Handheld pressing device

Abstract

A handheld pressing device for connecting two work pieces, in particular a pipe and a press fitting by means of a pressing process, has a pressing tool with multiple pressing jaws. The pressing tool is connected to a converter driven by an electric motor. The electric motor and the converter are partly surrounded by a housing. The pressing device has at least one data detecting element, at least one data detecting element being a camera. Furthermore, the camera is used as a data detecting element for documenting pressing processes in a method.

Claims

1. A handheld pressing device for joining two work pieces by pressing, comprising: a pressing tool with a plurality of pressing jaws; a converting device connected to the pressing tool and driven by an electric motor; at least one data capturing element comprising a camera, the camera oriented such that the camera captures the pressing tool and a gap between the plurality of pressing jaws; and an external evaluation device connected to the at least one data capturing element and configured to evaluate a quality of a pressing procedure based at least partly on the gap between the plurality of pressing jaws; wherein the electric motor and the converting device are at least partially enclosed by a housing.

2. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein the camera is oriented such that the camera captures a QR code or a distinguishing mark on the pressing tool so as to identify the pressing tool.

3. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein the camera is oriented such that the camera captures the work pieces or a distinguishing mark provided thereon, in order to identify the work pieces.

4. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein at least one data capturing element of the at least one data capturing element is an RFID reader.

5. The pressing device of claim 4, further comprising an RFID element adapted to be read by the RFID reader.

6. The pressing device of claim 4, wherein at least one work piece comprises an RFID element adapted to be read by the RFID reader.

7. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein at least one data capturing element is arranged in the housing of the pressing device.

8. The pressing device of claim 1, further comprising a memory device for storing the captured data.

9. The pressing device of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter unit adapted to be connected to an external memory device, the external evaluation device, an external display device, or an external memory device, the external evaluation device, and an external display device in order to transmit the captured data to the external memory device, the external evaluation device, the external display device, or the external memory device, the external evaluation device, and the external display device.

10. The pressing device of claim 9, wherein the transmitter unit is connected to the external memory device, the external evaluation device, the external display device, or the external memory device, the external evaluation device, and the external display device in a wireless manner by WLAN, Bluetooth, infrared transmission or radio transmission.

11. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein a motor control triggers data capturing of the at least one data capturing element.

12. A method for documenting pressing operations performed on two work pieces, comprising: performing a pressing operation with the handheld pressing device of claim 1; when a documentation capturing is started, capturing data with the at least one data capturing element during each pressing operation that is specific to a device, a pressing operation, a user, or a device, a pressing operation, and a user; and storing the captured data in a memory device, wherein the captured data is associated to a specific pressing operation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the camera captures the pressing tool, a work piece, or the pressing tool and the work piece after the pressing operation, or a gap between the pressing jaws of the pressing tool after the pressing operation as the data specific to the pressing operation.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the camera captures the user as user-specific data.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the pressing device comprises more than one data capturing element.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the data specific to the device captured is at least one of the following: a type or a serial number of the pressing device, a type, a serial number, or a nominal size of a pressing tool of the pressing device, and control data about the pressing device, such as duty cycle, operating temperature, accumulator voltage of an accumulator unit, a number of pressing operations made or control data about the pressing tool.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the captured data specific to the pressing operation is at least one of the following: a date or a time of the pressing operation, a duration of the pressing operation, a pressing path, a maximum pressing force or cut-off speed, a course of the pressing force over the pressing path, and data about whether a pressing operation has been performed properly or not.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein a name or a code is captured as the data specific to the user.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein an RFID reader is used to capture data.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein a GPS sensor or another positioning element is used via mobile radio or WLAN, so as to capture a location of a pressing operation as data specific to a pressing operation.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the memory device is arranged in the pressing device.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the captured data is transmitted in a wireless manner via WLAN, Bluetooth, IR transmission or radio transmission to an external memory device, an external display device, or an external memory device and an external display device.

23. A method for checking a proper functionality of a handheld pressing device, comprising: providing the handheld pressing device of claim 1, wherein the pressing tool is connected to the converting device via a holder element, and the electric motor is operated via an operating element; starting a checking cycle; capturing data by data capturing elements; and displaying the captured data on an external display device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the captured data includes at least one of the following: a number of operating hours, a number of pressing operations, a temperature in the pressing device, and a voltage of an accumulator unit.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the captured data includes a position of a holding element.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the captured data includes a rotary speed of the electric motor without load.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the captured data includes a pressing force, a course thereof during a pressing operation, or a pressing force and a course thereof during a pressing operation.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein a functionality of one or a plurality of status lights of the pressing device or a functionality of the operating element is captured.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the captured data is stored in a memory device in the pressing device.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the captured data is transferred to at least one of the following: the external display device, the external evaluation device, and an external memory device, in a wireless manner via WLAN, Bluetooth, infrared transmission or radio transmission.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising displaying a performed evaluation on the external display device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein, for the purpose of evaluation, the captured data is compared to at least one predefined value range and, if the captured data does not fall within the at least one predefined value range, an error is generated.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the pressing device is started without a pressing tool, a rotary speed, a signal quality of a rotary speed sensor, or a rotary speed and a signal quality of a rotary speed sensor is captured, the captured rotary speed is compared to a predefined value range for evaluation, and, if the rotary speed does not fall within the predefined value range or the signal quality of the rotary speed sensor is faulty, an error is generated.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein a pressing tool is inserted into the pressing device, a pressing operation is performed with the pressing tool, at least one of the following is captured over a duration of the pressing operation: a rotary speed, a current flow, and a hydraulic pressure, the captured rotary speed, the captured current flow, or the hydraulic pressure are compared to a predefined course for evaluation purposes, and, if the data thus captured does not fall within a range around the predefined course, an error is generated.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein, if an error has been generated, the error is displayed on the external display device, is stored by the external memory device, or the error is displayed on the external display device and is stored by the external memory device.

Description

(1) In the Figures:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a pressing device,

(3) FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a pressing device,

(4) FIG. 3 shows an external means including a display device, a memory device and an evaluation device,

(5) FIG. 4 shows an external device with displayed captured data of a pressing operation,

(6) FIG. 5 shows an external device with displayed, captured and stored data of a plurality of pressing operations,

(7) FIG. 6 shows an external device with displayed and stored captured data of a plurality of pressing operations, with an error having been generated for one of these,

(8) FIG. 7 shows an external device for starting a checking cycle,

(9) FIG. 8 shows an external device with displayed captured data,

(10) FIG. 9 shows an external device with a displayed evaluation of the check on the position of the holding element and instructions for a counter measure,

(11) FIG. 10 shows an external device with the detection of the rotary speed sensor check displayed and evaluated,

(12) FIG. 11 shows an external device with displayed captured data and evaluation of the pressing force check,

(13) FIG. 12 shows an external device displaying a summary of the evaluations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) The present handheld pressing device for joining two work pieces includes a drive unit 10. This drive unit 10 is constituted by an electric motor supplied with current from an accumulator unit, and a converting device driven by the electric motor. The electric motor and the converting device are enclosed by the same housing. The pressing device is controlled via an operating element 17. Further, the pressing device includes a pressing tool 13 that is connected with the drive unit via a holding element 12. In a pressing operation, the pressing jaws 16 of the pressing tool 13 are pressed apart at the rear part, i.e. on the side facing the drive unit. Thereby, the pressing jaws 16 are pivoted about the pivot pins 18 so that the pressing jaws 16 approach each other at the front part, i.e. on the side averted from the drive unit. Thereby, a compression is achieved. Due to the pressing movement of the pressing tool 13, a press fitting 19 is joined with a pipe end 14 by pressing and is thus joined with the same in a reliable and tight manner.

(15) According to the invention the pressing device includes a camera 20. The image area 21 of the camera is oriented such that the camera simultaneously captures the pressing tool 13, the pipe end 14 and the press fitting 19. This allows an optical identification of the pressing tool 13, the press fitting 19 and the pipe 14 used. Further, as can be seen in FIG. 1, the pressing tool 13 includes a distinguishing mark in the form of a QR code 25. The same is also captured by the camera 20. Thereby it is possible to perform an automated identification of the pressing tool 13, since the QR code 25 stores information about the pressing tool 13. This information can be captured by the camera 20 and may be evaluated in an evaluation device.

(16) According to the invention the camera 20 is oriented such that its image area 21 also captures the gap 15 between the pressing jaws 16 of the pressing tool 13. The gap 15 is in immediate proximity to the compressed pipe 14. The gap 15 is closed only if both pressing jaws 16 have moved towards each other to the full extent. If the pressing tool 13 and the press fitting 16 match, the gap 15 can be closed completely only if the pressing has been performed to the end. Thus, the closed gap 15 is a criterion by which a proper pressing can be judged. Since the camera 20 captures the gap 15, this may be evaluated at a later time if the captured data are stored.

(17) The pressing device further includes a RFID reader 23. The press fitting 19 is equipped with a RFID element 28 and the pipe 14 is also equipped with a RFID element 26, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The RFID reader 23 captures both elements and can thereby identify both the pipe 14 and the press fitting 19.

(18) As can be seen in FIG. 1, the pressing device further includes a transmitter unit 30 that transmits the data captured by the camera 20, as well as by the other data capturing elements to a tablet PC via Bluetooth, which serves as an external memory device with an evaluation device and a display device. FIG. 3 illustrates the tablet PC 100 having a display device 101. As commonly known, the display device 101 of tablet PCs at the same time serves as an operating element. Information about a respective pressing operation is retrieved via the operating element 110. Here, the information result from the captured data transmitted from the pressing device by the transmitter unit 30 via Bluetooth. An overview of the captured data of the pressing operations stored in the memory device is reached via the operating element 111. Information that results from the captured device-specific data is retrieved via the operating element 112. The check of the proper functionality of the pressing device is accessed via the operating element 113.

(19) The operating element 110 allows for the retrieval of captured data specific to a pressing operation. FIG. 4 illustrates a display device 101. An image of the user 145 that has performed the pressing operation is displayed thereon. User-specific data regarding the respective pressing operations can be captured and/or inputted via the operating element 142. It may be provided, for instance, that a picture of the user is taken and stored via the operating element 142. The date 143, the time 144 and the serial number 145 of the device, as well as a consecutive number for the respective pressing operation 146 are displayed and stored as the data specific to the pressing operation. Besides that, the pressing tool used is displayed at 147 and stored. Via the operating element 148, another pressing tool 13 may be selected or be captured via the camera 20 or the RFID reader 23. The location of the pressing operation may be detected via a built-in GPS sensor. The same is illustrated at 149. Further, the force path over time is captured as data specific to the pressing operation. The same is displayed at 152 and stored. At the same time, an evaluation is made wherein the force path is compared to a predetermined force path. The result is displayed by element 151. The force path is determined in particular from the rotary speed and/or the current flow and/or the hydraulic pressure. The pipe 14 and the press fitting 19 are captured by the camera 20. The image captured is displayed at 153 and stored. A new image of the press fitting 19 and the pipe 14 may be generated via the operating element 155.

(20) Data capturing may be started either by the user via an operating element at the tablet PC 100 or by simply calling the capturing control at the external device. However, data capturing may also be started in an automated manner upon energizing the pressing device and/or upon actuating the operating element 17. All data thus captured and illustrated in FIG. 4 relate to a single pressing operation. These data are stored and are allocated by the operation number 146. An overview of all stored pressing operations can be accessed via the operating element 156.

(21) In FIG. 5 the display device 101 of the tablet PC 100 shows an overview over a plurality stored pressing operations. These can be identified by the consecutive number 160. A plurality of captured data can be displayed for each pressing operation. FIG. 5 illustrates a selection. This selection is restricted to displaying the idle speed 161, the cutoff speed 162, the accumulator voltage 163, the duty cycle 164, the force cycle 165, the temperature during the pressing operation 166 and an associated error code 167 that includes possible errors during the pressing operation. For a better identification, individual pressing operations may be provided with color codes. If an error should occur thereafter, the line related to the pressing operation is displayed in a signal color or highlighted 170 in some other way. If an error is generated during evaluation, this error is assigned a different error code. When a specific error code 168 assigned to a specific pressing operation is selected, the user receives clear text information 169 about the error that has occurred, as illustrated in an exemplary manner in FIG. 6. In this manner a user can judge in a simple manner whether the pressing operation was performed correctly or not. Thereby, error sources can be determined earlier and faulty pressing operations can be corrected faster or can be prevented.

(22) The display on the display device 101 of the tablet PC 100, illustrated in FIG. 7, is reached via the operating element 113. Here, the checking cycle can be started via the operating element 171. Further, a user may select individual checks via the operating element 172. The user returns to the stored documentation of the individual pressing operations via the further operating element 173.

(23) Via the operating element 113, the user reaches the display of the device-specific captured data. Here, the number of pressing operations 190, the operating hours 191, the temperature in the pressing device 194 and the voltage in the accumulator unit 193 can be displayed, for example. Further, the errors 195 that have occurred are counted. In this regard, a differentiation is made between flawless, i.e. proper pressing operations, minor errors and major errors where a proper pressing operation could not be achieved. Even if in FIG. 8 no evaluation, i.e. a comparison to predetermined values, is performed, the user may still visually compare the displayed values to a predetermined value range. For example, a value range of 5 C. to 45 C. is indicated for the temperature, in which range the pressing device functions properly. The display illustrated here also is a selection from the device-specific captured data. Other captured data may be added and/or removed, in order to allow for a comprehensive judgment on the proper functionality of the pressing device by the user.

(24) An automated evaluation by an evaluation device is also possible, the evaluation device comparing the data captured to respective predetermined value ranges and displaying only the result of this evaluation. Thereby, a misinterpretation by the user becomes impossible. If, for example, the evaluation of the position of the holding element indicates an error, the user will reach a screen illustrated in FIG. 9. Here, the user is given step-by-step instructions in order to remove the error. The holding element may be checked again via the operating element 900. It is thereby ensured that the pressing tool is always securely connected with the drive unit.

(25) If the check of the rotary speed sensor is selected 172 and the checking cycle is started 171, the user reaches the display illustrated in FIG. 10. For a check of the rotary sped sensor, the pressing device performs a pressing operation without pressing tool. The user starts the pressing operation via the operating element 17. The rotary speed of the electric motor is detected over the duration of the pressing operation via a data capturing element designed as a rotary speed sensor. The data captured are displayed on the display element 1000. Thereafter, for the purpose of evaluation, the rotary speed or the course of the rotary speed is compared to a course predefined by the manufacturer. If the rotary speed is within a range around the predefined course, the rotary speed sensor is functional. In addition, the signal quality of the rotary speed sensor may be checked. The result of these evaluations is displayed by the element 1020. The user returns to the previous screens via the operating element 1030.

(26) Likewise, a automated evaluation is possible for checking the pressing force, for which a pressing tool is installed first. In FIG. 11 a display on the display device 101 for performing the pressing force check is illustrated. The device is started via the operating element 1110, whereupon the device performs a pressing operation with a pressing tool. The rotary speed and the current flow and/or the hydraulic pressure are captured over the duration of the pressing operation. The pressing force can be determined from these values. The course of the pressing force 1100 is displayed. For the evaluation, the pressing force determined is compared to a predefined course of the pressing force. Likewise, it is possible to compare both the rotary speed detected and the course of the current flow or of the hydraulic pressure to a respective predefined course. If the courses are within a range around the respective predefined course, sufficient pressing force is generated and the pressing device can be used to perform a proper pressing operation. The result of the evaluation is displayed by the element 1120. The user will reach the previous screen via the operating element 1130.

(27) In FIG. 12 a summary of the valuation of various checks is displayed. If checks are selected via the operating element 172, they are displayed in this summary after the checking cycle has been performed. The result of the respective checks 1200 is also displayed. Via the operating element 1201, the user returns to the screen illustrated in FIG. 3. The summary allows a user to judge in a simple manner whether the pressing device functions properly. It is thereby ensured that pressing operations performed are also performed properly. Since the checks are also stored in a memory device, it is possible to provide evidence on the proper functioning of the pressing device.

(28) Via the operating element 114 a selection of the captured data of individual or all checking cycles and/or of individual or all pressing operations performed can be transmitted to the manufacturer by means of an Internet connection of the tablet PC. In this context, an evaluation may have been made already in the external evaluation means. Likewise, the evaluation of the data captured may be made by the manufacturer. The manufacturer is thus given the possibility to instruct the user remotely on removing an error.