Expansion tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12390849-B2
Application number	US-202318482992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2023
Priority date	Apr 9, 2021
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

An expansion tool includes a housing, a collar rotatably coupled to the housing, the collar including a plurality of slots, a plurality of jaws, each jaw having a projection received in a corresponding one of the plurality of slots such that the jaws are coupled for co-rotation with the collar, a mandrel moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position and an extended position, the mandrel engageable with the jaws to expand the jaws in response to movement of the mandrel to the extended position, and a cone received within the plurality of jaws and engageable with inner surfaces of the plurality of jaws. The mandrel is configured to engage the cone to move the cone with the mandrel to expand the jaws as the mandrel moves toward the extended position, and a rotation mechanism is configured to incrementally rotate the collar.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An expansion tool, comprising:
a housing;
a collar rotatably coupled to the housing, the collar including a plurality of slots;
a plurality of jaws, each jaw having a projection received in a corresponding one of the plurality of slots such that the jaws are coupled for co-rotation with the collar;
a mandrel moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position and an extended position, the mandrel engageable with the jaws to expand the jaws in response to movement of the mandrel to the extended position;
a cone received within the plurality of jaws and engageable with inner surfaces of the plurality of jaws, wherein the mandrel is configured to engage the cone to move the cone with the mandrel to expand the jaws as the mandrel moves toward the extended position; and
a rotation mechanism configured to incrementally rotate the collar.

2. The expansion tool of claim 1 , wherein the collar includes a front surface facing the jaws, and wherein the slots extend in a rearward direction from the front surface.

3. The expansion tool of claim 2 , wherein the collar includes a plurality of teeth extending in a forward direction from the front surface.

4. The expansion tool of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of jaws is removably coupled to the housing.

5. The expansion tool of claim 4 , wherein the housing at least partially encloses a frame having a connection end, wherein the expansion tool further comprises a retaining sleeve surrounding the plurality of jaws, and wherein the plurality of jaws is configured to be coupled to the housing by coupling the retaining sleeve to the connection end of the frame.

6. The expansion tool of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of jaws is a first plurality of jaws, and the first plurality of jaws is interchangeable with a second plurality of jaws.

7. The expansion tool of claim 6 , wherein each jaw of the second plurality of jaws includes a recess formed in a rear surface of the jaw, and each recess is configured to receive a corresponding one of the plurality of teeth to couple the second plurality of jaws for co-rotation with the collar.

8. The expansion tool of claim 1 , further comprising a drive mechanism including a motor and a rotatable cam, wherein rotation of the cam moves the mandrel between the retracted position and the extended position.

9. The expansion tool of claim 8 ,
wherein the drive mechanism is operable in a high speed configuration and a low speed configuration, and wherein the expansion tool further comprises:
a shifting assembly including an actuator operable to shift the drive mechanism between the high speed configuration and the low speed configuration; and
a shifting detector configured to detect a shift between the high speed configuration and the low speed configuration.

10. The expansion tool of claim 1 , wherein the cone includes a plurality of grooves containing grease to lubricate the inner surfaces of the plurality of jaws.

11. The expansion tool of claim 1 , wherein the cone includes a plurality of bores extending from an outer conical surface to an inner bore, the plurality of bores defining fluid pathways to convey lubricant between the inner bore and an outer surface of the cone.

12. An expansion tool comprising:
a housing;
a motor supported in the housing;
a plurality of jaws;
a mandrel moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position and an extended position, the mandrel engageable with the jaws to expand the jaws in response to movement of the mandrel to the extended position;
a drive mechanism configured to convert rotational input from the motor into translational movement of the mandrel between the retracted position and the extended position, the drive mechanism including a rotatable cam, wherein rotation of the cam moves the mandrel between the retracted position and the extended position, and wherein the drive mechanism is operable in a high speed configuration and a low speed configuration;
a shifting assembly including an actuator operable to shift the drive mechanism between the high speed configuration and the low speed configuration; and
a shifting detector configured to detect a shift between the high speed configuration and the low speed configuration.

13. The expansion tool of claim 12 , wherein the shifting detector includes a micro switch.

14. The expansion tool of claim 13 , wherein the shifting assembly includes a shifting arm engageable with the micro switch.

15. The expansion tool of claim 12 , wherein the motor rotates the rotatable cam via the drive mechanism and a controller in communication with the shifting detector, wherein the controller is configured to deenergize the motor in response to the shifting detector detecting the shift.

16. The expansion tool of claim 15 , further comprising an indicator, wherein the controller is configured to illuminate the indicator in response to the shifting detector detecting the shift.

17. The expansion tool of claim 12 , wherein the drive mechanism includes a multi-stage planetary transmission, wherein the multi-stage planetary transmission includes a movable ring gear and a locking ring, wherein the movable ring gear is engaged with the locking ring in the low speed configuration, and wherein the movable ring gear is disengaged from the locking ring in the high speed configuration.

18. An expansion tool, comprising:
a housing;
a collar rotatably coupled to the housing;
a plurality of jaws coupled for co-rotation with the collar;
a mandrel moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position and an extended position, the mandrel engageable with the jaws to expand the jaws in response to movement of the mandrel to the extended position; and
a cone received within the plurality of jaws and engageable with inner surfaces of the plurality of jaws, wherein the mandrel is configured to engage the cone to move the cone with the mandrel to expand the jaws as the mandrel moves toward the extended position, and wherein the cone includes means for containing grease to lubricate the inner surfaces of the plurality of jaws.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Davies Peter J
• Kuhls Alex R

Classifications

• B21D37/04

  Movable or exchangeable mountings for tools · CPC title

• B21D37/18

  Lubricating {, e.g. lubricating tool and workpiece simultaneously (lubricating workpieces for deep-drawing B21D22/201)} · CPC title

• B25F5/001

  Gearings, speed selectors, clutches or the like specially adapted for rotary tools · CPC title

• B29C57/04

  using mechanical means {(B29C57/025 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B21D41/028

  expandable mandrels · CPC title