Tubing bender

Abstract

A portable tubing bender configured to automatically bend a portion of tubing according to a defined set of bend specifications, including a desired number of bends and a desired angle for each bend. The portable tubing bender including a driver configured to rotate a driven shaft and a first rotational output, a reductive gear set operably coupling the driven shaft to an output shaft, a bender shoe couplable to the output shaft, the bender shoe defining an arcuate channel configured to receive tubing during bending operations, and an automatic feed mechanism configured to advance the tubing relative to the bender shoe from an initial position to a bend position.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A portable conduit bending apparatus comprising:
 a battery-powered driver configured to rotate a driven shaft at a first rotational output;   a reductive gear set operably coupled to the driven shaft and to an output shaft, the reductive gear set configured to reduce the first rotational output to a second rotational output at the output shaft;   a housing defining an interior cavity configured to house the reductive gear set, the housing being configured for transport with a handgrip;   a bender shoe couplable to the output shaft, the bender shoe defining an arcuate channel shaped to receive a section of conduit;   a bearing wheel disposed adjacent the bender shoe and configured to support the section of conduit during bending;   a programmable controller in communication with the battery-powered driver, the programmable controller configured to operate the battery-powered driver according to a set of defined bend specifications, and further configured to enable configuration, control, sensing, and display of conduit bending operations;   a user interface in communication with the programmable controller and configured to enable a user to define the set of bend specifications;   a sensor configured to sense an angular position of the bender shoe relative to the housing; and   a display configured to display a digital readout of the angular position the bender shoe.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the set of defined bend specifications includes a desired bend angle for a bend in the section of conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a mobile computing device wirelessly coupleable to the programmable controller, the mobile computing device configured to selectively enable operation of the programmable controller. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the bearing wheel includes an adjustment mechanism configured to enable adjustment of the position of the bearing wheel relative to the housing or the bender shoe by manipulating a locking device and manually positioning the bearing wheel. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the housing includes a set of bearing wheel markings configured to indicate positions of the bearing wheel for different conduit diameters. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the output shaft includes a polygonal cross-section and a quick release mechanism configured to facilitate selective coupling of the bender shoe to the output shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the battery-powered driver is configured to receive actuation input from at least one of a trigger or activation button mounted on the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising an automatic feed mechanism configured to advance the section of conduit relative to the bender shoe from an initial position to a bend position.