Pipe expanding tool

Abstract

To reduce a burden on a user of a pipe expanding tool for expanding an end of a PEX pipe made of synthetic resin, as an operation member needs to be pulled with a fingertip every time jaws open and close.SOLUTION: A pipe expanding tool includes a controller 9 which opens a plurality of jaws multiple times by repeatedly rotating an electric motor 20 forward and backward during operation of an operation member 6. Thereby, a single operation of the operation member continuously opens and closes the jaws multiple times. In this respect, a burden on a user is reduced. The set number of times the jaws are opened and closed can be set in advance on an operation panel 7b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 18

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pipe enlarging tool for enlarging the end of a fluid pipe, for example made of synthetic resin, in order to connect the end of the pipe to a connected body. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, there is a case where a fluid pipe made of PEX (Cross-linked polyethylene) is connected to a connected object such as a plastic pipe. A pipe expansion tool that expands the inside diameter of the end of a PEX pipe has been provided. The end of the PEX pipe is expanded using the pipe expansion tool and attached to the connected object. The end of the PEX pipe is reduced in diameter so that it gradually returns to its original diameter through elastic deformation. The PEX pipe with the reduced end is tightly connected to the connected object. The connected PEX pipe is firmly held to the connected object by utilizing its own elasticity.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a pipe expanding tool that expands the diameter of a PEX pipe by a feed screw mechanism driven by an electric motor. At the front of the pipe expanding tool, a substantially conical wedge that advances or retreats by a feed screw mechanism relative to the end of the PEX pipe, and a plurality of jaws arranged in the circumferential direction of the wedge in front of the wedge are provided. The jaws are pushed by the advancing wedge to open mutually radially outward of the wedge. The end of the PEX pipe can be expanded by opening the jaws radially outward while the jaws are inserted into the end opening of the PEX pipe. In a typical PEX pipe expansion operation, the jaws are opened multiple times to expand the pipe to a specified size. For example, the jaws required to open the pipe to a specified size are usually 12 to 18 times for a 1-inch diameter PEX pipe.

[0004] Also, for example, if the pipe expanding tool has six jaws, the end of the PEX pipe is subjected to a force that opens radially outward from each of the jaws at six equally spaced locations in the circumferential direction. Therefore, in one expansion operation, the end of the PEX pipe is expanded into an approximately hexagonal shape. In order to expand the end of the PEX pipe into a circular shape, the expansion operation and the rotation operation in which the multiple jaws are rotated at a predetermined angle (for example, 15° to 30°) in the circumferential direction of the wedge are alternately repeated. As a result, the position where each jaw contacts the inner surface of the PEX pipe moves due to the rotation operation. Therefore, the end of the PEX pipe is uniformly expanded and approaches a circular shape. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] US Patent No. 2020 / 0261959 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In conventional pipe expanding tools, the jaws are opened only once by a single start-up operation (trigger ON operation) by the user. Therefore, the user must repeat the start-up operation of the pipe expanding tool the number of times the jaws are opened, which places a heavy burden on the user. The present disclosure aims to reduce the burden on the user in expanding PEX pipes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an end of a fluid pipe, for example made of synthetic resin, is expanded by a pipe expanding tool. The pipe expanding tool has a female thread member that rotates forward by forward rotation of an electric motor and reverses by reverse rotation of the electric motor. The pipe expanding tool has a threaded shaft that is screwed into the female thread member and advances from an initial position to a terminal position by forward rotation of the female thread member and retreats from the terminal position to the initial position by reverse rotation of the female thread member. The pipe expanding tool has, for example, a wedge extending forward from the threaded shaft and multiple jaws that are pushed by the wedge when the wedge advances together with the threaded shaft and open radially outward relative to each other. The pipe expanding tool has, for example, an operating member that starts the electric motor and a controller that repeatedly rotates the electric motor forward and reverse while operating the operating member to open the multiple jaws multiple times.

[0008] Therefore, the jaws can be opened multiple times during one operation of the operating member, thereby reducing the strain on the user. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tube expansion tool according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pipe expansion tool for expanding the end of a PEX pipe. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tool body from which the main body housing has been removed, as viewed from the front right side. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tool body from which the main body housing has been removed, as viewed from the rear right side. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tool body from which the main body housing has been removed, as viewed from the front left side. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tool body from which the main body housing has been removed, as viewed from the rear left, with the output shaft positioned at a rear end position. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tool body from which the main body housing has been removed, as viewed from the rear left, with the output shaft positioned at the front end position; [Figure 9]FIG. 4 is a rear view of the tool body with the main body housing removed. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an assembly including a rear shaft. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembly including a tool body and a rear shaft. [Figure 12] 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 9. [Figure 13] 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12. [Figure 14] 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13 when the output shaft is located at the rear end position. [Figure 15] 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13 when the output shaft is located at the front end position. [Figure 16] 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI in FIG. 13 when the output shaft is located at the rear end position. [Figure 17] 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI in FIG. 13 when the output shaft is located at a front end position. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a controller. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a control flow. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a control flow. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] In one or more embodiments, for example, at least one of the initial position and the end position of the screw shaft is detected by a detection means, so that the reciprocating motion of the screw shaft can be performed quickly and reliably.

[0011] In one or more embodiments, for example, both the initial position and the end position of the screw shaft are detected by the detection means, respectively, so that the reciprocating motion of the screw shaft can be performed more quickly and reliably.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, for example, the controller reverses the electric motor so that the threaded shaft returns to the initial position after the operation of the operating member is released, thus reliably returning the jaws to the closed position by retracting the threaded shaft and returning it to the initial position when the operation of the operating member is released.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, for example, when the screw shaft is not in the initial position when the operation of the operating member is started, the controller reverses the electric motor to return the screw shaft to the initial position when the operation of the operating member is started. This prevents the screw shaft from moving forward from a mid-way position. As a result, the jaw opening operation is not performed from a half-open state, but always starts from the closed position.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, for example, the controller measures the number of reciprocating movements between the initial position and the end position of the screw shaft during operation of the operating member. For example, the controller stops the rotation of the electric motor when the number of reciprocating movements reaches a preset number. Therefore, even during operation of the operating member, the electric motor is automatically stopped when the jaw opening operation has been performed a preset number of times. This allows the appropriate diameter expansion operation to be performed quickly.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, for example, the controller calculates the number of reciprocating movements based on the number of revolutions of the electric motor. Therefore, when the number of revolutions of the electric motor reaches a set number, the screw shaft is returned to the initial position and the electric motor is automatically stopped. This reduces the burden on the user in performing multiple radial expansion operations of the jaws.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, for example, the detection means is a Hall IC sensor, and therefore, one or both of the initial position and the end position of the screw shaft are detected by the Hall IC sensor.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, for example, the detection means is a detection circuit that detects the position of the screw shaft based on the number of rotations of the electric motor, and thus, one or both of the initial position and the end position of the screw shaft are detected by the detection circuit.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, for example, the pipe expanding tool includes a ball screw in which balls are interposed between the screw shaft and the female screw member. Therefore, the screw shaft is smoothly screwed into the female screw member without rattle. This allows the screw shaft to reciprocate accurately and smoothly. EXAMPLES

[0019] Next, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 20. As shown in Fig. 1, the pipe expanding tool 1 of this embodiment has a tool body 10 housed in a main body housing 11, and a grip 5 extending downward from the lower part of the main body housing 11. A user is positioned approximately at the rear of the pipe expanding tool 1 (the far left side in Fig. 1) and holds the grip 5. In the following description, the side in front of the user is referred to as the rear, and the side opposite to the side in front of the user is referred to as the front. The up, down, left and right directions are based on the user.

[0020] As shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 12, a ring-shaped cap 2 is attached to the front of the tool body 10. A cylindrical output shaft 27 extending in the front-rear direction is provided in the center of the tool body 10. A roughly conical wedge 3 is attached to the front end of the output shaft 27. The wedge 3 is located radially inward of the cap 2. The output shaft 27 and the wedge 3 are arranged on an output axis K extending in the front-rear direction in the center of the tool body 10. The output shaft 27 and the wedge 3 are movable in the front-rear direction along the output axis K between an initial position at the rear and a terminal position at the front. A plurality of jaws 4 extending in the front-rear direction are provided radially outward of the wedge 3 and radially inward of the cap 2. The plurality of jaws 4 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the wedge 3. The tube expanding tool 1 has, for example, six jaws 4, and each jaw 4 is arranged at 60° intervals in the circumferential direction of the wedge 3. The multiple jaws 4 are capable of opening and closing in the radial direction between a closed position in which they are in close contact with each other in the circumferential direction to cover the wedge 3 and an open position in which they are open radially outward from each other to expose the tips of the wedges 3 .

[0021] As shown in Figs. 1 and 12, a trigger-type operating member 6 is provided on the front surface of the grip 5. While holding the grip 5, a user can turn the operating member 6 on by pulling it with their fingertips. A switch body 6a that can be switched on and off in conjunction with the operation of the operating member 6 is provided inside the grip 5. The switch body 6a is in the off state when the operating member 6 is not pulled, and is in the on state when the operating member 6 is pulled. A substantially rectangular box-shaped enlarged diameter section 7 that expands in the front-rear and left-right directions is provided at the bottom end of the grip 5.

[0022] An operation panel 7b is provided on the upper surface of the enlarged diameter portion 7. On the operation panel 7b, various operation buttons are arranged for, for example, setting the number of times the jaw 4 is opened and closed in advance. When the operation button 7c is pressed and held down, the operation panel 7b is started. The start-up state is notified by the display unit 7d being lit up. When the operation button 7e is pressed in the start-up state, the tens digit of the set number can be set. The tens digit is displayed numerically on the display unit 7f. Similarly, when the operation button 7g is pressed in the start-up state, the ones digit of the set number can be set. The ones digit is displayed numerically on the display unit 7h. The user can set the number of times the jaw 4 is opened and closed in advance by pressing the operation buttons 7e and 7g. During one pulling operation of the operation member 6, the jaw 4 is opened and closed continuously the set number of times. When the jaw 4 is opened and closed continuously the set number of times, the electric motor 20 is automatically stopped.

[0023] A controller 9 is housed in the enlarged diameter section 7. The controller 9 has a shallow rectangular box-shaped case and a control board housed in the case and molded with resin. The controller 9 is housed in the enlarged diameter section 7 with its thickness direction (the direction in which the shortest side of the case extends) aligned with the up-down direction. The controller 9 mainly controls the driving of the electric motor 20, which will be described later.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, a battery mounting portion 7a is provided on the underside of the enlarged diameter portion 7, to which a rectangular box-shaped battery 8 can be removably attached. The battery 8 can be removed from the battery mounting portion 7a by sliding it forward. The battery 8 can be attached to the battery mounting portion 7a by sliding it from the front to the rear of the battery mounting portion 7a. The battery 8 can be removed from the battery mounting portion 7a and repeatedly charged and used with a separately prepared charger. The battery 8 can be used as a power source for other electric power tools. The battery 8 operates as a power source that supplies power to the electric motor 20.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 2, when using the pipe expanding tool 1, a user holds the grip 5 and inserts the multiple jaws 4 into an end 51a of a PEX pipe (fluid pipe) 51 made of synthetic resin. By pulling the operating member 6, the multiple jaws 4 open and close in the radial direction. This expands the end 51a of the PEX pipe 51. The PEX pipe 51 is, for example, installed between two opposing walls 52. The pipe expanding tool 1 is used in the narrow space between the two walls 52.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 4, the tool body 10 accommodates a front mechanism housing 12, a first central mechanism housing 13, a second central mechanism housing 14, and a rear mechanism housing 15 in this order from the front to the rear. The front mechanism housing 12, the first central mechanism housing 13, and the second central mechanism housing 14 are substantially cylindrical in shape with a hollow passage penetrating in the front-rear direction at the center. The rear mechanism housing 15 is provided in a plate shape with the plate thickness direction being in the front-rear direction. The front mechanism housing 12, the first central mechanism housing 13, the second central mechanism housing 14, and the rear mechanism housing 15 cooperate to form a mechanism housing. A gear shaft 23, an idle gear 24, and a nut 26, which will be described later, are accommodated in the mechanism housing.

[0027] 3 and 4, a male thread 12a is provided on the front outer peripheral surface of the front mechanism housing 12. A female thread 2b that screws with the male thread 12a is provided on the rear inner peripheral surface of the cap 2. The cap 2 is connected to the front part of the front mechanism housing 12 by screwing the male thread 12a with the female thread 2b.

[0028] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the outer peripheral surface of the front mechanism housing 12 is provided with four bosses 12c of a generally cylindrical shape that protrude outward in the radial direction. The bosses 12c are formed with screw holes 12d that penetrate in the front-rear direction. The first central mechanism housing 13 and the second central mechanism housing 14 each have four bosses 13g, 14j of a generally cylindrical shape that protrude outward in the radial direction. The bosses 13g, 14j each have through holes 13h, 14k that penetrate in the front-rear direction. The rear mechanism housing 15 has four corners with through holes 15b that penetrate in the front-rear direction. The bosses 12c, 13g, 14j and the through holes 15b are aligned in the front-rear direction, so that the screw holes 12d communicate with the through holes 13h, 14k, 15b in the front-rear direction. Four bolts 16 are inserted from rear to front through each of the communicating through holes 15b, 14k, 13h and fastened to the screw holes 12d, whereby the front mechanism housing 12, the first central mechanism housing 13, the second central mechanism housing 14, and the rear mechanism housing 15 are connected in a line in the front-rear direction.

[0029] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the first central mechanism housing 13 has a downward extending portion 13b having a generally U-shaped outer shape extending downward from a cylindrical shape. The second central mechanism housing 14 has a downward extending portion 14b having a generally U-shaped outer shape extending downward from a cylindrical shape. The downward extending portion 13b and the downward extending portion 14b are connected in the front-rear direction to form a space for accommodating the gear shaft 23 and the idle gear 24. The downward extending portion 13b has two through holes that penetrate in the front-rear direction and are arranged in parallel from front to back. The lower through hole has a recess 13c for supporting the gear shaft 23 described later. The upper through hole 13d is press-fitted with a shaft member 24a that supports the idle gear 24. The downward extending portion 14b has two through holes that penetrate in the front-rear direction and are arranged in parallel from front to back. The lower through hole has a recess 14c for supporting the gear shaft 23. The shaft member 24a is inserted into the upper through hole 14d.

[0030] As shown in Figs. 3 and 12, a generally cylindrical electric motor 20 is accommodated in the lower rear portion of the main housing 11. For example, a motor called a DC brushless motor is used as the electric motor 20. The electric motor 20 is located below the output shaft 27 and above the grip 5. The motor shaft 20a of the electric motor 20 extends in the front-rear direction along the motor axis J in parallel with the output axis K passing through the center of the output shaft 27. The motor axis J is vertically parallel to the output axis K on an imaginary plane S extending in the vertical direction (see Fig. 13). The motor shaft 20a is supported by bearings 20e and 20f so as to be rotatable about the motor axis J. The bearing 20e is provided between the electric motor 20 and a planetary reduction mechanism 22, which will be described later. The bearing 20f is supported by an inner wall of the rear surface of the main housing 11.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 12, the electric motor 20 has a stator 20b supported non-rotatably relative to the main housing 11. The stator 20b is disposed radially outward of the motor shaft 20a. The rotor 20c of the electric motor 20 is attached to the motor shaft 20a on the inner circumferential side of the stator 20b so as to be rotatable integrally with the motor shaft 20a. A rotation speed detection sensor 20d is provided in front of the rotor 20c. The rotation speed detection sensor 20d detects the rotation speed of the motor shaft 20a by detecting the rotation angle of the rotor 20c. A fan 21 for introducing cooling air to the electric motor 20 is attached integrally to the motor shaft 20a between the rotor 20c and the rear bearing 20f in the front-rear direction. When the fan 21 rotates together with the motor shaft 20a, the cooling air flows from the front to the rear of the electric motor 20.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 12, a planetary reduction mechanism (speed change mechanism) 22 for reducing the output of the motor shaft 20a is provided in front of the electric motor 20. The planetary reduction mechanism 22 is generally cylindrical with its center on the motor axis J and with substantially the same diameter as the electric motor 20. The planetary reduction mechanism 22 is accommodated in the main housing 11 in line with the electric motor 20 in the front-rear direction. A first sun gear 22a of the planetary reduction mechanism 22 is provided integrally with the front end of the motor shaft 20a in front of the bearing 20e. A ring-shaped first internal gear 22b is provided radially outward from the first sun gear 22a and centered on the motor axis J. A plurality of first planetary gears 22c mesh between the first sun gear 22a and the first internal gear 22b. The first planetary gears 22c are connected to a first carrier 22d in front of the first sun gear 22a. The rotational drive of the motor shaft 20a is transmitted at a reduced speed to a first carrier 22d via a first sun gear 22a and a first planetary gear 22c.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 12, the first carrier 22d is provided integrally with the second sun gear 22e at the front, and is rotatable together with the second sun gear 22e about the motor axis J. A ring-shaped second internal gear 22f is provided radially outward from the second sun gear 22e and is centered on the motor axis J. A plurality of second planetary gears 22g mesh between the second sun gear 22e and the second internal gear 22f. The second planetary gears 22g are connected to a second carrier 22h disposed in front of the second sun gear 22e. The second carrier 22h is provided integrally with the rear end of the front gear shaft 23, and is rotatable about the motor axis J. Therefore, the rotational drive of the first carrier 22d is transmitted to the gear shaft 23 at a reduced speed via the second sun gear 22e, the second planetary gear 22g, and the second carrier 22h. Thus, the rotational drive of the motor shaft 20 a is transmitted to the gear shaft 23 via the planetary reduction mechanism 22 at a reduced speed.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 12, the gear shaft 23 is supported by bearings 23b and 23c to be rotatable around the motor axis J. The front bearing 23b is press-fitted into a recess 13c recessed in the lower part of the first central mechanism housing 13. The rear bearing 23c is press-fitted into a recess 14c recessed in the lower part of the second central mechanism housing 14. The gear shaft 23 has a driving gear 23a between the bearings 23b and 23c in the front-to-rear direction. The driving gear 23a rotates integrally with the gear shaft 23 around the motor axis J.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 12, an idle gear 24 is provided between the gear shaft 23 and the output shaft 27 in the vertical direction. The idle gear 24 is supported by a cylindrical shaft member 24a extending in the front-rear direction so as to be rotatable around the axis of the shaft member 24a. The shaft member 24a is inserted and fixed in a through hole 13d provided in the downward extension portion 13b of the first central mechanism housing 13 and a through hole 14d provided in the downward extension portion 14b of the second central mechanism housing 14. The axis of the shaft member 24a is located on an imaginary plane S including the motor axis J and the output axis K (see FIG. 9). A radial bearing 24b is provided between the shaft member 24a and the idle gear 24 in the radial direction. The idle gear 24 meshes with the lower driving side gear 23a and with the upper driven side gear 26a.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 12, the tool body 10 is provided with a feed screw mechanism (power conversion mechanism) 25, also called a ball screw mechanism. The feed screw mechanism 25 has an output shaft 27 and a nut 26. A male screw 27a is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 27. Therefore, the output shaft 27 corresponds to the screw shaft of the ball screw mechanism. The nut 26 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape that covers the output shaft 27 in the circumferential direction. A female screw 26b is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the nut 26. The female screw 26b is screwed into the male screw 27a of the output shaft 27 via a plurality of balls 27b between the female screw 26b and the male screw 27a. A driven gear 26a that protrudes radially outward and meshes with the idle gear 24 is provided on the outer periphery of the nut 26. The rotational drive of the gear shaft 23 is reduced and transmitted to the nut 26 by the meshing between the drive gear 23a and the idle gear 24 and the meshing between the idle gear 24 and the driven gear 26a.

[0037] 12, the nut 26 is supported rotatably about the output axis K by bearings 26c, 26d housed in the tool body 10. The front bearing 26c is press-fitted into the inner circumferential surface 13a of the first central mechanism housing 13. The rear bearing 26d is press-fitted into the inner circumferential surface 14a of the second central mechanism housing 14. A thrust bearing 26e is provided between the rear surface of the nut 26 and the front surface 15a of the rear mechanism housing 15 to receive a thrust load that pushes the nut 26 rearward.

[0038] As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, an output shaft guide 28 is attached to the rear of the output shaft 27 to prevent the output shaft 27 from rotating and to guide the forward and backward movement of the output shaft 27. The output shaft guide 28 has a roller shaft 28a connected to the rear end of the output shaft 27 and extending in the left-right direction. The output shaft guide 28 has a pair of rollers 28b at both left and right ends of the roller shaft 28a. A pair of loop-shaped rails 28c extending in the front-back direction are attached to the left and right sides of the second central mechanism housing 14. The rollers 28b engage with the rails 28c and are movable in the front-back direction along the rails 28c. The output shaft 27 moves in the front-back direction together with the output shaft guide 28, guided by the rollers 28b.

[0039] As shown in Figs. 6 and 12, the tool body 10 has a jaw rotation mechanism 30 that rotates the multiple jaws 4. The multiple jaws 4 rotate around the output axis K. The jaw rotation mechanism 30 has a push plate 34 that moves back and forth in conjunction with the rotation of the motor shaft 20a, and a shaft 31 that rotates in conjunction with the back and forth movement of the push plate 34. The shaft 31 is disposed on a shaft axis L that extends in the front-rear direction. The shaft 31 rotates around the axis of the shaft axis L. The shaft axis L is located below the output axis K and above the motor axis J in the vertical direction. The shaft axis L is disposed offset leftward from an imaginary plane S that includes the output axis K and the motor axis J in the left-right direction (see Fig. 13).

[0040] As shown in Figs. 5 and 14, the jaw rotation mechanism 30 has a ball retainer 36 attached to the shaft 31. The ball retainer 36 is movable in the front-rear direction along the shaft axis L. A guide shaft 41 extending parallel to the shaft 31 is provided to the right of the shaft 31. The second central mechanism housing 14 has a guide shaft support portion 14e below the output shaft 27 and above the planetary reduction mechanism 22. A through hole 14f is provided in the guide shaft support portion 14e, penetrating in the front-rear direction. The guide shaft 41 is press-fitted into the through hole 14f and fixed to the second central mechanism housing 14.

[0041] 10 and 11, the ball retainer 36 has a generally cylindrical sleeve mounting portion 36a and a side extension portion 36e extending to the right of the sleeve mounting portion 36a. A shaft insertion hole 36c penetrating in the front-rear direction is provided in the center of the sleeve mounting portion 36a. The shaft 31 is inserted into the shaft insertion hole 36c so as to be slidable relative to the ball retainer 36. A through hole 36f penetrating in the front-rear direction is provided in the side extension portion 36e. A guide shaft 41 is inserted into the through hole 36f so as to be slidable relative to the ball retainer 36. Thus, the ball retainer 36 is guided by the shaft 31 and the guide shaft 41 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and rotation of the shaft 31 around its axis is restricted.

[0042] As shown in Figs. 5 and 14, the jaw rotation mechanism 30 has a push plate 34 that pushes the ball retainer 36 from the rear. The plate-shaped push plate 34 is attached integrally to the roller shaft 28a with its plate thickness direction being the front-rear direction. The push plate 34 extends downward from the roller shaft 28a and is disposed behind the sleeve mounting portion 36a. The push plate 34 has a through hole 34a that penetrates in the front-rear direction. The shaft 31 that protrudes rearward from the sleeve mounting portion 36a can pass through the through hole 34a. When the push plate 34 moves forward together with the output shaft 27, it presses the rear surface of the ball retainer 36 forward. When the push plate 34 moves rearward together with the output shaft 27, it moves away from the ball retainer 36. Therefore, the push plate 34 does not exert a force that moves the ball retainer 36.

[0043] As shown in Figs. 10 and 14, the sleeve mounting portion 36a is provided with a ball retaining hole 36b that penetrates in the vertical direction and communicates with the shaft insertion hole 36c. A ball 39 is inserted into each of the pair of ball retaining holes 36b located above and below the shaft insertion hole 36c. A sleeve 37 that covers the ball retaining hole 36b from the radial outside is attached to the sleeve mounting portion 36a. By attaching the sleeve 37 to the sleeve mounting portion 36a, the ball 39 is retained in the ball retaining hole 36b. A groove 36d that extends in the circumferential direction is provided in the front portion of the sleeve mounting portion 36a. An O-ring 38 is attached to the groove 36d to prevent the sleeve 37 from falling off.

[0044] As shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the shaft 31 is formed by assembling a front shaft 32 and a rear shaft 33 in the front-rear direction. The front shaft 32 is supported by the first central mechanism housing 13 and the second central mechanism housing 14 so as to be rotatable about its axis. The rear shaft 33 is supported by the second central mechanism housing 14 so as to be rotatable about its axis. The rear shaft 33 is inserted into a ball retainer 36. A male screw 33a is provided at the front end of the rear shaft 33. The front shaft 32 is provided with a female screw 32a which screws with the male screw 33a. The rear shaft 33 is attached integrally to the front shaft 32 by screwing the male screw 33a into the female screw 32a. The male screw 33a and the female screw 32a are mutually tightened by rotating the rear shaft 33 relative to the front shaft 32 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the rear (the direction of the first rotation R1 shown in Fig. 8). By rotating the rear shaft 33 relative to the front shaft 32 in a counterclockwise direction (the direction of the second rotation R2 shown in FIG. 7) as viewed from the rear, the male thread 33a and the female thread 32a are loosened from each other.

[0045] As shown in Figures 10, 14 and 15, a pair of ball grooves 33b are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rear shaft 33. The ball groove 33b extends generally in the longitudinal direction of the rear shaft 33 and also extends circumferentially from the rear to the front like a screw groove. The ball groove 33b extends in the direction of a first rotation R1 (see Figure 8) from the rear part 33c to the front part 33e. The pair of ball grooves 33b are arranged in a point-symmetrical positional relationship with respect to the axial center of the rear shaft 33. A ball 39 protruding radially inward from a ball retaining hole 36b of the ball retainer 36 to a shaft insertion hole 36c engages with the ball groove 33b.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the ball 39 moves in the ball groove 33b along the extension direction of the ball groove 33b. The ball 39 is held in the ball retainer 36, which is restricted from rotating around the shaft axis L. When the ball retainer 36 is moved forward relative to the rear shaft 33, the ball 39 moves from the rear portion 33c to the front portion 33e of the ball groove 33b. Therefore, the rear shaft 33 rotates in the direction of the second rotation R2 relative to the ball retainer 36. When the ball retainer 36 is moved backward relative to the rear shaft 33, the ball 39 moves from the front portion 33e to the rear portion 33c of the ball groove 33b. Therefore, the rear shaft 33 rotates in the direction of the first rotation R1 relative to the ball retainer 36.

[0047] 14 and 15, the second central mechanism housing 14 has a shaft support portion 14h that supports the screwed region of the front shaft 32 and the rear shaft 33. The shaft support portion 14h is provided with a rib-shaped spring receiving portion 14g that protrudes in the radial direction, and a through hole 14i that penetrates in the front-rear direction and allows the shaft 31 to be inserted therethrough. A compression spring 40 is interposed between the spring receiving portion 14g and the ball retainer 36 in the front-rear direction. The rear shaft 33 is inserted through the center of the compression spring 40. The compression spring 40 biases the ball retainer 36 rearward.

[0048] 14 and 15, the first central mechanism housing 13 has a shaft support portion 13e that supports the front shaft 32. A through hole 13f that penetrates in the front-rear direction and allows the front shaft 32 to be inserted is provided in the center of the shaft support portion 13e.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the jaw rotation mechanism 30 has a cylindrical one-way clutch 42 and a driving side gear 43. The one-way clutch 42 and the driving side gear 43 are attached to the front part of the front shaft 32 in front of the shaft support part 13e. The one-way clutch 42 is provided between the front shaft 32 and the driving side gear 43 in the radial direction. The one-way clutch 42 has a structure called a sprag type, for example, and transmits only one-way rotation from the radial inner peripheral surface side to the radial outer peripheral surface side. The one-way clutch 42 transmits the first rotation R1 (see FIG. 8) of the front shaft 32 to the driving side gear 43. The one-way clutch 42 does not transmit the second rotation R2 (see FIG. 7) of the front shaft 32 to the driving side gear 43, and causes the front shaft 32 to rotate idly.

[0050] 11 , the rear shaft 33, ball retainer 36, ball 39, and sleeve 37 can be assembled together as an assembly 35. The assembly 35 can be assembled to the tool body 10 by screwing the male thread 33a of the rear shaft 33 into the female thread 32a of the front shaft 32. When assembling the assembly 35 to the tool body 10, the compression spring 40 is assembled so as to be compressed by the assembly 35.

[0051] As shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 11, the rear part of the front shaft 32 is provided with a two-face width portion 32b having a pair of flat surfaces extending parallel to each other in the front-rear direction. The two-face width portion 32b is exposed to the outside of the mechanism housing between the first central mechanism housing 13 and the second central mechanism housing 14. The rear end of the rear shaft 33 is provided with a two-face width portion 33f having a pair of flat surfaces extending parallel to each other in the front-rear direction. In a state where the two-face width portion 32b is held with a spanner or the like to prevent the front shaft 32 from rotating, the two-face width portion 33f is held with a spanner or the like to rotate the rear shaft 33 in the direction of the first rotation R1. As a result, the rear shaft 33 is screwed to the front shaft 32. In this way, the assembly 35 including the rear shaft 33 can be integrally assembled to the tool body 10 supporting the front shaft 32.

[0052] As shown in Figs. 4, 12, 16, and 17, the jaw rotation mechanism 30 has a substantially cylindrical rotation drive ring 44 and a substantially cylindrical joint 45. The rotation drive ring 44 and the joint 45 are supported on the radially inner side of the inner circumferential surface 12b of the front mechanism housing 12 and rotate around the output axis K. An O-ring 45d is provided between the joint 45 and the front mechanism housing 12 in the radial direction. An insertion hole 44b is provided in the center of the rotation drive ring 44 so as to penetrate in the front-rear direction and allow the output shaft 27 to be inserted therethrough. A driven gear 44a is provided on the outer periphery of the rear part of the rotation drive ring 44, protruding radially outward. The driven gear 44a is engaged with the drive gear 43. The rotational power of the drive gear 43 is transmitted to the driven gear 44a at a reduced speed. The front end of the rotation drive ring 44 is provided with a plurality of engagement protrusions 44c that protrude forward and are aligned in the circumferential direction.

[0053] 4, 16 and 17, an insertion hole 45a is provided in the center of the joint 45 so as to penetrate in the front-rear direction and allow the output shaft 27 to be inserted therethrough. A rear end of the joint 45 is provided with a plurality of engaging recesses 45b which engage with a plurality of engaging protrusions 44c of the rotation drive ring 44. The engaging protrusions 44c fit into the engaging recesses 45b, causing the joint 45 to rotate integrally with the rotation drive ring 44. A front end of the joint 45 is provided with a plurality of engaging protrusions 45c which protrude forward and are aligned in the circumferential direction.

[0054] As shown in Figs. 4, 16, and 17, the rear end of the jaw 4 is provided with an engagement recess 4b that engages with the multiple engagement protrusions 45c of the joint 45. The multiple engagement protrusions 45c engage with the engagement recesses 4b of each jaw 4, so that the jaw 4 rotates around the output axis K together with the joint 45. A ring accommodating groove 4a having an arc-shaped cross section is provided on the radial outer periphery of the rear part of the jaw 4. The ring accommodating grooves 4a of the multiple jaws 4 are connected in the circumferential direction to form an annular groove. The multiple jaws 4 are connected in the circumferential direction by a ring 4c that is inserted into the ring accommodating groove 4a and is elastically expandable and contractible. A jaw support groove 2a that can accommodate the ring 4c is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cap 2, extending radially outward and circumferentially. The jaw support groove 2a allows the ring 4c to move in the radial direction, but restricts the ring 4c from moving in the front-rear direction. The multiple jaws 4 open and close in the radial direction around the ring 4c supported by the jaw support groove 2a.

[0055] As shown in Figs. 14 and 15, a magnet 46 is attached to the upper part of the roller shaft 28a. An initial position sensor 47 and an end position sensor 48 are provided on the upper inner peripheral surface of the main body housing 11. The initial position sensor 47 and the end position sensor 48 are sensors called Hall ICs that detect magnetic fields. The initial position sensor 47 is disposed directly above the magnet 46 when the output shaft 27 is located at the rear initial position as shown in Fig. 14. The initial position sensor 47 detects the initial position of the output shaft 27 when it overlaps with the magnet 46 in the front-rear direction, and transmits a signal to the controller 9 (see Fig. 1). The end position sensor 48 is disposed directly above the magnet 46 when the output shaft 27 is located at the front end position as shown in Fig. 15. The end position sensor 48 detects the front end position of the output shaft 27 when it overlaps with the magnet 46 in the front-rear direction, and transmits a signal to the controller 9.

[0056] The drive of the feed screw mechanism 25 and the jaw rotation mechanism 30 will be described with reference to Figs. 7, 8, 12, 14 to 17. First, the electric motor 20 is started by pulling the operating member 6. When the electric motor 20 is started, the rotation drive of the motor shaft 20a is reduced in speed by the planetary reduction mechanism 22 and transmitted to the gear shaft 23. When the gear shaft 23 rotates, the idle gear 24 meshed with the drive gear 23a rotates. Furthermore, the nut 26 rotates around the output axis K together with the driven gear 26a meshed with the idle gear 24. When the nut 26 rotates, the female thread 26b screws into the male thread 27a, and the output shaft guide 28 prevents the output shaft 27 from rotating, so that the output shaft 27 moves in the front-rear direction. When the output shaft 27 moves forward, the wedge 3 attached to the front end of the output shaft 27 presses the multiple jaws 4 and the ring 4c to move radially outward to an open position. When the output shaft 27 moves backward, the pressing force of the wedge 3 is released, so that the ring 4c contracts and the jaws 4 return to the closed position radially inward.

[0057] The electric motor 20 is switched between forward and reverse rotation by the controller 9. The output shaft 27 moves forward when the electric motor 20 rotates forward, and moves backward when the electric motor 20 rotates reverse. The controller 9 switches between forward and reverse rotation of the electric motor 20 based on a signal transmitted from the initial position sensor 47 and a signal transmitted from the end position sensor 48.

[0058] When the output shaft 27 advances, the push plate 34 attached to the roller shaft 28a also advances. The push plate 34 presses the ball retainer 36 forward against the urging force of the compression spring 40. When the ball retainer 36 advances, the balls 39 engage with the ball grooves 33b, and the guide shaft 41 prevents the ball retainer 36 from rotating, causing the rear shaft 33 to rotate in the direction of the second rotation R2. The front shaft 32 to which the rear shaft 33 is screwed also rotates in the direction of the second rotation R2. At this time, the one-way clutch 42 does not transmit the rotational power of the front shaft 32 to the driving side gear 43. Therefore, the front shaft 32 rotates in the direction of the second rotation R2 in which the screwing with the rear shaft 33 is loosened, but the generation of torque to loosen the screwing is suppressed because the driven side gear 44a rotates. The rotational drive ring 44 having the driven side gear 44a does not rotate because the rotational power is not transmitted from the driving side gear 43. Therefore, the joint 45 connected to the rotation drive ring 44 and the multiple jaws 4 do not rotate. Thus, the multiple jaws 4 do not rotate around the axis of the output axis K, but are pushed by the wedges 3 to open radially outward.

[0059] When the output shaft 27 moves backward, the push plate 34 attached to the roller shaft 28a also moves backward. When the pressing force of the push plate 34 is released, the ball retainer 36 is biased by the compression spring 40 and moves backward. When the ball retainer 36 moves backward, the balls 39 engage with the ball grooves 33b, and the guide shaft 41 prevents the ball retainer 36 from rotating, so that the rear shaft 33 rotates in the direction of the first rotation R1. The front shaft 32 to which the rear shaft 33 is screwed also rotates in the direction of the first rotation R1. At this time, the one-way clutch 42 transmits the rotational power of the front shaft 32 to the driving gear 43. Therefore, the front shaft 32 rotates in the direction of the first rotation R1, which further tightens the screwing with the rear shaft 33. The rotation drive ring 44 equipped with the driven gear 44a rotates in the clockwise direction as viewed from the front by the transmission of the rotational power from the driving gear 43. The joint 45 and the multiple jaws 4 also rotate integrally with the rotary drive ring 44. Thus, the multiple jaws 4 close radially inward while rotating around the output axis K in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front.

[0060] As described above, pulling the operating member 6 starts the electric motor 20, which opens and closes and rotates the jaw 4. In the pipe expanding tool 1 of this embodiment, while the operating member 6 is being operated, the electric motor 20 is repeatedly rotated in the forward and reverse directions, thereby opening and closing and rotating the jaw 4 multiple times in succession. The control board 9a of the controller 9 is provided with a control circuit C for repeatedly rotating the electric motor 20 in the forward and reverse directions. The control board 9a includes a power supply circuit that supplies power from the battery 8 to the electric motor 20.

[0061] As shown in Figure 18, in addition to the ON operation signal of the operating member 6, the ON signal of the initial position sensor 47, and the ON signal of the end position sensor 48, rotation speed information of the rotation speed detection sensor 20d and set number information by operation of the operation panel 7b are input to the control circuit C. The control board 9a includes a detection circuit that detects the rotation speed of the electric motor 20 by the rotation speed detection sensor 20d. The number of opening and closing operations of the multiple jaws 4 (the reciprocating movement of the output shaft 27) is set in advance by the user operating the operation panel 7b. Information on the set number of operations is stored in the control circuit C as a set number P. The set number P of opening and closing operations of the jaws 4 is set appropriately according to the PEX pipe 51 that is the target of the diameter expansion operation.

[0062] 19 shows a series of operational flows of the pipe expanding tool 1 controlled by the control circuit C. When the battery 8 is attached to the battery attachment portion 7a, the operational flow enters a standby state (step 100, hereinafter abbreviated as ST100). When the operating member 6 is pulled in ST101, the position of the output shaft 27 is detected (ST102). In ST102, the on / off state of the initial position sensor 47 is determined to determine whether the output shaft 27 is located at the initial position.

[0063] When it is confirmed in ST102 that the output shaft 27 is not in the initial position (the initial position sensor 47 is off), the electric motor 20 is reversed in ST103. As a result, first, the output shaft 27 is returned to the rear initial position. When it is confirmed in ST102 that the output shaft 27 is in the initial position (the initial position sensor 47 is on), the electric motor 20 is rotated forward in ST104. As a result, the output shaft 27 moves forward and a plurality of jaws 4 are opened.

[0064] During the forward rotation of the electric motor 20, in ST105, the pulling operation of the operating member 6 (the on state of the switch body 6a) is confirmed. When the pulling operation of the operating member 6 is confirmed, the forward rotation of the electric motor 20 continues, and the jaws 4 are opened. When the output shaft 27 reaches the end position in ST106, the end position sensor 48 is turned on. As a result, the plurality of jaws 4 are fully opened.

[0065] If the pulling operation of the operating member 6 is not confirmed in ST105 during the opening operation of the jaws 4, it is determined that the user has released the pulling operation of the operating member 6. In this case, the electric motor 20 switches to reverse rotation in ST110. As a result, the output shaft 27 starts to move backward while moving forward, and the opening operation of the jaws 4 is aborted midway. When the initial position of the output shaft 27 is confirmed in ST111, the electric motor 20 is stopped in ST112. In this way, when the pulling operation of the operating member 6 is released during the opening operation of the jaws 4, the electric motor 20 rotates in reverse and the output shaft 27 is returned to the initial position. As a result, the jaws 4 are returned to the closed state, and the control flow returns to the standby state of ST100.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 20, for example, when the output shaft 27 reaches the end position and the diameter expansion operation is performed by the jaws 4, the number of times the end position sensor 48 is turned on (the number of times p of the diameter expansion operation execution) is counted. In ST107, the counted execution number p is compared with a preset set number P. When the execution number p of the opening operation of the jaws 4 is less than the set number P (p < P), the electric motor 20 is reversed (ST108). As a result, the output shaft 27 moves backward and the plurality of jaws 4 are closed. During the closing stage of the jaws 4, it rotates around the output axis K by the jaw rotation mechanism 30.

[0067] In ST109, the pulling state of the operating member 6 during the reverse rotation of the electric motor 20 is determined. If the pulling operation of the operating member 6 is not confirmed in ST109, the control flow returns to ST110. Therefore, the electric motor 20 continues to rotate in the reverse direction, and the electric motor 20 is stopped at the point where the output shaft 27 is returned to the initial position. This stops the operation by the user, and the control flow returns to the standby state of ST100.

[0068] When the pulling operation state of the operating member 6 is confirmed in ST109, the control flow returns to ST102. In ST102, the initial position of the output shaft 27 is confirmed by an ON signal of the initial position sensor 47. When the output shaft 27 reaches the initial position and the closed state of the multiple jaws 4 is confirmed, the electric motor 20 is switched to normal rotation again in ST104. This starts a second opening operation of the jaws 4. Thereafter, on the condition that the pulling operation of the operating member 6 is confirmed in ST105, the electric motor 20 is rotated normal until the output shaft 27 reaches the terminal position in ST106, and the jaws 4 are opened again. Also, on the condition that the pulling operation of the operating member 6 is confirmed in ST109, the electric motor 20 is rotated reversely until the output shaft 27 reaches the initial position in ST102, and the jaws 4 are closed.

[0069] In this manner, the opening operation of the multiple jaws 4 is repeated, and the number of times p is incremented by one. That the number of times p has been opened has reached the set number of times P (p=P) is confirmed in ST120 via ST107. When it is confirmed in ST120 that p=P, the electric motor 20 is switched to reverse rotation in ST121, and the output shaft 27 is moved backward. As a result, the jaws 4 are closed while rotating about the output axis K.

[0070] At the stage in ST121 where the electric motor 20 is reversed (the final stage of the set number of times P), unlike the reverse rotation stage in ST108 (an intermediate stage of the set number of times P), pulling of the operating member 6 is not confirmed. At the reverse rotation stage in ST121, regardless of the operating state of the operating member 6, the electric motor 20 continues to rotate in the reverse direction and the output shaft 27 is returned to the initial position, and then the electric motor 20 is stopped.

[0071] When the initial position of the output shaft 27 is confirmed in ST122 and the closed state of the multiple jaws 4 is confirmed, the electric motor 20 is stopped in ST123. After that, the pulling operation of the operating member 6 is released in ST124, and the series of control operations is completed.

[0072] As described above, in this embodiment, the electric motor 20 switches between forward and reverse rotation, causing the output shaft 27 to reciprocate between the initial position and the end position multiple times. This allows the jaw 4 to be repeatedly opened and closed while the operating member 6 is pulled once. This reduces the burden on the user.

[0073] According to this embodiment, the initial position and the end position of the output shaft 27 (screw shaft) are detected by the initial position sensor 47 and the end position sensor 48, respectively. This allows the output shaft 27 to reciprocate quickly and reliably.

[0074] According to this embodiment, the electric motor 20 rotates in the reverse direction so that the output shaft 27 (screw shaft) returns to the initial position after the pulling operation of the operating member 6 (operating member) is released (ST110, ST111). Therefore, when the operation of the operating member 6 is released during the set number of times P, the output shaft 27 is returned to the initial position and the jaws 4 are reliably returned to the closed position. This allows the next operation to be performed quickly.

[0075] According to the embodiment, for example, if the output shaft 27 is not in the initial position when the pulling operation of the operating member 6 is started, the electric motor 20 is once reversed to return the output shaft 27 to the initial position. Therefore, the output shaft 27 is prevented from moving forward from a mid-way position. As a result, the jaw opening operation is not performed from a half-open state, but always starts from the closed position. Therefore, the diameter expansion operation is performed efficiently.

[0076] According to this embodiment, the number of times p that the output shaft 27 reciprocates between the initial position and the end position is measured during the pulling operation of the operating member 6. When the number of times p that the output shaft 27 reciprocates reaches a preset number of times P, the rotation of the electric motor 20 is stopped. Therefore, even during the pulling operation of the operating member 6, the electric motor 20 is automatically stopped when the jaws 4 have been opened the set number of times P. This allows the appropriate diameter expansion operation to be performed quickly.

[0077] According to the embodiment, when the number of times p of the reciprocating motion of the output shaft 27 reaches a preset number of times P (ST120), the electric motor 20 is reversed (ST121) to stop the output shaft 27 at the initial position. After the output shaft 27 is returned to the initial position (ST122), the electric motor 20 is stopped (ST123). Therefore, when the opening motion of the multiple jaws 4 is performed the set number of times P, the electric motor 20 is automatically stopped after the output shaft 27 is returned to the initial position. This allows the next diameter expanding operation to be started quickly.

[0078] According to this embodiment, the initial position and the end position of the output shaft 27 are detected by Hall IC sensors (initial position sensor 47 and end position sensor 48). Therefore, the accuracy and compactness of the detection means for detecting the initial position and the end position of the output shaft 27 are ensured.

[0079] According to the embodiment, the pipe expanding tool 1 includes a feed screw mechanism 25 (ball screw) in which balls 27b are interposed between an output shaft 27 (screw shaft) and a nut 26 (female screw member). Therefore, the output shaft 27 is smoothly screwed into the nut 26 without rattle. This allows the output shaft 27 to reciprocate accurately and smoothly.

[0080] Various modifications can be made to the pipe expanding tool 1 of the present embodiment described above. For example, although both the initial position and the terminal position of the output shaft 27 (thread shaft) are detected by the Hall IC sensor, the configuration may be changed to detect only one of them by the sensor.

[0081] According to this embodiment, the rotation speed of the electric motor 20 is detected by the rotation speed detection sensor 20d. The initial position and the terminal position of the output shaft 27 may be detected based on the rotation speed of the electric motor 20 detected by the rotation speed detection sensor 20d instead of the Hall IC sensor. In this case, one or both of the initial position and the terminal position may be detected by the rotation speed detection circuit of the electric motor 20.

[0082] The tube expanding tool 1 has been illustrated as having six jaws 4. Alternatively, the tube expanding tool 1 may have, for example, five or fewer jaws 4 or seven or more jaws 4.

[0083] In the embodiment, the feed screw mechanism 25 is exemplified as a ball screw mechanism in which balls 27b are interposed between the male screw 27a of the output shaft 27 and the female screw 26b of the nut 26. Alternatively, for example, a sliding screw mechanism in which the male screw 27a and the female screw 26b are directly screwed together and no balls are interposed may be used.

[0084] The pipe expanding tool 1 of the embodiment is an example of a pipe expanding tool in one aspect of the present disclosure. The PEX pipe 51 of the embodiment is an example of a fluid pipe in one aspect of the present disclosure. The end portion 51a of the embodiment is an example of an end portion in one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0085] The electric motor 20 of the embodiment is an example of an electric motor in one aspect of the present disclosure. The nut 26 of the embodiment is an example of a female screw member in one aspect of the present disclosure. The output shaft 27 of the embodiment is an example of a screw shaft in one aspect of the present disclosure. The wedge 3 of the embodiment is an example of a wedge in one aspect of the present disclosure. The jaw 4 of the embodiment is an example of a jaw in one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0086] The operation member 6 of the embodiment is an example of an operation member according to one aspect of the present disclosure. The controller 9 of the embodiment is an example of a controller according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1…Pipe diameter expansion tool 2. Cap 2a...Jaw support groove, 2b...Female thread 3…Wedge 4. Joe 4a... ring receiving groove, 4b... engagement recess, 4c... ring 5. Grip 6...Operation member 6a…Switch body 7... Expanded diameter part 7a: battery mounting section, 7b: operation panel, 7c, 7e, 7g: operation buttons 7d,7f,7h…Display section 8…Battery 9. Controller 10...Tool body 11...Main body housing 12...Front mechanism housing 12a...male thread, 12b...inner peripheral surface, 12c...boss portion, 12d...thread hole 13...First central mechanism housing 13a: inner circumferential surface; 13b: downward extension; 13c: recess; 13d: through hole 13e...shaft support portion, 13f...through hole, 13g...boss portion, 13h...through hole 14…Second central mechanism housing 14a: inner peripheral surface, 14b: downward extension, 14c: recess, 14d: through hole 14e...guide shaft support portion, 14f...through hole, 14g...spring receiving portion 14h...shaft support portion, 14i...through hole, 14j...boss portion, 14k...through hole 15...Rear mechanism housing 15a...Front, 15b...Through hole 16…Volts 20...Electric motor 20a...motor shaft, 20b...stator, 20c...rotor, 20d...rotation speed detection sensor 20e, 20f...Bearings 21…Fan 22...Planetary reduction mechanism (transmission mechanism) 22a...first sun gear, 22b...first internal gear, 22c...first planetary gear 22d...first carrier, 22e...second sun gear, 22f...second internal gear 22g...2nd planetary gear, 22h...2nd carrier 23...Gear shaft 23a... driving gear, 23b, 23c... bearings 24…Idle gear 24a... shaft member, 24b... radial bearing 25...Feed screw mechanism (power conversion mechanism) 26...Nut 26a... driven gear, 26b... female screw, 26c, 26d... bearings, 26e... thrust bearing 27…Output shaft 27a...male thread, 27b...ball 28...Output shaft guide 28a... roller shaft, 28b... roller, 28c... rail 30...Jaw rotation mechanism 31...Shaft 32…Front shaft 32a... Female thread, 32b... Two-sided width section 33…Rear shaft 33a...male thread, 33b...ball groove, 33c...rear portion, 33e...front portion, 33f...width across flat portion 34…Push plate 34a...Through hole 35…Assembly 36...Ball cage 36a...sleeve mounting portion, 36b...ball holding hole, 36c...shaft insertion hole 36d...concave groove, 36e...lateral extension, 36f...through hole 37...Sleeve 38…O-ring 39…Ball 40…Compression spring 41...Guide shaft 42…One-way clutch 43...Drive gear 44...Rotation drive ring 44a... driven gear, 44b... insertion hole, 44c... engagement protrusion 45…Joint 45a...insertion hole, 45b...engagement recess, 45c...engagement protrusion 45d…O-ring 46…Magnet 47…Initial position sensor 48...End position sensor 51...PEX pipe (fluid pipe) 51a...end part 52...Wall J: Motor axis K...Output axis line L: Shaft axis S: Virtual plane R1: First rotation R2: Second rotation

Claims

1. A pipe expanding tool for expanding the end of a fluid pipe, comprising: a female screw member that rotates forward by the forward rotation of an electric motor and rotates backward by the reverse rotation of the electric motor; a screw shaft that is screwed into the female screw member and advances from an initial position to a terminal position by the forward rotation of the female screw member, and retreats from the terminal position to the initial position by the reverse rotation of the female screw member; a wedge extending forward from the screw shaft; a plurality of jaws that are pushed by the wedge and open radially outward from each other when the wedge advances together with the screw shaft; an operation member for starting the electric motor; A pipe expanding tool having a controller that repeatedly rotates the electric motor forward and backward during the operation of the operation member to open the plurality of jaws a plurality of times.

2. The pipe expanding tool according to claim 1, comprising: a pipe expanding tool having detection means for detecting at least one of the initial position and the terminal position of the screw shaft.

3. The pipe expanding tool according to claim 2, comprising: a pipe expanding tool having detection means for detecting both the initial position and the terminal position.

4. The pipe expanding tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the controller reverses the electric motor so that the screw shaft returns to the initial position after the operation of the operation member is released.

5. The pipe expanding tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: when the screw shaft is not in the initial position at the start of the operation of the operation member, the controller reverses the electric motor at the start of the operation of the operation member to return the screw shaft to the initial position.

6. The pipe expanding tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the controller measures the number of reciprocations between the initial position and the terminal position of the screw shaft during the operation of the operation member, and stops the rotation of the electric motor when the number of reciprocations reaches a preset number.

7. The pipe expanding tool according to claim 6, wherein: the controller calculates the number of reciprocations based on the rotation speed of the electric motor.

8. The pipe expanding tool according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: the detection means is a Hall IC sensor.

9. The pipe expanding tool according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: the detection means is a detection circuit that detects the position of the screw shaft based on the rotation speed of the electric motor.

10. The pipe expanding tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: A pipe diameter expanding tool comprising a ball screw in which balls are interposed between the screw shaft and the female screw member.

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