Pipe expanding tools

Abstract

This invention relates to a handheld pipe expander. By incorporating a heating mechanism into the handheld expander, the pipe to be expanded is heated, thereby softening the pipe. This improves the miniaturization and portability of the expander while reducing the force required for expansion operations, thus increasing work efficiency. The heating mechanism includes a heating element and a heat insulation element. During the heating process, the heat insulation element protects the casing, preventing overheating and extending the overall lifespan of the machine. Simultaneously, the heat insulation element concentrates heat at the heating element, preventing heat loss and improving heat utilization, further enhancing work efficiency. Furthermore, the heating element and the expander head overlap at least partially in the axial direction, ensuring effective heating of the pipe and making the handheld expander more compact.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a tube expander, and more particularly to a handheld tube expander. [Background Technology]

[0002] A pipe expander is a tool used to enlarge the inner and outer diameter of pipes, widening the pipe end and inserting fittings into it. The pipe then springs back around the fitting, creating a tight connection that prevents leaks of water and air and allows the expander to withstand pressure. However, the tension on the pipe during operation makes the process time-consuming and labor-intensive, resulting in low processing efficiency.

[0003] Currently, there are methods on the market to improve tube expanding efficiency by installing heating devices. See Chinese Utility Model Patent No. CN216297750U, published on April 15, 2022, which discloses a tube expanding device for electric vehicle frame production. This device is equipped with a heating device, and the steel tube extends into a positioning mechanism for positioning and clamping. This ensures that the axis of the steel tube remains aligned with the heating device and the mandrel during the pushing process, guaranteeing uniform heating of the steel tube. However, heating devices are mostly installed on large tube expanding devices, which are bulky, inconvenient to carry, and have cumbersome operation procedures.

[0004] Therefore, it is indeed necessary to provide an improved handheld tube expander to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology. [Summary of the Invention]

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a handheld tube expander that is easy to carry and has high tube expanding efficiency.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the problem of the prior art is as follows: a handheld tube expander tool, equipped with a battery pack, the handheld tube expander tool includes a housing, a motor housed in the housing, a transmission mechanism driven by the motor, and a tube expander head connected to the transmission mechanism. The housing has a main body portion housing the transmission mechanism, a grip portion connected to the lower end of the main body portion, and a battery pack mounting portion located at the lower end of the grip portion, the battery pack being inserted into the battery pack mounting portion; the handheld tube expander tool includes a heating mechanism located in the main body portion, the heating mechanism including a heating element surrounding the outer periphery of the tube expander head and a heat insulation element disposed between the inner wall of the main body portion and the heating element, the heating element and the tube expander head at least partially overlapping in the axial direction of the tube expander head.

[0007] A further improvement is as follows: the heat insulation component has a first heat insulation wall extending in the front-back direction, a second heat insulation wall extending from both ends of the first heat insulation wall toward the expansion head, and a receiving groove formed by the first heat insulation wall and the second heat insulation wall, wherein the heating element is placed in the receiving groove.

[0008] A further improvement is that, in the radial direction of the tube expander, the length of the second heat insulation wall is not less than the length of the heating element.

[0009] A further improvement is as follows: the heat insulation component includes a locking portion extending outward from the wall surface of the second heat insulation wall, and the heat insulation component is fixedly connected to the main body portion through the locking portion.

[0010] A further improvement is that the first heat insulation wall, the second heat insulation wall, and the engaging part are integrally formed.

[0011] A further improvement is as follows: the main body includes a pair of fixing parts protruding from the inner wall toward the expansion head, and the heat insulation member is clamped between the fixing parts by the engaging part.

[0012] A further improvement is as follows: the transmission mechanism includes a transmission gear, a transmission rack arranged perpendicularly to the motor, and a guide rail housed in the main body, wherein the transmission rack moves linearly back and forth within the guide rail.

[0013] A further improvement is as follows: the guide rail includes a guide groove that runs through the entire guide rail and ball bearings disposed between the guide groove and the transmission rack, wherein the guide groove at least partially covers the transmission rack.

[0014] A further improvement is as follows: The handheld tube expander includes a circuit board housed within the grip, and the heating mechanism is electrically connected to the circuit board. The handheld tube expander includes an air inlet at the lower end of the grip, an air outlet at the upper end of the grip, and a fan connected to the motor. The circuit board is positioned adjacent to the air inlet. External airflow enters the grip through the air inlet, cools the circuit board and the motor, and is then discharged outwards from the air outlet.

[0015] A further improvement is as follows: the handheld tube expander has a clamping mechanism located at the front end of the main body, a distance sensor located at the transmission mechanism, a temperature sensor located at the heating mechanism, and an infrared sensor located at the clamping mechanism. The distance sensor, the temperature sensor, and the infrared sensor are all electrically connected to the circuit board.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: By setting the heating mechanism on the handheld pipe expander, the pipe to be expanded is heated, thereby softening the pipe. This improves the miniaturization and portability of the pipe expander while reducing the force required for expansion operations and increasing work efficiency. The heating mechanism includes a heating element and a heat insulation element. During the heating process, the heat insulation element protects the casing, preventing overheating and extending the overall service life of the machine. Simultaneously, the heat insulation element concentrates heat at the heating element, preventing heat loss and improving heat utilization, further enhancing work efficiency. Furthermore, the heating element and the expander head overlap at least partially in the axial direction, ensuring a good heating effect on the pipe and making the handheld pipe expander more compact. [Image Description]

[0017] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the handheld tube expander of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded view of the handheld tube expander shown.

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional diagram of a handheld tube expander is shown.

[0021] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional diagram of surface AA;

[0022] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the heating mechanism in the handheld tube expander.

[0023] Meaning of the reference numerals in the diagram:

[0024] Handheld pipe expander 100 Housing 1

[0025] Main body 11 Fixing part 111

[0026] Fixed reinforcement position 112 Accommodates notch 113

[0027] Holding part 12 Battery pack mounting part 13

[0028] Air inlet 14, Air outlet 15

[0029] Motor 2 Circuit Board 21

[0030] Distance sensor 22 Temperature sensor 23

[0031] Infrared sensor 24, switch 25

[0032] Fan 26, Transmission Mechanism 3

[0033] Transmission rack 31, transmission gear 32

[0034] Guide rail 33, guide groove 331

[0035] Ball bearing 332 heating mechanism 4

[0036] Heating element 41, heat insulation element 42

[0037] First heat insulation wall 421 Second heat insulation wall 422

[0038] Receiving groove 423 Engaging part 424

[0039] Clamping mechanism 5, through hole 51

[0040] Fixing claw 52, ​​tube expander 6

[0041] Battery pack 7, axis x1 [Detailed Implementation]

[0042] The terminology used in this invention is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. For example, terms such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," and "right" that indicate orientation or positional relationship are based solely on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device / element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention.

[0043] Please see Figures 1 to 3 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a handheld pipe expander 100, which is equipped with a removable battery pack 7. The handheld pipe expander 100 includes a housing 1, a motor 2 housed in the housing 1, a transmission mechanism 3 driven by the motor 2, a pipe expander head 6 connected to the transmission mechanism 3, and a switch 25 for controlling the operation of the pipe expander head 6. The user operates the switch 25 to start the motor 2, which drives the pipe expander head 6 to make linear movements via the transmission mechanism 3, thereby expanding the inner and outer diameters of the pipe.

[0044] In this embodiment, the housing 1 has a main body 11 that houses the transmission mechanism 3, a gripping part 12 connected to the lower end of the main body 11, and a battery pack mounting part 13 located at the lower end of the gripping part 12. The battery pack 7 is inserted into the battery pack mounting part 13. By inserting the battery pack 7, the handheld tube expander 100 has a wider range of applications, is easier to carry, and improves the miniaturization and portability of the tube expander.

[0045] Please see Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the transmission mechanism 3 includes a transmission gear 32, a transmission rack 31 arranged perpendicularly to the motor 2, and a guide rail 33 housed in the main body 11. The motor 2 drives the transmission gear 32 to rotate by forward and reverse rotation, thereby driving the transmission rack 31 to move linearly back and forth within the guide rail 33. Power is transmitted from the transmission gear 32 to the transmission rack 31, allowing for better control of the running speed and thus the running distance. The guide rail 33 includes a guide groove 331 extending through the entire guide rail 33 and ball bearings 332 disposed between the guide groove 331 and the transmission rack 31. The ball bearings 332 are designed to reduce the friction between the guide groove 331 and the transmission rack 31, making the transmission process more time-saving and smoother. The guide groove 331 at least partially covers the transmission rack 31, limiting the vertical displacement of the transmission rack 31, which contributes to a smoother and more reliable transmission process.

[0046] Furthermore, the handheld tube expander 100 includes a heating mechanism 4 located within the main body 11. By heating the tube to be expanded, the tube is softened, reducing the force required for expansion and improving work efficiency. The heating mechanism 4 includes a heating element 41 surrounding the tube expander head 6 and a heat insulation element 42 disposed between the inner wall of the main body 11 and the heating element 41. During the heating process, the heat insulation element 42 protects the housing 1, preventing overheating and extending the overall service life of the machine. Simultaneously, the heat insulation element 42 concentrates heat at the heating element 41, preventing heat loss and improving heat utilization, further enhancing work efficiency. In the direction of the axis X1 of the tube expander head 6, the heating element 41 and the tube expander head 6 at least partially overlap, achieving a good heating effect on the tube and making the handheld tube expander 100 more compact.

[0047] Please see Figures 3 to 5As shown, the heat insulation component 42 has a first heat insulation wall 421 extending in the front-rear direction, a second heat insulation wall 422 extending from both ends of the first heat insulation wall 421 toward the tube expander head 6, and a receiving groove 423 formed by the first heat insulation wall 421 and the second heat insulation wall 422. The heating element 41 is disposed in the receiving groove 423. In the radial direction of the tube expander head 6, the length of the second heat insulation wall 422 is not less than the length of the heating element 41, so that the outer ring of the heating element 41 is completely wrapped in the receiving groove 423, which is beneficial to enhance the heating effect on the tube and improve the tube expansion efficiency.

[0048] Furthermore, the main body 11 includes a pair of fixing portions 111 protruding from the inner wall toward the expanding head 6. Each fixing portion 111 includes a receiving notch 113 for accommodating the expanding head 6 and fixing ribs 112 protruding opposite each other from both ends of the fixing portion 111 along the axis X1 of the expanding head 6. The receiving notch 113 is an arc-shaped notch, and the maximum diameter of the expanding head 6 is smaller than the diameter of the receiving notch 113. The heat insulation member 42 includes a locking portion 424 extending outward from the wall surface of the second heat insulation wall 422. The first heat insulation wall 421, the second heat insulation wall 422, and the locking portion 424 are integrally formed. The locking portion 424 corresponds to the fixing ribs 112, and the heat insulation member 42 is fixedly connected to the main body 11 via the locking portion 424. More specifically, the heat insulation component 42 is clamped between the fixing parts 111 by the interlocking part 424 and the fixing rib 112 through an interference fit, thereby restricting the lateral displacement and circumferential rotation of the heating mechanism, making the fit more reliable.

[0049] Please see Figure 2 As shown, the handheld tube expander 100 includes a circuit board 21 housed within the grip portion 12, and the heating mechanism 4 is electrically connected to the circuit board 21. The handheld tube expander 100 includes an air inlet 14 at the lower end of the grip portion 12, an air outlet 15 at the upper end of the grip portion 12, and a fan 26 connected to the motor 2. The circuit board 21 is positioned adjacent to the air inlet 14. External airflow enters the grip portion 12 through the air inlet 14, cools the circuit board 21 and the motor 2, and then exits from the air outlet 15. By positioning the air outlet 15 away from the heating mechanism 4, the cooling airflow can dissipate heat from the circuit board 21 and the motor 2, but the cooling airflow does not flow through the heating mechanism 4, thus improving the cooling performance of the handheld tube expander 100 and reducing heat loss from the heating mechanism 4, which is beneficial for improving tube expanding efficiency.

[0050] Please see Figures 2 to 4As shown, the handheld pipe expander 100 has a clamping mechanism 5 located at the front end of the main body 11. The clamping mechanism 5 has a through hole 51 for accommodating the pipe to be expanded and a fixing claw 52 for clamping the pipe to be expanded. Since the force during the pipe expansion process causes the pipe to retract, the pipe to be expanded is inserted into the through hole 51, and the fixing claw 52 clamps the pipe. This eliminates the need for the user to manually fix the pipe, improving expansion efficiency effortlessly. Because different pipe sizes vary, the clamping mechanism 5 uses sliding teeth (not shown) to ensure that the clamping force meets the requirements while preventing excessive clamping force that could deform the pipe.

[0051] The handheld tube expander 100 includes a distance sensor 22 located at the transmission mechanism 3, a temperature sensor 23 located at the heating mechanism 4, and an infrared sensor 24 located at the clamping mechanism 5. All three sensors are electrically connected to the circuit board 21. When a tube to be expanded is inserted into the handheld tube expander 100, the infrared sensor 24 at the clamping mechanism receives a signal, triggering the heating element 41 to heat the expander head 6 and the tube. The temperature sensor 23 controls the temperature of the heating element 41, ensuring a suitable heating temperature while preventing excessive heat that could damage the machine or burn the user. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 23 reaches approximately 70°C, the transmission mechanism 3 drives the expander head 6 to expand the tube. When the expander head 6 reaches the desired expansion depth, the distance sensor 22 collects distance information and converts it into a control signal to stop the expander head 6. The expander head 6 is then withdrawn after the tube has been shaped. The tube expander head 6 is stepped, which facilitates the expansion of pipes of different specifications. Each step is 15mm long, corresponding to the depth required for conventional expansion.

[0052] This invention utilizes a heating mechanism 4 on the handheld pipe expander 100 to heat the pipe to be expanded, thereby softening it. This improves the miniaturization and portability of the expander while reducing the force required for expansion operations, thus increasing work efficiency. The heating mechanism 4 includes a heating element 41 and a heat insulation element 42. During the heating process, the heat insulation element 42 protects the housing 1, preventing overheating and extending the overall service life of the machine. Simultaneously, the heat insulation element 42 concentrates heat at the heating element 41, preventing heat loss and improving heat utilization, further enhancing work efficiency. Furthermore, the heating element 41 and the expander head 6 overlap at least partially in the axial direction, ensuring a good heating effect on the pipe and making the handheld pipe expander 100 more compact.

[0053] This invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that many other alternatives to the chainsaw of this invention exist without departing from the principles and scope of the invention. The scope of protection of this invention is defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A hand-held pipe expanding tool provided with a battery pack, the hand-held pipe expanding tool comprising a housing, a motor housed in the housing, a transmission mechanism driven by the motor, and a pipe expanding head connected to the transmission mechanism, the housing having a main body portion housing the transmission mechanism, a grip portion connected to a lower end of the main body portion, and a battery pack mounting portion located at a lower end of the grip portion, the battery pack being inserted into the battery pack mounting portion; characterized in that: The handheld pipe expanding tool comprises a heating mechanism in the main body, the heating mechanism comprising a heating element surrounding the outer periphery of the expanding head and a heat insulation element arranged between the inner wall of the main body and the heating element, the heating element and the expanding head at least partially overlapping in the axial direction of the expanding head; the heat insulation element has a first heat insulation wall extending in the front-rear direction, a pair of second heat insulation walls extending radially from the front and rear ends of the first heat insulation wall towards the expanding head, a receiving groove formed by the first heat insulation wall and the pair of second heat insulation walls, and a clamping portion extending outwardly from the wall surface of the second heat insulation wall, the pair of second heat insulation walls being spaced apart in the front-rear direction, the heating element being arranged in the receiving groove, the main body comprising a pair of fixing portions protruding from the inner wall towards the expanding head, the fixing portions comprising fixing ribs protruding from the two ends of the fixing portions in the axial direction of the expanding head, the heat insulation element being clamped between the pair of fixing portions by interference fit between the clamping portion and the fixing ribs.

2. The hand-held tube expanding tool of claim 1, wherein: In the radial direction of the expanding head, the second heat insulation wall extends a length not less than the length of the heating element.

3. The hand-held tube expanding tool of claim 2, wherein: The first heat insulation wall, the second heat insulation wall and the clamping portion are integrally formed.

4. The hand-held tube expanding tool of claim 1, wherein: The transmission mechanism comprises a transmission gear, a transmission rack arranged perpendicularly to the motor, and a guide rail arranged in the main body, the transmission rack moving linearly in the front-rear direction in the guide rail.

5. The hand-held tube expanding tool of claim 4, wherein: The guide rail comprises a guide groove extending through the entire guide rail and a ball arranged between the guide groove and the transmission rack, the guide groove at least partially covering the transmission rack.

6. The hand-held tube expanding tool of claim 1, wherein: The handheld pipe expanding tool comprises a circuit board arranged in the holding portion, the heating mechanism being electrically connected to the circuit board, the handheld pipe expanding tool comprising an air inlet opening at the lower end of the holding portion, an air outlet opening at the upper end of the holding portion, and a fan connected to the motor, the circuit board being arranged adjacent to the air inlet opening, external air entering the holding portion through the air inlet opening, cooling the circuit board and the motor, and then being discharged outwardly from the air outlet opening.

7. The hand-held tube expanding tool of claim 6, wherein: The handheld pipe expanding tool has a clamping mechanism arranged at the front end of the main body, a distance sensor arranged at the transmission mechanism, a temperature sensor arranged at the heating mechanism, and an infrared sensor arranged at the clamping mechanism, the distance sensor, the temperature sensor and the infrared sensor being electrically connected to the circuit board.

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