System and method for bending tubing

Abstract

A handheld tube bender with bending disc die that includes a die level and a rotating handle level that allows the user to make accurate, level bends in many planes. The die level and angle markings can be viewed from either the front or the back side of the tube bender to allow operation when the site of the tube to be bent and the angle required for the bend only allows the user to view the back side of the tube bender. The handheld tube bender may be limited to being able to bend a specific diameter of tube or may be adjustable to bend tube of many different diameters.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A tube bender for bending a tube, the tube bender comprising:
 a handle coupled via a coupling body having a plurality of faces to a bending disc comprising a front surface on a front side, a back surface on a back side, and a periphery;   a groove in the periphery to accommodate the tube;   a holding arm to hold the tube in the groove on a tangent of the bending disc;   a level coupled to the bending disc such that the level indicates whether a line between the tangent and a point directly opposite to the tangent on the bending disc its opposite side is parallel to the ground and such that the level may be viewed from the front side and the back side of the bending disc;   a bending arm coupled to the bending disc via a rotation arm such that the bending arm may be rotated about the periphery of the bending disc;   a marking on the front surface of the bending disc that informs the user viewing the front surface of the bending disc of the angle of bend in the tube when the location of the bending arm is in a bend position relative to the bend disc; and   a marking on the back surface of the bending disc that informs the user viewing the back surface of the bending disc of the angle of bend in the tube when the location of the bending arm is in the bend position relative to the bend disc.   
     
     
         2 . The tube bender of  claim 1  wherein the marking on the back surface of the bending disc is visible through a through hole in the rotation arm. 
     
     
         3 . The tube bender of  claim 1  wherein the rotation arm has an edge and wherein the marking on the back surface of the bending disc is indicated by the position of the edge relative to the bending disc. 
     
     
         4 . The tube bender of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of faces comprises a first face that is approximately perpendicular to the front surface of the bending disc wherein the first face comprises at least one of a rotatable level and information relevant to a user. 
     
     
         5 . The tube bender of  claim 4  wherein the bend disc is configured to accommodate a specific size of tube and wherein the information is a table of set back and advance distances for varying angles of bend for that size of tube. 
     
     
         6 . The tube bender of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of faces further comprises a second face opposite to the first face, and wherein the first face comprises a rotatable level and the second face comprises information relevant to the user. 
     
     
         7 . The tube bender of  claim 1  wherein the holding arm rotates about a pivot point in a plane that is essentially perpendicular to the plane of the bending disc. 
     
     
         8 . The tube bender of  claim 1  wherein the bending arm is extendable. 
     
     
         9 . The tube bender of  claim 1  wherein the rotation arm is sized to place the bending arm to allow a tube having a diameter between the groove and the bending arm and wherein the rotation arm is adjustable to accommodate tubes of varying diameters. 
     
     
         10 . The tube bender of  claim 1  wherein the bending arm may be adjusted to be parallel to the handle or perpendicular to the handle. 
     
     
         11 . The tube bender of  claim 1  wherein the handle may be rotated in the plane of the bending disc relative to the bending disc. 
     
     
         12 . The tube bender of  claim 1  wherein the groove is a first groove configured to accommodate tube having a first diameter and wherein the first groove is removable and replaceable with a second groove that can accommodate tube having a second diameter that is different from the first diameter. 
     
     
         13 . The tube bender of  claim 12  wherein the groove may be snapped into place in the bending disc. 
     
     
         14 . A method of assembling a tube bender, the method comprising the acts of:
 providing a bending disc having a front surface, a back surface, a center hole, a level through hole, a holding arm cavity, and a periphery with a channel extending along at least a portion of the periphery;   providing a rotating arm;   coupling a first end of the rotating arm to the rotating disc at the center hole and a second end of the rotating arm to a bending arm;   coupling a holding arm to the holding arm cavity via a hinge;   coupling a level into the level through hole such that the level is visible from either side of the bending disc;   marking the front surface and the back surface of the bending disc that informs a user of the angle of bend in the tube when the bending arm is in a bend position relative to the bend disc;   coupling a handle to the bending disc.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the rotating arm comprises an indicator through hole. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the handle is coupled to the bending disc via a connecting body comprising a first face that is approximately perpendicular to the plane of the bending disc, the method further comprising printing information relevant to a user on the first face or mounting a rotatable level to the first face. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the bending arm has an extension that is coupled to the bending arm via a hinge such that the extension is adjustable to be approximately parallel to the handle or approximately perpendicular to the handle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the channel is a groove shaped to accommodate a tube of a particular diameter. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising coupling a groove shaped to accommodate a tube of a particular diameter into the channel.