Pipe bending apparatus and method thereof

Abstract

A pipe bending apparatus has a head portion, an elongated handle portion attached to a bottom section of the head portion, and a laser member adapted to attach to a pipe and be spaced a predetermined distance away from the head and handle portions, wherein the head portion includes a curved elongated channel having two side walls forming a channel interior, a channel exterior, and an open channel top, the head portion further including an end section formed on a distal front end thereof, such that the channel and the end section are formed and adapted to hold a pipe around a substantial portion of its diameter, the two side walls of the channel have a series of spaced matching pairs of holes, wherein each of the matching pair of holes are adapted to receive and hold a blocking pin therein.

1 . A pipe bending apparatus comprising a head portion; an elongated handle portion attached to a bottom section of said head portion; and a laser member adapted to attach to a pipe and be spaced a predetermined distance away from said head and handle portions, wherein said head portion includes a curved elongated channel having two side walls forming a channel interior, a channel exterior, and an open channel top, said head portion further including an end section formed on a distal front end thereof, such that said channel and said end section are formed and adapted to hold a pipe around a substantial portion of its diameter; said two side walls of said channel have a series of spaced matching pairs of holes, wherein each said matching pair of holes being adapted to receive and hold a blocking pin therein; a blocking pin flexibly attached to said head portion and adapted to be placed within a chosen pair of matching holes; and wherein said handle portion includes a series of spaced markings along the length thereof, such that when said blocking pin is placed within a chosen pair of said matching holes, a pipe can be placed within said channel and between said channel and said end section and abutting said blocking pin, said laser member can then be attached upon said pipe and produce a laser beam that is to be pointed along the length of said pipe toward said head and handle portions, and pressure can then be applied to said handle portion and thereby adapted to bend said pipe a predetermined amount determined by the positions of said blocking pin and said laser beam. 
     
     
         2 . The pipe bending apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said channel and said end section have U-shaped cross sections; and wherein said U-shaped cross section of said end section is formed upside down with respect to said U-shaped cross section of said channel, thereby forming a geometric shape adapted to hold a pipe around a substantial portion of its diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The pipe bending apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the channel exterior of at least one of said channel side walls includes a series of bend markers, each one corresponding to a respective pair of matching holes, such that when bending a pipe a person can use the bend markers to visually see the resulting bend caused by the chosen pair of matching holes. 
     
     
         4 . The pipe bending apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said handle markings include a series of vertical and horizontal lines adapted to be used to receive said laser beam from said laser member such that when said laser beam reaches predetermined vertical and horizontal markings the bending action is stopped. 
     
     
         5 . The pipe bending apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said end section of said head portion includes an elongated mark on an upper surface thereon and extending in the direction of said elongated channel, such that said mark is adapted to be used as a reference point when rotating a pipe between multiple bends. 
     
     
         6 . The pipe bending apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said head portion is removably connected to said handle portion using threaded fasteners, such that said head portion can be adjustably rotated thereon in order to align said markings on said handle portion in a predetermined position. 
     
     
         7 . The pipe bending apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said laser member includes a locking cap; a locking ring; a pen body; a plug; a fixing base; an adjustment screw; a laser module; an adjusting base;
 a magnet base; a magnet; a PC board; a switch; and a spring.   
     
     
         8 . A method of bending a pipe, said method comprises the steps of:
 a. providing an elongated pipe;   b. providing a pipe bending apparatus comprising a head portion; an elongated handle portion attached to a bottom section of said head portion; and a laser member capable of producing a laser beam and removably attached to said pipe at a spaced predetermined distance away from said head and handle portions, wherein said head portion includes a curved elongated channel having two side walls forming a channel interior, a channel exterior, and an open channel top, said head portion further including an end section formed on a distal front end thereof, such that said channel and said end section are formed and adapted to hold said pipe around a substantial portion of its diameter; said two side walls of said channel have a series of spaced matching pairs of holes, wherein each said matching pair of holes being adapted to receive and hold a blocking pin therein; a blocking pin flexibly attached to said head portion and adapted to be placed within a chosen pair of said matching holes; wherein the channel exterior of at least one of said channel side walls includes a series of bend markers, each one corresponding to a respective pair of matching holes; wherein said handle portion includes a series of spaced markings along the length thereof; and wherein said end section of said head portion includes an elongated mark on an upper surface thereon and extending in the direction of said elongated channel;   c. determining which pair of matching holes to place said blocking pin by using said bend markers to determine the desired bend angle for the pipe;   d. placing said blocking pin within the chosen pair of said matching holes;   e. placing said pipe within said channel and between said channel and said end section and abutting said blocking pin;   f. attaching said laser member to a top surface of said pipe at a distance from said head and handle portions and pointing said laser beam along the length of said pipe toward said head and handle portions, such that said laser member produces and points a laser beam along the length of said pipe and toward said head and handle portions;   g. producing a first bend by applying pressure to said handle portion, thereby bending said pipe a predetermined amount determined by the position of said blocking pin;   h. using said elongated mark on said end section of said head portion as a reference point, rotate said pipe exactly 180 degrees, such that said laser member rotates below said pipe and points said laser beam toward said markings on said handle portion;   i. sliding said head portion along the length of said pipe away from said first bend until said laser beam reaches predetermined markings on said handle portion;   j. producing a second bend by applying pressure to said handle portion, thereby bending said pipe the same predetermined amount as said first bend, and thereby forming two parallel sections of said pipe offset by a predetermined distance determined by said predetermined marking on said handle portion;   k. remove said pipe from said channel and between said channel and said end section.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said channel and said end section have U-shaped cross sections; and wherein said U-shaped cross section of said end section is formed upside down with respect to said U-shaped cross section of said channel, thereby forming a geometric shape adapted to hold a pipe around a substantial portion of its diameter. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said handle markings include a series of vertical and horizontal lines adapted to be used to receive said laser beam from said laser member such that when said laser beam reaches predetermined vertical and horizontal markings the bending action is stopped. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said head portion is removably connected to said handle portion using threaded fasteners, such that said head portion can be adjustably rotated thereon in order to align said markings on said handle portion in a predetermined position. 
     
     
         12 . The pipe bending apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said laser member includes a locking cap; a locking ring; a pen body; a plug; a fixing base; an adjustment screw; a laser module; an adjusting base;
 a magnet base; a magnet; a PC board; a switch; and a spring.