Portable Conduit Bender With Motorized Shoe Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conduit bending tools are often heavy, require significant force, and are not easily portable, making them difficult for operators to use, especially in various orientations and for different conduit sizes and materials, which limits their applicability in construction and other industries.
Innovation Solution
A portable conduit bender assembly with a motorized pipe threader that includes a base, a housing with a pivotable shoe and adjustable channels for different conduit diameters, and a drive mechanism with a spur gear and ring gear to facilitate bending in multiple orientations, reducing the need for manual force and enabling efficient bending of various conduit types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If manual bending tools are used, then the tool structure is simple, but significant force and torque are required which some operators cannot supply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical bending with a motorized drive system. A motor coupled to a drive shaft transmits rotational motion through a reduction gear assembly to the shoe, providing the necessary bending force without requiring significant operator effort. The motorized system substitutes human physical force with mechanical power from an electric motor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a reduction gear assembly as an intermediary between the motor and the shoe. This gear assembly (including pinion gear and rack gear) acts as a mechanical mediator that converts the motor's high-speed rotation into the high-torque, low-speed rotation needed for bending, while also serving as the interface that transfers power to the shoe.
2Force
If existing motorized bending tools are used, then bending force is sufficient, but the tools are heavy and require wheeled structures for transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tool into a lightweight main body housing containing the motor and drive mechanism, with the shoe as a separate component. This segmentation allows the heavy components to be minimized and distributed, reducing the overall weight while maintaining sufficient bending force capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the power density parameters by using a compact, high-efficiency motor design that delivers sufficient torque in a smaller, lighter package. The reduction gear assembly is optimized to provide high mechanical advantage without excessive weight, changing the force-to-weight ratio favorably compared to existing motorized tools.
3Manufacturing precision
If conduit bending tools are designed for specific orientations, then the bending precision is improved, but the device cannot be used in various orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the tool dynamically adaptable by allowing the shoe to be positioned at multiple angular orientations relative to the base. The shoe can be rotated to different angles and locked in place, enabling the tool to bend conduits in various orientations (horizontal, vertical, angled) while maintaining bending precision through the mechanical guidance of the shoe channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the tool with universal applicability across multiple orientations and conduit types. The shoe includes multiple channels for different conduit diameters, and the adjustable positioning mechanism allows the same tool to perform bending operations in various orientations, making it a multi-functional device rather than one dedicated to a single orientation.
4Ease of operation
If the shoe is fixed in one position, then the bending operation is simplified, but the tool cannot accommodate different conduit sizes and materials
Solution Approach 1:
The shoe is designed with dynamic adjustability, allowing it to be positioned at different angular orientations and locked in place. The shoe includes multiple channels that can be selectively positioned, and the reduction gear assembly provides controlled motion for precise positioning. This dynamic capability allows the same shoe to accommodate different conduit sizes and materials while maintaining operational simplicity through the locking mechanism.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a lightweight, compact, and versatile conduit bending tool that can bend conduits of different sizes and materials efficiently in multiple orientations, reducing operator effort and improving usability across various industries.
Implementation Method 1
a drive mechanism with a spur gear and ring gear to facilitate bending
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for bending a conduit and a portable conduit bender. The assembly may generally include a portable bender including a base having a base surface supportable on a work surface, a housing supported by the base and defining a housing axis, the housing including a handle engageable by an operator to carry the bender, and a shoe supported by the housing for pivoting movement about the housing axis, the shoe defining a channel for supporting a conduit to be bent; and a pipe threader removably supported by the housing, the threader being operable to pivotably drive the shoe relative to the housing to bend the conduit.