Pipe automatic centering, clamping and feeding unit for expansion fitting

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical fields of pipe automatic processing and assembly equipment, in particular to a pipe automatic centering, clamping and feeding unit for expanding pipe assembly, comprising a base, an expanding pipe power assembly, a moving clamping assembly and a fixed clamping assembly, and a butt plate is further arranged on the base, and a avoiding slot is arranged in the center of the support frame; the butt plate and the support frame are arranged, the support frame is turned over and laid flat and supported on the back of the butt plate, a firm axial bearing and pushing wall is constructed, and the huge axial thrust during the expansion of the pipe can be stably borne; in the feeding process, the butt plate is turned over and laid flat and hidden, and the support frame is turned over and stands upright, the avoiding slot arranged in the center of the support frame is used, the pipe is driven by the moving clamping assembly to realize single-station straight-through type assembly line operation of clamping, holding, processing and feeding, and the risk of reference loss caused by multiple moving and loading is eliminated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated pipe processing and assembly equipment technology, specifically to an automatic centering, clamping and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly. Background Technology

[0002] In automated pipe fitting processing and assembly line assembly (such as subsequent seamless flange or joint connections), the pipe ends typically need to be pre-expanded and sized to eliminate incoming material dimensional tolerances and provide a standard assembly interface. During this process, the expansion die forces cold extrusion into the pipe end, generating axial thrust of several to tens of tons. To counteract this massive axial impact, existing pipe processing equipment usually has a fixed heavy-duty stop integrated with the machine tool base at the pipe end face behind the clamping mechanism. While this method effectively withstands the expansion thrust, it presents a significant disruption to the automated production line. The fixed thrust stop completely blocks the physical path of the pipe being fed forward along its central axis. This forces the pipe, after expansion, to be radially pulled out from its current station by an external gantry crane or multi-axis robot before being transferred to the next assembly station. This not only significantly increases the equipment's footprint and manufacturing costs, but also makes it highly susceptible to losing the original alignment spatial reference due to repeated cross-station clamping, leading to tolerance accumulation. To address the problem of blocked feeding channels, some equipment has attempted to introduce simple flip-type movable blocks to replace fixed blocks. However, this conventional movable structure exposes deeper structural failure issues under extreme heavy-load conditions. Tens of tons of axial machining thrust are directly transmitted through the support components of the movable block and ultimately concentrated on the bottom movable hinge (rotating shaft). Since the hinge is inherently unable to withstand high-intensity lateral shear forces, it is highly susceptible to shear fracture under frequent heavy-load impacts. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, an automatic alignment, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly is provided. By incorporating an abutment plate and a support frame, the support frame flips and rests flat against the back of the abutment plate, creating a robust axial thrust barrier that reliably withstands the massive axial thrust during pipe expansion. During the feeding process, the abutment plate flips and lies flat to conceal itself, while the support frame flips and stands upright. Utilizing a clearance groove in the center of the support frame, the moving clamping assembly drives the pipe to achieve a single-station, direct-flow assembly line operation of clamping, holding, processing, and feeding, eliminating the risk of reference loss due to multiple transfers.

[0004] To address the problems of existing technologies, this invention provides an automatic alignment, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly, comprising: a base with a central axis defined thereon for pipe conveying; a pipe expansion power assembly disposed on one side of the base for expanding and sizing the pipe end to meet assembly and docking requirements; a movable clamping assembly slidably disposed on the base and close to the pipe expansion power assembly for clamping the pipe and moving it along the central axis; a fixed clamping assembly disposed on the base and coaxially arranged with the movable clamping assembly for clamping the pipe during the pipe expansion and sizing process and releasing it during the feeding process; and an abutment plate. Hinged to the base and located on the side of the fixed clamping assembly away from the tube expansion power assembly, it is used to bear the axial thrust during tube expansion; the support frame, hinged to the base and located on the side of the abutment plate away from the fixed clamping assembly, has a clearance groove in the center for the tube to pass through; wherein, in the tube expansion and sizing process, the abutment plate is flipped upright, and the support frame is flipped flat and supported on the back of the abutment plate; in the feeding process, the abutment plate is flipped flat, and the support frame is flipped upright to release the clearance groove, and the moving clamping assembly drives the tube to pass through the released fixed clamping assembly and clearance groove in sequence, and transfer it to the next assembly station.

[0005] Preferably, a support baffle is fixed on the base and located behind the support frame; the hinge hole where the support frame is hinged to the base is a strip-shaped hole extending along the central axis; when the support frame is flipped flat and subjected to axial thrust, the hinge shaft of the support frame generates an avoidance displacement in the strip-shaped hole, so that the tail end face of the support frame abuts against the support baffle.

[0006] Preferably, a wedge-shaped support block is fixedly connected to the support frame; after the support frame is flipped flat, the end face of the support block abuts against the back of the abutment plate.

[0007] Preferably, the support frame has an elastic support roller in the clearance groove, and during the feeding process, the support roller elastically rolls against the outer wall of the bottom of the pipe that passes through the clearance groove.

[0008] Preferably, the fixing clamping assembly is provided with a guide roller shaft, which is elastically connected to the fixing clamping assembly through an elastic element.

[0009] Preferably, in the feeding process, the highest physical point of the abutment plate after being flipped and laid flat is lower than the bottom outer circle outline of the pipe during transportation.

[0010] Preferably, the base is provided with a first driving member and a second driving member for independently driving the abutment plate and the support frame to rotate; the output ends of the first driving member and the second driving member are respectively connected to the abutment plate and the support frame.

[0011] Preferably, the base is provided with a linear guide rail and a traction mechanism parallel to the central axis, and the movable clamping assembly is assembled on the linear guide rail; in the tube expansion and sizing process, the movable clamping assembly is locked and stationary; in the feeding process, the movable clamping assembly is driven by the traction mechanism to perform feeding translation.

[0012] Preferably, the base is also provided with a detection module for real-time detection of the flipping posture of the abutment plate, the flipping posture of the support frame, and the positioning status of the pipe.

[0013] Preferably, the base is also equipped with a control system that is communicatively connected to the detection module and the tube expansion power assembly. The control system is configured with time-sequenced anti-interference logic. After the tube expansion power assembly completes the tube expansion and sizing action, it is controlled to perform a micro-retraction action in the direction away from the tube to relieve the axial compressive stress on the abutment plate. Subsequently, when the micro-retraction positioning signal is received and it is confirmed that the fixing clamping assembly is in the released state, the flipping and avoidance action of the support frame and the abutment plate is triggered.

[0014] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are: 1. This invention utilizes independent and rotating abutment plates and support frames. During the pipe expansion and sizing process, the abutment plate flips upright to support the pipe end face, while the support frame flips flat and firmly supports the back of the abutment plate, constructing a robust axial thrust-bearing barrier to reliably withstand the massive axial thrust during pipe expansion. During the feeding process, the abutment plate flips flat and hides, while the support frame flips upright. Utilizing the clearance groove in the center of the support frame, a completely unobstructed coaxial tunnel is instantly created at the original obstruction point. At this point, the moving clamping assembly directly drives the pipe through this clearance groove, transferring it in a straight line to the next assembly station. This solution decouples end face pressure and structural clearance at the underlying mechanical design level, eliminating the need for external robotic arms to transport materials across stations. It achieves a single-station, direct-flow assembly line operation of clamping, holding, processing, and feeding, eliminating the risk of reference loss due to multiple transfers.

[0015] 2. This invention constructs a stress bypass unloading mechanism by fixing a support baffle on the base and setting the hinge hole between the support frame and the base as a strip-shaped hole extending along the central axis. When the support frame is flipped flat and subjected to tens of tons of axial thrust transmitted from the abutment plate, its hinge shaft will undergo a passive avoidance micro-displacement within the strip-shaped hole. This micro-displacement ensures that the tail end face of the support frame firmly abuts against the solid support baffle behind it. The mechanical transmission path is thus fundamentally changed. The destructive heavy-load shear force bypasses the fragile hinge shaft and is transformed into pure compressive stress directly borne by the solid baffle of the machine tool base. This solves the fatal defect of the hinge being prone to breakage under extreme heavy-load conditions, improving the overload resistance limit of the mechanism and the fatigue life of the equipment.

[0016] 3. This invention further optimizes the mechanical force transmission interface under heavy-load conditions by fixing wedge-shaped support blocks to the support frame. When the support frame is flipped flat to provide back support, the end face of the wedge-shaped support block forms a large-area planar contact with the back of the abutment plate. This structure disperses the original single point or line top support force of the support frame into a uniform planar support, significantly enhancing the local structural rigidity of the back support and effectively eliminating stress concentration. At the same time, the wedge structure can effectively resist the small bending moment deformation that may be generated by the abutment plate under ultra-high pressure cold extrusion, ensuring the absolute perpendicularity and processing accuracy of the pipe end face at the moment of pushing. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an automatic centering and clamping unit for pipe expansion assembly, used in the feeding process of the feeding unit.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a top view of the automatic centering and clamping of pipe fittings and the feeding process in the feeding unit used for pipe expansion assembly.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a side view of the automatic centering and clamping of pipe fittings and the feeding process in the feeding unit used for pipe expansion assembly.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a support frame in an automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of an automatic centering clamping and feeding unit for tube expansion assembly.

[0022] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a top view of a pipe fitting used in the automatic centering and clamping and feeding unit during pipe expansion assembly.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a side view of a pipe fitting used in the automatic centering and clamping and feeding unit during pipe expansion assembly.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a fixed clamping component and base in an automatic centering clamping and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly.

[0026] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 Enlarged view of point B in the middle.

[0027] Figure 11This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the base in an automatic centering clamping and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly.

[0028] The following components are labeled in the diagram: 1. Base; 11. Expanding tube power assembly; 12. Moving clamping assembly; 121. Linear guide rail; 122. Traction mechanism; 13. Fixed clamping assembly; 131. Guide roller shaft; 14. Abutment plate; 141. Limiting baffle; 142. First driving component; 15. Support frame; 151. Clearance groove; 1511. Support roller; 152. Support baffle; 153. Strip hole; 154. Support block; 155. Second driving component; 2. Pipe fitting. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To further understand the features, technical means, and specific objectives and functions achieved by the present invention, the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 5 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 The following is an automatic alignment, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly: A base 1, on which a central axis for conveying pipe 2 is defined; an expansion power assembly 11, disposed on one side of the base 1, for expanding and sizing the end of the pipe 2 to meet assembly and docking requirements; a movable clamping assembly 12, slidably disposed on the base 1 and close to the expansion power assembly 11, for clamping the pipe 2 and moving it along the central axis; a fixed clamping assembly 13, disposed on the base 1 and coaxially arranged with the movable clamping assembly 12, for clamping the pipe 2 during the expansion and sizing process and releasing it during the feeding process; and an abutment plate 14, hinged to the base 1 and located on the fixed clamping assembly 12. The clamping assembly 13 is located on the side away from the tube expansion power assembly 11, and is used to bear the axial thrust during tube expansion. The support frame 15 is hinged to the base 1 and is located on the side of the abutment plate 14 away from the fixed clamping assembly 13. A clearance groove 151 for the tube 2 to pass through is provided in the center of the support frame 15. In the tube expansion and sizing process, the abutment plate 14 is flipped upright, and the support frame 15 is flipped flat and supported on the back of the abutment plate 14. In the feeding process, the abutment plate 14 is flipped flat, and the support frame 15 is flipped upright to release the clearance groove 151. The moving clamping assembly 12 drives the tube 2 to pass through the released fixed clamping assembly 13 and clearance groove 151 in sequence and transfer it to the next assembly station.

[0031] In automated pipe fitting 2 processing and assembly lines, to ensure seamless insertion of subsequent flanges or joints, it is usually necessary to forcefully expand and sizing the end of pipe fitting 2. During this process, the expansion die forcibly squeezes into the pipe end, generating an axial thrust of several tons to tens of tons. If only radial friction is used to clamp pipe fitting 2, axial slippage or surface crushing of pipe fitting 2 is very likely to occur. The traditional solution is to set a fixed heavy-duty stop behind pipe fitting 2, but this introduces a fatal automation bottleneck: the fixed stop completely blocks the path of pipe fitting 2 forward along the axis, forcing complex robotic arms to perform cross-station pick-and-place operations after processing, making straight-through assembly line transport impossible. To fundamentally resolve this contradiction, this equipment defines a central axis on the base 1 for conveying the pipe fitting 2. During the pipe expansion and sizing process, the movable clamping assembly 12 and the coaxially arranged fixed clamping assembly 13 work together to clamp the pipe fitting 2. Simultaneously, the abutment plate 14 flips upright to support the pipe end face, while the support frame 15 flips flat and firmly supports the back of the abutment plate 14. This posture constructs a robust axial thrust barrier, reliably bearing the axial thrust during pipe expansion. This architecture, which physically separates and links the abutment plate 14 and the support frame 15, completely decouples the two major functions of end face pressure bearing and structural support from the underlying mechanical design. Compared to using a single, bulky, heavy-duty flipping block, the separate design reduces the rotational inertia of a single actuator, ensuring agility in switching avoidance actions. Meanwhile, the longitudinally extending physical form of the support frame 15 in its flat position constitutes a natural compression support column. Through multi-point contact, the bending moment on the abutment plate 14 is converted into a pure axial compressive force along the central axis, improving the overall overload resistance limit of the system. After the diameter expansion is completed, the feeding process begins. The fixed clamping assembly 13 is released, the abutment plate 14 flips backward and lies flat, while the support frame 15 flips and stands upright. Since the support frame 15 has a clearance groove 151 in the center, after it stands upright, a completely unobstructed coaxial tunnel is instantly released at the original blocking position. At this time, the moving clamping assembly 12 directly drives the pipe 2 through the released fixed clamping assembly 13 and the clearance groove 151, and transfers it in a straight line to the next assembly station.

[0032] like Figures 1 to 8 and Figure 11 As shown: A support baffle 152 located behind the support frame 15 is fixed on the base 1; the hinge hole of the support frame 15 and the base 1 is a strip-shaped hole 153 extending along the central axis; when the support frame 15 is flipped flat and subjected to axial thrust, the hinge shaft of the support frame 15 generates an avoidance displacement in the strip-shaped hole 153, so that the tail end face of the support frame 15 abuts against the support baffle 152.

[0033] Although the structure of the flip support frame 15 and the abutment plate 14 solves the spatial interference problem, the spatial stability of the abutment system needs to balance pre-emptive attitude locking and in-process ultimate thrust resistance under extreme heavy load conditions. To ensure that the abutment plate 14 has an absolutely vertical rigid attitude before impact with the receiving pipe 2 and to avoid high-frequency vibration caused by the flexible pressure holding of the driving components such as cylinders, in specific implementation, a front limiting baffle 141 can be preferably set on the base 1 between the abutment plate 14 and the fixed clamping assembly 13. When the abutment plate 14 flips upright, the front limiting baffle 141 provides a precise forward flipping limiting reference, so that the front side of the abutment plate 14 rests firmly on the limiting baffle 141. At the same time, for the rearward axial impact of tens of tons, the system introduces a stress bypass unloading mechanism to protect the most vulnerable stress node, the movable hinge. A solid support baffle 152 is specifically fixed on the base 1, located behind the support frame 15. The hinge hole where the support frame 15 and the base 1 are hinged is specially designed as a strip-shaped hole 153 extending along the central axis. In this working posture, the abutment plate 14 is actually locked in the bidirectional rigid gap space formed by the limiting baffle 141 and the rear-mounted, flipped-flat support frame 15, ensuring absolute contact between the end faces of the pipe 2. When the huge axial thrust of the pipe 2 is transmitted to the support frame 15 through the abutment plate 14, the hinge axis of the support frame 15 will undergo passive avoidance displacement within the strip-shaped hole 153. This small displacement allows the tail end face of the support frame 15 to completely abut against the solid support baffle 152 behind. The force transmission path is thus fundamentally changed, and the destructive shear force completely bypasses the fragile hinge axis, transforming into pure compressive stress directly borne by the machine tool base 1, thereby achieving absolute stability of the machining reference and self-protection of the mechanism under extreme overload conditions.

[0034] like Figures 4 to 9 As shown: A wedge-shaped support block 154 is fixedly connected to the support frame 15; after the support frame 15 is flipped and laid flat, the end face of the support block 154 abuts against the back of the abutment plate 14.

[0035] To further optimize the force transmission interface between the abutment plate 14 and the support frame 15, a wedge-shaped support block 154 is fixedly connected to the support frame 15. After the support frame 15 is flipped flat, the end face of the wedge-shaped support block 154 abuts against the back of the abutment plate 14 over a large area, which not only significantly enhances the local structural rigidity of the back support and effectively eliminates stress concentration, but also resists the small bending moment deformation that the abutment plate 14 may generate under high pressure.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 9 and Figure 10As shown: The support frame 15 has an elastic support roller 1511 in the clearance groove 151. In the feeding process, the support roller 1511 elastically rolls against the bottom outer wall of the pipe 2 that passes through the clearance groove 151.

[0037] The fixed clamping assembly 13 is provided with a guide roller shaft 131, which is elastically connected to the fixed clamping assembly 13 through an elastic element.

[0038] In the feeding process, the highest point of the abutment plate 14 after being flipped and laid flat is lower than the bottom outer circle outline of the pipe fitting 2 during transportation.

[0039] After addressing the heavy-duty support issue, the smoothness of translation and surface protection of the long pipe fitting 2 become key considerations. During the feeding process, when the pipe fitting 2 passes through the clearance groove 151 of the upright support frame 15, its length makes it prone to cantilever sagging or shaking. By installing an elastic support roller 1511 within the clearance groove 151 of the support frame 15, as the pipe fitting 2 slides through, the elastic support roller 1511 elastically rolls against the bottom outer wall of the pipe fitting 2 from bottom to top, providing a floating, flexible lifting force and effectively maintaining coaxiality during transport. Highly coordinated with this is the guide roller shaft 131 installed inside the fixed clamping assembly 13, which is preferably elastically connected to the fixed clamping assembly 13 via an elastic element such as a polyurethane spring or disc spring. In the expanded clamping state, due to the enormous radial pressure, the guide roller 131 overcomes the elastic force and retracts, allowing the tube 2 to directly contact the inner wall of the rigid fixed clamping assembly 13 to ensure absolute stability and centering. In the unloaded state, the elastic element lifts the guide roller 131, causing the tube 2 to slightly detach from the inner wall of the fixed clamping assembly 13, instantly converting destructive sliding friction into low-resistance rolling friction, thus preventing surface scratches on the aluminum alloy tube during extraction. Furthermore, throughout the entire linear transfer process, the highest point of the abutment plate 14 after being flipped and laid flat is strictly limited to be lower than the bottom outer contour line of the tube 2 during transport, completely eliminating any possibility of bottom scratches from a spatial geometry perspective.

[0040] like Figures 1 to 9 and Figure 11 As shown: The base 1 is provided with a first driving member 142 and a second driving member 155 for independently driving the abutment plate 14 and the support frame 15 to rotate; the output ends of the first driving member 142 and the second driving member 155 are respectively connected to the abutment plate 14 and the support frame 15.

[0041] The base 1 is provided with a linear guide rail 121 parallel to the central axis and a traction mechanism 122. The movable clamping assembly 12 is mounted on the linear guide rail 121. In the tube expansion and sizing process, the movable clamping assembly 12 is locked and stationary. In the feeding process, the movable clamping assembly 12 is driven by the traction mechanism 122 to perform feeding translation.

[0042] The base 1 is also equipped with a detection module for real-time detection of the flipping posture of the abutment plate 14, the flipping posture of the support frame 15, and the positioning status of the pipe 2.

[0043] The base 1 is also equipped with a control system that is communicatively connected to the detection module and the tube expansion power assembly 11. The control system is configured with time-sequenced anti-interference logic. After the tube expansion power assembly 11 completes the tube expansion and sizing action, it is controlled to perform a micro-retraction action in the direction away from the tube 2 to relieve the axial compressive stress on the abutment plate 14. Subsequently, when and only when a micro-retraction positioning signal is received and it is confirmed that the fixing clamping assembly 13 is in the loosened state, the flipping and avoidance action of the support frame 15 and the abutment plate 14 is triggered.

[0044] All the aforementioned heavy-duty resistance and attitude switching rely on high-precision electromechanical execution and logic control. The base 1 is equipped with a first drive unit 142 and a second drive unit 155, which preferably employ heavy-duty hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic-hydraulic booster cylinders, or servo electric actuators with self-locking functions, thereby independently driving the precise rotation of the abutment plate 14 and the support frame 15. The moving clamping assembly 12 is mounted on a linear guide rail 121 parallel to the central axis and is driven by a traction mechanism 122, which is preferably a high-precision ball screw module driven by a servo motor or a heavy-duty rack and pinion mechanism. In the tube expansion and sizing process, the traction mechanism 122 uses a servo brake to lock the tube in place, providing additional axial anti-slip force; while in the feeding process, the traction mechanism 122 acts as a material transfer source, performing translational feeding. During this extreme working condition switching and transfer process, the moving clamping assembly 12 maintains a rigid clamping state on the outer wall of the pipe fitting 2 at all times. This constitutes the core physical basis for ensuring that the absolute spatial reference is not lost across workstations. That is, after the pipe fitting 2 completes the high-intensity expansion and sizing deformation, the moving clamping assembly 12 does not need to be released, so that the pipe fitting 2 is not grabbed or re-aligned by the moving clamping assembly 12. Instead, it directly transforms from a static clamp that provides anti-slip force, i.e., the moving clamping assembly 12, into a dynamic handling assembly. This integrated clamping, holding, and conveying method eliminates the accumulation of alignment tolerances that are easily generated between traditional multi-process flows, and provides an absolute reference guarantee for the high-precision coaxial assembly of flanges or joints in the next workstation.

[0045] To ensure absolute safety under heavy loads during complex operations, detection modules (not shown in the figure) are installed on the base 1 and key nodes. These detection modules are preferably laser displacement sensors, high-precision proximity switches, or photoelectric sensors, which provide real-time feedback to the control system on the flipping posture of the abutment plate 14 and support frame 15, and the positioning status of the pipe 2. The control system is preferably an industrial PLC controller. The control system incorporates crucial timing-based anti-interference logic. After the expansion power assembly 11 completes the expansion action, a significant static engagement friction remains between the end face of the pipe 2 and the abutment plate 14. Directly flipping the mechanism would inevitably lead to jamming or breakage. Therefore, the control system forcibly instructs the expansion power assembly 11 to first perform a slight retraction movement of several millimeters away from the pipe 2, completely relieving axial compressive stress. Only after receiving the slight retraction positioning signal and the sensor confirms that the fixing clamping assembly 13 has been completely released is the flipping and avoidance action of the support frame 15 and abutment plate 14 allowed to be triggered. Subsequently, once the detection module confirms that the support frame 15 is fully upright and the contact plate 14 is fully flat and concealed, the control system releases the servo brake of the traction mechanism 122 and drives the moving clamping assembly 12 to perform high-precision long-stroke shuttle feeding. This complete closed-loop interlocking control not only eliminates the risk of heavy-duty mechanical jamming and interference collisions from an electrical and physical perspective, but also enables the entire process of pipe fitting 2 alignment, mechanism avoidance, flexible support, and linear conveying to be coordinated, ultimately completing the integration of high-pressure forming and high-speed logistics in a single workstation.

[0046] The above embodiments only illustrate one or more implementations of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe fittings used in expansion pipe assembly, characterized in that, include: A base on which a central axis for transporting pipe fittings is defined; The tube expansion power assembly is located on one side of the base and is used to expand and sizing the end of the tube to meet the assembly and docking requirements. A movable clamping assembly is slidably disposed on the base and close to the tube expansion power assembly, used to clamp the tube and move it along the central axis; A fixed clamping assembly is mounted on the base and arranged coaxially with the movable clamping assembly. It is used to clamp the pipe fitting during the pipe expansion and sizing process and to release it during the feeding process. The abutment plate is hinged to the base and located on the side of the fixing clamping assembly away from the tube expansion power assembly, and is used to withstand the axial thrust during tube expansion; The support frame is hinged to the base and located on the side of the abutment plate away from the fixing clamping assembly, with a clearance groove in the center for the pipe fitting to pass through. In the tube expansion and sizing process, the abutment plate is flipped upright, and the support frame is flipped flat and supported on the back of the abutment plate. In the feeding process, the abutment plate is flipped flat, and the support frame is flipped upright to release the clearance groove. The moving clamping assembly drives the tube to pass through the released fixed clamping assembly and clearance groove in sequence and transfer it to the next assembly station.

2. The automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, A support baffle is fixed on the base and located behind the support frame; the hinge hole where the support frame is hinged to the base is a strip-shaped hole extending along the central axis; when the support frame is flipped flat and subjected to axial thrust, the hinge shaft of the support frame generates an avoidance displacement in the strip-shaped hole, so that the tail end face of the support frame abuts against the support baffle.

3. The automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, A wedge-shaped support block is fixedly connected to the support frame; after the support frame is flipped flat, the end face of the support block abuts against the back of the abutment plate.

4. The automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame has an elastic support roller in the clearance groove. During the feeding process, the support roller elastically rolls against the outer wall of the bottom of the pipe that passes through the clearance groove.

5. The automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixed clamping assembly is provided with a guide roller shaft, which is elastically connected to the fixed clamping assembly through an elastic element.

6. The automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for tube expansion assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, In the feeding process, the highest point of the abutment plate after being flipped and laid flat is lower than the bottom outer circle outline of the pipe during transportation.

7. The automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base is provided with a first driving member and a second driving member for independently driving the abutment plate and the support frame to rotate; the output ends of the first driving member and the second driving member are respectively connected to the abutment plate and the support frame.

8. The automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The base is provided with a linear guide rail and a traction mechanism parallel to the central axis, and the movable clamping assembly is assembled on the linear guide rail; in the tube expansion and sizing process, the movable clamping assembly is locked and stationary; in the feeding process, the movable clamping assembly is driven by the traction mechanism to perform feeding translation.

9. The automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for pipe expansion assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The base is also equipped with a detection module for real-time detection of the flipping posture of the abutment plate, the flipping posture of the support frame, and the positioning status of the pipe.

10. The automatic centering, clamping, and feeding unit for tube expansion assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that, The base is also equipped with a control system that is communicatively connected to the detection module and the tube expansion power assembly. The control system is configured with time-sequenced anti-interference logic. After the tube expansion power assembly completes the tube expansion and sizing action, it controls the tube expansion power assembly to perform a micro-retraction action in the direction away from the tube to relieve the axial compressive stress on the abutment plate. Subsequently, when and only when a micro-retraction positioning signal is received and it is confirmed that the fixing clamping assembly is in the released state, the support frame and the abutment plate are triggered to flip and avoid each other.

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