A telescopic centering device

Abstract

This invention discloses a telescopic centering device in the field of centering equipment technology, aiming to solve the problems of complex operation, poor versatility, and inability to guarantee centering accuracy in existing centering devices. It includes a positioning tube, which is detachably connected to a support tube via a connecting mechanism; at least three guide tubes are provided outside the support tube, and a movable shaft is movably sleeved inside the guide tubes. One end of the movable shaft extends into the support tube and is equipped with a planetary gear, while the other end is threadedly connected to a support leg; a gear ring is rotatably connected to the side of the support tube near the hollow tube; an elastic mechanism is provided between the movable shaft and the guide tubes. This invention improves the versatility of the centering device through the cooperation of the front and rear ends, while further improving the centering accuracy through mutual correction between the two ends. Furthermore, when the supporting force on the support leg reaches a certain level through the elastic mechanism, the planetary gear tends to disengage from the gear ring, thereby ensuring that the supporting force of the support leg reaches its optimal and remains equal, effectively improving the centering accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of centering equipment technology, specifically to a telescopic centering device. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, scholars both domestically and internationally have designed various centering systems for different types of pipelines. Post and Sheiretov et al. proposed a centering system utilizing energy storage through elastic elements; Bloom et al. designed an adjustable sliding centering mechanism; Guerrero et al. developed a six-bar-based centering system for traction of downhole equipment in irregularly casingd wells; Bai Xianglin et al. designed an offset automatic centering mechanism for horizontal well tubing; Xing Shujian et al. studied a method for synchronous centering using a double-cone spindle for automatic measurement of large inner diameters exceeding 500 mm; Xu Congqi et al. designed three adjustment mechanisms—cam push rod, worm gear, and screw-nut pair—for micro-pipes with inner diameters of 15–20 mm, and compared and analyzed their respective advantages and disadvantages; Zheng Liping et al. designed an elastic umbrella-shaped centering mechanism for measuring the inner diameter of artillery barrels.

[0003] However, the existing centering devices are complex to operate, have poor versatility, and cannot effectively guarantee centering accuracy, resulting in poor actual performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a telescopic centering device that solves the problems of complex operation and use, poor versatility, and inability to effectively guarantee centering accuracy of current centering devices.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention is implemented using the following technical solution:

[0006] The present invention provides a telescopic centering device, comprising: a positioning tube, wherein the positioning tube is detachably connected to a support tube via a connecting mechanism, and the axes of the positioning tube and the support tube coincide;

[0007] The support tube is provided with at least three guide tubes. A movable shaft is movably sleeved inside the guide tube. One end of the movable shaft extends into the support tube and is provided with a planetary gear. The other end is threaded to a support leg. The axes of the movable shaft, the planetary gear and the support leg coincide and are perpendicular to the axis of the support tube.

[0008] A toothed ring is rotatably connected to the side of the support tube near the hollow tube. An elastic mechanism is provided between the movable shaft and the guide tube. Under the elastic force of the elastic mechanism, the planetary gear meshes with the toothed ring.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes a drive mechanism, which includes a transmission shaft. One end of the transmission shaft is provided with a limiting groove, and the other end is provided with a connecting plate. The connecting plate is fixedly connected to the gear ring, and the axes of the limiting groove, the transmission shaft, and the gear ring coincide.

[0010] Furthermore, the connecting mechanism is a hollow tube, one end of which is threaded to the support tube and the other end is fixed to the positioning tube. The positioning tube, the hollow tube, and the support tube are interconnected and their axes coincide.

[0011] Furthermore, a first bearing is provided inside the guide tube, the movable shaft is movably sleeved inside the first bearing, a second bearing is provided inside the hollow tube, and the transmission shaft is movably sleeved inside the second bearing.

[0012] Furthermore, a gripping tube is provided on the side of the positioning tube away from the support tube, and the diameter of the gripping tube is larger than the diameter of the positioning tube.

[0013] Furthermore, the front end of the gripping tube is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed expansion grooves, which radially penetrate the tube wall and extend toward the positioning tube, thereby dividing the positioning tube into a plurality of elastic deformation parts.

[0014] Furthermore, the end of the support leg away from the movable axis is provided with a support plate, and the support plate is provided with an arc-shaped protrusion for fitting against the inner wall of the pipe.

[0015] Furthermore, the elastic mechanism includes a disc spring, and a limiting ring is provided on the movable shaft. The disc spring is supported between the limiting ring and the guide tube.

[0016] Furthermore, there are three guide tubes, which are evenly distributed on the outer wall of the support tube.

[0017] Furthermore, the movable shaft is provided with a through hole, the through hole is provided with an internal thread, and the support leg is provided with an external thread, the external thread engaging with the internal thread.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are:

[0019] 1. This invention increases the contact area by fixing the front and rear sections to the inner wall of the pipe, thereby improving the centering accuracy. The front end is supported by a positioning tube, and positioning tubes of different diameters can be installed according to the needs. The telescopic support leg at the rear end can achieve a large range of extension and retraction. The cooperation between the front and rear ends not only improves the versatility of the centering device, but also further improves the centering accuracy by correcting each other at both ends.

[0020] 2. This invention drives the planetary gear to rotate via the gear ring, and then drives the movable shaft to rotate relative to the support leg, thereby ensuring that the extension and retraction of the support leg are consistent, which further improves the centering accuracy. In addition, when the supporting force on the support leg reaches a certain level through the elastic mechanism, the planetary gear will tend to disengage from the gear ring, thereby ensuring that the supporting force of the support leg against the inner wall of the pipe is exactly optimal and equal, which effectively improves the centering accuracy.

[0021] 3. This invention engages the wrench with the limiting groove, thereby enabling the drive shaft to rotate via the wrench. The rotation of the drive shaft, in turn, drives the gear ring to rotate via the connecting plate. This method allows for convenient and quick driving of the gear ring. It is simple to operate, easy to use, and has good results. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used in conjunction with embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a telescopic centering device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first bearing of the telescopic centering device shown.

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the telescopic centering device during retraction.

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the drive mechanism of the telescopic centering device shown.

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the installation of the second bearing of the telescopic centering device shown.

[0028] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the movable shaft of the telescopic centering device shown.

[0029] In the diagram: 1. Positioning tube; 2. Hollow tube; 3. Support tube; 4. Guide tube; 5. Movable shaft; 6. Planetary gear; 7. Support leg; 8. Gear ring; 9. Disc spring; 10. Drive shaft; 101. Limiting groove; 11. Connecting plate; 12. First bearing; 13. Second bearing; 14. Grip tube; 15. Expansion groove; 16. Support plate; 17. Limiting ring. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0033] Example 1:

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a telescopic centering device, comprising: a positioning tube 1, which is detachably connected to a support tube 3 via a connecting mechanism, with the axes of the positioning tube 1 and the support tube 3 coinciding; at least three guide tubes 4 are provided outside the support tube 3, and a movable shaft 5 is movably sleeved inside the guide tubes 4, with one end of the movable shaft 5 extending into the support tube 3 and provided with a planetary gear 6, and the other end threadedly connected to a support leg 7, the axes of the movable shaft 5, the planetary gear 6, and the support leg 7 coinciding and perpendicular to the axis of the support tube 3; a gear ring 8 is rotatably connected inside the support tube 3 near the hollow tube 2, and an elastic mechanism is provided between the movable shaft 5 and the guide tubes 4, under the elastic force of the elastic mechanism, the planetary gear 6 meshes with the gear ring 8.

[0035] Before use, disassemble the positioning tube 1 and replace it with a positioning tube 1 that matches the inner diameter of the pipe. Then manually adjust the extension of the support leg 7 so that it extends to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the pipe.

[0036] After the device is inserted into the pipe, the front end of the pipe is supported by the positioning tube 1 and the rear end is supported by the support leg 7. Since the extension and retraction of the support leg 7 was adjusted to be slightly greater than the inner diameter of the pipe, the support leg 7 will be slightly compressed after it is placed in the inner wall of the pipe. This will cause the movable shaft 5 to exert a force on the elastic mechanism, causing the elastic mechanism to be compressed or stretched and generating a reverse force. The reverse force is transmitted to the support leg 7 through the movable shaft 5, so that the support leg 7 applies a certain degree of pressure to the inner wall of the pipe in the initial state.

[0037] During centering, the drive gear ring 8 rotates, which in turn drives the planetary gear 6 to rotate. The planetary gear 6 then drives the movable shaft 5 to rotate. Because the support leg 7 previously applied pressure to the inner wall of the pipe, it experiences friction, thus limiting its synchronous rotation with the movable shaft 5. This results in relative rotation between the support leg 7 and the movable shaft 5. Furthermore, due to the characteristics of the threaded connection, axial relative displacement also occurs between them. Since the support leg 7 is already pressed against the inner wall of the pipe and cannot extend further, the movable shaft 5 can only move axially towards the support pipe 3. During this process, the movable shaft 5 further compresses or stretches the elastic mechanism, gradually increasing the counterforce generated by the elastic mechanism. This, in turn, gradually increases the force exerted by the support leg 7 against the inner wall of the pipe. Simultaneously, the movable shaft 5 drives the planetary gear 6 to move axially towards the support pipe 3, gradually causing the gear ring 8 and the planetary gear 6 to disengage. When the planetary gear 6 moves axially until it disengages from the gear ring 8, the gear ring 8 will spin freely. At this time, the planetary gear 6 is in a state of close contact with the gear ring 8 but not engaged. The force of the support leg 7 corresponding to the planetary gear 6 against the inner wall of the pipe will no longer increase. At this point, the device has completed the centering operation. This ensures that the forces of multiple support legs 7 against the inner wall of the pipe are equal and that their extension lengths are consistent, effectively improving the centering accuracy.

[0038] When the device needs to be removed from the inner wall of the pipe, the reverse drive gear ring 8 rotates. Due to the action of the elastic mechanism, the planetary gear 6 is subjected to an axial force, keeping it in close contact with the gear ring 8. Therefore, during the rotation of the gear ring 8, the planetary gear 6 will rotate slightly. The rotation of the planetary gear 6 will drive the movable shaft 5 to rotate, and the movable shaft 5 will drive the planetary gear 6 to move axially, making the planetary gear 6 further engage with the gear ring 8. This process is repeated, so that the planetary gear 6 gradually completes the meshing with the gear ring 8. Then the movable shaft 5 continues to move axially, releasing the compression or tension on the elastic mechanism, so that the force of the support leg 7 against the inner wall of the pipe gradually decreases. When the support leg 7 can no longer rotate relative to the movable shaft 5, the device can be removed from the inner wall of the pipe.

[0039] This embodiment increases the contact area by fixing the front and rear sections to the inner wall of the pipe, thereby improving the centering accuracy. The front positioning tube 1 provides support, and positioning tubes 1 of different diameters can be installed according to requirements. The rear telescopic support leg 7 can achieve a large range of extension and retraction. The cooperation between the front and rear ends not only improves the versatility of the centering device, but also further improves the centering accuracy by correcting each other at both ends.

[0040] In addition, the extension and retraction of the outrigger 7 are consistent, which can improve the centering accuracy. By setting an elastic mechanism, when the supporting force on the outrigger 7 reaches a certain level, the planetary gear 6 will tend to disengage from the gear ring 8, thereby ensuring that the supporting force of the outrigger 7 against the inner wall of the pipe reaches the optimal level and remains equal, thus effectively improving the centering accuracy.

[0041] It should be noted that if the support force of the outrigger 7 against the inner wall of the pipe is too small, the device will easily loosen, resulting in a decrease in centering accuracy; if the support force is too large, the inner wall of the pipe will be squeezed and deformed, causing the device to deviate, which will also lead to a decrease in centering accuracy.

[0042] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 As shown, it also includes a drive mechanism, which includes a transmission shaft 10. One end of the transmission shaft 10 is provided with a limiting groove 101, and the other end is provided with a connecting plate 11. The connecting plate 11 is fixedly connected to the gear ring 8. The axes of the limiting groove 101, the transmission shaft 10 and the gear ring 8 coincide.

[0043] Specifically, during centering, the wrench is passed through the hollow tube 2 and engaged with the limiting groove 101. Then, the wrench is rotated, which drives the drive shaft 10 to rotate. The rotation of the drive shaft 10 drives the gear ring 8 to rotate through the connecting plate 11. This method can conveniently and quickly drive the gear ring 8. It is simple to operate, easy to use, and has good results.

[0044] In this embodiment, the connecting mechanism is a hollow tube 2. One end of the hollow tube 2 is threadedly connected to the support tube 3, and the other end is fixedly connected to the positioning tube 1. The positioning tube 1, the hollow tube 2, and the support tube 3 are interconnected and their axes coincide.

[0045] Specifically, the hollow tube 2 has high structural strength, which can reduce stress concentration at both ends and extend the service life of the device. It can also be detachably connected to the support tube 3 by means of threaded connection, which is convenient for disassembly and assembly and improves replacement efficiency.

[0046] In this embodiment, a first bearing 12 is provided inside the guide tube 4, the movable shaft 5 is movably sleeved inside the first bearing 12, a second bearing 13 is provided inside the hollow tube 2, and the transmission shaft 10 is movably sleeved inside the second bearing 13.

[0047] Understandably, the first bearing 12 can reduce the friction experienced by the movable shaft 5 during rotation, thereby improving the smoothness of the extension and retraction of the outrigger 7. Figure 5 As shown, the second bearing 13 can support the drive shaft 10, prevent the drive shaft 10 from shifting, and improve the driving effect.

[0048] In this embodiment, a gripping tube 14 is provided on the side of the positioning tube 1 away from the support tube 3, and the diameter of the gripping tube 14 is larger than the diameter of the positioning tube 1.

[0049] During centering, the operator can easily push the device into the pipeline by holding the grip tube 14; after centering, the device can also be easily removed from the pipeline by pulling the grip tube 14 for easy use.

[0050] Preferably, the front end of the gripping tube 14 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed expansion grooves 15, which radially penetrate the tube wall and extend toward the positioning tube 1, thereby dividing the positioning tube 1 into a plurality of elastic deformation parts.

[0051] Specifically, when the hollow tube 2 is inserted into the pipe, each elastic deformation part will be squeezed, which will produce elastic deformation, causing it to stick tightly to the inner wall of the pipe, thereby improving the centering accuracy; in addition, the elastic deformation also facilitates the insertion or removal of the hollow tube 2, avoiding severe friction between the hollow tube 2 and the inner wall of the pipe when it is inserted or removed.

[0052] Example 2:

[0053] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment provides a telescopic centering device, which differs from the first embodiment in that the support leg 7 is provided with a support plate 16 at the end away from the movable shaft 5, and the support plate 16 is provided with an arc-shaped protrusion for fitting against the inner wall of the pipe.

[0054] Specifically, the support plate 16 is used to increase the contact area between the support leg 7 and the inner wall of the pipe, thereby improving the support stability of the support leg 7 and increasing the static friction force on the support leg 7, thus facilitating its extension and retraction. The arc-shaped protrusion allows the support plate 16 to fit more fully against the inner wall of the pipe, increasing the contact area and further enhancing the above-mentioned effects.

[0055] In this embodiment, the elastic mechanism includes a disc spring 9, and a limiting ring 17 is provided on the movable shaft 5. The disc spring 9 is supported between the limiting ring 17 and the guide tube 4. However, it is not limited to this; the elastic mechanism can also be a compression spring, which is not specifically limited here.

[0056] In this embodiment, three guide tubes 4 are provided and are evenly distributed on the outer wall of the support tube 3. Specifically, the three guide tubes 4 can provide stable centering without making the device structure too complicated, resulting in the best overall effect.

[0057] In this embodiment, as Figure 6 As shown, the movable shaft 5 is provided with a through hole and an internal thread inside the through hole, and the support leg 7 is provided with an external thread, which meshes with the internal thread.

[0058] Specifically, the support leg 7 is connected to the through hole threaded by external and internal threads, so as to screw in and out of the through hole.

[0059] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A telescopic centering device, characterized in that, include: Positioning tube (1), the positioning tube (1) is detachably connected to the support tube (3) through a connecting mechanism, and the axes of the positioning tube (1) and the support tube (3) coincide; The support tube (3) is provided with at least three guide tubes (4), and a movable shaft (5) is movably sleeved inside the guide tube (4). One end of the movable shaft (5) extends into the support tube (3) and is provided with a planetary gear (6), and the other end is threadedly connected to a support leg (7). The axes of the movable shaft (5), the planetary gear (6) and the support leg (7) coincide and are perpendicular to the axis of the support tube (3). The connecting mechanism is a hollow tube (2), one end of which is threaded to the support tube (3) and the other end is fixed to the positioning tube (1). The positioning tube (1), the hollow tube (2), and the support tube (3) are interconnected and their axes coincide. A toothed ring (8) is rotatably connected to the side of the support tube (3) near the hollow tube (2). An elastic mechanism is provided between the movable shaft (5) and the guide tube (4). Under the elastic force of the elastic mechanism, the planetary gear (6) meshes with the toothed ring (8).

2. The telescopic centering device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a drive mechanism, which includes a drive shaft (10), one end of which is provided with a limiting groove (101) and the other end is provided with a connecting plate (11). The connecting plate (11) is fixedly connected to the gear ring (8), and the axes of the limiting groove (101), the drive shaft (10) and the gear ring (8) coincide.

3. The telescopic centering device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide tube (4) is provided with a first bearing (12), the movable shaft (5) is movably sleeved in the first bearing (12), the hollow tube (2) is provided with a second bearing (13), and the transmission shaft (10) is movably sleeved in the second bearing (13).

4. The telescopic centering device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning tube (1) is provided with a gripping tube (14) on the side away from the support tube (3), and the diameter of the gripping tube (14) is larger than the diameter of the positioning tube (1).

5. The telescopic centering device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The front end of the grip tube (14) is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed expansion grooves (15), which radially penetrate the tube wall and extend toward the positioning tube (1), thereby dividing the positioning tube (1) into a plurality of elastic deformation parts.

6. The telescopic centering device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support leg (7) is provided with a support plate (16) at the end away from the movable shaft (5), and the support plate (16) is provided with an arc-shaped protrusion for fitting against the inner wall of the pipe.

7. The telescopic centering device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic mechanism includes a disc spring (9), and a limiting ring (17) is provided on the movable shaft (5). The disc spring (9) is supported between the limiting ring (17) and the guide tube (4).

8. The telescopic centering device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide tube (4) is provided in three parts and is evenly distributed on the outer wall of the support tube (3).

9. The telescopic centering device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable shaft (5) is provided with a through hole, and the through hole is provided with an internal thread. The support leg (7) is provided with an external thread, and the external thread meshes with the internal thread.

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