Pipe assembly and method of installing a pipe assembly

Abstract

The application provides a pipeline assembly and a pipeline assembly installation method, and relates to the technical field of pipeline systems.The pipeline assembly comprises a pipe body, a pre-opened clamp and a clamping piece;the pre-opened clamp is annular;the outer pipe body at both ends of the pipe body is respectively sleeved with the pre-opened clamp;the pre-opened clamp is provided with a supporting structure;the supporting structure is used for opening the pre-opened clamp to have a gap with the pipe body;and the clamping piece is fixed on the pipe body and is fixedly connected with the pre-opened clamp.The pipeline assembly fixes the pre-opened clamp on the pipe body at the end of the pipe body through the clamping piece, which can effectively ensure the stability of the pre-opened clamp at the end of the pipe body during the transportation of the pipeline assembly, and can not adjust the position of the pre-opened clamp during the subsequent assembly of the pipeline assembly, so that the assembly difficulty can be effectively reduced in the case of a small installation space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of piping system technology, and in particular to a piping assembly and a method for installing the piping assembly. Background Technology

[0002] With increasingly stringent environmental protection requirements, new energy vehicles will become the mainstream direction of the automotive industry. For new energy vehicles, the thermal management system is particularly important. This system not only provides a comfortable environment for drivers and passengers but also keeps the vehicle's high-voltage battery at an ideal operating temperature of 20°C to 25°C. This ensures the battery operates at its best efficiency, thereby achieving the longest possible driving range under all conditions.

[0003] The thermal management system of new energy vehicles typically includes a battery cooler, a battery pack, and a cooling pipe assembly connecting the battery cooler and the battery pack. This cooling pipe assembly works in conjunction with the battery cooler to remove heat from the battery pack. Existing cooling pipe assemblies in new energy vehicles typically include cooling pipes and two spring clamps. One end of the cooling pipe is plugged into the interface of the battery cooler, and the other end is plugged into the interface of the battery pack. In this case, both the interface of the battery cooler and the interface of the battery pack can be considered as the counterparts of the cooling pipe. To ensure the assembly stability of the cooling pipe assembly, the ends of the cooling pipes and the counterparts need to be clamped and fixed using spring clamps.

[0004] Before assembling the cooling pipe assembly between the battery cooler and the battery pack, during the transportation of the cooling pipe assembly, spring clamps are usually pre-fitted onto the cooling pipe. To prevent the spring clamps from slipping off, they need to be moved to the end of the pipe furthest from the cooling pipe. Therefore, when assembling the cooling pipe assembly between the battery cooler and the battery pack, the spring clamps must be moved to the end of the cooling pipe and clamped to secure the end of the cooling pipe and the other components before assembly can be completed. However, the space utilization in new energy vehicles is extremely efficient, resulting in limited installation space around the battery pack. This makes it difficult to move the spring clamps into position during the assembly of the cooling pipe assembly, leading to assembly difficulties.

[0005] Therefore, to prevent the spring clamps from being lost from the cooling pipes during transportation and to improve the ease of installation, an existing cooling pipe assembly uses glue to fix the spring clamps to the ends of the cooling pipes. However, glue adhesion is not strong, and the spring clamps can still easily detach from the cooling pipes. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a piping assembly and its installation method to alleviate the technical problem in the prior art where, during the transportation of cooling pipe assemblies for new energy vehicles, the spring clamps of the cooling pipe assembly are fixed to the ends of the cooling pipes with adhesive to prevent them from falling off and to improve the ease of subsequent installation. However, adhesive bonding is not strong, and the spring clamps are still prone to detaching from the cooling pipes.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a pipeline assembly, including a pipe body, a pre-opening clamp, and a clip;

[0008] The pre-opening clamp is annular, and the pre-opening clamp is respectively fitted on the outside of the tube body at both ends; the pre-opening clamp is provided with a support structure, which is used to open the pre-opening clamp and have a gap between it and the tube body;

[0009] The clamp is fixed to the pipe body and is fixedly connected to the pre-opening clamp.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the clip is annular and is fitted and fixed to the outside of the tube.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the clip includes a first half-clamp and a second half-clamp, each of the first half-clamp and the second half-clamp having a hinged side and an open side that are positioned opposite each other. The hinged side of the first half-clamp and the hinged side of the second half-clamp are hinged together, and the open side of the first half-clamp and the open side of the second half-clamp are detachably connected.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, the opening side of the first half-clamp and the opening side of the second half-clamp are interlocked by a snap-fit ​​structure.

[0013] The snap-fit ​​structure includes a snap-fit ​​protrusion and a snap-fit ​​groove. One of the snap-fit ​​protrusion and the snap-fit ​​groove is located on the opening side of the first half-clamp, and the other is located on the opening side of the second half-clamp. The snap-fit ​​protrusion snaps into the snap-fit ​​groove.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the clip and the pre-opening clamp are engaged with each other by a snap-fit ​​structure;

[0015] The buckle structure includes a buckle and a buckle hole. One of the buckle and the buckle hole is provided on the clip, and the other is provided on the pre-opening clamp. The buckle is engaged in the buckle hole.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, the clip includes a collar and a support plate, with the support plate disposed on one side of the collar along its axial direction.

[0017] The collar is fitted onto the outside of the tube, and the pre-opening clamp is fixed to the side of the support plate near the tube by the buckle structure.

[0018] In an optional embodiment, the pre-opening clamp includes a clamp body in the shape of an open ring, and the two ends of the clamp body located at its annular opening are a first end and a second end, respectively.

[0019] The support structure includes a clamping plate and a limiting protrusion. The clamping plate is located at the first end of the clamp body. The clamp body has a through hole near the second end. The limiting protrusion is located in the through hole and is spaced apart from the side of the through hole near the second end of the clamp body.

[0020] After passing through the through hole, the clamp plate extends into the interval and abuts against the side of the limiting protrusion near the second end of the clamp body, so that the pre-opening clamp opens outward along its radial direction.

[0021] In an optional embodiment, the side of the limiting protrusion facing the second end of the clamp body is provided with an anti-detachment protrusion, and the anti-detachment protrusion is connected to the limiting protrusion to form a hook, and the clamping plate abuts against the inner side of the hook.

[0022] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for installing a piping assembly, using a piping assembly as described in any of the foregoing embodiments, comprising:

[0023] S1: The pre-opening clamp is opened by utilizing the support structure on the pre-opening clamp in the pipeline assembly, and the position of the pre-opening clamp is fixed.

[0024] S2: Fix the clamp in the pipeline assembly to one side of the pre-opened clamp;

[0025] S3: Move one end of the pipe body in the pipeline assembly into the pre-opening clamp;

[0026] S4: Fix the clamp to the tube body and fix the clamp to the pre-opening clamp;

[0027] S5: Fit the end of the tube body over the hand piece;

[0028] S6: Release the support structure so that the pre-opening clamp contracts and returns to its original shape under its own elasticity, thereby clamping the tube body and the opponent.

[0029] In an optional implementation, in step S1: the pre-opening clamp is fixed in the positioning groove of the support platform of the pipeline assembly equipment;

[0030] In step S2: the clip is fixed in the positioning groove and the clip is located on the periphery of the pre-opening clamp, and the side of the clip away from the bottom of the positioning groove extends out of the positioning groove, and then the clip is fixedly connected to the pre-opening clamp.

[0031] In step S3: the pipe body is placed on the moving component of the pipe assembly equipment, and then the moving component is activated to drive one end of the pipe body through the pre-opening clamp;

[0032] In step S4: the drive component in the pipeline assembly equipment is activated, so that the output end of the drive component pushes the clamp outside the positioning groove to move in a direction close to the pipe body and the pre-opening clamp, so as to fix the clamp to the pipe body and fix the clamp to the pre-opening clamp.

[0033] The piping assembly provided by this invention includes a pipe body, pre-opening clamps, and clips. The pre-opening clamps are annular, and pre-opening clamps are respectively fitted onto the outside of the pipe body at both ends. A support structure is provided on the pre-opening clamps to allow them to open and create a gap between them and the pipe body. The clips are fixed to the pipe body and are fixedly connected to the pre-opening clamps. The piping assembly provided by this invention can be applied to the thermal management system of new energy vehicles. In this case, the piping assembly serves as a cooling piping assembly in the thermal management system, connecting the battery cooler and battery pack. Both the battery cooler and the battery pack have interfaces for insertion and connection to the end of the pipe body. In this case, the interfaces of the battery cooler and the battery pack are the matching parts of the pipe body, which need to be inserted into the end of the pipe body. During the assembly of the piping assembly between the two pairs of fittings, the piping assembly must first be transported to the fittings. During transport, because the pre-opening clamp in the piping assembly provided by this invention is fixed to the pipe body at the end of the pipe using a clamp, the stability of the pre-opening clamp at the end of the pipe body is effectively guaranteed. Compared to existing adhesive bonding methods, the clamp fixing effect is better and can effectively prevent the pre-opening clamp from loosening from the end of the pipe body. After the piping assembly is transported to its position, the pre-opening clamp remains stably located at the end of the pipe body. Furthermore, because the pre-opening clamp at the end of the pipe body in the piping assembly provided by this invention has been pre-opened by the support structure and has a gap between it and the pipe body, the pre-opening clamp will not clamp the pipe body at this time, and the two pairs of fittings can be directly inserted into the two ends of the pipe body respectively. After completing the above insertion process, to ensure the stability of the connection between the pipe body and the two opposing fittings, it is necessary to remove the support structure of the pre-opening clamp or release the support structure from its supporting state. This allows the pre-opening clamp to shrink and return to its original state under its own elastic recovery. After the pre-opening clamp returns to its original state, it will clamp the pipe body at the end of the pipe body and the opposing fitting inside the pipe body, thereby achieving clamping and fixing between the pipe body and the opposing fitting. It can be seen that after transporting the pipe assembly to the opposing fitting, during the subsequent insertion of the pipe body and the opposing fitting, and during the process of allowing the pre-opening clamp to shrink and return to its original state, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the pre-opening clamp to the end of the pipe body. For situations where the installation space is relatively small, this can effectively reduce the assembly difficulty of the pre-opening clamp, thereby effectively improving the assembly efficiency of the pipeline assembly.

[0034] Compared with the prior art, the pipeline assembly provided by the present invention fixes the pre-opening clamp to the pipe body at the end of the pipe body by means of a clamp. This not only effectively ensures the stability of the pre-opening clamp at the end of the pipe body during the transportation of the pipeline assembly, but also eliminates the need to adjust the position of the pre-opening clamp during the subsequent assembly of the pipeline assembly. In cases where the installation space is limited, this can effectively reduce the assembly difficulty.

[0035] The pipe assembly installation method provided by this invention utilizes the aforementioned pipe assembly and includes: S1: using the support structure on the pre-opening clamp in the pipe assembly to open the pre-opening clamp and fix its position; S2: fixing the clamp in the pipe assembly to one side of the pre-opening clamp; S3: moving one end of the pipe body in the pipe assembly to pass through the pre-opening clamp; S4: fixing the clamp to the pipe body and the pre-opening clamp; S5: fitting the end of the pipe body over the fitting; S6: releasing the support structure so that the pre-opening clamp contracts under its own elasticity and returns to its original shape, thereby clamping the pipe body and the fitting. The pipe assembly installation method provided by this invention, using the aforementioned pipe assembly, can also use the clamp to firmly fix the pre-opening clamp to the pipe body at the end of the pipe body, thereby effectively ensuring the positional stability of the pre-opening clamp during transportation and eliminating the need to adjust the position of the pre-opening clamp during subsequent assembly of the pipe assembly, thus reducing assembly difficulty. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pipeline assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clip and pre-opening clamp provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the support frame provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the support platform in the clamp, pre-opening clamp, and pipeline assembly equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clamp, pre-opening clamp, and pipeline assembly equipment provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0042] Icons: 1-Pipe body; 2-Pre-opening clamp; 3-Clamp; 30-Loop; 300-First half clamp; 301-Second half clamp; 31-Support plate; 4-Support structure; 40-Clamping plate; 41-Limiting protrusion; 410-Anti-detachment protrusion; 5-Snap-fit ​​structure; 50-Snap-fit ​​protrusion; 51-Clamping groove; 6-Snap-on structure; 7-Support frame; 70-Snap-fit ​​groove; 8-Support platform; 80-Positioning groove; 81-Push rod; 9-Drive assembly; 90-Moving assembly; 900-Bearing platform. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0044] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0045] The following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0046] Example:

[0047] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the pipeline assembly provided in this embodiment includes a pipe body 1, a pre-opening clamp 2, and a clamp 3; the pre-opening clamp 2 is annular, and the pre-opening clamp 2 is respectively fitted on the outside of the pipe body at both ends of the pipe body 1; the pre-opening clamp 2 is provided with a support structure 4, which is used to open the pre-opening clamp 2 and have a gap between it and the pipe body 1; the clamp 3 is fixed on the pipe body 1 and the clamp 3 is fixedly connected to the pre-opening clamp 2.

[0048] The piping assembly provided in this embodiment can be applied to the thermal management system of new energy vehicles. In this case, the piping assembly is used as a cooling piping assembly in the thermal management system to connect the battery cooler and battery pack in the thermal management system.

[0049] Both the battery cooler and the battery pack have interfaces for connecting to the end of the tube 1. At this time, the interfaces of the battery cooler and the battery pack are the counterparts of the tube 1, and the counterparts need to be inserted into the end of the tube 1.

[0050] It should be noted that, to improve the installation stability of the piping assembly between the battery cooler and the battery pack, the interfaces of the battery cooler and the battery pack can be interference-fitted to both ends of the pipe body 1. Specifically, the diameters of the battery cooler interface and the battery pack interface are both larger than the diameter at the end of the pipe body 1. For example, the outer diameter of the battery cooler interface and the outer diameter of the battery pack interface are both 17 mm, and the inner diameter at the end of the pipe body 1 is 16 mm.

[0051] During the process of assembling the pipeline assembly between the two opposing parts, the pipeline assembly needs to be transported to the opposing parts first. During the transportation process, since the pre-opening clamp 2 in the pipeline assembly provided in this embodiment is fixed to the pipe body at the end of the pipe body 1 by the clamp 3, the stability of the pre-opening clamp 2 at the end of the pipe body 1 can be effectively guaranteed. Compared with the existing glue bonding method, the clamp 3 has a better fixing effect and can effectively prevent the pre-opening clamp 2 from loosening from the end of the pipe body 1.

[0052] After the pipeline assembly is transported to the location, the pre-opening clamp 2 remains stably located at the end of the pipe body 1. Since the pre-opening clamp 2 at the end of the pipe body 1 in the pipeline assembly provided in this embodiment has been pre-opened by the support structure 4 and has a gap with the pipe body 1, the pre-opening clamp 2 will not clamp the pipe body 1 at this time, and the two pairs of clamps can be directly inserted into the two ends of the pipe body 1 respectively.

[0053] After completing the above insertion process, in order to ensure the stability of the connection between the pipe body 1 and the two pairs of fittings, it is also necessary to remove the support structure 4 of the pre-opening clamp 2 or release the support structure 4, so that the pre-opening clamp 2 can shrink back to its original state under its own elastic recovery. After the pre-opening clamp 2 returns to its original state, it will clamp the pipe body at the end of the pipe body 1 and the pair of fittings inside the end of the pipe body 1, thereby realizing the clamping and fixing between the pipe body 1 and the pair of fittings.

[0054] It should be noted that, compared to the spring clamps used in existing cooling pipe assemblies, the pre-opening clamp 2 in the pipe assembly provided in this embodiment can be in a pre-opened state, which will not hinder the insertion process between the pipe body 1 and the matching part. After the pipe body 1 and the matching part are inserted, the pre-opening clamp 2 can automatically clamp the pipe body 1 and the matching part by simply releasing the support structure 4 of the pre-opening clamp 2. This further simplifies the assembly operation of the pipe assembly and makes the pipe assembly more adaptable to situations with limited installation space.

[0055] It can be seen that after the pipe body 1 assembly is transported to the counterpart, during the subsequent insertion of the pipe body 1 and the counterpart, as well as during the process of shrinking the pre-opening clamp 2 back to its original state, it is not necessary to adjust the position of the pre-opening clamp 2 to the end of the pipe body 1. In cases where the installation space is relatively small, the assembly difficulty of the pre-opening clamp 2 can be effectively reduced, thereby effectively improving the assembly efficiency of the pipeline assembly.

[0056] Compared with the prior art, the pipeline assembly provided in this embodiment fixes the pre-opening clamp 2 to the end of the pipe body 1 by clamp 3. This not only effectively ensures the stability of the pre-opening clamp 2 at the end of the pipe body 1 during the transportation of the pipeline assembly, but also eliminates the need to adjust the position of the pre-opening clamp 2 during the subsequent assembly of the pipeline assembly. In cases where the installation space is limited, this can effectively reduce the assembly difficulty.

[0057] In practical applications, there are no restrictions on the material of the pipe body 1, and it can be selected according to the application scenario of the pipeline assembly. When the pipeline assembly is applied between the battery cooler and the battery pack of a new energy vehicle, in this embodiment, the material of the pipe body 1 is preferably a mixed material composed of rubber and aramid yarn. Furthermore, the rubber can be EPDM rubber (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Rubber, abbreviated as EPDM).

[0058] It should be noted that when the pipeline assembly is applied between the battery cooler and the battery pack of a new energy vehicle, the installation environment around the battery cooler and the battery pack is small and other parts of the vehicle are prone to interfering with the pipeline assembly. Therefore, in this embodiment, the pipe body 1 is preferably covered with a protective sleeve. The protective sleeve is used to protect and resist wear in order to extend the service life of the pipe body 1.

[0059] The sheath can be woven from materials such as nylon.

[0060] In practical applications, the clip 3 can be of any shape, as long as it can achieve a fixed connection between the clip 3 and the tube body 1 and a fixed connection between the clip 3 and the pre-opening clamp 2.

[0061] like Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the clip 3 is preferably ring-shaped, and the clip 3 is sleeved and fixed to the outside of the tube body 1.

[0062] When the clip 3 is ring-shaped and sleeved on the outside of the tube body 1, it can effectively improve the connection stability between the clip 3 and the tube body 1.

[0063] When the clamp 3 is in the shape of a ring, along the axial direction of the clamp 3, the clamp 3 can be divided into a left ring part and a right ring part. The left ring part can be fixedly connected to the tube body 1 by plastic welding or by fasteners such as screws. The right ring part is sleeved on the pre-opening clamp 2. The right ring part and the pre-opening clamp 2 can be fixedly connected by spot welding or by fasteners such as a single screw.

[0064] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the preferred clip 3 includes a first half clip 300 and a second half clip 301. Both the first half clip 300 and the second half clip 301 include a hinged side and an open side that are positioned opposite each other. The hinged side of the first half clip 300 and the hinged side of the second half clip 301 are hinged together, and the open side of the first half clip 300 and the open side of the second half clip 301 are detachably connected.

[0065] When the clip 3 consists of a first half-clamp 300 and a second half-clamp 301, connecting the open side of the first half-clamp 300 and the open side of the second half-clamp 301 allows the clip 3 to close. At this point, by adjusting the size of the clip 3, the inner wall of the clip 3 can fit tightly against the outer wall of the tube body 1, thus achieving a fixed connection between the clip 3 and the tube body 1. When the open side of the first half-clamp 300 and the open side of the second half-clamp 301 are separated, the clip 3 can be opened, allowing it to separate from the tube body 1 for easy replacement or adjustment of its position.

[0066] It can be seen that when the clip 3 is composed of the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301, it can improve the ease of installation and removal of the clip 3 on the pipe body 1, thereby effectively improving the flexibility of the pipeline assembly.

[0067] The hinge between the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 can be achieved by installing a pivot between the hinge side of the first half-clamp 300 and the hinge side of the second half-clamp 301, or by fixing the hinge side of the first half-clamp 300 and the hinge side of the second half-clamp 301 together and then opening a bending groove at the junction of the hinge side of the first half-clamp 300 and the hinge side of the second half-clamp 301. The bending groove is used to reduce the thickness of the clamp 3 and to form a clearance space on the clamp 3 so that the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 can rotate in a direction that brings them closer to each other. At this time, the direction of the opening of the bending groove determines the direction in which the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 can rotate.

[0068] Furthermore, the detachable connection between the open side of the first half-clamp 300 and the open side of the second half-clamp 301 can be achieved by fasteners such as screws, or by snap-fit.

[0069] To improve the ease of use of the clip 3, in this embodiment, the opening side of the first half clip 300 and the opening side of the second half clip 301 are preferably connected to each other by a snap-fit ​​structure 5. The snap-fit ​​structure 5 includes a snap-fit ​​protrusion 50 and a snap-fit ​​groove 51. One of the snap-fit ​​protrusion 50 and the snap-fit ​​groove 51 is located on the opening side of the first half clip 300, and the other is located on the opening side of the second half clip 301. The snap-fit ​​protrusion 50 is snapped into the snap-fit ​​groove 51.

[0070] The slot opening of the slot 51 can be perpendicular to the rotation direction of the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301. When the snap-fit ​​protrusion 50 is snapped into the slot 51, the inner wall of the slot 51 and the snap-fit ​​protrusion 50 will abut against each other along the rotation direction of the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301, thereby effectively restricting the separation of the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301.

[0071] Alternatively, the opening of the slot 51 can face the same direction as the rotation direction of the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301. In this case, to ensure that the slot 51 and the engaging protrusion 50 can prevent the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 from separating from each other, a recessed portion needs to be provided on the inner sidewall of the slot 51, and a protrusion is provided on the engaging protrusion 50 at a position corresponding to the recessed portion. When the engaging protrusion 50 is engaged in the slot 51, the protrusion extends into the recessed portion and abuts against the inner wall of the recessed portion along the rotation direction of the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301. At this time, with the cooperation of the protrusion and the recessed portion, the engaging protrusion 50 can be effectively prevented from exiting the slot 51, thus preventing the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 from separating from each other.

[0072] In practical applications, the fixed connection between the clip 3 and the pre-opening clamp 2 can be achieved by welding or fasteners such as screws.

[0073] To improve the ease of installation and removal between the clip 3 and the pre-opening clamp 2, this embodiment preferably uses a snap-fit ​​structure 6 to engage with each other. The snap-fit ​​structure 6 includes a snap-fit ​​and a snap-fit ​​hole, one of which is located on the clip 3 and the other is located on the pre-opening clamp 2. The snap-fit ​​is engaged in the snap-fit ​​hole.

[0074] In this embodiment, as Figure 2 As shown, the buckle is located on the clip 3, and the buckle hole is located on the pre-opening clamp 2.

[0075] The position where the clamp 3 is connected to the pre-opening clamp 2 can be attached to the side of the pre-opening clamp 2 facing away from the pipe body 1. At this time, since the clamp 3 is fixedly connected to the pipe body 1, the clamp 3 can cooperate with the pipe body 1 to effectively restrict the pre-opening clamp 2 from moving radially along the pipe body 1.

[0076] When the buckle is engaged in the hole, the buckle and the inner wall of the hole can not only abut against each other along the circumference of the pre-opening clamp 2, but also abut against each other along the axial direction of the pre-opening clamp 2, thereby effectively restricting the pre-opening clamp 2 from rotating on the pipe body 1 or moving relative to the pipe body 1 along the axial direction of the pre-opening clamp 2.

[0077] It can be seen that the clamp 3, the tube body 1 and the above-mentioned buckle structure 6 work together to effectively limit the position of the pre-opening clamp 2 on the tube body 1, thereby effectively ensuring the positional stability of the pre-opening clamp 2.

[0078] It should be noted that when the open sides of the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 are interlocked by the snap-fit ​​structure 5, the clamp 3 can be closed by simultaneously pushing the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 to rotate them in a direction that brings them closer together. After the clamp 3 is closed, it can hold the pipe body 1 tightly and thus be firmly fixed to the pipe body 1. In addition, if the pre-opening clamp 2 is located inside the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 before the clamp 3 is closed, then after the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 rotate in a direction that brings them closer together, not only can the clamp 3 be closed, but the clamp 3 can also move closer to the pre-opening clamp 2 until the buckle and the hole between the clamp 3 and the pre-opening clamp 2 are engaged. Thus, the clamp 3 and the pre-opening clamp 2 can be engaged and fixed simultaneously during the closing of the clamp 3, effectively improving the ease of assembly of the pipeline assembly.

[0079] like Figure 2 As shown, the clamp 3 includes a collar 30 and a support plate 31. Along the axial direction of the collar 30, the support plate 31 is located on one side of the collar 30. The collar 30 is sleeved on the outside of the pipe body 1, and the pre-opening clamp 2 is fixed to the side of the support plate 31 near the pipe body 1 by the snap-fit ​​structure 6.

[0080] The collar 30 is used to fix the clamp 3 to the pipe body 1, which can effectively ensure the installation stability of the clamp 3 on the pipe body 1. The support plate 31 is used to fix the clamp 3 to the pre-opening clamp 2, and can cooperate with the buckle structure 6 and the pipe body 1 to stably fix the pre-opening clamp 2 to the pipe body at the end of the pipe body 1.

[0081] When the clip 3 includes a first half clip 300 and a second half clip 301, the collar 30 can be formed by combining the first half clip 300 and the second half clip 301.

[0082] In the pipeline assembly provided in this embodiment, the pipe body 1 is typically a circular pipe, and correspondingly, the collar 30 is cylindrical. In this case, both the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 are curved panels. To effectively improve the support stability of the support plate 31 on the pre-opening clamp 2, the support plate 31 can be a curved panel so that the support plate 31 can better fit against the side of the pre-opening clamp 2 facing away from the pipe body 1.

[0083] In practical applications, the pre-tensioned clamp 2 can adopt a closed ring structure. In this case, the support structure 4 can adopt a pull rope. The pull rope is used to stretch the pre-tensioned clamp 2 outward so that the pre-tensioned clamp 2 opens outward.

[0084] To simplify the structure of the pre-tensioned clamp 2 and improve its ease of use, such as Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the pre-opening clamp 2 preferably includes a clamp body in the shape of an open ring, and the two ends of the clamp body located at its annular opening are the first end and the second end, respectively; the support structure 4 includes a clamping plate 40 and a limiting protrusion 41. The clamping plate 40 is disposed at the first end of the clamp body, and a through hole is provided at the position of the clamp body near the second end. The limiting protrusion 41 is disposed in the through hole and is spaced apart from the side of the through hole near the second end of the clamp body; after the clamping plate 40 passes through the through hole, it extends into the gap and abuts against the side of the limiting protrusion 41 near the second end of the clamp body, so that the pre-opening clamp 2 opens outward along its radial direction.

[0085] The pre-opening clamp 2 provided in this embodiment maintains the open state by abutting the clamp plate 40 against the side of the limiting protrusion 41 near the second end of the clamp body, using the abutting force between the clamp plate 40 and the abutting protrusion. This allows the inner diameter of the pre-opening clamp 2 to be larger than the inner diameter of the pipe body 1. At this time, the pre-opening clamp 2 can be fitted outside the pipe body 1 without clamping the pipe body 1.

[0086] The pre-opening clamp 2 is used to keep the tube body 1 in an open state when it is not connected to the counterpart. When the tube body 1 is connected to the counterpart, a pushing force can be applied to the clamping plate 40 at the first end of the pre-opening clamp 2, so that the clamping plate 40 is squeezed past the limiting protrusion 41 and located on the side opposite to the second end of the clamp body of the limiting protrusion 41. At this time, the pre-opening clamp 2 will shrink back to its original state under its own elastic recovery, thereby applying radial extrusion force to the tube body 1 and clamping the tube body 1 to the counterpart.

[0087] The material of the pre-tensioning clamp 2 should be a material with good elasticity. In this embodiment, the pre-tensioning clamp 2 is preferably made of metal or alloy material, such as steel.

[0088] To improve the stability of the gap between the clamping plate 40 and the limiting protrusion 41 and the through hole, and to facilitate pushing the clamping plate 40 through the limiting protrusion 41, such as Figure 2As shown, the clamping plate 40 is set at an angle to the circumferential sidewall of the clamp body. At this time, the clamping plate 40 can be formed by an extension portion that extends radially outward from the first end of the clamp body.

[0089] Furthermore, the second end of the clamp body may also be provided with an extension that extends radially outward along the clamp body. This extension is used to form a limiting plate. This limiting plate can not only improve the structural strength at the second end of the clamp body, but also provide a fulcrum for pushing the clamp plate 40 when the clamp plate 40 is squeezed through the limiting protrusion 41, thereby effectively improving the ease of use of the clamp body.

[0090] In this embodiment, an anti-detachment protrusion 410 is provided on the side of the second end of the limiting protrusion 41 facing the clamp body, and the anti-detachment protrusion 410 is connected with the limiting protrusion 41 to form a hook, and the clamping plate 40 abuts against the inner side of the hook.

[0091] The anti-detachment protrusion 410 can further limit the clamping plate 40, effectively preventing the clamping plate 40 from automatically detaching from the gap between the limiting protrusion 41 and the through hole, so that the clamping body can automatically return to its original state.

[0092] like Figure 3 As shown, the pipeline assembly provided in this embodiment also includes a support frame 7, which is fixed to an external support object, and the pipe body 1 is fixed to the support frame 7.

[0093] The aforementioned external support can be a sheet metal plate inside the battery pack housing. This sheet metal plate may have mounting holes, and the support frame 7 is fixed in the mounting holes by means of snap-fit ​​or screw connection. In this case, the position of the support frame 7 can be fixed by the battery pack, which can effectively prevent the support frame 7 from falling off the battery pack due to vibration, and thus effectively prevent the tube 1 from shaking randomly due to vibration.

[0094] There are various ways to connect the support frame 7 and the tube body 1, such as snap-fit, screw connection or welding. In this embodiment, the support frame 7 is preferably provided with an upward-facing snap-fit ​​groove 70, and the tube body 1 is snapped into the snap-fit ​​groove 70 of the support frame 7.

[0095] To further improve the stability of the pipe body 1, there can be multiple support frames 7, which are distributed at intervals along the layout direction of the pipe body 1, and each support frame 7 is fixedly connected to the pipe body 1.

[0096] In practical applications, there are no restrictions on the material of the support frame 7, and multiple options are possible. To ensure that the support frame 7 has sufficient strength and will not scratch other components such as the tube body 1, this embodiment preferably uses nylon as the material for the support frame 7.

[0097] Furthermore, when the support frame 7 is provided with a snap-fit ​​groove, an adhesive layer can be attached to the inner wall of the snap-fit ​​groove. The adhesive layer can not only increase the friction between the support frame 7 and the tube body 1 to improve the stability of the tube body 1 in the snap-fit ​​groove, but also further prevent the support frame 7 from scratching the tube body 1.

[0098] The adhesive layer can be made of rubber, silicone, or other adhesive materials.

[0099] This embodiment also provides a method for installing a pipe assembly, which uses the above-mentioned pipe assembly and includes:

[0100] Step S1: Use the support structure 4 on the pre-opening clamp 2 in the pipeline assembly to open the pre-opening clamp 2 and fix the position of the pre-opening clamp 2;

[0101] Step S2: Fix the clamp 3 in the pipeline assembly to one side of the pre-opened clamp 2;

[0102] Step S3: Move one end of the pipe body 1 in the pipeline assembly into the pre-opened clamp 2;

[0103] Step S4: Fix the clamp 3 to the tube body 1 and fix the clamp 3 to the pre-opening clamp 2;

[0104] Step S5: Fit the end of tube 1 onto the outside of the hand piece;

[0105] Step S6: Release the support structure 4 so that the pre-opening clamp 2 contracts and returns to its original shape under its own elasticity, thereby clamping the tube body 1 and the hand fitting.

[0106] In this process, steps S1-S4 are used to assemble the aforementioned piping assembly, and steps S5-S6 are used to connect and fix the aforementioned piping assembly to the matching parts. When the piping assembly assembled and applied by this piping assembly installation method is used in the thermal management system of a new energy vehicle to connect the battery cooler and the battery pack in the thermal management system, both the interface of the battery cooler and the interface of the battery pack are matching parts, and these two matching parts are respectively inserted into and connected to the two ends of the pipe body 1.

[0107] The pipeline assembly installation method provided in this embodiment applies the above-mentioned pipeline assembly. Similarly, the pre-opening clamp 2 can be firmly fixed to the pipe body at the end of the pipe body 1 using the clamp 3, thereby effectively ensuring the positional stability of the pre-opening clamp 2 during transportation, and reducing the difficulty of assembly by not needing to adjust the position of the pre-opening clamp 2 during the subsequent assembly of the pipeline assembly.

[0108] Furthermore, in the pipe assembly installation method provided in this embodiment, the clamp 3 in the pipe assembly is preferably composed of a first half-clamp 300 and a second half-clamp 301, and the open side of the first half-clamp 300 and the open side of the second half-clamp 301 are interlocked by a snap-fit ​​structure 5. Also, the clamp 3 and the pre-opening clamp 2 are preferably interlocked by a snap-fit ​​structure 6. Based on this, when assembling the pipe assembly in steps S1-S4, a pushing method can be used to rotate the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 in a direction that brings them closer together, thereby closing the clamp 3 to fix it to the pipe fitting. Simultaneously, the snap-fit ​​fixation between the clamp 3 and the pre-opening clamp 2 can be achieved. For the specific closing process and the specific snap-fit ​​fixation process between the clamp 3 and the pre-opening clamp 2, please refer to the foregoing content, which will not be repeated here.

[0109] In practical applications, the process of pushing the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 to make them rotate in a direction that brings them closer to each other can be achieved by a combination of manual and manual clamping.

[0110] To improve the assembly efficiency of piping components, this embodiment preferably uses piping component assembly equipment to assemble the piping components. For example... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the pipeline assembly equipment includes a support platform 8 and a positioning groove 80 provided on the support platform 8. One or both sides of the support platform 8 are also provided with a drive assembly 9 for pushing the first half clamp 300 and the second half clamp 301 of the clamp 3.

[0111] The positioning groove 80 may be provided with a protruding post, which is used to support the pre-opening clamp 2. The space between the protruding post and the inner peripheral wall of the positioning groove 80 is used to accommodate and support the first half clamp 300 and the second half clamp 301 of the clamp 3.

[0112] Specifically, in step S1: the pre-opening clamp 2 can be fixed in the positioning groove 80 of the support platform 8 of the pipeline assembly equipment;

[0113] In step S2: the clip 3 is fixed in the positioning groove 80 and the clip 3 is located on the periphery of the pre-opened clamp 2, and the side of the clip 3 away from the bottom of the positioning groove 80 extends out of the positioning groove 80.

[0114] In step S3: the pipe body 1 is placed on the moving component 90 of the pipe assembly equipment, and then the moving component 90 is activated to drive one end of the pipe body 1 to pass through the pre-opening clamp 2 and so that the pipe body 1 is located on one side of the clamp 3.

[0115] In step S4: the drive component 9 in the pipeline assembly equipment is activated, so that the output end of the drive component 9 pushes the clamp 3 outside the positioning groove 80 to move in the direction close to the pipe body 1 and the pre-opening clamp 2, so as to fix the clamp 3 to the pipe body 1 and fix the clamp 3 to the pre-opening clamp 2.

[0116] The depth of the positioning groove 80 can be less than the axial width of the clip 3. Therefore, after the clip 3 is placed in the positioning groove 80 in step S2, the side of the clip 3 furthest from the bottom of the positioning groove 80 will extend outside the positioning groove 80. This portion of the clip 3 extending outside the positioning groove 80 allows the output end of the drive component 9 in step S4 to contact the clip 3, enabling the clip 3 to be pushed by the drive component 9.

[0117] It should be noted that the moving component 90 in step S3 can be an electric guide rail device. The output end of the electric guide rail device can be equipped with a support platform 900. The top of the support platform 900 is provided with a groove corresponding to the shape of the tube body 1. This groove is used to accommodate the tube body 1 and limit its position, so that after the electric guide rail device moves the support platform 900 to one side of the positioning groove 80 of the support platform 8, one end of the tube body 1 can be inserted into the interior of the pre-opening clamp 2.

[0118] In step S4, the drive assembly 9 can be a telescopic drive device such as a cylinder or hydraulic cylinder. The process of pushing the first half-clamp 300 and the second half-clamp 301 of the clamp 3 to rotate in the direction of approaching each other can be realized by the extension of the telescopic drive device.

[0119] Furthermore, to improve the smoothness of the clamp 3 closing process, in this embodiment, the support platform 8 is preferably provided with an arc-shaped sliding groove extending circumferentially along the clamp 3. A push rod 81 is slidably connected in the sliding groove, and the body of the push rod 81 abuts against the outer wall of the clamp 3. The pipeline assembly equipment may also include a sliding drive device formed by a cylinder or electric push rod 81, etc. The output end of the sliding drive device is connected to the push rod 81 and is used to drive the push rod 81 to slide in the sliding groove.

[0120] Before using the drive assembly 9 to push the clip 3, the sliding drive device can be activated first, so that the push rod 81 slides in the groove. Since the groove extends circumferentially along the clip 3 and the rod of the push rod 81 abuts against the outer wall of the clip 3, the first half clip 300 and the second half clip 301 of the clip 3 can be pre-rotated at a certain angle in the direction of mutual approach by using the friction between the push rod 81 and the clip 3 during the sliding process of the push rod 81 in the groove. Then, the drive assembly 9 is activated again. At this time, the first half clip 300 and the second half clip 301 can be horizontally pushed by the drive assembly 9 to make the first half clip 300 and the second half clip 301 continue to rotate in the direction of mutual approach until the clip 3 is completely closed.

[0121] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A plumbing assembly, comprising: The utility model relates to a pipe fixing device, which comprises a pipe body (1), a pre-opened clamp (2) and a clamping piece (3). The pre-opened clamp (2) is annular, and the pipe body (1) is provided with the pre-opened clamp (2) at both ends of the pipe body (1); the pre-opened clamp (2) is provided with a supporting structure (4), and the supporting structure (4) is used for opening the pre-opened clamp (2) to have a gap with the pipe body (1); The clamping piece (3) is fixed to the pipe body (1), and the clamping piece (3) is fixedly connected with the pre-opened clamp (2); The clamping piece (3) and the pre-opened clamp (2) are clamped with each other through a buckle structure (6); The buckle structure (6) comprises a buckle and a clamping hole, one of the buckle and the clamping hole is arranged on the clamping piece (3), and the other is arranged on the pre-opened clamp (2); and the buckle is clamped in the clamping hole. The clamping piece (3) comprises a sleeve ring (30) and a supporting plate (31), and the supporting plate (31) is arranged on one side of the sleeve ring (30) along the axial direction of the sleeve ring (30); The sleeve ring (30) is arranged on the outside of the pipe body (1), and the pre-opened clamp (2) is fixed to the side of the supporting plate (31) close to the pipe body (1) through the buckle structure (6); The pipe body (1) is covered with a sheath.

2. The plumbing assembly of claim 1, wherein, The clamping piece (3) is annular, and the clamping piece (3) is arranged on and fixed to the outside of the pipe body (1).

3. The plumbing assembly of claim 2, wherein, The clamping piece (3) comprises a first half clamping piece (300) and a second half clamping piece (301), and the first half clamping piece (300) and the second half clamping piece (301) each comprise a hinge side and an opening side opposite to each other; the hinge side of the first half clamping piece (300) is hinged to the hinge side of the second half clamping piece (301), and the opening side of the first half clamping piece (300) is detachably connected to the opening side of the second half clamping piece (301).

4. The plumbing assembly of claim 3, wherein, The opening side of the first half clamping piece (300) and the opening side of the second half clamping piece (301) are clamped with each other through a clamping structure (5); The clamping structure (5) comprises a clamping protrusion (50) and a clamping groove (51), one of the clamping protrusion (50) and the clamping groove (51) is arranged on the opening side of the first half clamping piece (300), and the other is arranged on the opening side of the second half clamping piece (301); and the clamping protrusion (50) is clamped in the clamping groove (51).

5. The plumbing assembly of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The pre-opened clamp (2) comprises a clamp body in the form of an open ring, and the two ends of the clamp body at the annular opening thereof are respectively a first end and a second end; The supporting structure (4) comprises a clamping plate (40) and a limiting protrusion (41), the clamping plate (40) is arranged at the first end of the clamp body, the clamp body is provided with a through hole at a position close to the second end, and the limiting protrusion (41) is arranged in the through hole and has a gap with the side of the through hole close to the second end of the clamp body; After the clamping plate (40) passes through the through hole, the clamping plate (40) extends into the gap and abuts against one side of the limiting protrusion (41) close to the second end of the clamp body, so that the pre-opened clamp (2) is opened outward along the radial direction thereof.

6. The plumbing assembly of claim 5, wherein, The side of the limiting protrusion (41) facing the second end of the hoop body is provided with an anti-falling protrusion (410), and the anti-falling protrusion (410) and the limiting protrusion (41) are connected to form a hook, and the clamping plate (40) abuts the inner side of the hook.

7. A method of installing a pipe assembly using a pipe assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that, Comprise: S1: using the support structure (4) on the pre-opened hoop (2) in the pipeline assembly to make the pre-opened hoop (2) open, and fixing the position of the pre-opened hoop (2); S2: fixing the clamping piece (3) in the pipeline assembly to one side of the pre-opened hoop (2); S3: moving one end of the pipe body (1) in the pipeline assembly to be arranged in the pre-opened hoop (2); S4: fixedly connecting the clamping piece (3) and the pipe body (1) and fixedly connecting the clamping piece (3) and the pre-opened hoop (2); S5: the end of the pipe body (1) is sleeved on the opposite hand piece; S6: release the support structure (4) to make the pre-opened hoop (2) shrink and recover to the original shape under the action of its own elasticity, so as to clamp the pipe body (1) and the opposite hand piece.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, In step S1: the pre-opened hoop (2) is fixed in the positioning groove (80) of the support table (8) of the pipeline assembly assembling device; In step S2: the clamping piece (3) is fixed in the positioning groove (80) and located on the side of the pre-opened hoop (2), and the side of the clamping piece (3) away from the groove bottom of the positioning groove (80) is extended out of the positioning groove (80), then the clamping piece (3) is fixedly connected with the pre-opened hoop (2); In step S3: the pipe body (1) is placed on the moving assembly (90) of the pipeline assembly assembling device, and then the moving assembly (90) is started to drive one end of the pipe body (1) to be arranged in the pre-opened hoop (2); In step S4: the driving assembly (9) in the pipeline assembly assembling device is started, the output end of the driving assembly (9) pushes the clamping piece (3) outside the positioning groove (80) to move along the direction close to the pipe body (1) and the pre-opened hoop (2), so as to fixedly connect the clamping piece (3) and the pipe body (1) and fixedly connect the clamping piece (3) and the pre-opened hoop (2).

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