Device for vibration damping guidance of pipe system

Abstract

The device for guiding a piping system comprises: a bearing (3) made of a material having a low coefficient of friction and configured to surround a pipe of the piping system; an insert (5) radially enclosing the bearing (3); at least one elastic means (15) radially surrounding the insert (5); and a housing (19) positioned around the bearing (3), the resilient means (15) and the insert (5).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of spring boxes used in industrial piping systems.

[0002] In particular, the present invention relates to a piping guide device that allows absorbing vibrations that could wear out a piping system, in particular an aircraft piping system, a ship piping system or a submarine piping system.

[0003] Generally speaking, the invention is applicable to all devices for damping and guiding piping systems. Background Art

[0004] The guidance and support of the pipeline system is usually achieved by a pivot connection in which the pipes of the pipeline system are passed longitudinally in a friction ring connected to the support according to a longitudinal degree of freedom.

[0005] Generally speaking, the pipe and the ring are subject to friction due to the longitudinal movement of the pipe in the ring. Generally speaking, the friction conditions can be simplified to metal-metal pairs, metal-PTFE fabric pairs, or metal-silicone material pairs.

[0006] In operation, in other words under conditions of use taking into account assembly tolerances, thermal expansion effects and vibration effects, wear of the surfaces in contact with the pipe and the ring is generally observed, resulting in a loss of load-bearing and damping properties.

[0007] Typically, a coil spring may be mounted adjacent the pivot connection to damp the conduit when the conduit is subjected to vibrations having an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spring.

[0008] However, ring wear is still severe, especially when vibrating under resonance. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages and provide a pipeline guiding device which has a good vibration damping effect and is simple to manufacture.

[0010] The object of the present invention is a device for guiding a piping system, comprising: a bearing made of a material with a low coefficient of friction and configured to surround a pipe of the piping system; an insert radially encapsulating the bearing; at least one elastic device radially surrounding the insert; and a housing positioned around the bearing, the elastic device and the insert.

[0011] The term "friction coefficient" should be understood as the ratio between the tangential force and the normal force exerted on the surface of the bearing. In particular, the term "low friction coefficient" should be understood as meaning a friction coefficient lower than that of materials typically used to manufacture piping systems. For example, the bearing material may have a friction coefficient lower than 0.25, preferably lower than 0.15.

[0012] The bearing thus allows less wear and in particular allows a reduction in low-cycle fatigue stresses ("low cycle fatigue" in Anglo-Saxon terminology) and vibration stresses ("high cycle fatigue" in Anglo-Saxon terminology), which are also reduced by the presence of elastic means which in particular allow a second radial degree of freedom to be guaranteed in addition to the longitudinal degree of freedom.

[0013] In one embodiment, the resilient means comprises a corrugated leaf spring.

[0014] Advantageously, the bearing, the insert and the housing each comprise at least two elements, so that the guide device can be disassembled without disassembling the pipe system.

[0015] In one embodiment, the insert is made of a metal material and includes grooves configured to receive metal pins configured to connect two elements of the insert.

[0016] The metal pin allows the two elements of the insert to be held fixed to one another, such holding being achieved for example by welding the metal pin to the two elements of the insert.

[0017] In a particular embodiment, the housing is made of a metal material and comprises a tubular central surface configured to at least partially contact the elastic device and two annular shoulders extending the longitudinal ends of the tubular central surface toward the longitudinal axis of the guide device and the piping system, the two annular shoulders being configured to longitudinally retain the bearing, the elastic device and the insert.

[0018] Advantageously, the device comprises a first support and a second support, each comprising an annular portion and a radially planar portion configured to be positioned radially on the housing, the annular portions of the first and second supports comprising means for reversibly fastening to the housing.

[0019] In a particular embodiment, the annular shoulder of the housing includes a plurality of evenly spaced protrusions, each protrusion including an angle so as to form grooves, the grooves being configured to cooperate with fastening means of the annular portions of the first and second supports, the fastening means including alternating recesses and tabs located in the annular portions, such that the supports are configured to be fastened to the housing by inserting the protrusions into the recesses and then rotating the tabs in the grooves.

[0020] Advantageously, the device comprises an attachment comprising a radial portion configured to be fastened against a radial planar portion of the first support and / or the second support, and a stop configured to be positioned between the two protrusions so as to prevent rotation of the first support and / or the second support relative to the housing.

[0021] Advantageously, the bearing comprises sintered graphite.

[0022] Another object of the invention is a pipe system comprising a pipe and a guide device as described above.

[0023] Another object of the present invention is a method for installing and / or assembling a guide device as described above and / or a piping system as described above. The method is characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

[0024] - surrounding the pipes of the piping system with bearings;

[0025] - Place the insert radially around the bearing;

[0026] - placing the elastic means radially around the insert; and

[0027] - Position the housing around the bearing, elastic means and insert. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent on reading the following description given only as a non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] [ Figure 1 ] is a schematic assembly diagram of an apparatus for guiding a piping system according to the present invention;

[0030] [ Figure 2 ] is a schematic diagram of the different steps of the method according to the invention for installing and / or assembling a device for guiding a pipe system;

[0031] [ Figure 3 ]

[0032] and

[0033] [ Figure 4 ]yes Figure 1 a schematic diagram of the guiding device during the steps of assembling the insert;

[0034] [ Figure 5 ]yes Figure 1 a schematic diagram of the guiding device during the steps of assembling the elastic device;

[0035] [ Figure 6 ]yes Figure 1A schematic diagram of the guiding device during the steps of assembling the housing;

[0036] [ Figure 7 ]yes Figure 1 a schematic diagram of the guiding device during the step of assembling the support; and

[0037] [ Figure 8 ]yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the guiding device during the steps of assembling the attachment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Figure 1 An embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention for guiding a pipe system is schematically shown. Figure 1 An assembled embodiment of the guide device 1 is shown.

[0039] also, Figure 2 Schematically illustrates installation and / or assembly Figure 1 The steps of implementing the method of booting device 1.

[0040] A schematic diagram of the different steps of the method is shown below. Figures 3 to 8 Shown in.

[0041] The guide device 1 includes a bearing 3 made of a low-friction material. The bearing 3 is configured to surround a pipe (not shown) of a piping system. If the pipe is tubular, the bearing 3 is annular and permanently in contact with the pipe. This bearing acts as a wear-resistant component. Specifically, during the run-in period after the bearing 3 is installed around the pipe, the bearing 3 forms a solid lubricant between the bearing 3 and the pipe, forming a solid lubricant that ensures lubrication between the bearing 3 and the pipe.

[0042] In particular, the bearing 3 comprises a material with a low coefficient of friction, such as sintered graphite. Graphite is particularly suitable because it has a low coefficient of friction, has good damping properties, and wears more easily than the material used to make the pipes of the pipe system, so it acts as a wear-resistant component.

[0043] The bearing 3 thus allows longitudinal freedom to be imparted to the pipe according to the longitudinal axis A of the bearing 3 and of the pipe system, as well as radial freedom imparted by the material of the bearing 3 .

[0044] In a particular embodiment, the bearing 3 is composed of two elements 3A and 3B (for example, two half-ring-shaped elements). This facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the bearing 3, and more generally of the guide device 1, and can be performed without disassembling the rest of the piping system. This feature is particularly useful for maintenance efficiency and allows, in the event of wear of the guide device 1, simply to replace the worn bearing 3 with a new one. Thus, there is no need to replace the entire piping system. The bearing 3 is easy to replace and allows the maintainability of the guide device to be increased and optimized, thus significantly reducing the number of discarded and potentially difficult-to-recycle parts.

[0045] The guide device 1 also comprises an insert 5 positioned radially around the bearing 3. The insert 5 is similar to a ring and is Figure 3 Visible in.

[0046] For example, the insert 5 comprises two elements 5A and 5B, for example two semi-annular elements. Thus, as previously described, the assembly and disassembly of the insert 5 and, more generally, of the guide device 1 are facilitated and can be carried out without disassembling the rest of the piping system.

[0047] Optionally, the insert 5 is made of a metal material and comprises at least a groove 7 configured to receive a metal nail 9. For example, the groove 7 is formed at the ends of the two elements 5A and 5B. In this embodiment, the insert 5 comprises Figure 4 , and the insert is received in the groove 7 to connect the two elements 5A and 5B together. For example, the nail 9 connects the grooves 7 of the two elements 5A and 5B. For example, the nail 9 is welded to these elements of the insert 5 by plug welding.

[0048] The insert 5 also comprises a central annular track 11 on its outer surface 13 , which allows reinforcing and positioning the insert 5 .

[0049] The guiding device 1 further comprises elastic means 15 radially surrounding the insert 5. For example, the elastic means 15 comprises an elastic foam and / or an annular element made of rubber. Preferably, the elastic means is comprised in Figure 5 and Figure 6 The corrugated leaf spring 15 is shown in FIG.

[0050] exist Figure 5 and Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the guide device 1 comprises two corrugated leaf springs 15 radially surrounding the insert 5. The leaf springs 15 are positioned on either side of a central annular track 11 of the insert 5 which allows them to be housed without moving them along the longitudinal axis A.

[0051] For example, the leaf spring or springs 15 used are generally corrugated or star-shaped, so that some portions of the leaf spring 15 are in radial contact with the insert 5 and some portions are not, thereby damping radial movement of the pipes of the pipe system.

[0052] Advantageously, the leaf spring or springs 15 comprise an opening 17 allowing them to be inserted directly onto the insert 5 without having to completely dismantle the pipe system.

[0053] The guiding device 1 further comprises a housing 19 which is positioned around the bearing 3, the insert 5 and the elastic means 15. For example, the housing 19 is positioned at Figure 6 Shown in.

[0054] For example, the housing 19 is made of a metal material.

[0055] The housing 19 comprises a tubular central surface 21, the inner portion of which is configured to be at least partially in contact with the elastic means 15. The elastic means 15 (for example a leaf spring) are thus positioned in the space between the insert 5 and the housing 19 and allow damping of some radial movements of the pipe in this space.

[0056] The housing 19 further comprises two annular shoulders 23 which extend the longitudinal ends of the tubular central surface 21 towards the longitudinal axis A of the guide device 1. However, the annular shoulders 23 are dimensioned so that only the bearing 3 comes into contact with the pipe of the pipe system. In particular, the two annular shoulders 23 are configured to longitudinally retain the bearing 3, the insert 5 and the elastic means 15 when the guide device 1 is assembled.

[0057] exist Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the housing 19 comprises two elements 19A and 19B, so that the guide device 1 can be disassembled without completely disassembling the pipe system.

[0058] Furthermore, the annular shoulder 23 of the housing 19 comprises evenly spaced protrusions 25 , for example four protrusions 25 distributed over the perimeter formed by the annular shoulder 23 , each protrusion 25 comprising an angle so as to form a groove 27 open towards the radial end of the housing 19 .

[0059] The boot device 1 may further include Figure 7 , a first support 29 and a second support 31 are shown in FIG. Each of the first support 29 and the second support 31 comprises an annular portion 33 and a radial flat portion 35 configured to be positioned radially outside the tubular central surface 21. The annular portion 33 also comprises means 37 and 39 for fastening to the housing 19, these fastening means being reversible.

[0060] The fastening means comprise alternating recesses 37 and tabs 39 positioned radially within the annular portion 33 .

[0061] The first and second supports 29 and 31 are secured to the housing 19 by inserting the protrusions 25 of the housing 19 into the recesses 37 of the supports 29 and 31 and then by rotating the tabs 39 of the supports in the grooves 27 of the housing 19 .

[0062] The supports 29 and 31 thus allow fastening the guide device 1 to an external element and also ensure that the two elements 19A and 19B of the housing 19 remain assembled.

[0063] Optionally, the boot device 1 includes Figure 8 Attachment 41 is shown in FIG. Attachment 41 comprises a radial portion 43 configured to be fastened against radial flat portions 35 of first support 29 and / or second support 31. Attachment 41 further comprises a stopper 45 configured to be positioned between two protrusions 25 in order to prevent rotation of the support or supports to which attachment 41 is fixed relative to housing 19. Thus, attachment 41 allows ensuring that first support 29 and / or second support 31 do not separate.

[0064] To facilitate assembly of the attachment 41 , the attachment 41 and each of the first support 29 and / or the second support 31 include an aperture 47 for passing the brake wire therethrough.

[0065] The radial planar portion 35 and the radial portion 43 also comprise at least one hole 49 for receiving a fastening element (not shown) capable of fastening the attachment 41 to the support and / or the supports 29 and 31 to an external element.

[0066] In different variants of the embodiment shown, the two supports 29 and 31 are fastened on either side of the same attachment 41 , or the first support 29 is fastened to the attachment 41 and the second support 31 is fastened to the second attachment. Figure 1 The assembled guide device 1 is shown, wherein the second support 31 is still free and can be fastened to the attachment 41 with the first support 29 or can be fastened to the second attachment.

[0067] As mentioned earlier, Figure 2 Schematically illustrates the installation and / or assembly Figure 1 The steps of an embodiment of a method of booting a device 1.

[0068] To assemble the guiding device 1 and place it around a pipe 50 of a pipe system (e.g. Figure 8) installation, firstly a step 51 of surrounding the pipe with the bearing 3 is performed. More specifically, the two elements 3A and 3B of the bearing 3 are positioned around the pipe to form a ring.

[0069] Then, a step 53 of radially placing the insert 5 around the bearing 3 is performed. This step 53 consists in particular of Figure 3 and Figure 4 Shown.

[0070] Thereafter, a step 55 of radially placing the elastic means 15 around the insert 5 is performed. This step 55 consists of Figure 5 Shown.

[0071] In order to hold these various elements, the housing 19 is positioned around the bearing 3, the insert 5 and the elastic means 15 in a step 57. This step 57 is performed by Figure 6 Shown.

[0072] In the case where supports 29 and 31 are present, these are placed during step 59. This step 59 consists of Figure 7 It is shown and involves inserting the protrusions 25 of the housing 19 into the recesses 37 of the supports 29 and then rotating the tabs 39 of these supports in the grooves 27 of the housing 19 .

[0073] Finally, there is a step 61 of fastening at least one attachment 41 to at least one support 29 and / or 31. This step 61 consists of Figure 8 Shown.

[0074] The invention is particularly suitable for piping systems which are subject to high vibrations, such as piping systems in aircraft, for example in aircraft engines, or in ships or submarines.

Claims

1. A device (1) for guiding a pipeline system, characterized in that The device comprises: a bearing (3) made of a material having a low friction coefficient and configured to surround a pipe of the pipe system; an insert (5) radially encapsulating the bearing (3); at least one elastic device (15) radially surrounding the insert (5); and a housing (19) positioned to surround the bearing (3), the elastic device (15) and the insert (5), each of the bearing (3), the insert (5) and the housing (19) comprising at least two elements (5A; 5B), so that the guide device (1) can be disassembled without disassembling the pipe system.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The insert (5) is made of a metallic material and comprises a groove (7) configured to receive a metal nail (9) configured to connect two elements (5A; 5B) of the insert (5).

3. The device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein: The housing (19) is made of a metallic material and comprises a tubular central surface (21) configured to at least partially come into contact with the elastic means (15), and two annular shoulders (23) extending the longitudinal ends of the tubular central surface (21) towards the longitudinal axis (A) of the guide device (1) and the pipeline system, the two annular shoulders (23) configured to longitudinally retain the bearing (3), the elastic means (15) and the insert (5).

4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a first support (29) and a second support (31), wherein the first support and the second support each comprise an annular portion (33) and a radial plane portion (35), wherein the radial plane portion is configured to be radially positioned on the housing (19), and the annular portion (33) of the first support and the second support (29; 31) comprises a device (37; 39) for reversibly fastening to the housing (19).

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein: The annular shoulder (23) of the housing (19) includes a plurality of evenly spaced protrusions (25), each of the protrusions including an angle so as to form a groove (27), the groove being configured to cooperate with a fastening device (37; 39) of the annular portion (33) of the first and second supports (29; 31), the fastening device (37; 39) including alternating recesses (37) and tabs (39) located in the annular portion (33), so that the supports (29; 31) are configured to be fastened to the housing (19) by inserting the protrusions (25) into the recesses (37) and then rotating the tabs (39) in the grooves (27).

6. A device according to claim 5, comprising an attachment (41), the attachment comprising a radial portion (43) and a stopper (45), the radial portion being configured to be fastened against the radial plane portion (35) of the first support (29) and / or the second support (31), the stopper (45) being configured to be positioned between the two protrusions (25) so as to prevent the first support and / or the second support (29; 31) from rotating relative to the housing (19).

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The bearing (3) comprises sintered graphite.

8. A pipe system comprising a pipe (50) and a guiding device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A method for installing and / or assembling a guide device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and / or a pipe system according to claim 8, characterized in that The method comprises the following steps: - surrounding (step 51) a pipe of the pipe system with the bearing (3); - placing the insert (5) radially around the bearing (3) (step 53); - placing said elastic means (15) radially around said insert (5) (step 55); and - Positioning the housing (19) around the bearing (3), the elastic means (15) and the insert (5) (step 57).

Images