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US 12,197,184 B2Granted
Power tool with crimp image
AssigneeHubbell Incorporated
InventorBrian McCulloh White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Portable, hand-held, battery operated, hydraulic tools are provided with a tool frame, a force sensor, and a location detector. A piston actuated by a hydraulic system within the tool frame applies force to the working head to perform a task, such as to apply a crimp to an electrical connector. The tool determines the maximum force applied to the crimp and records that maximum force along with the geographic location of the tool when the crimp was formed. The maximum force provides an indication of the quality of the crimp and the recorded location allows a potentially defective crimp to be located. Images of crimps can be uploaded to a web service and linked to cycle information for retrieval and review at a later date.
Claims43
A tool system comprising:
- a tool having a tool frame and a working head coupled to the tool frame, the working head configured to perform an operation on a workpiece;
- an actuator disposed at least partially in the tool frame and operatively coupled to the working head to perform the operation on the workpiece;
- a drive system positioned within the tool frame and used to perform an operating cycle to move the actuator between a home position and an operating position where the working head performs the operation on the workpiece;
- and
- a control system including:
- a tool memory to store tool information and tool cycle information, the tool cycle information being associated with the operation performed on the workpiece by the working head during the operating cycle;
- and
- a controller electrically connected with the tool memory and the actuator, wherein in response to an activation signal, the controller causes the drive system to perform the operating cycle to move the actuator between the home position and the operating position and after the operating cycle, stores the tool cycle information associated with the operation performed on the workpiece by the working head during the operating cycle in the tool memory;
- and
- a mobile platform having a camera, the mobile platform being wirelessly paired to the control system of the tool, wherein an image of a result of the operation performed on the workpiece during the operating cycle taken by the mobile platform is linked to the tool cycle information stored in the tool memory associated with the operation performed on the workpiece by the working head during the operating cycle.
7 more elements
A tool system comprising:
- a tool having a tool frame and a working head coupled to the tool frame, the working head configured to perform an operation on a workpiece;
- an actuator disposed at least partially in the tool frame and operatively coupled to the working head to perform the operation on the workpiece;
- a drive system positioned within the tool frame and used to perform an operating cycle to move the actuator between a home position and an operating position where the working head performs the operation on the workpiece;
- and
- a control system including:
- a tool memory to store tool information and tool cycle information, the tool cycle information being associated with the operation performed on the workpiece by the working head during the operating cycle;
- a sensor adapted to measure a force applied by the working head on the workpiece during the operating cycle, and wherein the tool cycle information includes the measured force;
- a location detector configured to determine a geographic location of the tool when the controller causes the drive system to perform the operating cycle to move the actuator between the home position and the operating position, and wherein the tool cycle information includes the geographic location of the tool;
- a controller electrically connected with the tool memory, the sensor, the location detector and the actuator, wherein in response to an activation signal the controller causes the drive system to perform the operating cycle to move the actuator between the home position and the operating position and after the operating cycle, stores the tool cycle information associated with the operation performed on the workpiece by the working head during the operating cycle in the tool memory;
- and
- a mobile platform having a camera, the mobile platform being wirelessly paired to the control system of the tool, wherein an image of a result of the operation performed on the workpiece during the operating cycle taken by the mobile platform is linked to the tool cycle information stored in the tool memory associated with the operation performed on the workpiece by the working head during the operating cycle.
8 more elements
A tool system comprising:
- a crimping tool having a tool frame and a working head coupled to the tool frame, the working head having an impactor and anvil, the impactor being movable and having a first working surface, and the anvil being fixed and having a second working surface;
- an actuator disposed at least partially in the tool frame and having one end coupled to the impactor, the actuator being movable between a home position and a crimping position;
- a drive system positioned within the tool frame and used to perform an operating cycle to move the actuator between the home position and the crimping position where the first working surface and the second working surface crimps a workpiece positioned between the first working surface and the second working surface during a crimping operation;
- and
- a control system including:
- a tool memory to store tool information and tool cycle information, the tool cycle information being associated with the crimping operation performed on the workpiece by the first working surface and the second working surface of the working head during the operating cycle;
- and
- a controller electrically connected with the tool memory and the actuator, wherein in response to an activation signal, the controller causes the drive system to perform the operating cycle to move the actuator between the home position and the crimping position and after the operating cycle stores the tool cycle information associated with the crimping operation performed on the workpiece by the working head during the operating cycle in the tool memory;
- and
- a mobile platform having a camera, the mobile platform being wirelessly paired to the control system of the tool, wherein an image of a result of the crimping operation performed on the workpiece during the operating cycle taken by the mobile platform is linked to the tool cycle information stored in the tool memory associated with the crimping operation performed on the workpiece by the working head during the operating cycle.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.