A ceramic tube blank forming device and forming method

Abstract

This invention discloses a ceramic tube preform forming apparatus and method, comprising, from top to bottom, a sealing element, a mandrel, and a rubber tube sleeved over the mandrel. The upper end of the rubber tube is open, and the lower end of the mandrel extends into the rubber tube, forming a preform cavity between the mandrel and the rubber tube. The upper end of the mandrel has a feed groove with a feed hole penetrating both the feed groove and the preform cavity. The sealing element seals the feed groove. A sleeve is fitted over the mandrel, secured to the mandrel by a wedge ring. The sleeve has uniformly distributed through holes on its sidewall. The rubber tube is located between the sleeve and the mandrel. This design avoids the need for feed holes in the rubber tube, allowing the pressurized medium to produce a uniform wall thickness during pressurization, simplifying the manufacturing precision and processing of the rubber tube. It improves the uniformity of the product wall thickness, enabling the further pressing of thinner-walled ceramic tube preforms and enhancing the overall quality of the ceramic tube preform.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ceramic tube processing technology, and in particular to a ceramic tube blank forming device and forming method. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of new energy, ceramic technology is mainly applied in sodium-sulfur batteries and sodium salt batteries. The core component of sodium-sulfur batteries and sodium salt batteries is the β-ceramic tube. How to obtain β-ceramic tubes with higher conductivity, better strength, more uniform wall thickness, and thinner thickness is one of the key technologies for sodium salt batteries and sodium-sulfur batteries in new energy.

[0003] For example, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN106182343A, published on December 7, 2016, entitled "A Method for Molding a Sodium-Sulfur Battery Solid Electrolyte Ceramic Tube," includes the following steps: Feeding step: Na-β″-Al2O3 powder is added to the cavity of a molding die corresponding to the shape of a sodium-sulfur battery solid electrolyte ceramic tube, and the top of the cavity is sealed; Pressing step: A main bag of a main pressure vessel is fitted onto the radially outer side of the molding die; the molding die is locked by a bottom cap located at the bottom of the main bag, and the main pressure vessel is connected to a pressure pump. A pressurizing medium is injected radially outward through the pressure pump to press the Na-β″-Al2O3 powder in the cavity, forming a green sodium-sulfur battery solid electrolyte ceramic tube; Demolding step: The green sodium-sulfur battery solid electrolyte ceramic tube is removed from the molding die.

[0004] The drawbacks of the existing patent are: the existing ceramic tube blank forming device adopts the bottom feeding method of the rubber tube, which is prone to uneven wall thickness at the bottom of the ceramic tube during the pressing process. After long-term use, gaps and adhesions are likely to occur between the rubber tube and the rubber tube plug, resulting in poor sealing effect of the blank cavity. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems of uneven wall thickness at the bottom of the ceramic tube during the pressing process caused by the bottom feeding method of the rubber tube in existing ceramic tube blank forming devices, and the tendency for gaps and adhesion to form between the rubber tube and the rubber tube plug after long-term use. This invention provides a ceramic tube blank forming device and forming method to improve the quality of ceramic tube blanks and extend the service life of the forming device.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A ceramic tube blank forming device includes, from top to bottom, a sealing element, a mandrel, and a rubber tube sleeved over the mandrel. The upper end of the rubber tube is open, and the lower end of the mandrel extends into the rubber tube, forming a blank cavity between the mandrel and the rubber tube. The upper end of the mandrel has a feed groove with a feed hole penetrating both the feed groove and the blank cavity. The sealing element seals the feed groove. A sleeve is fitted over the mandrel, secured to the mandrel by a wedge ring. The sleeve has evenly distributed through holes on its sidewall. The rubber tube is located between the sleeve and the mandrel. In this ceramic tube blank forming device, the sealed ceramic tube blank is placed in an isostatic press for pressing to form a blank. A blank cavity is formed between the hose and the mandrel. Material is fed through a feed groove at the top of the mandrel, avoiding the need for feed holes in the hose. This allows the pressurized medium to achieve a uniform wall thickness during pressurization, simplifying the hose manufacturing precision and processing technology. The sleeve is clamped onto the mandrel and has evenly distributed through holes. These through holes help to organize the liquid medium, creating a turbulent flow that ensures the medium is evenly pressed onto the outer surface of the hose, improving the uniformity of the product wall thickness. This allows for the further pressing of thinner-walled ceramic tube blanks, thus improving the quality of the ceramic tube blanks.

[0008] Preferably, the mandrel is divided into a feeding section, a sealing section, and a forming section from top to bottom. The outer surface of the sealing section is provided with sealing grooves distributed in a circumferential direction. The upper part of the hose is tightly fitted with the sealing section of the mandrel. The sealing grooves prevent hydraulic medium from entering the blank cavity.

[0009] Preferably, a compensating member is fitted at the lower part of the hose, and the compensating member has evenly distributed through holes on its side wall. The compensating member is located between the sleeve and the hose. The compensating member is used to support the gap between the hose and the sleeve, preventing the mandrel from shaking. The sleeve prevents interference between multiple hoses in the isostatic press, prevents hose collisions, and ensures that the hose is pressurized evenly.

[0010] Preferably, the sealing element includes a porous plug and a sealing sleeve fitted onto the lower end of the porous plug. The porous plug has several through holes that penetrate the inner and outer walls of the porous plug. The porous plug presses the sealing sleeve tightly into the feed groove. The through holes on the porous plug ensure isostatic pressure transmission, improving the sealing effect of the sealing element.

[0011] Preferably, the sleeve is composed of multiple circumferentially distributed fixing plates that are joined together, and the wedge ring is clamped at both ends of the sleeve. This facilitates installation. The wedge ring and the fixing plates form a clamping structure to fix the hose and the mandrel, preventing axial movement; the tolerance fit between the wedge ring and the fixing plates ensures that radial movement is prevented.

[0012] Preferably, the outer surface of the feed section of the mandrel is provided with circumferentially distributed limiting protrusions, which are used to limit the wedge ring on the mandrel.

[0013] Preferably, the hose is made of any one of nitrile rubber, polyurethane, PP, or PE.

[0014] Preferably, the mandrel is coaxially arranged with the hose, and the mandrel is coaxially arranged with the sleeve.

[0015] Preferably, in the ceramic tube blank processing apparatus according to claim 1, the number of the sealing grooves is multiple.

[0016] A method for forming a ceramic tube blank, utilizing a ceramic tube blank forming apparatus as described in any one of the above, characterized by comprising the following steps in sequence:

[0017] First: Slide the rubber tube and the sleeve onto the mandrel in sequence, and use the wedge ring to clamp the sleeve onto the mandrel;

[0018] Second: The ceramic blank raw material particles are added into the blank cavity through the inlet hole in the feed trough, and the inlet hole is sealed by inserting a sealing element into the feed trough.

[0019] Third: Place the sealed ceramic tube blank processing device into an isostatic press for pressing to form a blank.

[0020] Therefore, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: it avoids the need to open a feed hole on the hose, allowing the pressurizing medium to be pressed into a uniform wall thickness during the pressurization process, thus simplifying the manufacturing precision and processing technology of the hose. It also improves the uniformity of the product wall thickness, enabling the further pressing of thinner-walled ceramic tube blanks and improving the quality of the ceramic tube blanks. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of one structure of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a structure in this invention where any one of the fixing pieces is removed.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of one structure of the mandrel and tubing in this invention.

[0024] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Sectional view at point AA.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of one structure of the sealing element in this invention.

[0026] As shown in the picture:

[0027] Seal 1, Porous plug 1.1, Sealing sleeve 1.2,

[0028] 2. Mandrel, 2.1 Feeding section, 2.2 Sealing section, 2.3 Forming section

[0029] 3. Rubber tube, 4. Plain cavity, 5. Feed groove, 6. Feed hole, 7. Sleeve, 8. Wedge ring, 9. Sealing groove, 10. Compensating part, 11. Limiting protrusion. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0031] Example 1, as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 The ceramic tube blank forming device shown includes, from top to bottom, a sealing element 1, a mandrel 2, and a rubber tube 3 sleeved on the mandrel 2. The upper end of the rubber tube 3 is open, and the lower end of the mandrel 2 extends into the rubber tube 3, forming a blank cavity 4 between the mandrel 2 and the rubber tube 3. The upper end of the mandrel 2 is provided with a feeding groove 5, and the feeding groove 5 is provided with a feeding hole 6, which penetrates the feeding groove 5 and the blank cavity 4. The sealing element 1 is used to seal the feeding groove 5. The mandrel 2 is covered with a sleeve 7, which is fastened to the mandrel 2 by a wedge ring 8. The side wall of the sleeve 7 is provided with evenly distributed through holes, and the rubber tube 3 is located between the sleeve 7 and the mandrel 2.

[0032] The ceramic tube blank forming device described in the above embodiment places the sealed ceramic tube blank processing device into an isostatic press for pressing to form a blank. A blank cavity 4 is formed between the rubber tube 3 and the mandrel 2. Material is fed through the feed groove 5 at the upper end of the mandrel 2, avoiding the need for a feed hole 6 on the rubber tube 3. This allows the pressurized medium to produce a uniform wall thickness during the pressing process, simplifying the manufacturing precision and processing technology of the rubber tube 3. The sleeve 7 is clamped onto the mandrel 2. The sleeve 7 has uniformly distributed through holes, which function to manage the liquid medium, creating a turbulence effect and ensuring the medium is evenly pressed onto the outer surface of the rubber tube 3. This improves the uniformity of the product wall thickness, further enabling the pressing of thinner-walled ceramic tube blanks and improving the quality of the ceramic tube blanks. This solves the problem of existing ceramic tube blank forming devices using bottom feeding of the rubber tube 3, which easily leads to uneven wall thickness at the bottom of the ceramic tube during pressing, and the problem of gaps and adhesion easily forming between the rubber tube 3 and the rubber tube plug after long-term use, resulting in poor sealing of the blank cavity 4.

[0033] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, the mandrel 2 is divided into a feeding section 2.1, a sealing section 2.2, and a forming section 2.3 from top to bottom. The outer surface of the sealing section 2.2 is provided with sealing grooves 9 distributed in a circumferential direction. The upper part of the tubing 3 is tightly fitted with the sealing section 2.2 of the mandrel 2. The sealing grooves 9 prevent hydraulic medium from entering the blank cavity 4.

[0034] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, a compensating member 10 is fitted onto the lower part of the hose 3. The compensating member 10 has evenly distributed through holes on its side wall and is located between the sleeve 7 and the hose 3. The compensating member 10 supports the gap between the hose 3 and the sleeve 7, preventing the mandrel 2 from shaking. The sleeve 7 prevents interference between multiple hoses 3 within the isostatic press, prevents collisions between hoses 3, and ensures uniform pressure on the hoses 3.

[0035] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 As shown, the sealing element 1 includes a porous plug 1.1 and a sealing sleeve 1.2 fitted onto the lower end of the porous plug 1.1. The porous plug 1.1 has several through holes for penetrating the inner and outer walls of the porous plug 1.1. The porous plug 1.1 presses the sealing sleeve 1.2 tightly within the feed groove 5. The through holes on the porous plug 1.1 ensure isostatic pressure transmission, improving the sealing effect of the sealing element 1.

[0036] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, the sleeve 7 is composed of multiple circumferentially distributed fixing plates joined together, and the wedge ring 8 is clamped at both ends of the sleeve 7. This facilitates installation. The wedge ring 8, in conjunction with the fixing plates, forms a clamping structure to fix the hose 3 and the mandrel 2, preventing them from moving axially; through the tolerance fit between the wedge ring 8 and the fixing plates, it is ensured that they will not move radially.

[0037] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the outer surface of the feed section 2.1 of the mandrel 2 is provided with limiting protrusions 11 distributed in a circumferential direction. The limiting protrusions 11 are used to limit the wedge ring 8 on the mandrel 2.

[0038] Furthermore, the hose 3 is made of any one of nitrile rubber, polyurethane, PP, or PE.

[0039] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 As shown, the mandrel 2 is coaxially arranged with the tubing 3, and the mandrel 2 is coaxially arranged with the sleeve 7.

[0040] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 As shown, the ceramic tube blank processing device according to claim 1 is characterized in that the number of sealing grooves 9 is multiple.

[0041] Example 2: A method for forming a ceramic tube blank, utilizing a ceramic tube blank forming apparatus as described in any one of the above embodiments, characterized by comprising the following steps in sequence:

[0042] First: Put the rubber tube 3 and the sleeve 7 on the mandrel 2 in sequence, and use the wedge ring 8 to clamp the sleeve 7 on the mandrel 2;

[0043] Second: The ceramic blank raw material particles are added into the blank cavity 4 through the inlet hole 6 in the inlet trough 5, and the inlet hole 6 is sealed by the sealing element 1 inserted into the inlet trough 5.

[0044] Third: Place the sealed ceramic tube blank processing device into an isostatic press for pressing to form a blank.

[0045] The specific embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. All equivalent variations made in accordance with the shape and structure of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A ceramic tube blank forming device, characterized in that, The device includes, from top to bottom, a seal, a mandrel, and a tubing sleeved over the mandrel. The tubing is open at the top, and the bottom of the mandrel extends into the tubing, forming a blank cavity between the mandrel and the tubing. The mandrel has a feed groove at the top, with a feed hole inside the feed groove that penetrates both the feed groove and the blank cavity. The seal is used to seal the feed groove. A sleeve is fitted over the mandrel, and the sleeve is secured to the mandrel by a wedge ring. The sleeve has evenly distributed through holes on its sidewall, and the tubing is located between the sleeve and the mandrel. The mandrel is divided into a feeding section, a sealing section, and a forming section from top to bottom. The outer surface of the sealing section is provided with sealing grooves distributed in a circumferential direction. The upper part of the hose is tightly fitted with the sealing section of the mandrel, and the lower part of the hose is fitted with a compensation component. The side wall of the compensation component is provided with evenly distributed through holes. The sealing component includes a multi-hole plug and a sealing sleeve fitted at the lower end of the multi-hole plug. The multi-hole plug is provided with several through holes. The multi-hole plug presses the sealing sleeve tightly in the feeding groove. The sleeve is formed by multiple fixed pieces distributed in a circumferential direction.

2. The ceramic tube blank forming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The compensation component is located between the sleeve and the hose.

3. A ceramic tube blank forming device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The through hole is used to penetrate the inner and outer walls of the porous plug.

4. A ceramic tube blank forming device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The wedge rings are secured at both ends of the sleeve.

5. The ceramic tube blank forming device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer surface of the feed section of the mandrel is provided with circumferentially distributed limiting protrusions, which are used to limit the wedge ring on the mandrel.

6. A ceramic tube blank forming device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The hose is made of any one of nitrile rubber, polyurethane, PP, or PE.

7. A ceramic tube blank forming device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The mandrel is coaxially arranged with the hose, and the mandrel is coaxially arranged with the sleeve.

8. The ceramic tube blank forming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of sealing grooves is multiple.

9. A method for forming a ceramic tube blank, utilizing the ceramic tube blank forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The steps are as follows: First: Slide the rubber tube and the sleeve onto the mandrel in sequence, and use the wedge ring to clamp the sleeve onto the mandrel; Second: The ceramic blank raw material particles are added into the blank cavity through the inlet hole in the feed trough, and the inlet hole is sealed by inserting a sealing element into the feed trough. Third: Place the sealed ceramic tube blank forming device into an isostatic press for pressing to form a blank.

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