Flaring forming tool

Abstract

The invention provides a flaring forming tool. The flaring forming tool has a motor, a spindle, a cone, a clutch mechanism, a detection device, and a control device. The main shaft is connected to the motor so as to be movable, and is configured so as to move forward along the first axis while rotating around the first axis as the motor rotates in the forward direction. The cone is supported by the tip of the main shaft so as to be rotatable about a second axis that is eccentric with respect to the first axis, and is configured so as to form a flaring at the end of the tube. The clutch mechanism is configured to operate in response to the cone abutting against the end of the pipe to prevent the forward movement of the main shaft. The detection device is configured to detect an operation of the clutch mechanism. The control device is configured to control rotation of the motor according to a detection result of the detection device. Therefore, the flaring forming tool is favorable for stabilizing the completion precision of flaring formed by the flaring forming tool.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flair forming tool. Background Art

[0002] There is known an electric flair forming tool for forming a flair (a conically expanded portion) at the end of a tube. A general flair forming tool includes: a main shaft that can move along a drive axis while rotating around the drive axis; and a cone that is supported at the front end of the main shaft so as to be able to rotate around an axis eccentric with respect to the drive axis.

[0003] In order to form a flair with high precision, it is preferable that the cone advances while rotating, and after gradually expanding the end of the tube, it continues to rotate only while pressing the end of the tube. For example, the electric flair forming tool disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-081043 includes a clutch flange that operates in response to the start of flair formation and the main shaft rotating in a state where the forward movement is blocked. The clutch flange moves backward with respect to the main shaft and rotates together with the main shaft while being pushed by a push spring. Accordingly, the cone does not advance but continues to rotate while being pressed by the end of the tube. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In the above-described flair forming tool, in response to the user operating the forward / reverse switch, the rotation of the motor is stopped, and thus the rotation of the main shaft is stopped. Therefore, the end time of the state where the cone continues to rotate only while pressing the end of the tube depends on the time when the user operates the forward / reverse switch. Therefore, there is a deviation in the completion accuracy (precision) of the formed flair.

[0005] A non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide a technique that helps to stabilize the completion accuracy of a flair formed by a flair forming tool.

[0006] According to a non-limiting aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flair forming tool having a motor, a main shaft, a cone, a clutch mechanism, a detection device, and a control device. The motor can rotate in a forward rotation direction and a reverse rotation direction. The main shaft is movably connected to the motor. The main shaft is configured to rotate around a first axis and move forward along the first axis as the motor rotates in the forward rotation direction. The cone is configured to be supported at the front end of the main shaft so as to be able to rotate around a second axis eccentric with respect to the first axis, and to form a flair at the end of the tube. The clutch mechanism is configured to operate in response to the cone abutting against the end of the tube and obstructing the forward movement of the main shaft. The detection device is configured to detect the operation of the clutch mechanism. The control device is configured to control the rotation of the motor based on the detection result of the detection device.

[0007] In the flaring forming tool according to this aspect, the control device can control the rotation of the motor in response to whether the clutch mechanism operates. Therefore, compared with the case where the start and stop times of the rotation of the motor depend on the manual operation of the user, the completion accuracy (precision) of the formed flare can be stabilized (equalized).

[0008] In addition, the types of the clutch mechanism and the detection device for detecting the operation of the clutch mechanism in this aspect are not particularly limited. For example, a friction clutch mechanism or an engagement clutch mechanism can be used as the clutch mechanism. In addition, for example, a magnetic field sensor, an optical sensor, or a mechanical switch can be used as the detection device. In addition, the control device can be embodied by at least one processor and a memory, for example, and its functions can be realized by executing a program stored in a non-volatile storage device, for example.

[0009] According to another non-limiting aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flaring forming tool having a motor, a main shaft, a cone, a detection device, and a control device. The motor can rotate in a forward rotation direction and a reverse rotation direction. The main shaft is movably connected to the motor. The main shaft is configured to rotate around a first axis in the front-rear direction of the flaring forming tool and move forward along the first axis while the motor rotates in the forward rotation direction. The cone is supported at the front end of the main shaft so as to be able to rotate around a second axis eccentric with respect to the first axis, and forms a flare at the end of the tube. The detection device is configured to detect the formation of the flare by the cone. The control device is configured to control the rotation of the motor. The control device controls the rotation of the motor in such a manner that, in response to the detection of the formation of the flare by the detection device, the main shaft rotates a predetermined rotation amount at substantially the same position in the front-rear direction and then stops rotating.

[0010] In the flaring forming tool of this aspect, the rotation control of the main shaft is achieved by the rotation control of the motor by the control device. Therefore, compared with the case where the start and stop times of the motor depend on the manual operation of the user, the completion accuracy (precision) of the formed flare can be stabilized (equalized). In addition, when the formation of the flare by the cone is detected, the main shaft rotates a predetermined rotation amount (predetermined rotation angle) and then stops rotating while being in a state of being substantially in the same position in the front-rear direction. During this period, the cone forms the flare in a shape close to a perfect circle, and the completion accuracy of the flare can be improved.

[0011] In addition, in this method, the detection device can also detect the formation of the flaring performed by the cone by any method. When the flaring is formed by the cone, the forward movement of the main shaft is hindered. Therefore, the detection device can, for example, detect the actions of certain components corresponding to this phenomenon, or can detect certain physical quantities corresponding to this phenomenon. For example, the flaring forming tool can have a clutch mechanism that operates in response to the hindrance of the forward movement of the main shaft, and the detection device can detect the operation of this clutch. Additionally, for example, the detection device can also detect the current value of the motor or the load applied to the main shaft. Description of the Drawings

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of the flaring forming tool of the first embodiment. Figure 2 is Figure 1 a partially enlarged view, which is a cross-sectional view of the flaring forming device and the detection device when the main shaft is in the initial position. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the main shaft and the cone. Figure 4 is Figure 2 a partially enlarged view, which is an explanatory diagram of the supporting structure of the cone. Figure 5 is Figure 4 a V-V cross-sectional view of Figure 6 is a perspective view of the second sleeve of the fixed sleeve and the movable flange. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the flaring forming device and the detection device when the main shaft is in the forward movement hindrance position and the clutch mechanism is in the connected state. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the flaring forming device and the detection device when the main shaft is in the forward movement hindrance position and the clutch mechanism is in the disconnected state. Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the flaring forming device when the main shaft is in the most forward position. Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the operation part. Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram of another example of the operation part. Figure 12 is a flowchart of the motor drive process. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the overall structure of the flaring forming tool of the second embodiment. [Description of Reference Numerals] 1A, 1B: Flaring forming tool; 11: Tool housing; 111: Opening; 15: Handle part; 150: Gripping part; 151: Trigger; 153: Switch; 17: Battery mounting part; 18: Light-emitting part; 19: Battery; 20: Controller; 201: CPU; 202: ROM; 203: RAM; 21: Motor; 23: Reduction mechanism; 233: Output gear; 25: Operation part; 251: Mode switching button; 252: Change button; 253: Increase button; 254: Decrease button; 257: Display part; 258: Display part; 3A, 3B: Flaring forming device; 40: Housing; 401: Opening; 405: Space; 41: Fixture mounting part; 43: Transmission shaft; 431: Ball bearing; 432: Ball bearing; 435: Connecting hole; 44: Auxiliary spring; 5: Spindle; 50: Feed screw mechanism; 501: Front end part; 502: Support hole; 504: Conical surface; 507: Connecting hole; 508: External thread part; 51: First component; 511: Large diameter part; 512: Pin hole; 513: Annular groove; 516: Small diameter part; 52: Second component; 521: Large diameter part; 522: Flange part; 526: Small diameter part; 55: Cone; 551: Conical part; 553: Shaft part; 554: Rear end part; 555: Ball retaining hole; 556: Conical surface; 558: Annular groove; 561: Ball bearing; 563: Ball; 565: Anti-detachment pin; 566: Elastic component; 58: Sliding sleeve; 61: Sealing component; 62: Sealing component; 63: Sealing component; 7: Clutch mechanism; 71: Fixed sleeve; 711: First sleeve; 712: Flange part; 715: Second sleeve; 716: Recess; 717: Cam surface; 73: Movable flange; 731: Large diameter part; 734: Clutch pin; 736: Small diameter part; 737: Internal thread part; 78: Pressing spring; 791: Thrust needle roller bearing; 793: Washer; 794: Washer; 81: Detection device; 82: Circuit board; 85: Magnet; 86: Movable part; 861: Arm; 863: Protrusion; 87: Biasing spring; 9: Electric drill; 90: Tool housing; 91: Motor; 92: Reduction mechanism; 93: Mandrel; 94: Chuck; 941: Insertion hole; 95: Handle part; 950: Gripping part; 951: Trigger; 952: Forward and reverse switching operating handle; 953: Switch; 955: Controller; 98: Connecting shaft; AX: Axis; DX: Drive axis. Detailed implementation mode

[0013] In a non-limiting implementation mode of the present invention, it can be that the controller is configured to, in response to the operation of the clutch detected by the detection device, cause the motor to rotate in the forward rotation direction by a specified rotation amount and then stop rotating.

[0014] According to this embodiment, in a state where the forward movement of the main shaft is obstructed, that is, in a state where it is substantially in the same position in the front-rear direction, the motor continues to rotate during the period of rotating a specified amount of rotation (specified rotation angle), and stops rotating in response to the stop of the rotation of the motor. During this period, the cone flares in a shape approaching a perfect circle, and the completion accuracy of the flaring can be improved.

[0015] In addition to or instead of the above-described embodiment, it may be that the specified amount of rotation can be changed. According to this embodiment, when the desired completion accuracy of the flaring cannot be obtained with the initial specified amount of rotation, the specified amount of rotation is changed, and the desired completion accuracy of the flaring can be obtained.

[0016] In addition to or instead of the above-described embodiment, it may be that the flaring forming tool includes an operation unit configured to be manually operated by a user. It may also be that the control device is configured to change the specified amount of rotation in response to the manual operation of the operation unit. According to this embodiment, the user can change the specified amount of rotation by manually operating the operation unit, thus improving convenience.

[0017] In addition to or instead of the above-described embodiment, it may be that the control device is configured to, after stopping the motor, rotate the motor in the reverse rotation direction to move the main shaft backward. According to this embodiment, the main shaft can be moved backward without any manual operation by the user, so that the cone is separated from the end of the tube, and thus convenience is improved.

[0018] In addition to or instead of the above-described embodiment, it may be that the motor is a brushless motor. According to this embodiment, since the motor is a brushless motor whose rotational position is always monitored, the control device can easily control the rotation amount (rotation angle) of the motor.

[0019] In addition to or instead of the above-described embodiment, it may be that the clutch mechanism includes a movable clutch member configured to move in response to the forward movement of the main shaft being obstructed. It may also be that the detection device is a Hall sensor configured to detect a magnet mounted on the movable clutch member. According to this embodiment, a general Hall sensor capable of corresponding to a minute movement of the magnet can reliably detect the movement of the movable clutch member, that is, the operation of the clutch mechanism.

[0020] In addition to or instead of the above-described embodiment, it may be that the magnet is mounted on a non-rotating portion of the movable clutch member. According to this embodiment, the Hall sensor can reliably detect the magnet regardless of the rotation of the movable clutch member.

[0021] Next, a representative and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] <First Embodiment> Next, Figures 1 to 12 the flaring forming tool 1A according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The flaring forming tool 1A is an electric tool for expanding the end of a tube into a conical shape so that a metal (typically copper) tube for refrigerant can be correctly connected.

[0023] First, the schematic structure of the flaring forming tool 1A will be described.

[0024] As Figure 1 shown, the outer contour of the flaring forming tool 1A is formed by a tool housing 11 and a handle portion 15.

[0025] The tool housing 11 extends along the drive axis DX of the flaring forming device 3A. The tool housing 11 houses an electric motor 21, a reduction mechanism 23, a flaring forming device 3A, and a detection device 81. The reduction mechanism 23 is connected to the motor 21 so as to be operable; the flaring forming device 3A is connected to the reduction mechanism 23 so as to be operable. An opening 111 is formed at one end of the tool housing 11. A clamp mounting portion 41 at the tip of the flaring forming device 3A projects outward from the opening 111. Since it is a known technique, detailed illustration is omitted, but a tube clamping device can be mounted on the clamp mounting portion 41.

[0026] The handle portion 15 projects from the tool housing 11 in a direction intersecting the drive axis DX (specifically, a substantially orthogonal direction). The handle portion 15 includes a grip portion 150 configured to be held by the user. The grip portion 150 extends in a direction intersecting the drive axis DX and has a trigger 151 configured to be pressed by the user. In addition, a switch 153 and a controller 20 are housed inside the handle portion 15. The switch 153 is configured to be off normally and on in response to the pressing of the trigger 151. The controller 20 is a control device configured to control the operation of the flaring forming tool 1A.

[0027] In addition, a battery mounting portion 17 and an operation portion 25 are provided at the end on the free end side of the handle portion 15. The flaring forming tool 1A operates using the power supplied from a battery 19 detachably mounted on the battery mounting portion 17. However, the flaring forming tool 1A can also be configured to operate using the power supplied from an external AC power source via a power cord. The operation portion 25 is an input device for the user to input information by manual operation.

[0028] After the clamping device in the state of clamping the pipe is installed on the fixture mounting portion 41 of the flaring forming device 3A, when the switch 153 is turned on in response to the user pressing the trigger 151, the motor 21 is driven. With the driving of the motor 21, the flaring forming device 3A is driven through the speed reduction mechanism 23, and a flare (a portion expanded into a conical shape) is formed at the end of the pipe. In addition, hereinafter, the operation of forming a flare will also be simply referred to as the flaring operation.

[0029] Next, the detailed structure of the flaring forming tool 1A will be described. In addition, hereinafter, for the sake of convenience of explanation, the extending direction of the driving axis DX is defined as the front-rear direction of the flaring forming tool 1A. In the front-rear direction, the side where the tip portion (fixture mounting portion 41) of the flaring forming device 3A is located is defined as the front side, and the opposite side is defined as the rear side. In addition, the direction orthogonal to the driving axis DX, that is, the direction corresponding to the major axis direction of the holding portion 150, is defined as the up-down direction of the flaring forming tool 1A. In the up-down direction, the side where the free end of the handle portion 15 is located is defined as the lower side, and the opposite side is defined as the upper side. In addition, the direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction and the up-down direction is defined as the left-right direction of the flaring forming tool 1A.

[0030] Next, the structure of the tool housing 11 and the structural elements (structures) arranged inside the tool housing 11 will be described.

[0031] As Figure 1 shown, in the present embodiment, the tool housing 11 is integrally formed with the handle portion 15. More specifically, by connecting and fixing two split bodies (left housing and right housing) respectively including the portion forming the tool housing 11 and the portion forming the handle portion 15 to each other in the left-right direction, an integral housing is formed. However, the tool housing 11 and the handle portion 15 may also be formed separately and connected and fixed to each other.

[0032] The light emitting portion 18 is held on the front wall portion of the tool housing 11. The light emitting portion 18 is configured to irradiate the front region of the fixture mounting portion 41 (that is, the region where the end of the pipe is arranged). The light emitting portion 18 includes, for example, LED illumination. The light emitting portion 18 is electrically connected to the controller 20, and is turned on / off by the controller 20 in response to the on / off of the switch 153.

[0033] The motor 21 is housed in the front half of the lower portion of the tool housing 11. The rotation axis of the output shaft (not shown) of the motor 21 extends parallel to the driving axis DX below the driving axis DX. The motor 21 of the present embodiment is a brushless motor. The motor 21 is electrically connected to the controller 20 and is controlled by the controller 20.

[0034] The reduction mechanism 23 is housed in the rear half of the lower part of the tool housing 11 behind the motor 21. The reduction mechanism 23 is movably connected to the output shaft of the motor 21 (not shown) and the main shaft 5 of the flaring forming device 3A described later. The reduction mechanism 23 is configured to reduce the rotational speed of the output shaft of the motor 21 and output it to the flaring forming device 3A. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the reduction mechanism 23 of the present embodiment is a gear reduction mechanism including a plurality of gears. The output gear 233 of the reduction mechanism 23 is movably connected to the flaring forming device 3A.

[0035] Next, the flaring forming device 3A will be described.

[0036] As Figure 1 shown, the flaring forming device 3A is disposed above the motor 21 within the tool housing 11. The flaring forming device 3A includes a housing 40, a transmission shaft 43, a main shaft 5, a cone 55, and a clutch mechanism 7. The transmission shaft 43, the main shaft 5, the cone 55, and the clutch mechanism 7 are housed in the housing 40. In addition, the flaring forming device 3A of the present embodiment is configured as an assembly that connects these structural elements to each other.

[0037] The housing 40 is generally a long stepped cylindrical body. In addition, the housing 40 of the present embodiment is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy (hereinafter simply referred to as aluminum) in consideration of weight reduction.

[0038] The housing 40 is disposed so as to extend in the front-rear direction along the drive axis DX. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, in a state where the housing 40 is positioned relative to the tool housing 11, the housing 40 is held within the tool housing 11 by the tool housing 11. In addition, as in the present embodiment, when the tool housing 11 is formed of two split bodies that are split left and right, the housing 40 (the flaring forming device 3A as an assembly) can also be held in a state of being clamped by the split bodies. In addition, it can also be said that the tool housing 11 is the outer housing of the flaring tool 1A, and the housing 40 is the inner housing or the drive mechanism housing of the flaring tool 1A.

[0039] The front end portion of the housing 40 projects forward of the tool housing 11 through the opening 111 of the tool housing 11. The front end portion of the housing 40 is configured as a clamp mounting portion 41. In addition, the clamp mounting portion 41 only needs to be configured to be able to detachably hold any known pipe clamping device (not shown), and its holding structure is not particularly limited.

[0040] The transmission shaft 43 is configured to be movably connected to the output gear 233 of the reduction mechanism 23 and transmit the rotation of the output gear 233 to the main shaft 5. More specifically, the transmission shaft 43 is supported by the housing 40 in a manner that enables rotation about the drive axis DX via two ball bearings 431 and 432 disposed within the rear end portion of the housing 40. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the rear end portion of the transmission shaft 43 is connected to the output gear 233 in a coaxial manner, and the transmission shaft 43 rotates integrally with the output gear 233 as the motor 21 is driven.

[0041] Next, the main shaft 5 will be described.

[0042] As Figure 2 shown, the main shaft 5 is an elongated member that defines the drive axis DX and can also be referred to as a spindle. The main shaft 5 extends in the front-rear direction within the housing 40. The main shaft 5 can rotate about the drive axis DX and move in the front-rear direction along the drive axis DX, and the details will be described later. The front end portion 501 of the main shaft 5 rotatably supports a cone 55 for forming a flared opening. The cone 55 projects forward from the opening 401 at the front end of the housing 40 (fixture mounting portion 41) as the main shaft 5 moves forward. A support hole 502 is formed in the front end portion 501, and a part of the cone 55 is rotatably received therein. In addition, the support structure of the cone 55 will be described in detail later.

[0043] The main shaft 5 is connected to the transmission shaft 43 in a manner that enables integral rotation with the transmission shaft 43 and movement in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the rear half portion of the main shaft 5 is formed as a hollow shaft and has a connection hole 507 with a polygonal cross-section (e.g., hexagonal). The front half portion of the transmission shaft 43 is formed in a shape corresponding to the connection hole 507 and is inserted into the connection hole 507. With this structure, the main shaft 5 can rotate integrally with the transmission shaft 43 and slide relative to the transmission shaft 43 in the front-rear direction.

[0044] In addition, the connection structure between the main shaft 5 and the transmission shaft 43 is not limited to this example. The main shaft 5 can be connected to the transmission shaft 43 in a manner that enables integral rotation with the transmission shaft 43 and movement in the front-rear direction relative to the transmission shaft 43, for example, by the engagement of a keyway and a key or a spline connection.

[0045] The rear end portion of the main shaft 5 is configured as an external thread portion 508. The external thread portion 508 can be engaged with the internal thread portion 737 of the movable flange 73 of the clutch mechanism 7, and the details will be described later. The external thread portion 508 and the internal thread portion 737 constitute a feed screw mechanism 50 for moving the main shaft 5 in the front-rear direction.

[0046] As Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, the main shaft 5 is composed of a plurality of interconnected components. More specifically, the main shaft 5 includes a first component 51 and a second component 52 that is connected to the rear end of the first component 51 and extends rearward. In addition, in order to ensure sufficient strength, the main shaft 5 (the first component 51, the second component 52) of this embodiment is made of iron or an iron alloy (hereinafter, simply referred to as iron).

[0047] The first component 51 is a stepped cylindrical component as a whole. The front half of the first component 51 is a large-diameter portion 511, which constitutes the front end portion 501 of the main shaft 5. The rear half of the first component 51 is a small-diameter portion 516 having a diameter smaller than that of the front half, and extends rearward from the central portion of the rear end face of the front half.

[0048] The second component 52 is a stepped cylindrical component as a whole. The front end portion of the second component 52 is configured as a large-diameter portion 521. The portion of the second component 52 that extends rearward from the large-diameter portion 521 is configured as a small-diameter portion 526 having a diameter smaller than that of the large-diameter portion 521. The large-diameter portion 521 is press-fitted and fixed to the outer periphery of the small-diameter portion 516 of the first component 51. Accordingly, the second component 52 is integrated with the first component 51. The outer diameter of the large-diameter portion 521 is smaller than the outer diameter of the large-diameter portion 511 of the first component 51. A flange portion 522 is provided at the rear end of the large-diameter portion 521. The small-diameter portion 526 is the portion having the above-described connection hole 507 and can also be referred to as a hollow shaft portion.

[0049] A sliding sleeve 58 is disposed around the large-diameter portion 521 of the second component 52. The sliding sleeve 58 is a cylindrical component. The sliding sleeve 58 of this embodiment is made of iron, the same as the main shaft 5.

[0050] The sliding sleeve 58 is fitted around the large-diameter portion 521 of the second component 52. More specifically, when assembling the flaring forming device 3A, after the sliding sleeve 58 is fitted around the large-diameter portion 521 of the second component 52, the small-diameter portion 516 of the first component 51 is fixed to the large-diameter portion 521 of the second component 52. Accordingly, the inner peripheral portion of the sliding sleeve 58 is held in a state of being fitted between the rear end of the above-described first component 51 and the front end face of the flange portion 522 in the front-rear direction. Through such a locking structure, the sliding sleeve 58 cannot move relative to the main shaft 5 in the front-rear direction, but moves integrally with the main shaft 5 in the front-rear direction.

[0051] As Figure 2 shown, the sliding sleeve 58 is disposed within a fixed sleeve 71 (specifically, the first sleeve 711) described later. The outer diameter of the sliding sleeve 58 is larger than the outer diameter of the front end portion 501 of the main shaft 5 and slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the fixed sleeve 71.

[0052] In the radial direction of the main shaft 5 (the direction orthogonal to the drive axis DX), a sealing member 61 is disposed between the second member 52 (main shaft 5) and the sliding sleeve 58. The sealing member 61 seals the gap between the second member 52 and the sliding sleeve 58. More specifically, the sealing member 61 is an annular elastic member and is installed in an annular groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the second member 52. Similarly, a sealing member 62 is disposed between the sliding sleeve 58 and the fixed sleeve 71 to seal the gap between the sliding sleeve 58 and the fixed sleeve 71. The sealing member 62 is also an annular elastic member and is installed in an annular groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sliding sleeve 58.

[0053] When foreign matters (such as metal chips and dust) enter the internal space of the housing 40 through the opening 401 at the front end of the housing 40, both the sealing members 61 and 62 prevent the foreign matters from entering the space 405 behind the sealing members 61 and 62. In the space 405 behind the sealing members 61 and 62, a feed screw mechanism 50 (external thread portion 508 and internal thread portion 737) and a clutch mechanism 7 for moving the main shaft 5 in the front-rear direction are disposed, and the details will be described later. The sealing members 61 and 62 can prevent foreign matters from entering the space 405 and reduce the possibility of malfunction of the feed screw mechanism 50 and the clutch mechanism 7. In addition, in order to lubricate these mechanisms, a lubricant is added to the space 405. The sealing members 61 and 62 can prevent the lubricant from leaking forward from the space 405.

[0054] In the present embodiment, the sealing member 61 and the sealing member 62 are rubber O-rings. The compression amount of the sealing member 62 is set larger than that of the sealing member 61. Therefore, the frictional force of the sealing member 62 is larger than that of the sealing member 61. More specifically, the compression amounts of the sealing member 61 and the sealing member 62 are set such that, on the one hand, the second member 52 (main shaft 5) is allowed to rotate relative to the sliding sleeve 58, and on the other hand, the rotation of the sliding sleeve 58 relative to the fixed sleeve 71 is restricted. On the other hand, the sealing member 62 allows the sliding sleeve 58 engaged with the main shaft 5 to move in the front-rear direction integrally with the main shaft 5 relative to the fixed sleeve 71.

[0055] Next, the cone 55 and the supporting structure of the cone 55 will be described.

[0056] As Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the cone 55 is a single iron component, including a conical conical part 551 and a cylindrical shaft part 553. The shaft part 553 extends rearward coaxially with the conical part 551 from the central part of the circular rear end face of the conical part 551. A ball retaining hole 555 is formed at the rear end of the shaft part 553. The bottom of the ball retaining hole 555 is defined by a conical surface 556 whose diameter decreases as it approaches the front and which has a vertex on the axis of the cone 55. In addition, an annular groove 558 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the part of the shaft part 553 located in front of the ball retaining hole 555.

[0057] The cone 55 is supported on the front end part 501 in such a way that it can rotate about an axis AX that is eccentric with respect to the axis of the main shaft 5 (i.e., the drive axis DX). More specifically, a support hole 502 is formed in the front end part 501 of the main shaft 5. The support hole 502 extends along the axis AX and is configured to receive the shaft part 553 of the cone 55. In the present embodiment, the axis AX is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the drive axis DX.

[0058] The support hole 502 is a stepped bottomed hole that opens on the front end face of the front end part 501, and includes a large diameter part on the opening side, a small diameter part on the bottom side, and a bottom. The large diameter part and the small diameter part of the support hole 502 each have a substantially uniform diameter. On the other hand, the bottom of the support hole 502 is defined by a conical surface 504 whose diameter decreases as it approaches the rear and which has a vertex on the axis AX.

[0059] A ball bearing 561 is embedded in the large diameter part of the support hole 502. The ball bearing 561 is a radial bearing, including balls (rolling elements) arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring and a retainer for holding the balls, and is configured to withstand radial loads. The front half of the shaft part 553 is embedded in the ball bearing 561 and is supported so as to be able to rotate about the axis AX. In addition, in the present embodiment, the top of the cone 55 is configured to always be located on the drive axis DX, but the top of the cone 55 may also deviate from the drive axis DX. In addition, as in the present embodiment, by making the top of the cone 55 always located on the drive axis DX, a flared opening can be formed at the end of a thinner tube compared to the case where the top of the cone 55 deviates from the drive axis DX.

[0060] The part of the shaft part 553 that extends rearward beyond the ball bearing 561 is arranged in the small diameter part of the support hole 502. The conical surface 556 of the ball retaining hole 555 of the shaft part 553 faces the conical surface 504 of the support hole 502 in the extending direction of the axis AX. Between the conical surface 556 and the conical surface 504, balls 563 are rollably arranged. The balls 563 in the present embodiment are made of iron (steel).

[0061] The ball 563 is in contact with the conical surface 556 of the rear end portion 554 of the cone 55 and the conical surface 504 of the front end portion 501 of the main shaft 5. More specifically, the ball 563 and the conical surface 556 of the cone 55 are in line contact along the circumference of a circle centered on the axis AX (specifically, the circle defined by the conical surface 556 in a plane orthogonal to the axis AX). In addition, the ball 563 and the conical surface 504 of the front end portion 501 of the main shaft 5 are in line contact along the circumference of a circle centered on the axis AX (specifically, the circle defined by the conical surface 504 in a plane orthogonal to the axis AX). With such a structure, the ball 563 functions as a thrust bearing for bearing thrust loads and can also function as a radial bearing for bearing radial loads.

[0062] With such a support structure, during the period when the cone 55 is pressed against the end portion of the tube and rotates around the axis AX, the rear end portion 554 of the cone 55 bears the thrust load via the ball 563. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the thrust load from being applied to the ball bearing 561 disposed around the shaft portion 553, thereby stabilizing the rotational support of the cone 55.

[0063] The ball 563 is disposed between the conical surfaces 504 and 556 facing each other on the axis AX and is in line contact with the conical surfaces 504 and 556 as described above. Therefore, it is possible to align the axis of the cone 55 with the axis AX with high precision and stably bear the thrust load. In addition, since the portions of the ball 563 in line contact with the conical surfaces 504 and 556 change as the ball 563 rolls, local wear of the ball 563 can be suppressed.

[0064] Moreover, even if there is only one ball bearing 561 disposed around the shaft portion 553, the ball 563 can not only bear the thrust load but also bear the radial load. Accordingly, compared with the structure in which two ball bearings 561 are disposed around the cone 55, the overall length of the cone 55 can be shortened, and stable rotational support for bearing radial loads at two positions can be achieved. In addition, by using the ball bearing 561 as the radial bearing, compared with the structure in which needle bearings are disposed around the cone 55, the overall length of the cone 55 can be shortened.

[0065] As Figures 3 to 5As shown, the cone 55 is held in place by an anti - detachment pin 565 that engages with the cone 55 and the main shaft 5 so that it does not disengage from the front end portion 501. More specifically, in the extending direction of the axis AX, a pin hole 512 is formed in the portion of the front end portion 501 of the main shaft 5 between the ball bearing 561 and the ball 563. The pin hole 512 penetrates the front end portion 501 in parallel with an axis orthogonal to the axis AX at a position corresponding to the annular groove 558 of the shaft portion 553 of the cone 55. In addition, in the present embodiment, the pin hole 512 is arranged so as to be orthogonal to the drive axis DX. The pin hole 512 communicates with the inside of the support hole 502 (small - diameter portion).

[0066] The anti - detachment pin 565 is inserted into the pin hole 512 and engages with the annular groove 558 of the shaft portion 553 within the support hole 502. In addition, the annular groove 558 is configured such that it does not hinder the rotation of the cone 55 when the anti - detachment pin 565 is engaged with the annular groove 558.

[0067] Moreover, an annular groove 513 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the front end portion 501 of the main shaft 5. The annular groove 513 is located at a position corresponding to the opening of the pin hole 512 in the axial direction (extending direction of the axis AX) of the cone 55. An annular elastic member 566 is installed in the annular groove 513. The elastic member 566 prevents the anti - detachment pin 565 from disengaging from the pin hole 512 by covering the opening of the pin hole 512 from the outside. The elastic member 566 is, for example, a rubber O - ring.

[0068] With such a structure, an anti - detachment structure for the cone 55 that is easy to assemble relative to the cone 55 and the main shaft 5 is achieved. In addition, since the anti - detachment pin 565 can be easily removed from the cone 55 and the main shaft 5, for example, when the cone 55 needs to be replaced due to wear, the replacement operation is also easy.

[0069] Next, the clutch mechanism 7 will be described.

[0070] As Figure 2 shown, the clutch mechanism 7 includes a fixed sleeve 71, a movable flange 73, and a pressing spring 78, where the movable flange 73 can move relative to the fixed sleeve 71, and the pressing spring 78 is configured to press the movable flange 73.

[0071] The fixed sleeve 71 is embedded in the front half of the housing 40 and is held in a state where its movement relative to the housing 40 is restricted. In addition, the fixed sleeve 71 in the present embodiment is a circular cylinder formed by connecting a first sleeve 711 and a second sleeve 715 to each other in the front - rear direction.

[0072] The first sleeve 711 houses a part of the main shaft 5 and a part of the sliding sleeve 58 within the housing 40 and occupies most of the fixed sleeve 71. In addition, the first sleeve 711 in the present embodiment is made of aluminum, the same as the housing 40.

[0073] The outer diameter of the first sleeve 711 is substantially uniform and slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the housing 40. A flange portion 712 protruding radially inward is provided at the front end portion of the first sleeve 711. The inner diameter of the portion of the first sleeve 711 other than the flange portion 712 is substantially uniform.

[0074] In the radial direction of the main shaft 5, three sealing members 63 are arranged between the first sleeve 711 and the housing 40 to block the gap between the first sleeve 711 and the housing 40. More specifically, the sealing members 63 are all annular elastic members and are respectively installed in three annular grooves formed on the outer peripheral surface of the first sleeve 711. In the present embodiment, the three sealing members 63 are rubber O-rings having the same structure. The compression amount of the sealing member 63 is set such that the first sleeve 711 is held relative to the housing 40 in a substantially non-movable manner. In addition, the so-called "substantially non-movable" here means that a very small displacement accompanying the elastic deformation of the sealing member 63 is allowed.

[0075] Similar to the above-described sealing members 61 and 62, when foreign matter enters the internal space of the housing 40 through the opening 401 at the front end of the housing 40, the sealing member 63 prevents the foreign matter from entering the rear of the sealing member 63. The above-described space 405 is provided behind the first sleeve 711, and a feed screw mechanism 50 and a clutch mechanism 7 are arranged. Similar to the sealing members 61 and 62, the sealing member 63 can prevent foreign matter from entering the space 405 and can prevent the lubricant from leaking to the front of the sealing member 63.

[0076] As Figure 2 and Figure 6 shown, the second sleeve 715 is a cylindrical shape shorter than the first sleeve 711 and has substantially the same inner diameter and outer diameter as the first sleeve 711. The second sleeve 715 is connected to the rear end of the first sleeve 711 in a non-rotatable manner relative to the first sleeve 711. More specifically, a plurality of rectangular protrusions (not shown) are provided at the rear end of the first sleeve 711. A plurality of rectangular recesses 716 that fit with these protrusions are formed at the front end of the second sleeve 715. The first sleeve 711 and the second sleeve 715 are integrated by the engagement of the protrusions and the recesses 716 and cannot rotate relative to each other.

[0077] The second sleeve 715 has a cam surface 717 for moving the movable flange 73 in the front-rear direction. The cam surface 717 is provided at the rear end of the second sleeve 715 (i.e., the rear end of the fixed sleeve 71) covering the entire circumference of the second sleeve 715 and includes recesses and protrusions alternately arranged in the circumferential direction.

[0078] In addition, since the cam surface 717 bears high loads, the second sleeve 715 is made of iron to ensure sufficient strength. Therefore, the second sleeve 715 is formed as a component different from (independent of) the first sleeve 711 made of aluminum for weight reduction, and is connected to the first sleeve 711. However, instead of this example, the entire fixed sleeve 71 may be formed as a single (non-separable) component of one material.

[0079] The movable flange 73 is a flanged cylindrical component (flange sleeve). The movable flange 73 is made of iron. The movable flange 73 is disposed around the rear half of the main shaft 5 (the small-diameter portion 526 which is a hollow shaft portion) behind the fixed sleeve 71. The movable flange 73 includes a large-diameter portion 731 (flange portion) and a small-diameter portion 736. The large-diameter portion 731 has a clutch pin 734 fixed thereto, and the small-diameter portion 736 has an outer diameter smaller than that of the large-diameter portion 731 and extends rearward from the large-diameter portion 731.

[0080] The large-diameter portion 731 has an inner diameter larger than the rear half of the main shaft 5 and an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the fixed sleeve 71 (the second sleeve 715). A plurality of clutch pins 734 are fixed to the large-diameter portion 731 and extend radially. The number of the clutch pins 734 is the same as the number of the concave portions of the cam surface 717. In addition, the clutch pins 734 are made of iron. A part of the clutch pin 734 protrudes radially outward of the large-diameter portion 731 and always contacts the cam surface 717 of the second sleeve 715. The front end portion of the large-diameter portion 731 is disposed within the second sleeve 715.

[0081] The front half of the small-diameter portion 736 is configured as an internal thread portion 737 that can be screwed with the external thread portion 508 at the rear end of the main shaft 5. As described above, the external thread portion 508 and the internal thread portion 737 constitute a feed screw mechanism 50 for moving the main shaft 5 in the front-rear direction.

[0082] As Figure 2 shown, an auxiliary spring 44 is disposed between the rear end of the main shaft 5 and a washer disposed in front of the ball bearing 431 within the rear end portion of the housing 40. The auxiliary spring 44 of the present embodiment is a compression coil spring and is disposed around the transmission shaft 43. The auxiliary spring 44 biases the main shaft 5 forward with respect to the housing 40. The auxiliary spring 44 is configured to hold the external thread portion 508 in a position where it can be screwed with the internal thread portion 737 when the external thread portion 508 is disengaged from the internal thread portion 737 by the rearward movement of the main shaft 5. The loading force of the auxiliary spring 44 is set to be significantly weaker than that of a pressing spring 78 described later.

[0083] The pressing spring 78 is configured to apply a forward force to the movable flange 73 relative to the fixed sleeve 71 and relative to the housing 40. More specifically, the pressing spring 78 of the present embodiment is a compression coil spring and is disposed around the small-diameter portion 736 of the movable flange 73. Between the large-diameter portion 731 of the movable flange 73 and the pressing spring 78, a thrust needle bearing 791 is formed in a state where a needle roller is clamped from the front and rear by two washers 793 and 794. The front end of the pressing spring 78 abuts against the rear washer 794, and the rear end of the pressing spring 78 presses against the shoulder of the housing 40. In addition, the rear washer 794 has an outer diameter larger than that of the front washer 793.

[0084] According to the above structure, the pressing spring 78 always applies a forward force to the movable flange 73, pressing the clutch pin 734 against the second sleeve 715 so that the clutch pin 734 is held in the recess of the cam surface 717. Accordingly, the movable flange 73 is integrated with the fixed sleeve 71 in a substantially non-rotatable manner relative to the fixed sleeve 71. Hereinafter, the front-rear direction position of the movable flange 73 relative to the fixed sleeve 71 at this time is referred to as the connection position, and the state of the clutch mechanism 7 is referred to as the connected state. In addition, the movable flange 73 may have a convex portion integrally provided on the front end surface of the large-diameter portion 731 instead of the clutch pin 734, and is configured to directly engage with the recess of the cam surface 717 without passing through the clutch pin 734.

[0085] Next, the operation of the flaring forming device 3A when the drive motor 21 is driven will be described.

[0086] As Figure 2 shown, in the initial state of the flaring forming device 3A, the main shaft 5 is disposed at a position where the external thread portion 508 at the rear end portion can be screwed with the internal thread portion 737 of the movable flange 73 (hereinafter referred to as the initial position). The clutch mechanism 7 is in the connected state. In this state, when the motor 21 (refer to Figure 1 ) rotates in the forward rotation direction, the transmission shaft 43 and the main shaft 5 rotate integrally, the external thread portion 508 is screwed with the internal thread portion 737, and at the same time the main shaft 5 moves forward.

[0087] During the forward movement of the main shaft 5, the sliding sleeve 58 disposed around the main shaft 5 (second member 52) slides forward integrally with the main shaft 5 relative to the first sleeve 711 of the fixed sleeve 71. In addition, the main shaft 5 slides and rotates inside the sliding sleeve 58. As described above, the first sleeve 711 of the present embodiment is made of aluminum, while the sliding sleeve 58 is made of iron. Therefore, compared with the case where the sliding sleeve 58 rotates and slides relative to the first sleeve 711, the sliding sleeve 58 of the present embodiment can suppress the wear of the first sleeve 711.

[0088] When the tube is clamped by a clamping device (not shown), the cone 55 abuts against the end of the tube before the main shaft 5 reaches the foremost position within the movable range, where the clamping device is mounted on the fixture mounting portion 41. As the main shaft 5 rotates while advancing, the cone 55 revolves (publishes) around the drive axis DX while rotating (self-rotating) around the axis AX, thereby expanding the end of the tube into a conical shape. When the cone 55 expands the end of the tube into a conical shape and advances a certain extent while forming a flared opening, before the main shaft 5 reaches the foremost position, the tube obstructs the advancement of the cone 55 and even the main shaft 5. Figure 7 Indicates the position of the main shaft 5 at this time (hereinafter also referred to as the advancement obstruction position).

[0089] When the main shaft 5 rotates at the advancement obstruction position, through the action of the external thread portion 508 and the internal thread portion 737 (feed screw mechanism 50), the movable flange 73 moves rearward while rotating relative to the fixed sleeve 71. Accordingly, as Figure 8 shown, the clutch pin 734 separates from the cam surface 717. Hereinafter, the front-rear direction position of the movable flange 73 relative to the fixed sleeve 71 at this time is referred to as the disengaged position, and the state of the clutch mechanism 7 is referred to as the disengaged state. In addition, the conversion of the clutch mechanism 7 from the connected state to the disengaged state (the movement of the movable flange 73 from the connected position to the disengaged position) is also referred to as the operation of the clutch mechanism 7. Furthermore, at the moment when the main shaft 5 cannot advance further, since the shape of the flared opening has been formed, it can also be said that the clutch mechanism 7 operates in response to the formation of the flared opening.

[0090] As the movable flange 73 moves rearward, the pressing spring 78 is compressed and the loading force increases. The external thread portion 508 and the internal thread portion 737 are configured such that the frictional force between the external thread portion 508 and the internal thread portion 737 exceeds the loading force of the pressing spring 78 at this time. Therefore, when the movable flange 73 reaches the disengaged position, the movable flange 73 no longer moves further, but starts to rotate integrally with the main shaft 5 located at the advancement obstruction position. The loading force of the pressing spring 78 acts on the main shaft 5 via the movable flange 73. The cone 55 supported at the front end portion 501 of the main shaft 5 receives this loading force, presses the flared opening at substantially the same position in the front-rear direction, and rotates around the axis AX while revolving around the drive axis DX. Hereinafter, this operation of the cone 55 is also referred to as the finishing operation.

[0091] On the other hand, in a state where the tube is not arranged in front of the cone 55, when the motor 21 rotates in the forward rotation direction, the main shaft 5 can move further forward than when there is a tube. In this case, as Figure 9As shown, the flange portion 712 of the fixed sleeve 71 abuts against the front end face of the sliding sleeve 58, preventing the main shaft 5 from further moving forward. Thus, the sliding sleeve 58 and the flange portion 712 function as a stopper that defines the foremost position of the main shaft 5.

[0092] As described above, after flaring is formed on the tube by the cone 55, when the motor 21 stops and rotates in the reverse direction, due to the loading force of the pressing spring 78 and the action of the external thread portion 508 and the internal thread portion 737, the movable flange 73 moves forward from the disengaged position to the connected position while rotating relative to the fixed sleeve 71. That is, the clutch mechanism 7 returns to the connected state. The main shaft 5 rotates and moves backward until the external thread portion 508 disengages from the internal thread portion 737, thereby returning to Figure 1 the initial position shown.

[0093] The flaring forming tool 1A of the present embodiment detects the operation of the clutch mechanism 7 and is used for the drive control of the motor 21. Next, a detection device 81 for detecting the operation of the clutch mechanism 7 will be described.

[0094] As Figure 1 shown, the detection device 81 is disposed within the tool housing 11. More specifically, the detection device 81 of the present embodiment is a Hall sensor including a Hall element. As Figure 7 shown, the detection device 81 is mounted on a circuit board 82, and the circuit board 82 is supported by the tool housing 11 below the flaring forming device 3A (omitted from the illustration in Figure 7 ). The detection device 81 is turned on when the magnet 85 is within a specified detection range. The detection device 81 is configured to output a signal indicating the detection result of the magnet 85 in terms of on or off.

[0095] The magnet 85 is configured to move integrally with the movable flange 73. More specifically, the magnet 85 is mounted on a movable member 86, and the movable member 86 is supported in the lower part of the housing 40 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. The movable member 86 includes an arm 861 and a protrusion 863. The arm 861 is disposed below the housing 40, and the protrusion 863 protrudes into the housing 40 from an opening formed in the lower part of the housing 40. The magnet 85 is fixed to the arm 861. The protrusion 863 is disposed directly behind a washer 794 between the large-diameter portion 731 of the movable flange 73 and the pressing spring 78. The movable member 86 is biased forward by a biasing spring 87 between the housing 40 and the movable member 86. Therefore, the protrusion 863 is always held in a state of abutting against the rear end face of the washer 794 by the loading force of the biasing spring 87.

[0096] With such a structure, as Figure 7As shown, when the movable flange 73 is in the connected position, the movable member 86 and the magnet 85 are at the foremost position within the moving range. The detection device 81 detects the magnet 85 when the magnet 85 is at the foremost position.

[0097] On the other hand, as Figure 8 shown, when the clutch mechanism 7 operates and the movable flange 73 moves from the connected position to the disconnected position, the projection 863 is pressed by the washer 794, and the movable member 86 moves rearward against the biasing force of the biasing spring 87. Along with this, the magnet 85 moves out of the detection range of the detection device 81. Therefore, when the movable flange 73 is in the disconnected position, the detection device 81 cannot detect the magnet 85. That is, the detection device 81 switches from on to off in response to the operation of the clutch mechanism 7. In addition, although the moving distance of the movable flange 73 from the connected position to the disconnected position is very small, by using a Hall sensor in the detection device 81, the operation of the clutch mechanism 7 can also be reliably detected.

[0098] In addition, the washer 794 is a component that moves in the front-rear direction relative to the housing 40 integrally with the movable flange 73 but does not rotate integrally with the movable flange 73. Therefore, by connecting the washer 794 and the movable member 86 so as to move integrally in the front-rear direction, the movable member 86 can be moved in a state of being rotationally separated from the movable flange 73. Accordingly, the movement of the movable member 86 is stabilized, and the detection accuracy of the detection device 81 for the magnet 85 can be improved.

[0099] Next, the structural elements (constructions) provided in the handle portion 15 of the tool housing 11 will be described.

[0100] As Figure 1 shown, a switch 153 and a controller 20 are disposed inside the handle portion 15. In addition, an operation portion 25 is provided at the lower end portion of the handle portion 15.

[0101] The controller 20 is electrically connected to the motor 21, the switch 153, the operation portion 25, and the detection device 81 inside the tool housing 11. In the present embodiment, the controller 20 is constituted by a microcomputer including a CPU 201, a ROM 202, a RAM 203, etc. However, the controller 20 may also be constituted by other types of processors / processing circuits (for example, ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuits, application-specific integrated circuit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array, field programmable gate array)) and memories.

[0102] Since it is a well-known technology, the illustration is omitted, but a three-phase inverter and a Hall sensor are electrically connected to the controller 20 when it is powered on. The controller 20 supplies a pulsed current (pulse) corresponding to the set duty ratio to the motor 21 by causing the six semiconductor switching elements of the three-phase inverter to perform switching operations. The controller 20 controls the energization of the motor 21 via the three-phase inverter based on the signal indicating the rotational position (rotation angle) of the motor 21 (specifically, the rotor) input from the Hall sensor, thereby controlling the rotational speed of the motor 21. In addition, the controller 20 controls the driving of the motor 21 based on the signals output from the switch 153, the operation unit 25, and the detection device 81.

[0103] The operation unit 25 of the present embodiment is an input device through which a user can input information related to the timing of stopping the driving of the motor 21 after the clutch mechanism 7 operates (hereinafter referred to as stop timing information). In the present embodiment, as the stop timing information, information for determining the amount / angle of rotation of the motor 21 (hereinafter referred to as the target rotation amount) during the period from when the clutch mechanism 7 operates until the driving of the motor 21 is stopped is adopted. In the present embodiment, the controller 20 uses PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control in the driving control of the motor 21, and the target rotation amount is determined by the number of pulses for driving the motor 21. Therefore, the target rotation amount is also referred to as the target pulse number.

[0104] The operation unit 25 can be embodied, for example, as Figure 10 shown. In this example, the operation unit 25 includes a mode switching button 251, an increase button 253, a decrease button 254, and a display unit 257. In addition, the mode switching button 251, the increase button 253, and the decrease button 254 are buttons. Further, the display unit 257 includes two 7-segment displays capable of displaying numbers.

[0105] The mode switching button 251 is a button operated to select a mode. The clamping device mounted on the fixture mounting portion 41 generally corresponds to a variety of tubes with different diameters. In the ROM 202 of the controller 20, the mode numbers representing each of the variety of tubes are stored in correspondence with the initial values of the target pulse numbers set for each tube. Each time the mode switching button 251 is pressed, the controller 20 sequentially selects the stored mode numbers, determines the corresponding target pulse numbers, and causes the 7-segment displays of the display unit 257 to display. In addition, the mode number indicating the type of the selected tube can be displayed on the display unit 257.

[0106] The increase button 253 and the decrease button 254 are both buttons operated to change the target pulse number. The increase button 253 is a button operated to increase the target pulse number from the current set value. The decrease button 254 is a button operated to decrease the target pulse number from the current set value. Whenever the increase button 253 or the decrease button 254 is pressed, the controller 20 increases or decreases the currently set target pulse number by a predetermined number. In addition, the predetermined number can be set arbitrarily, but in order to be able to flexibly change the rotation amount, the pulse number can be changed, for example, by one pulse at a time.

[0107] In addition, the controller 20 causes the seven-segment display of the display unit 257 to display the number representing the changed target pulse number. Therefore, the user can change the target pulse number to a desired value by manually operating the increase button 253 or the decrease button 254 while confirming the display unit 257.

[0108] The operation unit 25 can be concretized, for example, instead of Figure 10 as shown in Figure 11 In this example, the operation unit 25 has a change button 252 and a display unit 258. The change button 252 is a push button. The display unit 258 includes a plurality of indicator lights.

[0109] The change button 252 is a button operated to change the target pulse number of the motor 21 from the current set value. In the display unit 258, the number of indicator lights corresponding to the set target pulse number is lit. In the initial state, the target pulse number is set to the initial value, and the indicator light in the middle of the display unit 258 is lit. Each time the change button 252 is pressed, the controller 20 increases the currently set pulse number by a predetermined number. When the changed pulse number reaches the predetermined upper limit value, it returns to the lower limit value. The lighting of the indicator lights also responds to this change.

[0110] In addition, the structure of the operation unit 25 is not limited to Figure 10 and Figure 11 and can be changed appropriately. For example, the operation unit 25 can be implemented not as a button but as a rotary dial, a slide bar, or a touch screen.

[0111] Next, the drive control of the motor 21 by the controller 20 (specifically, the CPU 201) during the flaring operation will be described. In addition, Figure 12 the motor drive process shown starts in response to the trigger 151 being pressed and the switch 153 being turned on. The CPU 201 of the controller 20 executes the motor drive process, for example, by reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 202.

[0112] Before the user starts the flaring operation using the flaring forming tool 1A, the clamping device in the state of clamping the pipe with the desired diameter is installed on the flaring forming tool 1A. By appropriately manually operating the operation unit 25, the setting of the target rotation amount is performed.

[0113] When the flaring forming device 3A has Figure 10 the operation unit 25 shown, the user selects an appropriate mode (type of pipe) by manually operating the mode switching button 251. The CPU 201 of the controller 20 reads the corresponding relationship stored in the ROM 202 and stores the initial value of the target pulse number corresponding to the selected mode in the RAM 203. After that, when the user presses the operation increase button 253 or the decrease button 254, the target pulse number stored in the RAM 203 changes in response to the pressing operation.

[0114] When the flaring forming device 3A has Figure 11 the operation unit 25 shown, the CPU 201 stores the initial value of the target pulse number preset and stored in the ROM 202 in the RAM 203. After that, when the user presses and operates the change button 252, the target pulse number stored in the RAM 203 changes in response to the pressing operation.

[0115] After that, when the user presses and operates the trigger 151 to turn on the switch 153, the CPU 201 starts Figure 12 the motor drive process shown. The CPU 201 determines the target pulse number stored in the RAM 203 (S101) and starts driving the motor 21 (S103). More specifically, the CPU 201 calculates an appropriate duty ratio and supplies a pulse corresponding to the calculated duty ratio to the motor 21. The rotation direction of the motor 21 at this time is the forward rotation direction. By rotating the motor 21 in the forward rotation direction, as described above, the main shaft 5 and the cone 55 rotate and advance while expanding the cylindrical end of the pipe into a conical shape to form a flare.

[0116] During the forward rotation of the motor 21, the CPU 201 monitors the signal periodically output from the detection device 81 and determines whether the detection device 81 is disconnected, that is, determines whether the clutch mechanism 7 operates (S105). The CPU 201 continues to drive the motor 21 (S103) during the period when it is determined that the clutch mechanism 7 is in the connected state (S105: No).

[0117] When the CPU 201 determines that the clutch mechanism 7 has operated (S105: Yes), it counts the number of pulses supplied to the motor 21 after the clutch mechanism 7 has operated (S107). The CPU 201 determines whether the number of supplied pulses has reached the target number of pulses stored in the RAM 203 (S109). If the number of supplied pulses has not reached the target number of pulses (S109: No), the CPU 201 returns to counting the number of pulses (S107). That is, the CPU 201 continues to drive the motor 21 until the number of supplied pulses reaches the target number of pulses. During the period when the motor 21 is continuously driven after the clutch mechanism 7 has operated, the cone 55 performs a finishing operation.

[0118] When the number of supplied pulses reaches the target number of pulses (S109: Yes), the CPU 201 stops driving the motor 21 by stopping the supply of pulses to the motor 21 (S113). The CPU 201 further starts rotating the motor 21 in the reverse direction (S115). Accordingly, the main shaft 5 starts to move backward.

[0119] While the main shaft 5 has not returned to the initial position (S117: No), the CPU 201 continues to drive the motor 21 (S115). When the main shaft 5 returns to the initial position (S117: Yes), the CPU 201 stops driving the motor 21 (S119) and ends the motor drive process. That is, even if the switch 153 is not turned off (even if the pressing of the trigger 151 is not released), the CPU 201 stops the motor 21 from rotating in the reverse direction according to the main shaft 5 returning to the initial position. In addition, in S117, the CPU 201 can, for example, determine whether the main shaft 5 has returned to the initial position based on the detection result of a detection device (not shown) capable of detecting that the main shaft 5 is in the initial position. This detection device is the same as the one described for the detection device 81 that detects the operation of the clutch mechanism 7. For example, it can be a magnetic or optical sensor, or a mechanical switch.

[0120] In addition, when the controller 20 turns off the switch 153 while the motor 21 is rotating in the forward direction, it stops the rotation of the motor 21, and then rotates the motor 21 in the reverse direction to return the main shaft 5 to the initial position. Similarly, when the switch 153 is turned off while the motor 21 is rotating in the reverse direction, the controller 20 also continues to drive the motor 21 to return the main shaft 5 to the initial position.

[0121] As described above, in the flaring forming device 3A of the present embodiment, the controller 20 causes the motor 21 to rotate only by the target rotation amount in response to the operation of the clutch mechanism 7, and then stops rotating. By such control, compared with the case where the rotation stop timing of the motor 21 depends on the manual operation of the user, the completion accuracy (precision) of the formed flare can be stabilized (equalized). Further, after the clutch mechanism 7 operates, that is, after the flare is formed by the cone 55, since the cone 55 performs a finishing operation substantially at the same position in the front-rear direction, the flare is formed in a shape close to a perfect circle, and the completion accuracy of the flare can be improved.

[0122] In addition, in the present embodiment, the user can appropriately change the set target rotation amount by manually operating the operation unit 25. Therefore, when the user, for example, confirms the result of the flare formed by performing a trial flaring operation and determines that the finishing operation is insufficient or an excessive finishing operation has been performed, the user can change the target rotation amount. Accordingly, the completion accuracy of the flare can be further improved.

[0123] Further, the controller 20 causes the motor 21 to rotate by the target rotation amount, and after stopping the rotation, automatically (without any manual operation of the user) moves the main shaft 5 backward to return to the initial position. Thereby, the convenience of the flaring forming tool 1A is improved.

[0124] <Second Embodiment> Next, Figure 13 a description will be given of a flaring forming tool 1B according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The flaring forming tool 1A of the first embodiment (see Figure 1 ) is an electric tool dedicated to flaring operations, and the flaring forming device 3A is assembled together with the motor 21 and the like in the tool housing 11. In contrast, the flaring forming tool 1B of the second embodiment includes an existing driver drill 9 and a flaring forming device 3B, and the flaring forming device 3B is detachably attached to the driver drill 9. That is, the flaring forming device 3B is an accessory that can be attached to the driver drill 9.

[0125] The driver drill 9 is a well-known electric tool (rotary tool) configured to rotationally drive a tip tool (not shown) detachably attached to the chuck 94 around the drive axis DX. The driver drill 9 has a tool housing 90 extending along the drive axis DX and a handle portion 95 extending from the tool housing 90 in a direction intersecting the drive axis DX.

[0126] The motor 91 and the mandrel 93 are housed in the tool housing 90, and the mandrel 93 is operably connected to the motor 91 via a reduction mechanism 92. The chuck 94 is connected to the mandrel 93 so as to rotate integrally with the mandrel 93.

[0127] The handle portion 95 includes a gripping portion 950. A trigger 951 and a forward / reverse switching operating lever 952 are arranged on the gripping portion 950. Among them, the trigger 951 is pressed by the user, and the forward / reverse switching operating lever 952 moves in response to the pressing operation of the user, switching the rotation direction of the motor 91 between the forward rotation direction and the reverse rotation direction. Inside the handle portion 95, a switch 953 and a controller 955 are housed. Among them, the switch 953 operates in response to the manual operations of the trigger 951 and the forward / reverse switching operating lever 952, and the controller 955 controls the driving of the motor 91. During the period when the trigger 951 is pressed and the switch 953 is turned on, the controller 955 drives the motor 91. A rechargeable battery 19 is detachably mounted at the lower end portion of the handle portion 95.

[0128] Different from the flaring forming device 3A of the first embodiment, the flaring forming device 3B does not include a movable member 86 and a magnet 85. The other structures of the flaring forming device 3B are substantially the same as those of the flaring forming device 3A of the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following description, for substantially the same structures, the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment are marked and their descriptions are omitted.

[0129] The flaring forming device 3B of the present embodiment is configured such that the main shaft 5 is connected to the mandrel 93 of the electric drill 9 in an operable manner and rotates in response to the rotational drive of the mandrel 93. More specifically, a connection hole 435 is formed at the rear end portion of the transmission shaft 43 of the flaring forming device 3B. The connection hole 435 is configured to be connected to other components in a manner capable of transmitting rotation and extends along the axes of the transmission shaft 43 and the main shaft 5.

[0130] The transmission shaft 43 is connected to the chuck 94 of the electric drill 9 through a connecting shaft 98 in an operable manner. One end portion in the axial direction of the connecting shaft 98 is formed to be capable of fitting into the connection hole 435 of the transmission shaft 43. The opposite end portion is formed to be capable of fitting into the insertion hole 941 of the top tool formed in the chuck 94 of the electric drill 9. In addition, the connection hole 435, the insertion hole 941, and the two end portions of the connecting shaft 98 may also have a polygonal cross-section, for example, in the same manner as the connection hole 507 and the front half portion of the transmission shaft 43 of the first embodiment. Additionally, for example, the connecting shaft 98 may also be connected to the chuck 94 and the transmission shaft 43 in a manner capable of rotating integrally through the engagement of a keyway and a key or a spline connection.

[0131] The rotation of the mandrel 93 of the electric drill 9 is transmitted to the transmission shaft 43 through the chuck 94 and the connecting shaft 98. Therefore, when the motor 91 of the electric drill 9 rotates in the forward rotation direction, as described in the first embodiment, the main shaft 5 of the flaring forming device 3B advances, and the cone 55 forms a flare at the end of the pipe. In addition, when the motor 91 of the electric drill 9 rotates in the reverse rotation direction, the main shaft 5 retreats and returns to the initial position.

[0132] As described above, the flaring forming device 3B of the present embodiment is configured as an accessory that can be selectively attached to the electric drill 9 and can perform flaring operations. Therefore, the user can attach the flaring forming device 3B to the electric drill 9 only when needed and use it as the flaring forming tool 1B. Thus, the operations applicable to the electric drill 9 can be increased, improving convenience.

[0133] In addition, the flaring forming device 3B can be used not only by being attached to the electric drill 9, but also can be selectively attached to other rotary tools (for example, drilling tools, fastening tools) through an appropriate connecting shaft. Further, the flaring forming device 3B can be selectively attached to a manual tool having a manually rotatable connecting shaft instead of an electric tool, and can be integrated with the manual tool to form a manual flaring forming device.

[0134] The correspondence between the respective structural elements (features) of the above-described embodiment and the respective structural elements (features) of the present invention or the invention is shown below. Each structural element of the embodiment is merely an example and does not limit the present invention or the respective structural elements of the invention.

[0135] The flaring forming tool 1A of the first embodiment is an example of a "flaring forming tool". The motor 21, the main shaft 5, the cone 55, and the clutch mechanism 7 are examples of a "motor", a "main shaft", a "cone", and a "clutch mechanism", respectively. The drive axis DX is an example of a "first axis". The detection device 81 is an example of a "detection device configured to detect the operation of the clutch mechanism" and a "detection device configured to detect the formation of a flare by the cone". The controller 20 (specifically, the CPU 201) is an example of a "control device". The operation unit 25 is an example of an "operation unit". The movable flange 73 and the clutch pin 734 are examples of "movable clutch members".

[0136] In addition, the flaring forming tool according to the present invention is not limited to the flaring forming tool 1A of the above-described embodiment. For example, the following non-limiting examples of changes can be made. Further, at least one of these changes can be used in combination with at least one of the features of the flaring forming tool 1A of the embodiment and the technical solution.

[0137] For example, instead of the above-described clutch mechanism 7, any type of clutch mechanism that operates in response to the forward movement of the main shaft 5 being obstructed (in response to the formation of the shape of the flare) can be employed. For example, an engaging type or a friction type clutch mechanism can be used.

[0138] The detection device 81 for detecting the operation (flaring formation) of the clutch mechanism 7 is not limited to a Hall sensor, and any other known detection device can also be used. For example, a mechanical microswitch, an optical sensor, other types of magnetic field sensors, etc. can be used.

[0139] In the first embodiment, after detecting the operation of the clutch mechanism 7, the target number of pulses is used to determine whether the motor 21 has rotated a target rotation amount. For example, the controller 20 can determine whether the motor 21 has rotated a target rotation amount based on the signal from the Hall sensor that detects the rotation position of the motor 21. Specifically, the controller 20 determines the rotation position of the motor 21 at the moment when the clutch mechanism 7 operates, and then, based on the signal from the Hall sensor, it can be determined whether the motor 21 has reached the rotation position corresponding to the target rotation amount.

[0140] Alternatively, instead of the operation of the clutch mechanism 7, the controller 20 can also control the moment when the rotation of the motor 21 stops according to certain physical quantities corresponding to the formation of the flare (the stop of the forward movement of the main shaft). For example, a current sensor that detects the current value of the motor 21 or a load sensor that detects the load applied to the main shaft 5 can be used instead of the detection device 81. In these modified examples, the controller 20 can also make the motor 21 rotate the target rotation amount and then stop the rotation after the detected current value or load exceeds a specified threshold.

[0141] The flaring tool 1A can also be provided with a communication device capable of communicating with an external device (for example, a personal computer, a portable terminal (for example, a smart phone, a tablet terminal)). In this modified example, the user can input information related to the target rotation amount of the motor 21 not only by using the operation unit 25 provided on the flaring tool 1A but also by using an external device. The CPU 201 of the flaring tool 1A can perform the drive control of the motor 21 after detecting the operation of the clutch mechanism 7 according to the information sent from the external device. In addition, in this modified example, the operation unit 25 of the flaring tool 1A can also be omitted.

[0142] In view of the gist of the present invention and the above embodiments, the following modes A1 to A5 are constructed. At least one of the following modes A1 to A5 can be used in combination with at least one of the features of the embodiments and their modified examples or the features described in each technical solution. [Mode A1] The specified rotation amount is set as the target number of pulses for driving supplied to the motor, The control device is configured to stop the rotation of the motor when the actual number of pulses supplied to the motor reaches the target number of pulses after detecting the operation of the clutch mechanism (after detecting the formation of the flare). [Method A2] The flaring forming tool further includes an informing unit that informs information related to the specified amount of rotation. The display units 257 and 258 in this method are examples of the "informing unit" in this method respectively. [Method A3] It further includes a housing that houses the main shaft and the clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism includes a movable clutch member and a pressing spring. The movable clutch member can move in the front-rear direction between a first position where it cannot move relative to the housing and a second position behind the first position. The pressing spring applies a force to the movable clutch member in the forward direction. The movable clutch member is configured to move from the first position to the second position and rotate integrally with the main shaft relative to the housing in response to the forward movement of the main shaft being blocked. The detection device is configured to detect the movement of the movable clutch member from the first position to the second position as the operation of the clutch mechanism. [Method A4] The main shaft has an external thread portion. The movable clutch member includes a movable flange that is disposed around the main shaft and has an internal thread portion that can be screwed with the external thread portion. The movable flange is configured to move while rotating from the first position to the second position through the action of the external thread portion and the internal thread portion in response to the forward movement of the main shaft being blocked. [Method A5] The clutch mechanism includes a fixed clutch member that is disposed around the main shaft substantially immovably relative to the housing in front of the movable clutch member. The fixed clutch member has a cam surface. The movable clutch member is configured to engage with the cam surface in a non-rotatable manner relative to the fixed clutch member by the force of the pressing spring when in the first position, and to disengage from the cam surface in response to moving to the second position while rotating. The fixed sleeve 71 (the second sleeve 715) is an example of the "fixed clutch member" in this method.

[0143] As a non-limiting purpose, the following methods B1 to B11 are also provided to provide improvements in the support structure for the cone in the flaring forming device. The following methods B1 to B11 can be used alone in any one method, or two or more methods can be used in combination. Alternatively, at least one of the following methods B1 to B11 can be used in combination with at least one of the features described in the embodiments, modification examples, methods, and various technical solutions.

[0144] [Method B1] A flaring forming device, characterized by having a main shaft, a cone, and a single (only one) radial bearing, wherein, The main shaft is configured to move along the first axis while rotating around the first axis defining the front-rear direction of the flaring forming device; The cone is supported at the front end of the main shaft in a manner that can rotate around a second axis eccentric to the first axis, and a flare is formed at the end of the tube; The single radial bearing is embedded around the cone, The cone is configured to bear a thrust load at least at the rear end of the cone.

[0145] In the flaring forming device of this method, the cone is pressed against the end of the tube, and the cone can bear the thrust load during flaring formation at the rear end. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the thrust load from being applied to the radial bearing around the cone, thereby stabilizing the rotational support of the cone. In addition, only one radial bearing for bearing the radial load is arranged around the cone. Therefore, compared with the case where two radial bearings are arranged, the overall length of the cone can be shortened.

[0146] [Method B2] In the flaring forming device described in Method B1, it is characterized in that, The cone is configured to bear a thrust load through a contact portion, and the contact portion contacts the main axis along the circumference of a circle centered on the second axis.

[0147] According to this method, the cone can stably bear the thrust load via the contact portion. In addition, the contact portion can be a part of the cone (specifically, the rear end of the cone), or a separate component that abuts against the rear end of the cone.

[0148] [Method B3] In the flaring forming device described in Method B2, it is characterized in that, The front end portion of the main shaft has a support hole extending along the second axis, The radial bearing is embedded in the support hole, The bottom of the support hole is defined by a first conical surface having a vertex on the second axis and a diameter that decreases as it moves away from the front end of the cone. The contact portion is configured to be in line contact with the first conical surface.

[0149] According to this mode, the contact portion can not only bear the thrust load from the first conical surface but also bear the radial load. Therefore, since the radial load can be distributed to the radial bearing and the contact portion, the rotational support of the cone can be made more stable. In addition, the bottom of the hole formed by drilling is generally a conical hole defined by a conical surface. Therefore, by using the conical surface formed by drilling the main shaft as the first conical surface, a support structure for the cone that can handle both thrust load and radial load can be realized.

[0150] [Mode B4] In the flaring forming device described in Mode B3, it is characterized in that The contact portion is a ball disposed between the cone and the first conical surface and bearing the thrust load.

[0151] According to this mode, since the portion of the ball in line contact with the first conical surface changes as the ball rolls, local wear of the ball can be suppressed. Therefore, a support structure for the cone with excellent durability can be realized.

[0152] [Mode B5] In the flaring forming device described in Mode B4, it is characterized in that The ball is disposed between the first conical surface and a second conical surface. The second conical surface has a vertex on the second axis and a diameter that decreases as it approaches the front end of the cone. The second conical surface is the surface defining the hole formed at the rear end of the cone.

[0153] According to this mode, the axis of the cone can be made to coincide with the second axis with high precision, and the thrust load can be stably borne. Since the cone has a second conical surface, a simple and reasonable support structure for the cone can be realized without increasing the number of components.

[0154] [Mode B6] In the flaring forming device described in Mode B4 or B5, it is characterized in that It further has an anti - detachment member configured to prevent the cone from detaching from the support hole by engaging the cone with the main shaft. The anti - detachment member engages with an annular groove formed on the outer periphery of the cone between the radial bearing and the ball.

[0155] According to this method, a reasonable arrangement of the anti - detachment components of the cone can be achieved.

[0156] [Method B7] In the flaring forming device described in Method B6, it is characterized in that the anti - detachment component is a pin.

[0157] According to this method, a simple and reasonable anti - detachment component can be achieved.

[0158] [Method B8] In the flaring forming device described in Method B7, it is characterized in that it further has an elastic component, and the elastic component is installed around the front end of the main shaft, the pin is inserted into a through - hole formed in the front end of the main shaft, the elastic component covers the through - hole from the outside.

[0159] According to this method, a holding structure of the anti - detachment component that is easy to assemble to the cone and the main shaft can be achieved. In addition, since it is also easy to remove the pin from the cone and the main shaft, the cone can be easily replaced.

[0160] [Method B9] In the flaring forming device described in any one of Methods B1 - B8, it is characterized in that the radial bearing is a ball bearing.

[0161] According to this method, compared with the case of using a needle bearing, the overall length of the cone can be shortened.

[0162] [Method B10] In the flaring forming device described in any one of Methods B1 - B9, it is characterized in that the flaring forming device is configured to be selectively mounted on an accessory of a power tool, and the power tool is configured to be able to rotationally drive a final output shaft.

[0163] According to this method, the user can mount the flaring forming device on a power tool (for example, a drilling tool, a fastening tool) that is configured to be able to rotationally drive a final output shaft only when needed for use. Therefore, the operations applicable to the power tool can be increased, improving convenience.

[0164] [Method B11] An electric flaring forming tool has a tool housing, a flaring forming device described in any one of Methods B1 - B9 housed in the tool housing, and a motor, wherein The motor is configured to be housed in the tool housing and is operably connected to the main shaft of the flaring forming device to rotate the main shaft.

[0165] According to this mode, an electric flaring forming tool with excellent usability can be realized, and its main shaft is driven by a motor.

[0166] The correspondence between the respective structural elements (features) of the above-described embodiment and the respective structural elements (features) of the present invention or modes B1 to B11 is shown below. However, each structural element of the embodiment is merely an example and does not limit the respective structural elements of the present invention or modes B1 to B11.

[0167] The flaring forming device 3A of the first embodiment and the flaring forming device 3B of the second embodiment are both examples of the "flaring forming device". The main shaft 5, the cone 55, and the ball bearing 561 are examples of the "main shaft", "cone", and "radial bearing", respectively. The drive axis DX is an example of the "first axis". The axis AX is an example of the "second axis". The ball 563 is an example of the "contact portion". The support hole 502 is an example of the "support hole". The conical surface 504 of the main shaft 5 is an example of the "first conical surface". The conical surface 556 of the cone 55 is an example of the "second conical surface". The anti-detachment pin 565 is an example of the "anti-detachment member". The annular groove 558 is an example of the "annular groove". The pin hole 512 is an example of the "through hole". The elastic member 566 is an example of the "elastic member". The electric drill 9 is an example of the "electric tool". The mandrel 93 is an example of the "final output shaft". The flaring forming tool 1A is an example of the "flaring forming tool". The tool housing 11 is an example of the "tool housing". The motor 21 is an example of the "motor".

[0168] In addition, the flaring forming devices related to modes B1 to B11 are not limited to the flaring forming devices 3A and 3B of the above-described embodiment. For example, the following non-limiting examples of changes can be made. Additionally, at least one of these changes can be used in combination with at least one of the features described in the embodiment, the modified example, the mode, and each technical solution.

[0169] For example, the support structure of the cone 55 can be changed in any way as long as the rear end portion of the cone 55 can withstand the thrust load. For example, the ball 563 can also be omitted, and the rear end portion of the cone 55 directly abuts against the surface of the specified support hole 502. For example, the rear end portion of the shaft portion 553 of the cone 55 can be formed in a cylindrical shape, and the outer edge of the circular rear end face is in line contact with the conical surface 504 of the support hole 502. Or, the rear end portion of the shaft portion 553 of the cone 55 is formed in a hemispherical shape, and its spherical surface is in line contact with the conical surface 504 of the support hole 502.

[0170] In the anti - detachment structure of the cone 55, instead of the annular elastic member 566, a cylindrical elastic member can be inserted into the pin hole 512. Additionally, balls can be used to replace the anti - detachment pin 565.

[0171] Additionally, with the non - limiting objective of providing improvements related to foreign object countermeasures in the flaring forming device, the following methods C1 to C15 are provided. The following methods C1 to C15 can be used alone, or two or more can be used in combination. Alternatively, at least one of the following methods C1 to C15 can be used in combination with at least one of the features described in the embodiments, modification examples, methods, and technical solutions.

[0172] [Method C1] A flaring forming device having a main shaft, a cone, a housing, and at least one sealing member, wherein, The main shaft is configured to move along the first axis while rotating around the first axis defining the front - rear direction of the flaring forming device; The cone is supported at the front end of the main shaft so as to be rotatable around a second axis eccentric with respect to the first axis, and forms a flare at the end of the tube; The housing houses the main shaft; The at least one sealing member is configured to block the gap between the housing and the main shaft.

[0173] According to this method, at least one sealing member can prevent foreign objects such as metal chips and dust from entering the inside of the housing through the gap between the housing and the main shaft, and can reduce the possibility of malfunction during the operation of the main shaft.

[0174] [Method C2] In the flaring forming device described in Method C1, it is characterized in that, It further has a feed screw mechanism configured to move the main shaft in the front - rear direction, An opening is formed at the front end of the housing to communicate the inside and outside of the housing, The feed screw mechanism is housed behind the at least one sealing member in the internal space of the housing.

[0175] According to this method, at least one sealing member can prevent foreign objects from entering the space behind the at least one sealing member, thereby reducing the possibility of malfunction of the feed screw mechanism.

[0176] [Method C3] In the flaring forming device described in Method C1 or C2, it is characterized in that, It further has a sleeve that is radially disposed between the main shaft and the housing, The at least one sealing member includes an outer sealing member and an inner sealing member, wherein, The outer sealing member is disposed radially outside the sleeve, The inner sealing member is disposed radially inside the sleeve.

[0177] According to this aspect, by using the sleeve, the assemblability can be improved, or the degrees of freedom in function setting and material selection of each structural element can be increased. In addition, the outer sealing member and the inner sealing member can prevent foreign matter from entering from the radial outside and inside of the sleeve.

[0178] [Aspect C4] In the flaring forming device described in Aspect C3, it is characterized in that, The sleeve is substantially immovable relative to the housing in the front-rear direction, The main shaft is movable relative to the sleeve in the front-rear direction and can rotate about the first axis.

[0179] According to this aspect, the outer sealing member and the inner sealing member can respectively prevent foreign matter from entering between the radial outside of the sleeve substantially fixed relative to the housing and between the sleeve and the main shaft.

[0180] [Aspect C5] In the flaring forming device described in Aspect C4, it is characterized in that, It further includes a clutch mechanism configured to act to prevent the forward movement of the main shaft in response to the cone abutting against the end of the tube. The clutch mechanism includes a first clutch member and a second clutch member, wherein, The first clutch member is substantially non-rotatable about the first axis relative to the housing, The second clutch member is configured to move in the front-rear direction between a first position connected to the first clutch member and a second position separated from the first clutch member, The sleeve is configured as the first clutch member.

[0181] According to this aspect, by rationally and effectively using the sleeve as a part of the clutch mechanism, i.e., the first clutch member, the number of components of the clutch mechanism can be reduced. In addition, the at least one sealing member can reduce the possibility of foreign matter adhering to the clutch mechanism.

[0182] [Aspect C6] In the flaring forming device described in Aspect C3, it is characterized in that, The sleeve can move integrally with the main shaft relative to the housing in the front-rear direction, The main shaft can rotate relative to the sleeve about the first axis.

[0183] According to this mode, the sleeve can be used as a bearing that moves integrally with the main shaft in the front-rear direction and supports the main shaft in a rotatable manner.

[0184] [Mode C7] In the flaring forming device described in Mode C6, it is characterized in that the sleeve cannot substantially rotate relative to the housing about the first axis, the sleeve is configured as a stopper that restricts the forward movement of the main shaft when the main shaft moves forward in a state where the tube is not in front of the cone.

[0185] According to this mode, the sleeve that moves integrally with the main shaft in the front-rear direction without rotating relative to the housing can be rationally and effectively utilized as a stopper.

[0186] [Mode C8] In the flaring forming device described in Mode C6, it is characterized in that the compression amount of the outer sealing member on the radially outer side of the sleeve is larger than the compression amount of the inner sealing member on the radially inner side of the sleeve.

[0187] According to this mode, the outer sealing member and the inner sealing member can not only deal with the countermeasure against foreign matter entry, but also be rationally and effectively utilized to keep the sleeve from substantially rotating relative to the housing and keep the main shaft rotatable relative to the sleeve.

[0188] [Mode C9] In the flaring forming device described in Mode C1, it is characterized in that it further includes an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, wherein the outer sleeve is disposed between the housing and the main shaft in the radial direction of the main shaft and cannot substantially move in the front-rear direction relative to the housing; the inner sleeve is disposed between the outer sleeve and the main shaft in the radial direction and can move integrally with the main shaft relative to the outer sleeve in the front-rear direction, the at least one sealing member includes an outer sealing member, an inner sealing member, and an intermediate sealing member, wherein the outer sealing member is disposed between the housing and the outer sleeve in the radial direction; the inner sealing member is disposed between the main shaft and the inner sleeve in the radial direction; the intermediate sealing member is disposed between the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve in the radial direction.

[0189] According to this method, by using the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve, the assembly performance can be improved, and the degree of freedom in function setting and material selection of each structural element can be increased. In addition, the outer seal member, the inner seal member, and the intermediate seal member can prevent foreign matter from entering between the housing, the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve, and the main shaft, and can reduce the possibility of malfunction caused by the operation of the main shaft.

[0190] [Method C10] In the flaring forming device described in any one of Methods C1 to C9, it is characterized in that The flaring forming device is configured to be selectively mounted on an accessory of a power tool configured to rotationally drive a final output shaft.

[0191] According to this method, the user can use the flaring forming device by mounting it on a power tool (for example, a drilling tool, a fastening tool) only when needed, and the power tool is configured to be able to rotationally drive the final output shaft. Therefore, the operations applicable to the power tool can be increased, and the convenience can be improved.

[0192] [Method C11] An electric flaring forming tool includes a tool housing, a flaring forming device described in any one of Methods C1 to C9 housed in the tool housing, and a motor, wherein The motor is configured to be housed in the tool housing and is operably connected to the main shaft of the flaring forming device to rotate the main shaft.

[0193] According to this method, an electric flaring forming tool with excellent performance can be realized, and its main shaft is driven by a motor.

[0194] [Method C12] A lubricant is disposed behind the at least one seal member in the internal space of the housing. [Method C13] The inner sleeve is held so as not to substantially rotate relative to the outer sleeve, and the main shaft can rotate relative to the inner sleeve. [Method C14] The compression amount of the outer seal member is larger than that of the intermediate seal member, The compression amount of the intermediate seal member is larger than that of the inner seal member. [Method C15] The outer sleeve and the inner sleeve are formed of materials with different strengths.

[0195] The corresponding relationships between the structural elements (features) of the above-described embodiments and the structural elements (features) of the present invention or Methods C1 to C15 are shown below. However, each structural element of the embodiment is only an example and does not limit the structural elements of the present invention or Methods C1 to C15.

[0196] The flaring forming device 3A of the first embodiment and the flaring forming device 3B of the second embodiment are both examples of the "flaring forming device". The main shaft 5, the cone 55, and the housing 40 are respectively examples of the "main shaft", "cone", and "housing". The drive axis DX is an example of the "first axis". The sealing members 61, 62, and 63 are respectively examples of the "sealing member".

[0197] The fixed sleeve 71 (the first sleeve 711) is an example of the "sleeve". In this example, the sealing member 63 is an example of the "outer sealing member". The sealing members 61 and 62 are respectively examples of the "inner sealing members". In addition, the sliding sleeve 58 is another example of the "sleeve". In this example, the sealing members 62 and 63 are respectively examples of the "outer sealing members". The sealing member 61 is an example of the "inner sealing member". The clutch mechanism 7 is an example of the "clutch mechanism". The fixed sleeve 71 is an example of the "first clutch member". The movable flange 73 and the clutch pin 734 are examples of the "second clutch members".

[0198] The fixed sleeve 71 (the first sleeve 711) is an example of the "outer sleeve", and the sliding sleeve 58 is an example of the "inner sleeve". The sealing member 63 is an example of the "outer sealing member", the sealing member 61 is an example of the "inner sealing member", and the sealing member 62 is an example of the "intermediate sealing member".

[0199] The electric drill 9 is an example of the "power tool". The mandrel 93 is an example of the "final output shaft". The flaring forming tool 1A is an example of the "flaring forming tool". The tool housing 11 is an example of the "tool housing". The motor 21 is an example of the "motor".

[0200] In addition, the flaring forming devices related to the methods C1 to C15 are not limited to the flaring forming devices 3A and 3B of the above embodiments. For example, the following non-limiting examples of changes can be made. In addition, at least one of these changes can be used in combination with at least one of the features described in the embodiments, modification examples, methods, and each technical solution.

[0201] In the above embodiment, the two sleeves (the fixed sleeve 71 and the sliding sleeve 58) are arranged between the housing 40 and the main shaft 5 in the radial direction of the main shaft 5. However, one of the two sleeves can be omitted.

[0202] More specifically, as described above, the housing 40 and the first sleeve 711 of the fixed sleeve 71 are the same aluminum components. In the above embodiment, the first sleeve 711 is provided in consideration of the ease of assembling the clutch mechanism 7 and the like into the housing 40. However, the first sleeve 711 (integrated with the housing 40) can also be omitted, and the sliding sleeve 58 is configured to be able to slide in the front-rear direction along the inner peripheral surface of the housing 40.

[0203] In addition, the sliding sleeve 58 and the main shaft 5 are made of the same iron components. In the above-described embodiment, in order to enable the sliding sleeve 58 to rotate relative to the main shaft 5, the sliding sleeve 58 is a component separate from the main shaft 5. However, the sliding sleeve 58 (integrated with the main shaft 5) may be omitted, and the main shaft 5 may be configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction along the inner peripheral surface of the first sleeve 711. In this modification, the compression amount of the sealing member 62 is set to allow the main shaft 5 to rotate relative to the first sleeve 711.

[0204] The number, position, and / or material of the sealing members 61, 62, and 63 can be appropriately changed.

Claims

1. A flaring forming tool, characterized in that: It has a motor, a spindle, a cone, a clutch mechanism, a detection device and a control device, wherein: The motor is capable of rotating in a forward direction and a reverse direction; The spindle is movably connected to the motor and is configured to rotate around a first axis defining a front-rear direction of the expansion forming tool and move forward along the first axis as the motor rotates in the forward direction. The cone is supported at the front end of the main shaft in a manner rotatable about a second axis eccentric to the first axis, and a flared opening is formed at the end of the tube; The clutch mechanism is configured to operate in response to the cone abutting against the end of the tube to hinder the forward movement of the main shaft; The detection device is configured to detect the action of the clutch mechanism; The control device is configured to control the rotation of the motor based on the detection result of the detection device.

2. The expansion forming tool according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control device is configured to, in response to the detection of the operation of the clutch mechanism by the detection device, rotate the motor in the forward rotation direction by a predetermined amount and then stop the rotation.

3. A flaring forming tool, characterized in that: It has a motor, a spindle, a cone, a detection device and a control device, wherein: The motor is capable of rotating in a forward direction and a reverse direction; The spindle is movably connected to the motor and is configured to rotate around a first axis defining a front-rear direction of the expansion forming tool and move forward along the first axis as the motor rotates in the forward direction. The cone is supported at the front end of the main shaft in a manner rotatable about a second axis eccentric to the first axis, and a flared opening is formed at the end of the tube; The detection device is configured to detect the formation of the flaring performed by the cone; The control device is configured to control the rotation of the motor. In response to the detection of the formation of the flared opening by the detection device, the control device controls the rotation of the motor so that the spindle rotates by a predetermined amount at a substantially same position in the front-rear direction and then stops rotating.

4. The expansion forming tool according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The predetermined rotation amount can be changed.

5. The expansion forming tool according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes an operating unit configured to be manually operated by a user. The control device is configured to change the predetermined rotation amount in response to a manual operation of the operating unit.

6. The expansion forming tool according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The control device is configured to move the main shaft rearward by rotating the motor in the reverse direction after stopping the motor.

7. The expansion forming tool according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The motor is a brushless motor.

8. The expansion forming tool according to claim 1, or any one of claims 3 to 7 directly or indirectly dependent on claim 1, characterized in that: The clutch mechanism includes a movable clutch member configured to move in response to the forward movement of the main shaft being blocked. The detection device is a Hall sensor configured to detect a magnet attached to the movable clutch member.

9. The expansion forming tool according to claim 8, characterized in that: The magnet is mounted on a non-rotating portion of the movable clutch member.

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