Pipeline bending machining device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of pipeline machining, and discloses a pipeline bending machining device which comprises a mechanical arm, a bending mechanism, a bending mechanism, a bending mechanism and a bending mechanism, and the tail end of the mechanical arm is provided with a mechanical claw used for clamping a pipeline workpiece; the heating station is used for heating the to-be-bent area of the pipeline workpiece; cooling liquid is contained in the cooling station; a loading position; the mechanical arm is provided with a mechanical claw, the mechanical claw is provided with a depth sensor, and the depth sensor is used for detecting the depth of the part, immersed in cooling liquid of the cooling station, of the connecting part of the pipeline workpiece. The linkage of the heating station, the cooling station and the bending station is achieved through transferring of the mechanical arm, and the cooling depth of the connecting part is accurately controlled through the depth sensor; a selective cooling mechanism of heating and thermoplasticity of the to-be-bent area and cooling and strengthening of the connecting part is formed, deformation of the connecting part caused by heat conduction can be blocked, meanwhile, manual operation errors are avoided through automatic closed-loop control, it is ensured that the cooling depth is consistent, and the problems that in the prior art, the connecting part is prone to deformation, the cooling precision is low, and the machining consistency is poor are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of pipeline processing, and in particular to a pipeline bending processing device. Background Art

[0002] During pipe bending, the area to be bent needs to be heated to a plastic state to reduce bending resistance, while adjacent connecting parts need to maintain structural strength to prevent deformation. Therefore, the accuracy of the cooling process is crucial. In existing technologies, cooling is mostly done by immersion or spraying, which lacks targeted control of the cooling area: Either the cooling range is too large, causing a sudden drop in temperature and loss of plasticity in the bending area, increasing bending difficulty; or the cooling range is insufficient, causing deformation of the connection due to residual heat conduction, affecting assembly accuracy. Furthermore, the cooling depth relies on manual visual inspection or fixed tooling, and cannot be dynamically adjusted based on pipe diameter or material. This leads to poor cooling consistency within the same batch of workpieces, becoming a key bottleneck restricting machining accuracy.

[0003] Therefore, a pipe bending processing device is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In response to the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a pipe bending processing device, which realizes the linkage of heating, cooling and bending stations through the transfer of a robotic arm, and uses a depth sensor to accurately control the cooling depth of the connection part, forming a selective cooling mechanism for heating and plasticizing the bending area and cooling and strengthening the connection part, which can block the deformation of the connection part caused by heat conduction. At the same time, the automated closed-loop control avoids manual operation errors and ensures consistent cooling depth, thus solving the problems of easy deformation of the connection part, low cooling accuracy and poor processing consistency in the prior art.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention selectively cools the connection parts to prevent bending and deformation through the following technical solutions.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: A pipe bending device, comprising: A robotic arm, the end of which is provided with a mechanical claw for gripping a pipe workpiece; A heating station is used to heat the area of ​​the pipe workpiece to be bent; A cooling station, which contains coolant and is used to cool the connection part of the pipe workpiece immersed therein and adjacent to the area to be bent; a loading position for storing unprocessed pipe workpieces; A bending station is used to bend the area to be bent of the pipe workpiece; The robotic arm is configured to perform the following sequence of operations: (a) Clamping the pipe workpiece that has been heated in the heating station; (b) transferring the heated pipe workpiece to a cooling station and immersing the connecting portion thereof in a coolant for cooling; (c) transferring the cooled pipe workpiece to a bending station for bending operation; The robotic claw is provided with a depth sensor for detecting the depth of the connection part of the pipe workpiece immersed in the coolant of the cooling station. The signal output end of the depth sensor is connected to the robotic arm control system. When it is detected that the immersion depth of the connection part reaches a set threshold, the robotic arm is triggered to move out of the cooling station.

[0007] Preferably, the robot arm is further configured to grab an unheated pipe workpiece from a loading position and transfer it to a heating station for heating treatment before executing operation sequence (a).

[0008] Preferably, the heating station includes a heating jacket provided thereon and a heating tube provided outside the heating jacket.

[0009] Preferably, the robotic arm is a six-axis articulated robot, which is provided with a rotary drive mechanism for adjusting the circumferential angle of the pipeline workpiece when the pipeline workpiece is transferred or immersed in coolant.

[0010] Preferably, the depth sensor is a laser ranging sensor or a contact displacement sensor.

[0011] Preferably, the mechanical claw is provided with an adaptive clamping mechanism, including a V-shaped clamping block with adjustable spacing, which is used to compatibly clamp pipe workpieces with different diameters, and a high-temperature resistant elastic gasket is provided in the groove of the V-shaped clamping block.

[0012] Preferably, the cooling station includes a water tank for holding coolant, a cooling water circulation pipeline is provided on the side of the water tank, and the circulation pipeline is connected to the heat exchanger through a water pump to form a closed cooling circulation system.

[0013] Preferably, a support mechanism is provided in the water tank of the cooling station for providing bottom support when the pipeline workpiece rises after being immersed in the coolant, replacing the depth control function of the depth sensor.

[0014] Preferably, the support mechanism includes a support plate and a lifting mechanism for controlling the rise and fall of the support plate, the lifting mechanism includes a matching worm shaft, worm wheel and vertical rack arranged in the mounting seat, the worm shaft is installed in the accommodating cavity of the mounting seat through the rotating support structure at both ends, and one end of the worm shaft extends outward and is fixed with a crank, the worm wheel is rotatably installed in the accommodating cavity of the mounting seat through the rotating shaft, and the worm wheel is engaged with the worm section of the worm shaft, the vertical rack passes through the side opening of the mounting seat and engages with the worm wheel, the support plate is arranged in the water sink, and its side is detachably connected to the top of the vertical rack through the support arm, and the mounting seat is fastened to the side of the water sink by bolts.

[0015] Preferably, an anti-deviating guide structure is provided between the vertical rack and the side opening of the mounting seat.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The pipe bending processing device of the present invention realizes the linkage of heating, cooling and bending stations through the transfer of a robotic arm, and uses a depth sensor to accurately control the cooling depth of the connection part, forming a selective cooling mechanism for heating and plasticizing the bending area and cooling and strengthening the connection part. It can block the deformation of the connection part caused by heat conduction. At the same time, the automated closed-loop control avoids manual operation errors and ensures consistent cooling depth, solving the problems of easy deformation of the connection part, low cooling accuracy and poor processing consistency in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mechanical claw of the present invention; Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support plate and lifting mechanism of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling station and lifting mechanism of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heating jacket and heating tube of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a connection diagram of the robotic arm control system of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the transparent anti-fog component and the depth sensor of the present invention; Figure 8 It is a schematic side cross-sectional structural diagram of the transparent anti-fog component of the present invention.

[0019] Explanation of the figure numbers: 1. Robotic arm; 11. Rotary drive mechanism; 2. Robotic claw; 21. Depth sensor; 22. V-shaped clamp; 23. High-temperature resistant elastic pad; 3. Heating station; 31. Heating jacket; 32. Heating tube; 4. Cooling station; 41. Water tank; 42. Circulation pipeline; 5. Loading position; 6. Bending station; 7. Robotic arm control system; 8. Support mechanism; 8. Support mechanism; 81. Support plate; 82. Lifting mechanism; 83. Mounting seat; 831. Anti-drift guide structure; 84. Worm shaft; 841. Crank handle; 85. Worm gear; 86. Vertical rack; 87. Support arm; 9. Transparent anti-fog component; 91. Quartz glass protective cover; 92. Thin film heating and demisting unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] The following description is intended to disclose the present invention so that those skilled in the art can implement the present invention. The preferred embodiments described below are for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other obvious variations. The basic principles of the present invention defined in the following description may be applied to other embodiments, variations, improvements, equivalents, and other technical solutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0022] Those skilled in the art should understand that, in the disclosure of the present invention, the terms "longitudinal", "transverse", "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", "back", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like to indicate directions or positions are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, which are merely simplified descriptions for the convenience of describing the present invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, the above terms should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0023] It is to be understood that the term "one" should be understood as "at least one" or "one or more", that is, in one embodiment, the number of an element may be one, while in another embodiment, the number of the elements may be multiple, and the term "one" should not be understood as a limitation on the quantity. Example

[0024] See also Figure 1-8A pipe bending processing device comprises: a robot arm 1, at the end of which is provided with a robot claw 2 for clamping a pipe workpiece; a heating station 3 for heating the pipe workpiece in the area to be bent; a cooling station 4, which contains a coolant for cooling the connection part of the pipe workpiece adjacent to the area to be bent immersed therein; a loading position 5 for storing unprocessed pipe workpieces; a bending station 6 for bending the area to be bent of the pipe workpiece; the robot arm 1 is configured to perform the following sequence of operations: (a) clamping the pipe workpiece that has been heated at the heating station 3 (a) transferring the heated pipe workpiece to the cooling station 4 and immersing its connection part in the coolant for cooling; (c) transferring the cooled pipe workpiece to the bending station 6 for bending; the robot gripper 2 is provided with a depth sensor 21 for detecting the depth of the connection part of the pipe workpiece immersed in the coolant of the cooling station 4, and the signal output end of the depth sensor 21 is connected to the robot arm 1 robot arm control system 7, and when it is detected that the immersion depth of the connection part reaches a set threshold, the robot arm 1 is triggered to execute the action of moving out of the cooling station 4.

[0025] The robotic arm 1 utilizes a six-axis articulated robot with multi-degree-of-freedom motion, enabling precise transfer of pipe workpieces between various workstations. Its wrist incorporates a rotary drive mechanism 11, such as a harmonic reducer driven by a servo motor. This mechanism allows for flexible adjustment of the pipe workpiece's circumferential angle during transfer, ensuring that the joint to be cooled or the bend to be heated is precisely aligned with the corresponding workstation.

[0026] The robotic gripper 2, serving as the end effector of the robotic arm 1, is centered around an adaptive gripping mechanism consisting of a pair of V-shaped clamps 22 with adjustable spacing (adjusted by a pneumatic push rod), capable of gripping pipes of varying diameters. A high-temperature-resistant elastic gasket 23 (e.g., silicone rubber, with a temperature resistance of ≥200°C) is affixed to the clamping groove of the V-shaped clamp 22. This prevents damage to the pipe surface during gripping and improves gripping stability for pipes of varying diameters. A depth sensor 21, mounted on the side of the robotic gripper 2, is a laser ranging sensor. Its laser emitting end faces the axial direction of the pipe workpiece. This sensor is used to detect the relative distance between the connection point and the coolant level in real time, thereby calculating the immersion depth. The signal output of the depth sensor 21 is connected via a signal line to the robotic arm 1's robotic arm control system 7 (e.g., a PLC controller with an integrated auxiliary power module), forming a closed-loop control system.

[0027] like Figure 6-8 As shown, the device also includes a transparent anti-fog assembly 9, which cooperates with the depth sensor 21. The transparent anti-fog assembly 9 is composed of a quartz glass protective cover 91 and a thin-film heating and defogging unit 92. The quartz glass protective cover 91 is made of high-temperature resistant quartz glass and is cylindrical in structure. The depth sensor 21 is housed within it, completely covering the optical path of the depth sensor 21. The cover is fixed to the side of the mechanical gripper 2 via a bracket. The thin-film heating and demisting unit 92 is a polyimide heating film (5-10W) attached to the outer surface of the quartz glass protective cover 91 in a non-optical area (away from the axial direction of laser penetration). It is connected to the auxiliary power module of the robotic arm control system 7 via wires. A thermostat (not shown) is glued to the outside of the heating film and integrated into the robotic arm control system 7. The operating temperature is set at 35-40°C (5-10°C higher than the coolant temperature). When the surface temperature drops below 35°C, the heating is automatically energized and powered on. When it reaches 40°C, the power is cut off, creating a constant temperature closed-loop control system that evaporates attached water vapor in real time. It should also be noted that the connection between the quartz glass protective cover 91 and the sensor housing is sealed with a silicone seal to prevent vapor from penetrating the depth sensor 21. The thin-film heating and demisting unit 92 can also be covered with an aluminum foil heat dissipation layer to prevent local overheating and affect sensor accuracy. This module works in conjunction with the depth detection system of Example 1 and can adapt to the vapor concentrations found in this example scenario. The laser penetrates the quartz glass to perform distance measurement, and the heating film continuously maintains a condensation-free surface on the protective cover.

[0028] Heating station 3 consists of a heating jacket 31 and heating tube 32 fixed to a base. The jacket 31 is a semi-open cylindrical structure with its inner wall conforming to the outer contour of the pipe. The outer wall surrounds the heating tube 32 and utilizes electrical heating (the operating temperature can be set by a thermostat, not shown). This heats only the area of ​​the pipe to be bent.

[0029] Cooling station 4 includes a top-opening water tank 41 filled with coolant (such as industrial alcohol or cooling water, depending on the pipe material; cooling water can be used for stainless steel pipes). A cooling water circulation pipe 42 (not shown) is laid at the bottom of the tank 41. The water inlet of the circulation pipe 42 is connected to a heat exchanger (such as a plate heat exchanger, not shown) via a water pump, and the water outlet returns to the heat exchanger, forming a closed cooling circulation system. This ensures a stable coolant temperature (e.g., maintained at 20-30°C) and prevents temperature increases caused by continuous cooling from affecting the cooling effect. Bending station 6 utilizes a hydraulically driven pipe bender, comprising a fixed die and a movable die (not shown), which can precisely bend the pipe to be bent according to a preset angle.

[0030] During operation of this embodiment 1, a preset cooling depth threshold (e.g., 10-30 mm, depending on the pipe length) for the pipe connection, a heating time (e.g., 10-30 seconds) and a cooling time (e.g., 10-30 seconds) are set in the robotic control system 7 of robotic arm 1. Robot arm 1 drives gripper 2 to loading position 5. V-shaped clamps 22 adjust their spacing to accommodate the diameter of the unprocessed pipe workpiece. After clamping and securing the workpiece, the workpiece is transferred to heating jacket 31 of heating station 3 for placement. Heating tube 32 is energized and heated, and heating stops after the preset heating time has elapsed. Robotic arm 1 grips the heated pipe workpiece and transfers it to cooling station 4. Rotating drive mechanism 11 adjusts the pipe's circumferential angle, aligning the connection portion with the coolant in tank 41. Robotic claw 2 lowers the pipe, and depth sensor 21 detects the depth of the connection portion immersed in the coolant in real time, transmitting a signal to robotic arm 1's control system 7. When the immersion depth reaches a set threshold, robotic arm 1's control system 7 stops the arm's descent and maintains that depth for cooling. After the set cooling time has elapsed, robotic arm 1 ascends and moves out of cooling station 4. Next, robotic arm 1 transfers the cooled pipe workpiece to bending station 6. The area to be bent is aligned with the fixed die of the pipe bender. The bender starts, and the pipe is bent in the area to be bent.

[0031] The difference between Example 2 and Example 1 is that the depth sensor 21 is eliminated, and the immersion depth of the pipe connection part is controlled by the support mechanism 8. The remaining structures (such as the robotic arm, heating station, bending station, etc.) are consistent with Example 1.

[0032] The support mechanism 8 includes a support plate 81 and a lifting mechanism 82 arranged in the water tank 41. The shape of its top surface is adapted to vertically descend into the water tank 41 to be processed pipe fittings, and is used to support the pipe connection parts immersed in the coolant. The height of its top determines the immersion depth of the connection parts.

[0033] The lifting mechanism 82 includes a mounting base 83, a worm shaft 84, a worm gear 85, a vertical rack 86, and a crank handle 841. The mounting base 83 is fixed to the inner wall of the water tank 41 via bolts and has a receiving chamber inside. The worm shaft 84 is rotatably mounted within the receiving chamber via bearings at both ends, with one end extending outward and fixedly connected to the crank handle 841. The worm gear 85 is rotatably mounted within the receiving chamber via a rotating shaft and meshes with the worm section of the worm shaft 84. The vertical rack 86 extends vertically along the side opening of the mounting base 83, with one side tooth surface meshing with the worm gear 85. The top is detachably connected to the side support arm 87 of the support plate 81 via bolts.

[0034] The anti-deviating guide structure 831 is a guide groove provided at the side opening of the mounting seat 83 , which is slidably engaged with the other side of the vertical rack 86 to prevent the vertical rack 86 from deviating when it is raised or lowered.

[0035] During operation of the second embodiment, the crank 841 is turned according to the required cooling depth of the pipe connection part to drive the worm shaft 84 to rotate, thereby driving the worm wheel 85 to rotate, and then driving the vertical rack 86 to rise and fall along the guide groove to adjust the height of the support plate 81 in the water tank 41 (the distance from the top of the support plate to the liquid surface is the set immersion depth). After the adjustment is completed, the crank 841 is locked.

[0036] The process in which robotic arm 1 grasps the pipe and transfers it to heating station 3 for heating is consistent with that in Example 1. After heating, robotic arm 1 transfers the pipe to cooling station 4. The pipe connection is lowered toward support plate 81 until the connection contacts support plate 81, reaching a preset immersion depth. This state is maintained for cooling. After the set cooling time has elapsed, robotic arm 1 raises the pipe and moves it out of cooling station 4. The bending process is consistent with that in Example 1.

[0037] The core principle of this pipe bending device is to ensure the stability of pipe joints through selective cooling. Specifically, through the automated movement of a six-axis robotic arm 1, pipe heating, cooling, and bending are serially combined into a continuous process, eliminating the inefficiencies and errors associated with manual operation. The heating jacket 31 and heating tube 32 of heating station 3 locally heat only the pipe area to be bent, enhancing its plasticity and facilitating subsequent bending. The joints remain unheated, paving the way for subsequent cooling.

[0038] Two control methods (depth sensor or support mechanism) ensure consistent immersion depth of pipe connections in the coolant: In Example 1, depth sensor 21 provides real-time feedback on immersion depth, which, combined with robotic arm 1 and robotic arm control system 7, implements closed-loop control to ensure consistent cooling depth across batches of pipes. In Example 2, a lifting mechanism 82 presets the height of support plate 81, utilizing mechanical support to limit immersion depth. This results in a simple structure and high reliability.

[0039] After cooling, the connection maintains high structural strength due to the lower temperature, making it less susceptible to deformation under the external forces of bending station 6. The area to be bent, on the other hand, remains relatively warm (not overcooled), maintaining good plasticity and enabling smooth bending. The closed-circulation system in cooling station 4 ensures a stable coolant temperature and consistent cooling results.

[0040] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawings are intended only as examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. The objectives of the present invention have been fully and effectively achieved. The functional and structural principles of the present invention have been demonstrated and illustrated in the embodiments. Any variations or modifications may be made to the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the principles described.

Claims

1. A pipe bending device, characterized in that: include: A mechanical arm (1), the end of which is provided with a mechanical claw (2) for gripping a pipe workpiece; A heating station (3) is used to heat the area of ​​the pipe workpiece to be bent; A cooling station (4) containing a coolant for cooling a connection portion of the pipe workpiece immersed therein and adjacent to the area to be bent; A loading position (5) for storing unprocessed pipe workpieces; A bending station (6) is used to bend the area to be bent of the pipe workpiece; The robotic arm (1) is configured to perform the following sequence of operations: (a) Clamping the pipe workpiece that has been heated at the heating station (3); (b) transferring the heated pipe workpiece to a cooling station (4) and immersing the connection portion thereof in a coolant for cooling; (c) transferring the cooled pipe workpiece to the bending station (6) for bending operation; The mechanical claw (2) is provided with a depth sensor (21) for detecting the depth of the connection part of the pipeline workpiece immersed in the coolant of the cooling station (4). The signal output end of the depth sensor (21) is connected to the mechanical arm control system (7). When it is detected that the immersion depth of the connection part reaches a set threshold, the mechanical arm (1) is triggered to execute the action of moving out of the cooling station (4).

2. The pipe bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robot arm (1) is further configured to grab an unheated pipe workpiece from a loading position (5) and transfer it to a heating station (3) for heating treatment before executing the operation sequence (a).

3. The pipe bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating station (3) comprises a heating jacket (31) arranged thereon and a heating tube (32) arranged outside the heating jacket (31).

4. The pipe bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mechanical arm (1) is a six-axis articulated robot, provided with a rotary drive mechanism (11) for adjusting the circumferential angle of the pipeline workpiece when the pipeline workpiece is transferred or immersed in cooling liquid.

5. The pipe bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The depth sensor (21) is a laser distance sensor or a contact displacement sensor.

6. The pipe bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mechanical claw (2) is provided with an adaptive clamping mechanism, including a V-shaped clamping block (22) with adjustable spacing, which is used to compatibly clamp pipe workpieces with different pipe diameters. A high-temperature resistant elastic liner (23) is provided in the groove of the V-shaped clamping block (22).

7. The pipe bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cooling station (4) includes a water tank (41) for holding coolant, a cooling water circulation pipeline (42) is provided on the side of the water tank (41), and the circulation pipeline (42) is connected to a heat exchanger via a water pump to form a closed cooling circulation system.

8. The pipe bending device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A support mechanism (8) is provided in the water tank (41) of the cooling station (4) for providing bottom support when the pipe workpiece rises after being immersed in the coolant, thereby replacing the depth control function of the depth sensor (21).

9. The pipe bending device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The support mechanism (8) includes a support plate (81) and a lifting mechanism (82) for controlling the rise and fall of the support plate (81). The lifting mechanism (82) includes a worm shaft (84), a worm wheel (85) and a vertical rack (86) arranged in a mounting seat (83). The worm shaft (84) is installed in the accommodating cavity of the mounting seat (83) through the rotating support structures at both ends, and one end of the worm shaft (84) extends outward and is fixedly connected to a crank (841). The worm wheel (85) is rotatably mounted in the accommodating cavity of the mounting seat (83) via a rotating shaft, and the worm wheel (85) is meshed with the worm section of the worm shaft (84). The vertical rack (86) passes through the side opening of the mounting seat (83) and meshes with the worm wheel (85). The support plate (81) is arranged in the water tank (41), and its side is detachably connected to the top of the vertical rack (86) via a support arm (87). The mounting seat (83) is fastened to the side of the water tank (41) by bolts.

10. The pipe bending device according to claim 9, characterized in that: An anti-deviating guide structure (831) is provided between the vertical rack (86) and the side opening of the mounting seat (83).

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