Battery powered hydraulic tool

• US 6,745,611 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: FCI Americas Technology Incorporated (FCI)
• Inventors: Lefavour, John D., Chadbourne, Christopher G., Steltzer, Gordon L., Montminy, Armand T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, David B.
• Application Number:
  US10/080,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20030154761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 724/530.2, 724/530.3, 724/531.5, 724/531.6, 301/80, 297/51, 604/77, 604/79
• US Class Current: 72/453.16
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/10 inserting fittings into hoses
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/146 Clip clamping hand tools
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/005 Hydraulic driving means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/0427 fluid actuated hand crimping tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53226 Fastening by deformation

Abstract

A battery powered hydraulic tool including a frame; a battery connected to the frame; a motor connected to the frame and adapted to be powered by the battery; and a hydraulic pump connected to the motor by a gear reduction transmission. The motor and gear reduction transmission are adapted to output a torque of the least about 160 oz-in with the gear reduction transmission being adapted to provide a gear reduction of between about 8:1 to about 15:1 or less, and the hydraulic pump being adapted to output at least about 6000 psi of pressure or more.

Claims

1. A battery powered hydraulic tool comprising:

a frame;

a battery connected to the frame;

a motor connected to the frame and adapted to be powered by the battery; and

a hydraulic pump connected to the motor by a gear reduction transmission,

wherein the motor and gear reduction transmission are adapted to output a torque of at least about 160 oz-in with the gear reduction transmission being adapted to provide a gear reduction of about 10;

1 to about 15;

1 and the hydraulic pump being adapted to output at least about 6000 psi of pressure.

2. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 1 wherein the battery has a voltage of at least 16 volts.

3. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 2 wherein the battery has a voltage of about 18 volts.

4. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 2 wherein the battery has a voltage of about 24 volts.

5. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 1 wherein the torque output of the motor and the gear reduction transmission is at least about 260 oz-in of torque.

6. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 1 wherein the gear reduction transmission is adapted to provide a gear reduction of at least about 12:

1.

7. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 1 wherein the hydraulic pump is adapted to output at least about 8000 psi of pressure.

8. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 1 wherein the hydraulic pump is adapted to output about 8000-10,000 psi of pressure.

9. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 1 further comprising a ram movably connected to the frame, the ram being moved by hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump, wherein the frame comprises a hydraulic conduit system, and wherein the hydraulic conduit system, the hydraulic pump, the motor and the gear reduction transmission are adapted to move the ram at a speed of at least about 0.007 ft/sec.

10. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 1 wherein the hydraulic pump comprises a pump piston with a diameter of less than about 0.35 inch.

11. A battery powered hydraulic tool comprising:

a frame having a hydraulic fluid conduit;

a battery connected to the frame;

a motor connected to the frame and adapted to be powered by the battery; and

a hydraulic pump connected to the motor by a gear reduction transmission and connected to the hydraulic fluid conduit,

wherein the hydraulic pump comprises a pump piston with a diameter of less than about 0.4 in., wherein the hydraulic pump can generate at least about 6000 psi pressure in the hydraulic fluid conduit, and wherein the motor and gear reduction transmission are adapted to generate at least about 160 oz-in of torque.

12. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 11 wherein the battery has a voltage of at least 16 volts.

13. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 12 wherein the battery has a voltage of about 18 volts.

14. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 12 wherein the battery has a voltage of about 24 volts.

15. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 11 wherein the torque output of the motor and the gear reduction transmission is about 270-280 oz-in of torque.

16. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 11 wherein the gear reduction transmission is adapted to provide a gear reduction of between about 12:

1 to about 15;

1.

17. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 11 wherein the hydraulic pump is adapted to output about 8000 psi of pressure.

18. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 11 wherein the hydraulic pump is adapted to output about 8000-10,000 psi of pressure.

19. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 11 further comprising a ram movably connected to the frame, the ram being moved by hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump, and wherein the hydraulic fluid conduit, the hydraulic pump, the motor and the gear reduction transmission are adapted to move the ram at a speed of about 0.007 ft/sec.

20. A battery powered hydraulic electrical connector compression tool comprising:

a frame;

a ram movably connected to the frame;

a battery connected to the frame, the battery having a voltage of at least 16 volts;

a motor connected to the frame and adapted to be powered by the battery; and

a hydraulic drive system coupled to the motor by a gear reduction transmission, the hydraulic drive system being adapted to move the ram on the frame,

wherein the motor and gear reduction transmission are adapted to drive the hydraulic drive system to move the ram more than 1.3 in. on the frame in less than 25 seconds while at a pressure in the hydraulic drive system of at least about 6000 psi.

21. A battery powered hydraulic electrical connector compression tool as in claim 20 wherein the battery has a voltage of at least about 18 volts.

22. A battery powered hydraulic electrical connector compression tool as in claim 21 wherein the battery has a voltage of about 24 volts.

23. A battery powered hydraulic electrical connector compression tool as in claim 20 wherein a torque output of the motor and the gear reduction transmission is at least about 170 oz-in of torque.

24. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 20 wherein the gear reduction transmission is adapted to provide a gear reduction of about 8:

1 or less.

25. A battery powered hydraulic electrical connector compression tool as in claim 20 wherein the hydraulic pump is adapted to produce at least about 8000 psi of pressure in the hydraulic drive system.

26. A battery powered hydraulic electrical connector compression tool as in claim 20 wherein the hydraulic pump is adapted to produce about 8000-11,000 psi of pressure in the hydraulic drive system.

27. A battery powered hydraulic electrical connector compression tool as in claim 20 wherein the hydraulic drive system, the motor and the gear reduction transmission are adapted to move the ram at a speed of at least 0.006 ft/sec.

28. A battery powered hydraulic electrical connector compression tool as in claim 20 wherein the hydraulic pump comprises a pump piston with a diameter of less than about 0.4 inch.

29. A battery powered hydraulic tool comprising:

a frame;

a battery connected to the frame, the battery having a voltage of at least 16 volts;

a motor connected to the frame and adapted to be powered by the battery;

a hydraulic pump connected to the motor by a transmission; and

a system for protecting the motor from a current draw of more than a predetermined amperage.

30. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 29 wherein the predetermined amperage is about 23 amps.

31. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 29 wherein the system for protecting the motor comprises a controller adapted to sense current draw by the motor and adapted to interrupt supply of electricity to the motor if the current draw exceeds the predetermined amperage.

32. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 29 wherein the hydraulic pump has a reciprocating pump piston driven by a rotating cam, and wherein the system for protecting the motor comprises a cam offset of the rotating cam relative to its axis of rotation and the diameter of the pump piston being selected to prevent the motor from exceeding the predetermined amperage current draw.

33. A battery powered hydraulic tool comprising:

a frame forming a hydraulic fluid conduit system;

a battery connected to the frame;

a drive system connected to the frame, the drive system comprising a motor and a hydraulic pump connected to the hydraulic fluid conduit system;

a hydraulic poppet valve connected to the hydraulic fluid conduit system; and

a controller adapted to sense a current drop of electricity to the motor when the poppet valve opens and adapted to deactuate the motor for a predetermined period of time.

34. A battery powered hydraulic tool as in claim 33 wherein the predetermined period of time is about 2-3 seconds.

35. A method of operating a hand held battery powered hydraulic tool having a movable ram for crimping an electrical connector comprising steps of:

rotating a drive shaft of a motor at a speed of at least 15,000 rpm for at least a portion of travel of the ram, the motor being powered by a battery having a voltage of at least 16 volts;

driving a hydraulic pump of the tool by the motor to advance a ram of the tool at a speed of at least 0.005 ft/sec.; and

producing a hydraulic pressure in the tool from the hydraulic pump of at least 6000 psi.

36. A method as in claim 35 wherein the step of driving advances the ram at a speed of at least 0.006 ft/sec.

37. A method as in claim 35 wherein the step of driving advances the ram at a speed of at least 0.007 ft/sec.

38. A method as in claim 35 wherein the step of rotating the drive shaft rotates the drive shaft at a speed of at least 17,000 rpm.

39. A method as in claim 35 wherein the step of producing a hydraulic pressure produces a pressure of at least 8000 psi.

40. A method as in claim 38 wherein the step of producing a hydraulic pressure can produce a pressure between about 8000-11,000 psi.