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US 11,858,028 B2Granted
Method of bending a conduit
AssigneeGreenlee Tools, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey J. Plummer, Sean A. Daugherty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of bending a conduit is disclosed. An engagement member is displaced via contact with the conduit and engages a switch. A signal is sent to a microprocessor indicative of a characteristic of the conduit to be bent, in response to engagement of the switch. The microprocessor provides a motor control signal to the motor to control a rotation of the shoe, wherein rotation of the shoe bends the conduit.
Claims20
A method of bending a conduit comprising:
- providing a conduit bender, including:
- a frame;
- a shoe rotatably mounted on the frame;
- a motor configured to rotate the shoe;
- a microprocessor in operative communication with the motor;
- an engagement member mounted on the frame and reciprocally movable to engage with, and disengage from, a switch, based on contact between the engagement member and a portion of the conduit;
- the switch in communication with the engagement member and with the microprocessor;
- displacing the engagement member via contact with the conduit, the engagement member moving relative to the frame, causing the engagement member to engage the switch;
- sending, via the switch, a signal to the microprocessor indicative of a characteristic of the conduit to be bent, in response to engagement of the switch;
- and
- the microprocessor providing a motor control signal to the motor to control a rotation of the shoe, wherein rotation of the shoe bends the conduit.
8 more elements
A method of bending a conduit comprising:
- providing a bender including:
- a frame;
- a shoe rotatably mounted on the frame;
- a motor configured to rotate the shoe;
- a microprocessor in communication with the motor;
- an engagement member mounted on the frame and reciprocally movable to engage with, and disengage from, a switch, based on contact between the engagement member and a portion of the conduit;
- the switch in communication with the microprocessor and in communication with the engagement member;
- displacing the engagement member via contact with the conduit, the engagement member moving relative to the frame causing the engagement member to engage the switch;
- sending, via the switch, a signal to the microprocessor indicative of a characteristic of the conduit to be bent, in response to engagement with the switch;
- providing a feedback circuit in communication with the motor and the microprocessor, the feedback circuit determining a voltage consumption and a current consumption of the motor, and wherein the voltage consumption and the current consumption together correspond to a power consumption of the motor;
- and
- providing a motor control signal from the microprocessor to the motor to control a rotation of the shoe in response to the measured power consumption of the motor.
9 more elements
A method of bending a conduit comprising:
- providing a bender having a shoe mounted on shoe shaft about which the conduit is bent;
- providing a microprocessor in communication with a motor, the motor configured to rotate the shoe to perform the bending operation;
- providing a conduit-size switch in communication with the microprocessor, and a shoe position sensor in communication with the microprocessor;
- providing a shoe position signal from the shoe position sensor to the microprocessor, providing information about the rotational position of the shoe relative to the shoe shaft;
- providing a conduit size signal from the conduit-size switch to the microprocessor in response to positioning the conduit for the bending operation, the conduit-size signal providing information regarding the size of the conduit to be bent, to the microprocessor;
- providing a motor control signal based upon the conduit size information from the microprocessor to the motor to control the operation of the motor;
- and
- bending the conduit.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.