Conduit bender

Abstract

A powered conduit bending tool is configured to bend conduit. The tool comprises a housing, a motor contained within the housing, and a battery removably coupled to the housing to provide power to the motor. An output shaft extends from the housing and is driven by the motor to rotate about an axis. A head is coupled to the output shaft for rotation therewith. The head includes a curved channel for receiving the conduit. A guide is coupled to the housing and supported opposite the curved channel of the head. The guide includes a latching handle movable between a closed position and an open position. The motor drives the head to rotate relative to the housing so that the curved channel and the guide cooperate to bend the pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power tool configured to bend conduit, the power tool comprising:
 a housing including a base and a tower;   a handle extending from the tower, the handle cooperating with the housing to define a working area at least partially between the base and the handle;   an output shaft extending from the base into the working area and configured to rotate about an output axis;   a bender head supported on the output shaft for rotation therewith, the bender head configured to engage the conduit;   a motor positioned within the housing and configured to rotate the output shaft about the output axis; and   a battery receptacle supported by the housing, the battery receptacle configured to removably receive a battery that provides power to the motor.   
     
     
         2 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the output axis intersects the handle. 
     
     
         3 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a user interface. 
     
     
         4 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a set of legs extending from the base, and wherein the power tool is alternately supported on a horizontal surface by the set of legs, and supported above the horizontal surface by the handle. 
     
     
         5 . The power tool of  claim 4 , wherein when the power tool is supported above the horizontal surface, the tower may be rested against a user in order to support the power tool during a bending operation. 
     
     
         6 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is positioned within the tower, and further comprising a drive train mounted in the housing to couple the output shaft to the motor. 
     
     
         7 . The power tool of  claim 6 , wherein the drive train includes a first planetary gear set, a bevel gear, and a second planetary gear set. 
     
     
         8 . The power tool of  claim 6 , wherein the motor includes a motor shaft extending along a motor axis, and wherein the motor axis is perpendicular to the output axis of the output shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the battery receptacle is located on the tower. 
     
     
         10 . The power tool of  claim 1 , wherein the base is rotatable with respect to the tower between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, the output axis intersects the handle, and wherein, in the second position, the output axis does not intersect the handle. 
     
     
         11 . A power tool configured to bend conduit, the power tool comprising:
 a housing;   a motor supported by the housing;   a user interface for controlling the motor;   an output shaft coupled to the housing and including a first end extending from the housing, the output shaft being driven by the motor to rotate about an output axis;   a bender head supported on the output shaft for rotation therewith, the bender head including a curved channel for receiving the conduit; and   a guide coupled to the housing;   wherein the bender head is rotatable relative to the guide between a first position, in which the conduit is positionable in and movable along the curved channel, and a second position, in which the conduit is secured in the curved channel.   
     
     
         12 . The power tool of  claim 11 , wherein the user interface includes a first actuator for moving the bender head from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         13 . The power tool of  claim 12 , wherein the user interface includes a second actuator for further rotating the bender head relative to the guide from the second position to bend the conduit. 
     
     
         14 . The power tool of  claim 11 , wherein, in the second position, the guide is configured to contact the conduit to secure the conduit in the curved channel. 
     
     
         15 . The power tool of  claim 11 , wherein, in the first position, the guide is configured to be spaced from the conduit positioned in the curved channel. 
     
     
         16 . The power tool of  claim 11 , wherein the guide is mounted to a guide support arm, the guide support arm having a first end mounted around the output shaft and a second end which receives the guide. 
     
     
         17 . The power tool of  claim 16 , wherein the guide support arm is selectively secured to the housing so that the guide is fixed with respect to the housing during a loading and bending operation. 
     
     
         18 . A power tool configured to bend conduit, the power tool comprising:
 a housing including a tower and a base, the base being rotatable with respect to the tower;   an output shaft extending from the base and configured to receive a bender head with a curved channel for engaging conduit; and   a motor positioned within the housing and configured to rotate the output shaft about an output axis;   wherein the base is rotatable between a first position in which the output axis extends in a first direction relative to the tower, and a second position in which the output axis extends in a second direction relative to the tower, the second direction being different than the first direction.   
     
     
         19 . The power tool of  claim 18 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. 
     
     
         20 . The power tool of  claim 18 , further comprising a working area adjacent the output shaft, wherein in the first position the working area is in a horizontal plane such that the bend occurs in the horizontal plane, and wherein in the second position the working area is in a vertical plane such that the bend occurs in the vertical plane. 
     
     
         21 . The power tool of  claim 18 , further comprising a handle extending from the tower, and wherein in the first position the handle at least partially overlies the base. 
     
     
         22 . The power tool of  claim 18 , further comprising a battery receptacle supported by the tower and configured to receive a battery that provides power to the motor. 
     
     
         23 . The power tool of  claim 18 , further comprising a locking latch for securing the base in the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         24 . A bending system configured to bend conduit, the system comprising:
 a power tool including
 a housing, 
 a motor positioned within the housing, 
 an output shaft extending from the housing and driven by the motor to rotate about an axis, and 
 a bender head rotatably coupled to the output shaft; and 
   a stand configured to support the power tool above a surface, the stand including
 a center column extending between a first end and a second end, the first end configured to couple to the power tool, 
 a battery receptacle supported by the center column for receiving a battery to provide power to the motor of the power tool, and 
 a set of legs coupled to the center column and configured to engage the surface. 
   
     
     
         25 . The bending system of  claim 24 , wherein the battery receptacle is coupled to the second end of the center column. 
     
     
         26 . The bending system of  claim 24 , wherein the power tool is movable to different orientations relative to the stand. 
     
     
         27 . The bending system of  claim 24 , wherein the set of legs includes three legs arranged as a tripod. 
     
     
         28 . A power tool configured to bend conduit, the power tool comprising:
 a housing;   a motor positioned within the housing;   an output shaft extending from the housing and driven by the motor to rotate about an axis;   a bender head coupled for rotation with the output shaft and configured to engage a conduit during a bending operation;   a guide coupled to the housing and configured to engage the conduit during the bending operation; and   a stand coupled to the housing for supporting the housing above a support surface, the stand including a battery receptacle for receiving a battery that provides power to the motor.   
     
     
         29 . The power tool of  claim 28 , wherein the housing is rotatably coupled to the stand for movement between a first position with the output shaft extending vertically, and a second position with the output shaft extending horizontally. 
     
     
         30 . The power tool of  claim 28 , further comprising a handle extending from the housing. 
     
     
         31 . The power tool of  claim 30 , further comprising a user input configured to control operation of the motor, the user input being positioned on the handle. 
     
     
         32 . A power tool configured to bend conduit, the power tool comprising:
 a housing;   a motor positioned within the housing;   an output shaft extending from the housing and driven by the motor to rotate about an axis;   a bender head coupled for rotation with the output shaft and configured to engage a conduit during a bending operation;   a guide configured to support the conduit during the bending operation; and   a guide support arm configured to support the guide in a variety of positions with respect to the output shaft, the guide support arm being rotatably coupled to the output shaft such that the guide support arm is rotatable with respect to the axis.   
     
     
         33 . The power tool of  claim 32 , further comprising a locking latch for selectively securing the guide support arm with respect to the housing. 
     
     
         34 . The power tool of  claim 32 , wherein the guide support arm includes a first end for coupling to the output shaft and a second end for coupling to the guide. 
     
     
         35 . The power tool of  claim 34 , wherein the second end includes an opening and an eccentric support positioned within the opening. 
     
     
         36 . The power tool of  claim 35 , wherein the eccentric support is movable within the opening. 
     
     
         37 . The power tool of  claim 35 , wherein the eccentric support includes a plate having a central opening, wherein the central opening receives the output shaft, and wherein rotation of the plate causes movement of the central opening with respect to the first end. 
     
     
         38 . A bending tool configured to bend conduit, the bending tool comprising:
 a handle extending along a handle axis to an end;   a bender head coupled to the end of the handle, the bender head including a curved channel for receiving conduit;   a bender module including:
 a sensor for sensing an orientation of the bender module and configured to generate a signal, 
 a controller configured to receive the signal and determine a bend angle based on the signal from the sensor, and 
 a display for displaying the bend angle. 
   
     
     
         39 . The bending tool of  claim 38 , wherein the bender module is coupled to the handle at the end adjacent the bender head. 
     
     
         40 . The bending tool of  claim 38 , wherein the bender module is integrated into the bender head. 
     
     
         41 . The bending tool of  claim 38 , wherein the bender module further includes a power source. 
     
     
         42 . The bending tool of  claim 41 , wherein the power source is a battery removably coupled to the bender module. 
     
     
         43 . The bending tool of  claim 38 , wherein the bender module further includes a housing with an angled surface configured to be visible by a user holding the handle, and wherein the display is positioned on the angled surface. 
     
     
         44 . The bending tool of  claim 38 , wherein the housing includes a first half and a second half movably coupled to the first half for movement between an open position and a closed position, and wherein in the closed position the housing surrounds a portion of the handle, a portion the bender head, or portions of both. 
     
     
         45 . A bending tool for bending conduit, the bending tool comprising:
 a bender head including
 a curved channel for receiving a conduit during a bending operation, the curved channel defining a bending plane, 
 a first mounting surface, and 
 a second mounting surface spaced from the first mounting surface; and 
   a laser module including a laser configured to project a laser line, the laser module alternately couplable to the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface, wherein when the laser module is coupled to the first mounting surface, the laser line extends within the bending plane.   
     
     
         46 . The bending tool of  claim 45 , wherein the laser module includes a mounting feature configured to secure the laser module to the bender head. 
     
     
         47 . The bending tool of  claim 46 , wherein the mounting feature includes a magnet. 
     
     
         48 . The bending tool of  claim 45 , wherein when the laser module is coupled to the second mounting surface, the laser line intersects the bending plane. 
     
     
         49 . The bending tool of  claim 45 , wherein the bender head includes a clamp for engaging the conduit, and wherein the first mounting surface is adjacent the clamp.