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Acquisitions of Businesses (Details) (USD $)
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12 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Feb. 01, 2013
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Dec. 31, 2012
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Nov. 30, 2012
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Dec. 31, 2011
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Dec. 31, 2010
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Jul. 31, 2010
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Dec. 31, 2011
Cooper [Member]
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Sep. 30, 2012
Rolec Comercial e Industrial S.A. [Domain]
Electrical Americas [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Jeil Hydraulics Co. Ltd. [Member]
Hydraulics [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Polimer Kaucuk Sanayi ve Pazarlama A.S. [Domain]
Hydraulics [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Gycom Electrical Low-Voltage Power Distribution, Control and Automation [Domain]
Electrical Rest of World [Member]
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Jun. 30, 2011
E.A. Pedersen Company [Member]
Electrical Americas [Member]
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Jun. 30, 2011
IE Power, Inc. [Member]
Electrical Americas [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
E. Begerow GmbH & Co. KG [Member]
Hydraulics [Member]
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May 31, 2011
ACTOM Low Voltage [Member]
Electrical Rest of World [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
C.I. ESI de Colombia S.A. [Member]
Electrical Americas [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
Internormen Technology Group [Member]
Hydraulics [Member]
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Sep. 30, 2011
Eaton-SAMC (Shanghai) Aircraft Conveyance System Manufacturing Co., Ltd. [Member]
Aerospace [Member]
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Nov. 30, 2010
Tuthill Coupling Group [Member]
Hydraulics [Member]
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Sep. 30, 2010
Chloride Phoenixtec Electronics [Member]
Electrical Rest of World [Member]
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Jun. 30, 2010
Wright Line Holding Inc [Member]
Electrical Americas [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2009
EMC Engineers Inc [Member]
Electrical Americas [Member]
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Sep. 30, 2010
Copper Logic Inc Member
Electrical Americas [Member]
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| Business Acquisition [Line Items] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Business acquisition, cost of acquired entity, purchase price | $ 13,796,000,000 | $ 325,000,000 | $ 222,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Description of annual sales from acquired entity from previous periods | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue reported for last annual period of acquired entity | 5,409,000,000 | 85,000,000 | 189,000,000 | 335,000,000 | 24,000,000 | 37,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 84,000,000 | 65,000,000 | 8,000,000 | 55,000,000 | 0 | 35,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 101,000,000 | 24,000,000 | 35,000,000 | ||||||
| Purchase price of Cooper | 13,192,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cooper shareholders receipt of cash per ordinary share of Cooper Industries plc | 39.15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cooper shareholder % receipt of a New Eaton share for an ordinary share of Copper Industries plc | 77.479% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former Eaton shareholders ownership of New Eaton | 73.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former Copper Industries shareholders ownership of New Eaton | 27.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cooper and Danaher joint ownership in Apex | 50.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cooper and Danaher representation on Apex Board of Directors | 50.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sale of Apex to Bain Capital by Cooper and Danaher | $ 1,600,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||