Aluminum pipe flaring equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of aluminum pipe machining, in particular to aluminum pipe flaring equipment which comprises a clamping mechanism fixed above a machine frame. And the flaring mechanism comprises a flaring head capable of linearly stretching out and drawing back, and the axis of the flaring head and the axis of the aluminum pipe clamped by the clamping mechanism are collinear. And the heating assembly comprises a plurality of groups of heating coils which are horizontally arranged between the clamping mechanism and the flaring mechanism, so that a temperature gradient can be formed during flaring of the aluminum pipe. The protection assembly comprises a plurality of sets of pipelines surrounding the heating coil, inert gas with adjustable flow is connected into each set of pipeline, and in the aluminum pipe flaring process, the sprayed inert gas forms a surrounding or semi-surrounding inert gas barrier for the heating coil, so that an oxidation layer formed by the aluminum pipe at high temperature is effectively prevented, and the service life of the aluminum pipe is prolonged. Therefore, cracks of the end opening of the aluminum pipe caused by the oxidation layer are avoided, meanwhile, oxidation of the heating coil can be avoided, and the service life of equipment is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of aluminum tube processing, and in particular to an aluminum tube flaring device. Background Technology

[0002] Aluminum tube flaring refers to the process of locally enlarging the diameter of the end of an aluminum tube through mechanical or thermal processing. It is mainly used to achieve efficient sealing connection and media transmission in pipeline systems, and its application fields cover automobile manufacturing, refrigeration equipment, aerospace and building HVAC.

[0003] Traditional aluminum tube flaring processes have long relied on flame heating or resistance heating, which presents significant technical bottlenecks. Flame heating suffers from uneven temperature distribution due to the randomness of gas combustion, and direct contact between the high-temperature flame and the aluminum tube surface causes severe oxidation (an oxide layer thickness of 20-50 μm), requiring subsequent acid pickling and increasing process costs. While resistance heating can achieve localized temperature control, its heat transfer efficiency is low, resulting in poor energy utilization, and contact heat transfer easily causes scratches on the tube surface. In recent years, electromagnetic induction heating technology has improved heating speed and energy efficiency through non-contact eddy current effects. However, compared to steel or iron, aluminum is chemically more reactive. During heating, the high temperature causes the oxide layer to thicken rapidly, and an excessively thick oxide layer can cause cracks on the outer surface of the aluminum tube, severely affecting the mechanical properties of the tube end. Furthermore, the heating control of a single, fixed-frequency electromagnetic coil is unstable, often leading to high-temperature softening at the aluminum tube end, resulting in significant plastic deformation and inconsistent wall thickness at the tube end after forming. Utility Model Content

[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0005] This invention provides an aluminum tube flaring device that utilizes electromagnetic induction heating, aiming to solve the problem of unstable heating control by a single fixed-frequency electromagnetic coil, and the problem of how to avoid oxidation when heating aluminum tubes at high temperatures.

[0006] (II) Technical Solution

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model proposes an aluminum tube flaring device, comprising:

[0008] The clamping mechanism is fixed above the frame;

[0009] A flaring mechanism includes a linearly retractable flaring head, the axis of which is collinear with the axis of the aluminum tube held by the clamping mechanism.

[0010] The heating assembly includes multiple sets of heating coils arranged horizontally between the clamping mechanism and the flaring mechanism;

[0011] The protective assembly includes multiple sets of pipes surrounding the heating coil, each set of pipes having an adjustable flow rate of inert gas inside. During the flaring process of the aluminum pipes, the ejected inert gas forms an enclosed or semi-enclosed inert gas barrier around the heating coil.

[0012] Optionally, the heating assembly includes multiple sets of intermediate frequency power supply systems with different frequency ranges, and each set of heating coils is connected to an intermediate frequency power supply system with a different frequency range, so that different temperature zones are formed inside each set of heating coils.

[0013] Optionally, the heating coil is a water-cooled copper coil with a square cross-section and a hollow interior, and is connected to a water cooling system for cooling the aluminum tube after the hole is expanded.

[0014] The heating coil is mounted on a base, which is fixed above the table surface of the frame by a connector.

[0015] Optionally, the inert gas is selected from either argon or nitrogen, and the inert gas barrier of the protective component covers the axial range from the heating area of ​​the aluminum tube to the flared area.

[0016] Optionally, the protective assembly further includes a protective cover and a flow regulating valve;

[0017] The protective cover has a bridge arch structure, including a support connection part and a pipeline fixing part;

[0018] The pipeline fixing part is an arc-shaped plate structure, with multiple sets of pipelines arrayed on the inner surface. One end of each set of pipelines is blocked, and the other end is connected to the inert gas source system through the flow regulating valve. Each set of pipelines is provided with a gas nozzle facing the heating coil.

[0019] The two sides of the pipe fixing part are fixedly installed on the frame through the support connection part, thereby forming an enclosure of the heating coil.

[0020] Optionally, the expansion joint is linearly extended and retracted by a hydraulic cylinder or servo motor, and its front end is provided with a tapered expansion joint that matches the inner diameter of the aluminum tube.

[0021] Optionally, the clamping mechanism includes a housing, a pair of clamping bodies, a driving structure, and a locking structure;

[0022] The housing is provided with two sets of vertically penetrating sliding grooves, which are fixed above the frame;

[0023] The clamping body is slidably disposed in the slide groove and can reciprocate along the slide groove under the drive of the drive structure. After clamping the aluminum tube, the locking structure can restrict the movement of the clamping body.

[0024] Optionally, the drive structure includes a bearing support, a handwheel, and a threaded rod;

[0025] The bearing supports are located on both sides of the housing and fixed to the frame;

[0026] The outer side of the threaded rod is provided with a transmission thread with opposite rotation direction, the bottom of the clamp body has a slider, the slider is provided with a transmission thread hole, and the transmission thread and the transmission thread hole are connected in a transmission manner.

[0027] The threaded rod is supported at both ends by the bearing brackets, and one end is connected to the handwheel.

[0028] Optionally, the locking structure includes a top plate and a top rod;

[0029] The top rod is threaded to both sides of the housing, and one end is rotatably connected to the top plate. The top plate is slidably connected to the housing and can press against the slider.

[0030] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0031] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: The coordinated action of the clamping mechanism and the flaring mechanism ensures the stability and axial consistency of the aluminum tube during the flaring process, effectively avoiding uneven wall thickness caused by eccentricity. The independent control of the three sets of heating coils and the adjustment of different frequencies enable the aluminum tube to form a temperature gradient during flaring, which is particularly suitable for the process requirements of tapered flaring, significantly improving the forming accuracy and quality. Simultaneously, the setting of five sets of inert gas pipelines, through adjustable flow inert gas barriers, effectively prevents the formation of an oxide layer on the aluminum tube at high temperatures, thereby avoiding the generation of cracks at the aluminum tube end caused by the oxide layer. It also prevents oxidation of the heating coils, extending the service life of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an aluminum tube flaring equipment.

[0033] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the gradient heating structure for an aluminum tube flaring device;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism in an aluminum tube flaring device;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the protective components in an aluminum tube flaring device.

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a single heating coil in an aluminum tube flaring device.

[0037] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]

[0038] 1: Clamping mechanism; 11: Housing; 12: Clamping body; 13: Drive structure; 131: Bearing support; 132: Handwheel; 133: Threaded rod; 14: Locking structure; 141: Top plate; 142: Top rod; 2: Flaring mechanism; 21: Flaring head; 3: Heating component; 31: Heating coil; 32: Base; 4: Protective component; 41: Pipeline; 411: Gas nozzle; 42: Protective cover; 421: Support connection; 422: Pipeline fixing part; 5: Frame; 6: Aluminum tube. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To better explain and facilitate understanding of this utility model, the present utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0040] This embodiment provides an aluminum tube flaring device, such as... Figures 1-5 As shown, it includes: a clamping mechanism 1, fixed above the table surface of the frame 5, for clamping aluminum tube 6. After being clamped, the length direction (axial direction) of the aluminum tube 6 remains parallel to the table surface of the frame 5. A flaring mechanism 2, including a linearly retractable flaring head 21. The axis of the flaring head 21 is collinear with the axis of the aluminum tube 6 clamped by the clamping mechanism 1. This is to ensure that the flaring head 21 does not cause uneven wall thickness of the formed aluminum tube 6 due to eccentricity with the axis of the aluminum tube 6 during the flaring process. The clamping mechanism 1 and the flaring mechanism 2 are arranged horizontally above the frame 5, respectively on both sides of the table surface of the frame 5, to ensure the overall structural weight is balanced. A heating assembly 3 includes three sets of heating coils 31 arranged horizontally between the clamping mechanism 1 and the flaring mechanism 2. The three sets of heating coils 31 are respectively connected to medium-frequency induction power supplies with different frequency ranges, thereby adapting to aluminum tubes 6 with different wall thicknesses. The protective component 4 includes five sets of pipes 41 surrounding the heating coil 31. Each set of pipes 41 is connected to an adjustable flow rate of inert gas. During the flaring process of the aluminum pipe 6, the ejected inert gas forms an enclosed or semi-enclosed inert gas barrier around the heating coil 31.

[0041] It should be noted that the three sets of heating coils 31 can operate simultaneously or individually. When a tapered flare is required, a higher frequency is set near the tube opening, and a lower frequency is set further away. This creates a temperature gradient at the end of the aluminum tube 6, better meeting the thermoplasticity requirements of the tapered flare. Additionally, argon or nitrogen can be used as the inert gas to prevent oxidation.

[0042] In this embodiment, the synergistic effect of the clamping mechanism 1 and the flaring mechanism 2 ensures the stability and axial consistency of the aluminum tube 6 during the flaring process, effectively avoiding the problem of uneven wall thickness caused by eccentricity. The independent control and frequency adjustment of the three sets of heating coils 31 enable the aluminum tube 6 to form a temperature gradient during flaring, which is particularly suitable for tapered flaring processes. Simultaneously, the five sets of inert gas pipelines 41, through adjustable flow inert gas barriers, effectively prevent the formation of an oxide layer on the aluminum tube 6 at high temperatures, thereby avoiding the generation of cracks at the ends of the aluminum tube 6 caused by the oxide layer. Furthermore, it also prevents the oxidation of the heating coils 31, extending the service life of the equipment.

[0043] In this embodiment, the heating component 3 includes three sets of intermediate frequency power supply systems with different frequency ranges. Each heating coil 31 is connected to an intermediate frequency power supply system with a different frequency range, so that different temperature zones are formed inside each heating coil 31. Specifically, the first set of frequency ranges is 6kHz to 10kHz, the second set of frequency ranges is 3kHz to 6kHz, and the third set of frequency ranges is 0.5kHz to 3kHz. The shallow skin effect of the high-frequency band is used to achieve rapid and precise temperature control on the surface of the aluminum tube 6. The intermediate frequency band balances the heat conduction between the inner and outer layers to reduce the temperature gradient. The deep penetration effect of the low-frequency band ensures uniform heating of the tube core, thereby forming a dynamic thermal field from the surface to the inside in the radial direction of the aluminum tube 6. This effectively eliminates the problem of grain coarsening or oxide layer thickening caused by local overheating during flaring. At the same time, it can be adapted to the processing of aluminum tubes with different wall thicknesses, significantly improving the flaring forming quality and equipment versatility.

[0044] In this embodiment, the heating coil 31 is a water-cooled copper coil with a square cross-section and a hollow interior. It is connected to a water cooling system to cool the aluminum tube 6 after the bore has been expanded. The heating coil 31 is mounted on a base 32, which is fixed to the table surface of the frame 5 via connectors. Specifically, the high conductivity of copper significantly improves the induction heating efficiency, the square cross-section enhances the stability of the coil structure to resist high-frequency electromagnetic vibration deformation, and the internal water cooling channel simultaneously controls the coil's own operating temperature and rapidly cools the aluminum tube 6 after the bore has been expanded. Adjustable bolts can be installed between the base 32 and the table surface of the frame 5 to achieve adjustable height of the central axis of the heating coil 31. This ensures precise alignment of the heating coil 31 with the axis of the aluminum tube 6 and facilitates quick disassembly and assembly during maintenance.

[0045] In this embodiment, argon is selected as the inert gas, and the inert gas barrier of the protective component 4 covers the axial range from the heating area of ​​the aluminum tube 6 to the flared area.

[0046] In this embodiment, the protective component 4 also includes a protective cover 42 and a flow regulating valve. The protective cover 42 has a bridge-arch structure, including a support connection part 421 and a pipe fixing part 422. The pipe fixing part 422 has an arc-shaped sheet structure, with multiple sets of pipes 41 arrayed on its inner surface. One end of each set of pipes 41 is sealed, and the other end is connected to an inert gas source system through a flow regulating valve. Each set of pipes 41 is provided with a gas nozzle 411 facing the heating coil 31. The two sides of the pipe fixing part 422 are mounted on the frame 5 through the support connection part 421, thereby forming an enclosure around the heating coil 31. Specifically, the arc-shaped pipe fixing part 422 is adapted to the curved space of the heating coil 31, and the independently controllable gas nozzle 411 can form a continuous and uniform inert gas protective layer in the heated area of ​​the aluminum tube, effectively suppressing the high-temperature oxidation reaction; the flow regulating valve precisely regulates the gas flow rate of each section according to the diameter difference of the aluminum tube 6, reducing inert gas consumption while ensuring the anti-oxidation effect.

[0047] In this embodiment, the expansion joint 21 is linearly extended and retracted by a hydraulic cylinder, and its front end is provided with a tapered expansion joint 21 that matches the inner diameter of the aluminum tube 6. Specifically, the hydraulic cylinder is a servo electric cylinder to precisely control the displacement of the expansion joint 21.

[0048] In this embodiment, the clamping mechanism 1 includes a housing 11, a pair of clamping bodies 12, a driving structure 13, and a locking structure 14. The housing 11 is provided with two sets of vertically penetrating sliding grooves and is fixed above the frame 5. The clamping bodies 12 are slidably disposed in the sliding grooves and can reciprocate along the sliding grooves under the drive of the driving structure 13. After clamping the aluminum tube 6, the locking structure 14 can restrict the movement of the clamping bodies 12.

[0049] The drive structure 13 includes a bearing support 131, a handwheel 132, and a threaded rod 133. The bearing support 131 is located on both sides of the housing 11 and fixed to the frame 5. The threaded rod 133 has a transmission thread with opposite rotation direction on its outer side. The bottom of the clamping body 12 has a slider with a transmission thread hole. The transmission thread and the transmission thread hole are connected in a transmission manner. Both ends of the threaded rod 133 are supported by the bearing support 131, and one end is connected to the handwheel 132.

[0050] The locking structure 14 includes a top plate 141 and a push rod 142. The push rod 142 is threaded to both sides of the housing 11, and one end is rotatably connected to the top plate 141. The top plate 141 is slidably connected to the housing 11 and can press the slider. Specifically, the bottom of the top plate 141 has at least two guide blocks, and correspondingly, guide sliding grooves are formed on the bottom surface of the housing 11 to further restrict the top plate 141 to move only along the direction of the guide sliding grooves, ultimately achieving the locking of the clamping body 12.

[0051] The bidirectional threaded rod 133 drives the paired clamping bodies 12 to move synchronously and symmetrically along the slide groove, ensuring that the aluminum tube 6 and the heating coil 31 are precisely aligned; the handwheel 132 drives flexible operation and can quickly adapt to the clamping requirements of aluminum tubes 6 of different sizes; the locking structure 14 generates a strong vertical clamping force through thread pre-tightening, effectively suppressing radial movement and circumferential torsion during the processing.

[0052] The specific workflow of the aluminum tube flaring device described in this embodiment is as follows:

[0053] First, the aluminum tube 6 is placed horizontally in the groove of the clamping mechanism 1. The handwheel 132 is turned to drive the bidirectional reverse threaded rod 133, which drives the paired clamping bodies 12 to move synchronously and symmetrically, clamping the aluminum tube 6. Then, the top rod 142 is tightened to push the top plate 141 to press the slider, locking the position of the clamping body 12 and ensuring that the axis of the aluminum tube 6 is precisely aligned with the center of the flaring head 21. Next, according to the wall thickness of the aluminum tube 6, three sets of medium-frequency induction heating coils 31 with different frequencies are selected and activated. At the same time, argon gas is introduced into the arc-shaped pipe 41 of the protective cover 42. The flow regulating valve controls the gas nozzles 411 of each section to form a uniform inert gas barrier to inhibit the oxidation of the aluminum tube 6 and the coils. Then, the electric cylinder is activated to drive the flaring head 21 to advance at a constant speed along the axis of the aluminum tube 6, using the thermoplasticity of the heating area of ​​the aluminum tube 6 to achieve flaring deformation. The water cooling system inside the heating coil 31 simultaneously cools and shapes the flared aluminum tube 6 rapidly, while maintaining the stable operating temperature of the coil itself. Finally, after the flaring is completed, the hydraulic cylinder retracts the flaring head 21, shuts off the heating coil 31 and the inert gas supply; releases the top rod 142 of the locking structure 14, rotates the handwheel 132 in the opposite direction to release the clamping body 12, and takes out the formed aluminum tube 6, completing a single processing.

[0054] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in this embodiment are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a specific posture (as shown in the attached figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. In the description of this embodiment, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0056] In this embodiment, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this embodiment according to the specific circumstances.

[0057] It should be understood that the above description of the specific embodiments of this utility model is only for illustrating the technical route and features of this utility model, and its purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this utility model and implement it accordingly. However, this utility model is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. All changes or modifications made within the scope of the claims of this utility model should be covered by the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. An aluminum tube flaring device, characterized in that, include: The clamping mechanism (1) is fixed above the frame (5); The flaring mechanism (2) includes a linearly telescopic flaring head (21), the axis of which is collinear with the axis of the aluminum tube held by the clamping mechanism (1); The heating assembly (3) includes multiple sets of heating coils (31) arranged horizontally between the clamping mechanism (1) and the flaring mechanism (2); The protective component (4) includes multiple sets of pipes (41) surrounding the heating coil (31). Each set of pipes (41) is connected to an adjustable flow rate of inert gas. During the flaring of the aluminum pipe, the ejected inert gas forms an enclosed or semi-enclosed inert gas barrier around the heating coil (31).

2. The aluminum tube flaring equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The heating component (3) includes multiple sets of intermediate frequency power supply systems with different frequency ranges. Each set of heating coils (31) is connected to an intermediate frequency power supply system with a different frequency range, so that different temperature zones are formed inside each set of heating coils (31).

3. The aluminum tube flaring equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The heating coil (31) is a water-cooled copper coil with a square cross-section and a hollow interior. It is connected to a water cooling system to cool the aluminum tube after the hole is expanded. The heating coil (31) is mounted on the base (32), which is fixed above the table surface of the frame (5) by a connector.

4. The aluminum tube flaring equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The inert gas is selected from either argon or nitrogen, and the inert gas barrier of the protective component (4) covers the axial range from the heating area of ​​the aluminum tube to the flared area.

5. The aluminum tube flaring device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The protective assembly (4) also includes a protective cover (42) and a flow regulating valve; The protective cover (42) is a bridge arch structure, including a support connection part (421) and a pipeline fixing part (422); The pipeline fixing part (422) is an arc-shaped sheet structure, and multiple sets of pipelines (41) are arrayed on the inner surface. One end of each set of pipelines (41) is blocked, and the other end is connected to the inert gas source system through the flow regulating valve. Each set of pipelines (41) is provided with a gas nozzle (411) facing the heating coil (31). The two sides of the pipe fixing part (422) are fixedly installed on the frame (5) through the support connection part (421), thereby forming an enclosure of the heating coil (31).

6. The aluminum tube flaring equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The expansion joint (21) is linearly extended and retracted by a hydraulic cylinder or servo motor, and its front end is provided with a tapered expansion joint (21) that matches the inner diameter of the aluminum tube.

7. The aluminum tube flaring device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism (1) includes a housing (11), a pair of clamping bodies (12), a driving structure (13), and a locking structure (14); The housing (11) is provided with two sets of vertically penetrating sliding grooves, which are fixed above the frame (5); The clamping body (12) is slidably disposed in the groove and can reciprocate along the groove under the drive of the driving structure (13). After clamping the aluminum tube, the locking structure (14) can restrict the movement of the clamping body (12).

8. The aluminum tube flaring device as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The drive structure (13) includes a bearing support (131), a handwheel (132), and a threaded rod (133); The bearing support (131) is disposed on both sides of the housing (11) and fixed to the frame (5); The threaded rod (133) has a transmission thread with opposite rotation direction on the outside, and the bottom of the clamp body (12) has a slider with a transmission thread hole on the slider. The transmission thread and the transmission thread hole are connected in a transmission manner. The two ends of the threaded rod (133) are supported by the bearing support (131), and one end is connected to the handwheel (132).

9. The aluminum tube flaring device as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The locking structure (14) includes a top plate (141) and a top rod (142); The top rod (142) is threaded to both sides of the housing (11), and one end is rotatably connected to the top plate (141). The top plate (141) is slidably connected to the housing (11) and can press the slider.

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