A side thrust device with flexible adjustable boost force for tube free bending forming

Abstract

The application discloses a pipe free bending forming side pushing device with flexible adjustable boosting force. The device comprises a fixed shell, a position adjusting module and axial boosting modules. The position adjusting module is installed in the fixed shell and can move relative to the fixed shell in the circumferential direction. The axial boosting modules are uniformly distributed on the position adjusting module in the circumferential direction. The radial position adjusting mechanism of the position adjusting module can adjust the radial position of the axial boosting modules and the pressing degree of the pipe blank. Each axial boosting module has a single rotary motor to control the rotation of the rubber wheel. The independent power source can adjust the boosting speed and direction of different axial boosting modules as required. The circumferential movement degree of the position adjusting module can change the position of the boosting force to adapt to the changing bending plane of the pipe blank in the free bending forming process, so that the boosting force always acts on the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the pipe blank, thereby reducing the cross-section distortion of the three-dimensional bent pipe and improving the bending forming quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of free bending and forming of metal pipes, and specifically relates to a side-push device for free bending and forming of pipe fittings with flexible and adjustable boosting force. Background Technology

[0002] Metal three-dimensional bent tubes are widely used in high-end manufacturing products such as aerospace engines, nuclear reactors, and medical endoscopes due to their unique structure and excellent performance. The free bending forming method has high processing flexibility and customizability, making it very suitable for processing three-dimensional bent tubes with complex shapes. However, during the free bending forming process of the tube, many cross-sectional defects will inevitably occur. These defects include wall thinning on the convex side of the cross-section due to tensile stress, wall thickening on the concave side of the cross-section due to compressive stress, and overall profile collapse of the cross-section.

[0003] In the field of traditional planar bending forming of pipe fittings, the boosting force generated by the side-push device can effectively alleviate the uneven stress distribution on the cross-section during the bending process of the pipe fitting and reduce cross-sectional defects. However, in the field of free bending, existing free bending equipment often only places a tail-end boosting mechanism at the end of the pipe fitting to provide the power for the pipe fitting to move forward. The side-push device with variable boosting force has not been studied in depth.

[0004] Due to the complexity of the free bending forming process, its side-pushing device needs to meet the following requirements: First, during processing, the translational movement of the spherical bearing causes the contact position between the bending die and the pipe to change in the circumferential direction, which in turn causes the positions of the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side to change during the forming process. Generally, the outermost convex side requires the greatest axial pressure, and the innermost concave side requires the greatest axial tension. The magnitude of axial pressure and tension decreases radially inward. Therefore, the side-pushing device for free bending forming needs to be able to adjust the magnitude, direction, and position of the pushing force to ensure that the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the pipe bending are always acted upon by the pushing force to maximize the pushing effect. Second, the pushing speed also has a significant impact on the pushing effect, and the side-pushing device also needs to be able to flexibly adjust the pushing speed. To further improve the free bending forming quality of three-dimensional pipe bending, a side-pushing device that can easily adjust the pushing effect is now needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problems in the background art, the present invention provides a side-push device for free bending and forming of pipe fittings with flexible and adjustable boosting force. The device can freely adjust the magnitude, direction, boosting speed, and circumferential action position of the boosting force, thereby further improving the forming quality of three-dimensional bent pipes.

[0006] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows:

[0007] I. A side-push device for freely bending and forming pipe fittings with flexible and adjustable thrust.

[0008] It includes a fixed outer shell, a position adjustment module, and multiple axial booster modules evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the tube blank. The position adjustment module adjusts the magnitude and position of the booster force by changing the degree of compression of the tube blank in the radial direction and the position in the circumferential direction of each axial booster module. The rubber wheels of the axial booster modules are in direct contact with the tube blank. The rubber sleeves of the rubber wheels are made of polyurethane material with good elasticity. The contact compression between the rubber wheels and the tube blank can change the original shape of the rubber sleeves of the rubber wheels, changing the contact between the two from point contact to line contact. This improves the contact conditions and enables adaptive clamping of tube blanks with different outer diameters. Each axial booster module has an independent rotary motor that drives all the rubber wheels on the module to rotate simultaneously, so as to facilitate the adjustment of the booster speed and booster direction of the axial booster modules at different positions as needed.

[0009] The position adjustment module includes a main support base and multiple radial position adjustment mechanisms. Each radial position adjustment mechanism controls the radial position of an axial booster module. Each radial position adjustment mechanism consists of an active component and a driven component respectively located at the front and rear ends of the main support base. Multiple slide rail placement plates are installed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction at the front end of the main support base, and a limit plate is installed between two adjacent slide rail placement plates. An external gear ring is installed at the rear end of the main support base through multiple circumferentially arranged limit plates, and multiple slide rail placement plates are installed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the external gear ring.

[0010] The active component includes a slide rail, a slider, a rack, a radial gear, and a radial gear motor fixed to the motor mounting plate. Each slide rail placement plate at the front end of the main support base has a slide rail and a motor mounting plate fixed to it. The rack is mounted on the slide rail via the slider, and angle iron No. 1 is fixed to the rack. The output shaft of the radial gear motor mounted on the motor mounting plate is connected to a radial gear, which meshes with the rack. The radial gear motor drives the radial gear to rotate, thereby causing the rack to slide radially. The cooperation between the slide rail and the slider ensures that the rack has only one degree of freedom in the radial direction. The driven component includes a slide rail and a slider. Each slide rail placement plate at the rear end of the main support base has a slide rail fixed to it, and angle iron No. 2, which slides radially along the slide rail, is mounted on the slide rail via the slider.

[0011] The No. 1 and No. 2 angle irons are L-shaped structures with through holes on their two right-angled sides for positioning and installation. One end of the No. 1 and No. 2 angle irons is installed on the rack and slider of the active component and the driven component, respectively, and the other end is connected to the two ends of the rubber wheel support of the corresponding axial booster module to control the movement of the axial booster module in the radial direction.

[0012] The inner and outer surfaces of the main support base are both regular n-gonal structures, with rounded and chamfered corners at the edges. n represents the number of axial thrust modules. Each chamfer on the outer surface of the main support base has multiple ear-shaped mounting seats evenly spaced axially for mounting bolts. Rolling bearings are mounted on the ear-shaped mounting seats via bolts. Thrust bearings I, used for axial positioning of the rolling bearings, are symmetrically mounted on both sides of the rolling bearings. A position adjustment module, located inside the fixed housing, contacts the inner cylindrical surface of the fixed housing via the outer cylindrical surface of the rolling bearing, allowing circumferential relative rotation between the position adjustment module and the fixed housing. The rolling bearings rotate around the bolts, which are arranged axially along the main support base.

[0013] The rear end of the fixed housing is equipped with a circumferential gear via a circumferential gear motor. The circumferential gear with the same module meshes with the external gear ring. The circumferential gear motor controls the rotation of the circumferential gear to adjust the overall circumferential position of the position adjustment module and each axial booster module installed on the position adjustment module.

[0014] Limiting balls are provided between the limiting plates at the front and rear ends of the main support base and the fixed shell. The limiting balls are installed in the spherical grooves of the limiting plates through spherical mating. The limiting balls can rotate freely in the spherical grooves. The limiting balls are in direct contact with the fixed shell to limit the axial degree of freedom of the position adjustment module.

[0015] Each axial booster module includes a rubber wheel support base, multiple rubber wheels, a V-belt, a rubber wheel shaft, and a rotary motor. The multiple rubber wheels are arranged at equal intervals along the axial direction within the rubber wheel support base. One rubber wheel at one end is connected to the rotary motor and then mounted on the rubber wheel support base, while the remaining rubber wheels are mounted on the rubber wheel support base via the rubber wheel shaft. The multiple rubber wheels are connected by a V-belt. The rotary motor drives the rubber wheel at one end to rotate while simultaneously driving the remaining rubber wheels to rotate via the V-belt. The rubber wheels rotate around the rubber wheel shaft, which is perpendicular to the rubber wheel support base. A thrust bearing II is installed between the rubber wheels and the rubber wheel support base to prevent damage to parts due to friction. Symmetrical snap ring slots are provided on the rubber wheel shaft; axial positioning of the rubber wheel shaft is achieved by mounting snap rings into these slots.

[0016] The rubber wheel consists of a wheel body and a polyurethane-coated sleeve. The polyurethane-coated sleeve is fitted onto the smooth cylindrical surfaces on both sides of the wheel body. The polyurethane-coated sleeve has a V-shaped cross-section for contact with the tube blank. The polyurethane-coated sleeve has good elasticity, and through contact compression deformation with the tube blank, the point contact between the polyurethane-coated sleeve and the tube blank is improved to a line contact. A toothed structure that mates with the V-shaped belt toothed structure is provided in the middle of the wheel body, and the rotation of one rubber wheel drives the rotation of all rubber wheels through the V-shaped belt.

[0017] II. Working method of the above-mentioned flexible and adjustable thrust side-push device for free bending and forming of pipe fittings

[0018] Includes the following steps:

[0019] Step 1: Place the tube blank in the center of the position adjustment module, and control the radial position of each axial booster module through the radial gear motor so that the rubber wheel contacts and presses the tube blank; then, by fine-tuning the pressing force between the different axial booster modules and the tube blank, the pressing force of the axial booster modules located on the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the bend is the largest, and the pressing force of the other axial booster modules distributed radially inward is the second largest. That is, the farther the other axial booster modules are from the outermost convex side or the innermost concave side of the bend, the smaller the pressing force.

[0020] Step 2: During the tube blank bending process, by controlling the rotation direction of the axial push module rotary motor, the rotation direction of the rubber wheel located on the outer convex side of the tube blank bend is the same as that of the rubber wheel located on the inner concave side of the tube blank bend, thereby providing axial pressure to the outer convex side of the tube blank bending section and axial tension to the inner concave side.

[0021] The rotational speed of the rotary motors on different axial booster modules can be adjusted as needed to achieve the adjustment of the booster speed at different positions;

[0022] During the tube blank bending process, when the positions of the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the bend change, the rotation of the circumferential gear is controlled to drive the rotation of the outer gear ring, thereby changing the overall circumferential position of the axial booster module, ensuring that there are always two axial booster modules located on the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the tube blank to provide the required boosting force.

[0023] Step 3: After processing, control the radial gear motor to rotate so that the axial push module no longer contacts the tube blank, and take out the formed bent tube from the front end of the bending die.

[0024] In the working method of this invention, the polyurethane-coated rubber wheel with good elastic properties can realize the adaptive clamping of tube blanks with different outer diameters by the entire device; the adjustment of the radial position clamping degree and circumferential position of the axial push module can change the magnitude and position of the push force; the adjustment of the rotation direction and speed of the rotary motor can change the direction and speed of the push force; the push force generated by this side push device can be flexibly adjusted with multiple degrees of freedom to adapt to the complex processing of free bending forming equipment, and can also play a role in clamping and limiting while improving the bending forming quality of the tube.

[0025] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0026] (1) The present invention adjusts the magnitude of the boosting force at different positions in the circumferential direction by adjusting the pressing degree of each axial boosting module on the outer surface of the tube blank. The control of the boosting direction in the axial boosting module can provide axial pressure on the convex side surface of the tube bending and axial tension on the concave side surface. This boosting effect can effectively suppress the uneven stress distribution on the cross section of the tube, thereby reducing forming defects and improving forming quality.

[0027] (2) The present invention adjusts the overall position of each axial booster module in the circumferential direction by using a circumferential gear motor. This ensures that during the free bending and forming process of the pipe, the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the pipe always have a pair of booster forces in opposite directions, thereby maximizing the booster effect.

[0028] (3) The rubber wheel of the present invention is equipped with a polyurethane sleeve with good elastic properties. The contact extrusion between the rubber wheel and the tube blank can change the shape of the polyurethane sleeve, thereby improving the contact between the rubber wheel and the tube blank to a line contact. This rubber wheel can realize adaptive clamping of tube blanks with different outer diameters, avoiding the complicated mold changing operation required when processing tube blanks with different outer diameters, and improving processing efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall invention.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall position adjustment module.

[0031] Figure 3 The images show the front view and axonometric view of the main support base.

[0032] Figure 4 This is a side view of the position adjustment module and an exploded view of the driving and driven components of the radial position adjustment mechanism.

[0033] Figure 5 These are the front and side views of the fixed casing.

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the axial booster module.

[0035] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of one of the booster units in the axial booster module.

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the rubber wheel.

[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the free bending forming equipment and the overall invention.

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of the present invention during operation.

[0039] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the state when the rubber roller and the tube blank are in contact during extrusion.

[0040] In the diagram: 1. Position adjustment module, 2. Axial booster module, 3. Fixed outer shell, 4. Tube blank, 5. Main support seat, 6. Slide rail, 7. Slider, 8. Rack, 9. Radial gear, 10. Angle iron No. 1, 11. Radial gear motor, 12. Aluminum column, 13. Motor mounting plate, 14. Slide rail placement plate, 15. Limiting plate, 16. Limiting ball, 17. Circumferential gear, 18. Circumferential gear motor, 19. Plug bolt, 20. Thrust bearing I, 21. Rolling bearing, 22. External gear ring, 23. Angle iron No. 2, 24. Rubber wheel, 241. Rubber wheel body, 242. Polyurethane coated sleeve, 25. V-belt, 26. Rubber wheel support seat, 27. Snap ring, 28. Rubber wheel shaft, 29. Rotary motor, 30. Thrust bearing II, 31. Spherical bearing, 32. Bending die, 33. Guide mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation examples.

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, a side-push device for free bending and forming of pipe fittings with flexible and adjustable thrust includes a fixed outer shell 3, a position adjustment module 1, and n axial thrust modules 2 evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the pipe blank 4, where n can be designed according to needs. The fixed outer shell 3 is located on the outermost side and is used to connect with an external fixing mechanism and fix the entire side-push device. The position adjustment module 1 is installed inside the fixed outer shell 3, and the two can rotate relative to each other in the circumferential direction. The axial thrust modules 2 are installed on the position adjustment module 1. The position adjustment module 1 adjusts the magnitude of the thrust during processing by controlling the radial pressure of the axial thrust modules 2 on the pipe blank 4. Changing the circumferential position of the position adjustment module 1 can drive the circumferential position of the axial thrust modules 2 to change, thereby adjusting the position of the thrust to ensure that the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the pipe blank 4 always have a thrust during the free bending and forming process.

[0043] like Figures 2-5 As shown, the position adjustment module 1 includes a main support base 5, a slide rail placement plate 14, a limiting plate 15, a limiting ball 16, a slide rail 6, a slider 7, a rack 8, a radial gear 9, a radial gear motor 11, a circumferential gear 17, a circumferential gear motor 18, an external gear ring 22, and a rolling bearing 21.

[0044] Both the interior and exterior of the main support base 5 are regular n-gons, where n is the number of axial booster modules 2. Each edge of the interior of the main support base 5 has rounded corners at its connection points, and each edge of the exterior has chamfers at its connection points. Each chamfer has multiple ear-shaped mounting seats evenly distributed along the axial direction. The plug bolts 19 pass through the ear-shaped mounting seats to fix the rolling bearing 21 in the middle of the ear-shaped mounting seats. Two thrust bearings I 20 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rolling bearing 21 are used to avoid friction and wear between the rolling bearing 21 and the ear-shaped mounting seats. The outer cylindrical surface of the rolling bearing 21 is in direct contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the fixed housing 3 to ensure the stable circumferential movement of the position adjustment module 1.

[0045] like Figure 4 As shown, the driving and driven components of the radial position adjustment mechanism are located at the front and rear ends of the position adjustment module 1, respectively. One radial position adjustment mechanism controls the radial position of one axial booster module 2. The driven component of the radial position adjustment mechanism consists of a slide rail 6 and a slider 7. The driving component further includes a radial gear motor 11, a radial gear 9, and a rack 8. The radial gear motor 11 is bolted to the motor mounting plate 13, and the motor mounting plate 13 is mounted to the slide rail placement plate 14 via aluminum pillars 12. The front end of the motor shaft of the radial gear motor 11 and the middle of the radial gear 9 are connected to the slide rail. All holes are D-shaped, so the radial gear motor 11 can directly drive the radial gear 9 to rotate. The rack 8 that meshes with the radial gear 9 is installed on the slider 7 by bolts. The slide rail 6 and the slider 7 cooperate to ensure the stability of the radial movement of the rack 8. Angle iron 10 and angle iron 23 are L-shaped with different side lengths. One end of each of these two angle irons is installed on the rack 8 and slider 7 of the active and driven components of the radial position adjustment mechanism, respectively. The other end is connected to the rubber wheel support seat 26 of the axial booster module 2 to realize the control of the radial movement of the axial booster module 2 by the position adjustment module 1.

[0046] The slide rail placement plate 14 and the limiting plate 15 at the front end of the position adjustment module 1 are alternately arranged on the main support base 5. At the rear end of the position adjustment module 1, the slide rail placement plate 14 is installed on the outer gear ring 22, the outer gear ring 22 is installed on the limiting plate 15, and the limiting plate 15 is then installed on the main support base 5.

[0047] The circumferential gear 17 and the circumferential gear motor 18 are directly mounted on the fixed housing 3 by bolts. The circumferential gear 17 meshes with the external gear ring 22. Controlling the rotation of the circumferential gear 17 can adjust the circumferential position of the position adjustment module 1. The limiting ball 16 is installed in the spherical groove of the limiting plate 15 through spherical fit. The limiting ball 16 can rotate freely in the limiting plate 15. The contact between the limiting ball 16 and the fixed housing 3 restricts the axial degree of freedom of the position adjustment module 1 on the one hand, and on the other hand, during the circumferential rotation of the position adjustment module 1, the free rotation of the limiting ball 16 changes the sliding friction into rolling friction, reducing wear.

[0048] like Figure 6 As shown, the axial booster module 2 includes a rubber wheel support 26, a rubber wheel 24, a V-belt 25, a rubber wheel shaft 28, and a rotary motor 29. The rubber wheel 24 and the rubber wheel shaft 28, and the rubber wheel 24 and the rotary motor 29 respectively constitute the booster unit and the power unit of the axial booster module 2. One axial booster module 2 includes one power unit and multiple booster units. The power unit and booster units are distributed axially on the rubber wheel support 26. They are mounted on the rubber wheel support 26 via the rotary motor 29 and the rubber wheel shaft 28, respectively. In the power unit, the rotary motor 29 directly drives the rubber wheel 24 to rotate via a motor shaft with a D-shaped structure similar to the radial gear motor 11. The V-belt 25 is then used to transmit rotational power to drive the other rubber wheels 24 of the booster unit to rotate synchronously (the toothed structure of the V-belt 25 is not shown in the figure for clarity).

[0049] like Figure 7 As shown, in any booster unit, the rubber wheel 24 is installed in the center of the rubber wheel shaft 28. The thrust bearing II 30 is arranged between the rubber wheel 24 and the rubber wheel support 26 to prevent friction damage to the rubber wheel 24 or the rubber wheel support 26 caused by relative movement. The rubber wheel shaft 28 has circlip grooves on both sides for placing circlips 27. The circlips 27 are arranged on the outside of the rubber wheel support 26 to axially limit the rubber wheel shaft 28.

[0050] like Figure 8 As shown, the rubber wheel 24 consists of a rubber wheel body 241 and a polyurethane-coated sleeve 242. The two sides of the rubber wheel body 241 are smooth cylindrical surfaces for mounting the polyurethane-coated sleeve 242. The middle part of the rubber wheel body 241 is provided with a toothed structure that mates with the V-belt 25. The polyurethane-coated sleeve 242 has good elasticity. When it contacts the outer surface of the tube blank 4, the contact pressure will cause the polyurethane-coated sleeve 242 to deform, thereby improving the original point contact to line contact, so that the axial boosting module 2 has a better boosting effect.

[0051] like Figure 9As shown, the basic three-dimensional tube bending and forming equipment includes a spherical bearing 31, a bending die 32, and a guiding mechanism 33. The spherical bearing 31 and the bending die 32 are fixed together by a spherical fit. An external hydraulic cylinder controls the movement of the bending die 32 by controlling the translational movement of the spherical bearing 31. The bending die 32 is in direct contact with the tube blank 4 and is the main mold for controlling the forming of the tube blank 4. The guiding mechanism 33 is located at the rear end of the bending die 32 and has two functions: first, it contacts the rear end of the bending die 32 to make the movement of the bending die 32 controllable; second, it fixes and limits the tube blank 4. This invention can be placed behind the guiding mechanism 33. During the free bending and forming process of the tube blank 4, the axially oriented pusher modules 2, which are evenly distributed in the circumference, provide the tube blank 4 with the required changing pusher force. This invention can also clamp and limit the tube blank 4.

[0052] like Figure 10 As shown in (a), the six axial booster modules 2 are named A, B, C, D, E, and F in a clockwise direction. When the spherical bearing 31 moves only along the Y-axis, A and D are located on the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the tube blank 4, respectively. Therefore, the circumferential position of the axial booster modules 2 does not need to be adjusted. As needed, the radial pressure f1 of A and D on the tube blank 4 is set to the maximum, and the radial pressure f2 of B, F, C, and E on the tube blank 4 is set to be equal to but less than the radial pressure f1 of A and D. During the free bending forming process, the rotary motors 29 of A, B, and F rotate counterclockwise to provide axial pressure fc1 on the outer convex side of the tube blank 4. The rotary motors 29 of C, D, and E also rotate counterclockwise to provide axial tension ft1 on the inner concave side of the tube blank 4. The boosting speed of different axial booster modules 2 can be finely adjusted as needed.

[0053] like Figure 10 As shown in (b), when the spherical bearing 31 moves simultaneously along the X-axis and Y-axis, the contact position between the bending die 32 and the tube blank 4 changes, and the bending plane of the tube blank 4 is aligned with... Figure 10 (a) The bending plane is at a 30° angle, so the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the tube blank 4 will also change. At this time, the circumferential gear 17 is driven to rotate clockwise by the circumferential gear motor 18 to adjust the overall position of each axial booster module 2, so that A and D are again located on the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the tube blank 4 bending. Then, the magnitude, direction and boosting speed of the boosting force 2 of each axial booster module are adjusted in sequence to ensure that the outer convex side and the inner concave side of the bending always have a boosting force, thereby maximizing the boosting effect.

[0054] like Figure 11 As shown in (a), when the rubber roller 24 contacts the outer surface of the tube blank 4, the polyurethane-coated sleeve 242 will undergo elastic deformation due to contact compression. The polyurethane-coated sleeve 242 will thus become an arc-shaped structure with the same curvature as the outer diameter of the tube blank 4, thereby completely fitting with the outer surface of the tube blank 4 to form a complete shape. Figure 11(b) In this state, the material with good elastic properties can achieve adaptive clamping of tube blanks 4 with different outer diameters, and improve the point contact between the polyurethane sleeve and the tube blank to line contact. Detailed implementation method:

[0056] (1) Place the tube blank 4 in the center of the side push device, and control the rubber wheels 24 of each axial push module 2 to contact and press the tube blank 4 through the radial gear motor 11. Fine adjust the pressing force between the different axial push modules 2 and the tube blank 4 to ensure that the pressing force of the axial push module 2 located on the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the bend is the largest, and the pressing force of the other axial push modules 2 distributed radially inward is the second largest.

[0057] (2) During the bending and forming process of the tube blank 4, the axial push module 2 rotary motor 29 located on the convex side of the tube blank 4 bend is controlled to rotate in the same direction as the axial push module rotary motor 29 located on the concave side of the tube blank 4 bend, so as to provide axial pressure on the convex side of the tube blank 4 bend section and axial tension on the concave side; the rotation speed of the rotary motor 29 on different axial push modules 2 is adjusted as needed to achieve the adjustment of the push speed at different positions;

[0058] If the translational movement of the spherical bearing 31 changes the contact position between the bending die 32 and the tube blank 4, resulting in a change in the position of the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the bending, then the circumferential gear 17 is controlled to rotate to change the overall circumferential position of the axial booster module 2, ensuring that there are always two axial booster modules 2 located on the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the tube blank 4 to provide the required boosting force.

[0059] (3) After the processing is completed, control the radial gear motor 11 to rotate so that the axial push module 2 no longer contacts the tube blank 4, and take out the formed bent tube from the front end of the bending die.

Claims

1. A side-push device for freely bending and forming pipe fittings with adjustable boosting force, characterized in that, include Fixed outer casing (3); The position adjustment module (1) is installed inside the fixed housing and includes a main support base (5) and multiple radial position adjustment mechanisms for adjusting the radial positions of multiple axial booster modules (2) respectively. Each radial position adjustment mechanism consists of an active component and a driven component. The tube blank (4) is placed at the center of the position adjustment module (1); Multiple axial booster modules (2) are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the tube blank (4) and are installed inside the main support base (5) through active and driven components set at both ends of the main support base (5); the position adjustment module (1) adjusts the degree of compression of the tube blank (4) by the axial booster module (2) in the radial direction and the position in the circumferential direction, thereby adjusting the magnitude and position of the booster force of the axial booster module (2) on the tube blank (4).

2. The side-push device for flexible and adjustable thrust of a pipe fitting in free bending and forming according to claim 1, characterized in that, The position adjustment module (1) includes a main support base (5) and multiple radial position adjustment mechanisms. Each radial position adjustment mechanism controls the radial position of an axial booster module (2). Each radial position adjustment mechanism consists of an active component and a driven component respectively located at the front end and rear end of the main support base (5). The front end of the main support base (5) is equipped with multiple slide rail placement plates (14) at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and a limit plate (15) is installed between two adjacent slide rail placement plates (14); the rear end of the main support base (5) is equipped with an external gear ring (22) through multiple limit plates (15) arranged in the circumferential direction, and multiple slide rail placement plates (14) are installed on the external gear ring (22) at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The active component includes a slide rail (6), a slider (7), a rack (8), a radial gear (9), and a radial gear motor (11) fixed on a motor mounting plate (13); each slide rail placement plate (14) at the front end of the main support base (5) is fixed with a slide rail (6) and a motor mounting plate (13), the rack (8) is mounted on the slide rail (6) via the slider (7), and angle iron (10) is fixed on the rack (8); the output shaft of the radial gear motor (11) mounted on the motor mounting plate (13) is connected to the radial gear (9), and the radial gear (9) meshes with the rack (8); the radial gear motor (11) drives the radial gear (9) to rotate, thereby causing the rack (8) to slide in the radial direction; The driven component includes a slide rail (6) and a slider (7). Each slide rail placement plate (14) at the rear end of the main support base (5) is fixed with a slide rail (6). The slide rail (6) is equipped with a No. 2 angle iron (23) that slides radially along the slide rail (6) via the slider (7).

3. The side-push device for flexible and adjustable thrust of a pipe fitting in free bending and forming according to claim 2, characterized in that, The No. 1 angle iron (10) and No. 2 angle iron (23) are L-shaped structures with through holes on the two right-angled sides for positioning and installation. One end of the No. 1 angle iron (10) and No. 2 angle iron (23) are respectively installed on the rack (8) and slider (7) of the active component and the driven component, respectively, and the other end is respectively connected to the two ends of the rubber wheel support seat (26) of the corresponding axial booster module (2) to control the movement of the axial booster module (2) in the radial direction.

4. The side-push device for flexible and adjustable thrust of a pipe fitting in free bending and forming according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inner and outer sides of the main support base (5) are both regular n-sided polygons, with rounded corners and chamfers at the connection points between the sides, where n is the number of axial booster modules (2). Each chamfer on the outer side of the main support base (5) is provided with multiple ear-shaped mounting seats that are evenly distributed along the axial direction for installing plug bolts (19). Two ear-shaped mounting bases are fitted with rolling bearings (21) by plug bolts (19). Thrust bearings I (20) for axial positioning of rolling bearings (21) are symmetrically mounted on both sides of the rolling bearings (21). The position adjustment module (1) placed inside the fixed housing (3) contacts the inner cylindrical surface of the fixed housing (3) through the outer cylindrical surface of the rolling bearings (21), so that the position adjustment module (1) and the fixed housing (3) can rotate circumferentially relative to each other.

5. The side-push device for flexible and adjustable thrust of a pipe fitting in free bending and forming according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rear end of the fixed housing (3) is equipped with a circumferential gear (17) via a circumferential gear motor (18). The circumferential gear (17) with the same module meshes with the external gear ring (22). The circumferential gear motor (18) controls the rotation of the circumferential gear (17) to adjust the overall circumferential position of the position adjustment module (1) and each axial booster module (2) installed on the position adjustment module (1).

6. The side-push device for flexible and adjustable thrust of a pipe fitting in free bending and forming according to claim 2, characterized in that, A limiting ball (16) is provided between the limiting plate (15) at the front and rear ends of the main support base (5) and the fixed shell (3). The limiting ball (16) is installed in the spherical groove of the limiting plate (15) through spherical fit. The limiting ball (16) is in direct contact with the fixed shell (3) to limit the axial degree of freedom of the position adjustment module (1).

7. The side-push device for flexible and adjustable thrust of a pipe fitting in free bending and forming according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each axial booster module (2) includes a rubber wheel support base (26), multiple rubber wheels (24), a V-belt (25), a rubber wheel shaft (28), and a rotary motor (29). The multiple rubber wheels are arranged at equal intervals along the axial direction in the rubber wheel support base (26). The rubber wheel (24) at one end is connected to the rotary motor (29) and installed on the rubber wheel support base (26). The remaining rubber wheels (24) are installed on the rubber wheel support base (26) through the rubber wheel shaft (28). The multiple rubber wheels are connected to each other through the V-belt (25). The rotary motor (29) drives the rubber wheel (24) at one end to rotate while driving the remaining rubber wheels (24) to rotate through the V-belt (25). A thrust bearing II (30) is installed between the rubber wheel (24) and the rubber wheel support seat (26). A retaining ring groove is symmetrically opened on the rubber wheel shaft (28). The axial limit of the rubber wheel shaft (28) is achieved by installing the retaining ring (27) into the retaining ring groove.

8. The side-push device for flexible and adjustable thrust of a pipe fitting in free bending and forming according to claim 7, characterized in that, The rubber wheel (24) consists of a rubber wheel body (241) and a polyurethane-coated sleeve (242); Polyurethane-coated sleeves (242) are fitted on the smooth cylindrical surfaces on both sides of the rubber wheel body (241). The polyurethane-coated sleeves (242) on both sides have V-shaped cross sections and are used to fit with the tube blank (4). The wheel body (241) has a toothed structure in the middle that cooperates with the toothed structure of the V-belt (25). The rotation of one wheel (24) through the V-belt (25) drives all wheels (24) to rotate.

9. A method for operating the side-push device for flexible and adjustable thrust of pipe fittings as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Place the tube blank (4) in the center of the position adjustment module (1), and control the radial position of each axial booster module (2) through the radial gear motor (11) so that the rubber wheel (24) contacts and presses the tube blank (4); then, by fine-tuning the pressing force between the different axial booster modules (2) and the tube blank (4), the pressing force of the axial booster modules (2) located on the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the bend is the largest, and the pressing force of the other axial booster modules (2) distributed radially inward is the second largest. Step 2: During the bending and forming process of the tube blank (4), by controlling the rotation direction of the axial push module (2) rotary motor (29), the rotation direction of the rubber wheel (24) located on the outer convex side of the tube blank (4) bend is the same as that of the rubber wheel (24) located on the inner concave side of the tube blank (4) bend, thereby providing axial pressure to the outer convex side of the tube blank (4) bend section and axial tension to the inner concave side. And adjust the rotation speed of the rotary motor (29) on the different axial booster modules (2) as needed to achieve the adjustment of the booster speed at different positions; Step 3: After processing, control the radial gear motor (11) to rotate so that the axial push module (2) no longer contacts the tube blank (4) and take out the formed bent tube from the front end of the bending die.

10. The working method of the side-pushing device for free bending and forming of pipe fittings according to claim 9, characterized in that, During the bending process of the tube blank (4), when the positions of the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the bend change, the rotation of the circumferential gear (17) drives the rotation of the external gear ring (22), thereby changing the overall circumferential position of the axial booster module (2) to ensure that there are always two axial booster modules (2) located on the outermost convex side and the innermost concave side of the tube blank (4) to provide the required boosting force.

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