Patent ID: 8677793
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: A61M,B05B,B21D

Abstract:
1. A shaping tool, comprising: a rotatable base member having a plurality of profiled bending rollers that are mounted on a circular track and are rotatable about a rotation axis, each of the bending rollers being arranged on a respective radially movable slide that is movable from a first position that defines a maximum working aperture for the tool, radially inwardly to a second position that defines a minimum working aperture for the tool; a plurality of lever arms, each lever arm including a first end, an opposing second end, and a fulcrum about which the lever arm rotates, and each lever arm including first and second arm portions that articulate with respect to one another and between which a spring-loaded overload prevention device acts, wherein the second end of each lever arm is coupled to a respective one of the slides such that: a pressing member engaging each of the first ends of the lever arms and operating to simultaneously rotate the lever arms about the respective fulcrums, in commanded ones of the first and second rotation directions, thereby causing the shaping tool to achieve commanded ones of the maximum and minimum working apertures, wherein at least an unformed portion of workpiece is disposed within the maximum working aperture, the base member is rotated, and the pressing member actuated such that the pressing member simultaneously rotates the lever arms about the respective fulcrums in the first rotation direction, and such that the profiled bending rollers move radially inwardly toward one another, toward the rotation axis, toward the minimum working aperture, and thereby rotationally engage the at least one unformed portion of the workpiece to produce a formed portion of the workpiece.