Hydraulic power tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11878402-B2
Application number	US-202016745688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2020
Priority date	Mar 18, 2019
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

An example hydraulic tool includes: a fluid reservoir; a pump; an electric motor; a cylinder; a piston; a first trigger button; a second trigger button; and a controller configured to perform operations comprising: receiving a first signal when the first trigger button is triggered, responsively, causing the electric motor to rotate in a first rotational direction, thereby: (i) causing the pump to provide fluid to the cylinder, and (ii) causing the piston to move in a first linear direction, thereafter, receiving a second signal when the second trigger button is triggered, and responsively to the second signal, causing the electric motor to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, thereby: (i) opening a fluid path from the cylinder to the fluid reservoir, and (ii) causing the piston to move in a second linear direction opposite the first linear direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hydraulic tool comprising:
a fluid reservoir;
a pump fluidly coupled to the fluid reservoir;
an electric motor mechanically coupled to the pump;
a cylinder;
a pressure rail fluidly coupled to the pump;
a sequence valve fluidly coupled to the pressure rail and the cylinder;
a shuttle valve in fluid communication with the sequence valve, the pressure rail, and the fluid reservoir;
an inner cylinder affixed to the cylinder;
a piston defining a piston rod and a piston head, each of the piston rod and the piston head positioned to slide on an external surface of the inner cylinder, the piston slidably accommodated within the cylinder;
a first trigger button;
a second trigger button; and
a controller configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first signal when the first trigger button is triggered,
in response to the first signal, causing the electric motor to rotate in a first rotational direction, causing the pump to provide fluid to the cylinder through the sequence valve, causing the shuttle valve to be moved to a first position to prevent flow from the sequence valve to the fluid reservoir, and causing the piston to move in a first linear direction,
receiving a second signal when the second trigger button is triggered, and in response to the second signal, causing the electric motor to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, opening a fluid path from the cylinder to the fluid reservoir to depressurize the pressure rail, and causing the piston to move in a second linear direction opposite the first linear direction,
the shuttle valve in a second position when the pressure rail is depressurized to allow flow from the sequence valve to the fluid reservoir.

2. The hydraulic tool of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flow control valve configured to control fluid flow between the pressure rail and the fluid reservoir.

3. The hydraulic tool of claim 2 , wherein the flow control valve is configured to be: (i) closed when the electric motor rotates in the first rotational direction to block fluid flow from the pressure rail to the fluid reservoir, thereby allowing fluid to flow to the cylinder and the piston to move in the first linear direction, and (ii) open when the electric motor rotates in the second rotational direction to form a fluid path for fluid flow from the pressure rail to the fluid reservoir, allowing the piston to move in the second linear direction.

4. The hydraulic tool of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing configured to contain the electric motor and the pump, wherein the cylinder is coupled to the housing; and
a handle coupled to the housing, wherein a portion of an exterior profile of the handle comprises a first depression and a second depression spatially arranged in series along the portion of the exterior profile, and wherein the first trigger button is disposed in the first depression and the second trigger button is disposed in the second depression.

5. The hydraulic tool of claim 4 , wherein the handle is configured as a two-piece collar comprising:
a first collar piece; and
a second collar piece configured to be coupled to the first collar piece, wherein each of the first collar piece and the second collar piece comprises a respective curved, concave interior peripheral surface that matches curvature of the cylinder, such that the first collar piece and the second collar piece are coupled to each other around an exterior peripheral surface of the cylinder.

6. The hydraulic tool of claim 1 , further comprising:
an elastomeric wrap disposed about an exterior peripheral surface of the cylinder, wherein the elastomeric wrap is configured as a C-shaped wrap having a partial circular cross section and forms a gap through which wires extend to electrically couple, and carry the first signal and the second signal from, the first trigger button and the second trigger button, respectively, to the controller.

7. The hydraulic tool of claim 6 , further comprising:
a wire cover having a curved profile that matches curvature of the cylinder and is configured to cover the wires disposed through the gap.

8. The hydraulic tool of claim 1 , further comprising:
a frame coupled to the cylinder;
a ram coupled to the piston; and
an anvil disposed opposite the ram, such that the anvil and the ram form a work area therebetween, and wherein the anvil is pivotably coupled to the frame at an anvil pivot.

9. The hydraulic tool of claim 8 , further comprising:
a latching mechanism comprising:
a first gripping latch arm pivotably coupled to the anvil at a first pivot and configured to contact and grip the frame when the latching mechanism is in a first state; and
a second gripping latch arm pivotably coupled to the anvil at a second pivot and configured to contact and grip the frame when the latching mechanism is in the first state, wherein the first gripping latch arm is configured to pivot about the first pivot and the second gripping latch arm is configured to pivot about the second pivot to release the anvil from the frame and allow the anvil to pivot about the anvil pivot.

10. The hydraulic tool of claim 9 , wherein the latching mechanism further comprises:
a first release lever coupled to the first gripping latch arm;
a first spring configured to bias the first release lever and the first gripping latch arm toward the frame;
a second release lever coupled to the second gripping latch arm; and
a second spring configured to bias the second release lever and the second gripping latch arm toward the frame, wherein actuating the first release lever and the second release lever against the first spring and the second spring, respectively, causes the latching mechanism to be in a second state in which the first gripping latch arm and the second gripping latch arm pivot away, and are released, from the frame to allow the anvil to pivot about the anvil pivot.

11. The hydraulic tool of claim 8 , further comprising:
a releasable pin;
a cap coupled to the releasable pin; and
a release lever pivotably coupled to the frame and configured to interact with the cap to retain the cap and the releasable pin in a first position in which the releasable pin is disposed through the frame and the anvil to couple the anvil to the frame.

12. The hydraulic tool of claim 11 , wherein the cap comprises at least one longitudinal blind hole formed therein, the hydraulic tool further comprising:
a spring disposed in the at least one longitudinal blind hole and configured to bias the cap against the release lever, such that as the release lever pivots, the cap is released and the spring causes the cap and the releasable pin to move to a second position in which the releasable pin moves out of the anvil, thereby releasing the anvil from the frame.

13. The hydraulic tool of claim 12 , wherein the frame includes a protrusion that precludes the release lever from interacting with the spring when the release lever returns to an un-pivoted position while the cap and the releasable pin are in the second position.

14. The hydraulic tool of claim 12 , wherein the cap includes a cylindrical portion and a flanged portion, wherein the release lever interacts with the flanged portion of the cap to retain the cap and the releasable pin in the first position.

15. The hydraulic tool of claim 14 , wherein the flanged portion comprises a chamfered exterior peripheral surface, wherein the release lever comprises a corresponding chamfered interior surface, such that as the cap is being pushed inwardly against the spring to re-engage the

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Norquist Eric D
• Ballard James G
• Kanack Kris J
• Skinner Luke J
• Jensen Robert
• D'Antuono Marc S
• Davies Peter

Classifications

• B25F5/005 Primary

  Hydraulic driving means · CPC title

• B21D39/048

  using presses for radially crimping tubular elements · CPC title

• B25F5/02

  Construction of casings, bodies or handles {(B25F5/006, B25F5/008 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B23P19/027

  using hydraulic or pneumatic means (B23P19/033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23P11/005

  by expanding or crimping · CPC title