changes can be made to the configuration, design and construction of the invention to achieve those advantages including combinations of components of the various embodiments. Hence, reference herein to specific details of the structure and function of the present invention is by way of example only and not by way of limitation.

While the invention has been shown, illustrated, described and disclosed in terms of specific embodiments or modifications, the scope of the invention is not limited by the precise embodiments or modifications therein shown, illustrated, described or disclosed. Such other embodiments or modifications are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope of the claims herein appended.

Claims

1. A tube bending apparatus comprising:

a. a tube bender having a head defining a channel therein adapted to receive the tube, a tube stop, measurement marks indicating a bending angle, and a handle with distal and proximal ends, the proximal end affixed to the head; and

b. a foldable stand having a first leg with proximal and distal ends, an upper receiver to which the proximal end of the first leg is foldably affixed, a second leg defined by the bender handle and having a connector foldably affixed to the upper receiver, an alignment means for positioning the bender, and a clamp means for releasably attaching the bender to the stand, and a stabilization means for providing stability to the stand;

whereby, the foldable stand can be easily be transported to the worksite, deployed from a collapsed position into an operational position wherein a bender is engaged with the clamp means and, once engaged, the bender handle becomes a second leg for the stand, and the stabilization means provides additional support so that the foldable stand with the bender engaged therewith is self-supporting, allowing a user to bend tubes more accurately and efficiently than with a bender by itself.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 where the bender comprises a bender head, an alignment means and affixation means, and at least one additional leg affixed to the upper receiver takes the place of the handle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 where the foldable stand comprises at least two legs in addition to the bender handle affixed to the upper receiver.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 where the stabilization means comprises at least one lateral support protruding from the distal end of at least one leg.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 where the stabilization means includes at least one locking means for releasably maintaining the foldable stand in the operational position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 where the locking means comprises at least one tension element adapted to resist the separation of the legs of the foldable stand during bending of a tube, the tension element selected from a group of rope, wire, tube, and rod.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 where the stabilization means includes at least one foot with a top and bottom, the top affixed to at least one leg and adapted to maintain the foldable stand in the operational position.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 where the stabilization means comprises at least three legs affixed to an upper receiver, a foldable table disposed inside the legs and below the upper receiver, the table pivotably affixed to each leg, and hinged to a central portion of the table.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 where the stabilization means further comprises a level affixed to the table.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 where the stabilization means further comprises at least one distal end of a leg and having an adjustable foot adapted to compensate for uneven work surfaces.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 where the clamp means comprises at least a bender receiver adapted to engage at least one selected from the head or handle, an alignment means for retaining the head in a desired position, and at least one fastening device adapted to secure the head in the desired position.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, the foldable stand having more than one fixed position corresponding to specific desired angles of bends.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprises a level to engage the tube during a bending process, whereby the level gives a visual indication when the bend has achieved a desired angle corresponding to the specific setting selected.

14. A tube bending apparatus comprising:

a. a tube bender having a head defining a channel therein adapted to receive the tube, a tube stop, measurement marks indicating a bending angle, and handle with distal and proximal ends, the proximal end affixed to the head; and

b. a quick-release receiver rotatably affixed to an upper attachment point and having a length of tubing with proximal and distal ends, the tubing having— i. a first semi-circular end defining a first slot adapted to receive the handle ii. a connector section iii. a second semi-circular end defining a second slot rotated 180 degrees from the first slot, the second slot also adapted to receive the handle iv. a pair of protrusions extending out from the second end, the protrusions defining a notch adapted to receive an intersection of the handle and head and to engage them to prevent the head from rotating v. a clamp means for releasably attaching the bender to the stand, having at least one pivot point to foldably affix legs to the receiver; and

c. a foldable stand having— i. first and second legs, each leg with proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the each leg foldably affixed to the quick-release receiver, ii. a third leg defined by the bender handle, the quick release receiver, and a lower receiver, wherein the proximal end of the bender handle engages the quick release receiver, and the distal end engages the lower receiver, iii. a pair of horizontal supports, each with proximal and distal ends, each of the proximal ends pivotably affixed to the lower receiver, and distal ends of the horizontal supports pivotably attached to the first leg and second legs, respectively, and iv. a stabilization means for maintaining the legs in an upright position,

whereby, the foldable stand can easily be transported to the worksite, deployed from a collapsed position into an operational position by activating the legs, sliding the locking means along the legs, and spreading both horizontal supports simultaneously until the required height is reached and the stand is locked into position, the quick release receiver is maneuvered into a horizontal position where the proximal end of the bender is inserted into the slot of the quick release receiver and the distal end of the bender in the lower receiver, once the bender is inserted, the quick release receiver is tilted until it engages and aligns the bender, where the bender is secured by the clamp means and once engaged and secured, the bender handle becomes a third leg for the stand, therewith is self-supporting, allowing a user to bend tubes more conveniently than with a bender by itself.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 where foldably affixed comprises detachable ends affixed to either the legs, horizontal supports or both adapted to be easily and quickly disconnected allowing the stand to quickly fold.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 where the horizontal support is a tension element adapted to resist the separation of the legs of the folding stand during the bending process, the tension element selected from a group of rope, wire, tube, and rod.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 where the stabilization means comprises at least one foot with a top and bottom with the top affixed to at least one leg, and the bottom adapted to maintain the foldable stand in the operational position.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 where the stabilization means further comprises a non-skid surface affixed to a bottom of at least one foot attached to at least one leg.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 where the stabilization means includes at least one adjustable foot, whereby, the length of the leg to which the foot is attached can be adjusted to compensate for uneven work surfaces.

20. A tube bending apparatus comprising:

a. a body providing a plurality of attachment points;

b. a head affixed to an upper attachment point on the body, the head defining a channel therein adapted to receive the tube, a tube stop, measurement marks indicating a bending angle;

c. a foldable stand having at least two legs, each of which is foldably affixed to the body and extends down therefrom, and

d. a stabilization means for maintaining the legs in an upright position,

whereby, the bender mounted on a foldable stand can be easily be transported to the worksite, deployed from a collapsed position into an operational position and the stabilization means provides support so that the integrated foldable stand therewith is self-supporting, allowing a user to bend tubes more conveniently than with a bender by itself.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 where the stabilization means comprises at least one lateral support protruding from the distal end of at least one leg.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 where the stabilization means includes at least one locking means for releasably maintaining the foldable stand in the operational position.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 where the locking means comprises at least one tension element adapted to resist the separation of the legs of the foldable stand during bending of a tube, the tension element selected from a group of rope, wire, tube, and rod.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 where the stabilization means includes at least one foot with a top and bottom, the top affixed to at least one leg and adapted to maintain the foldable stand in the operational position.

25. The apparatus of claim 20 where the stabilization means comprises at least three legs affixed to the body, a foldable table disposed inside the legs and below the body, the table pivotably affixed to each leg, and hinged to a central portion of the table.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 where the stabilization means further comprises a level affixed to the table.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 where the stabilization means further comprises at least one distal end of a leg having an adjustable foot adapted to compensate for uneven work surfaces.