Shape measurement method, shape measurement device, measurement method for mechanical joint, measurement system for mechanical joint, manufacturing method for mechanical joint, quality control method for mechanical joint

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to confirm the joining of a mechanical joint more easily, regardless of the state of the mechanical joint or a connected pipe. This shape measurement method is for analyzing, for a set of mechanical joints including a male joint and a female joint corresponding to the male joint, an interference level between an uneven part of the male joint and an uneven part of the female joint. The shape measurement method includes: a joining complete state setting step of setting, on the basis of data of the uneven shapes of the male joint and the female joint, a joining complete state in which joining of the male joint and the female joint is complete; and an interference analysis step of analyzing, in the joining complete state, the interference level between the uneven part of the male joint and the uneven part of the female joint corresponding to the uneven part of the male joint.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a shape measurement method, a shape measurement device, a measurement method for a mechanical joint, a measurement system for a mechanical joint, in a pipe joint structure for joining pipes, machine The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a mechanical joint and a quality control method of a mechanical joint. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, pipe structures used for building foundations and preventing landslides can require lengths of several tens of meters depending on the construction conditions. This tendency is particularly pronounced for steel pipes. When transporting these pipe structures to the construction site, traffic restrictions prevent the transport of long pipes. For this reason, they are transported in transportable lengths of several meters at a time, and then joined at the construction site during construction (including pouring).

[0003] Mechanical joints are used as a method for joining pipe structures at the construction site, and an example of such a mechanical joint is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The mechanical joints are attached to the ends of the pipes to be joined, and are joined at the construction site to join the pipes and construct the pipe structure.

[0004] Generally, mechanical fittings are pre-assembled at the factory with the male fitting attached to one pipe and the female fitting attached to another pipe, and then shipped to the site. There are several manufacturing procedures, but the male and female fittings are often manufactured as a set. After manufacturing, these fitting sets may be attached to the end of a long pipe depending on their intended use. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-311028 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-36574 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-153579 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Because the ability to connect mechanical couplings is determined by the corresponding concave and convex shapes of the male and mating female couplings, coupling confirmation is typically performed before use. However, coupling confirmation can be difficult when the mechanical coupling has certain conditions, particularly when the mechanical coupling has a large diameter, when the pipe to which the mechanical coupling is connected is long, or when the mechanical coupling or the connected pipe is heavy and made of a metal material such as steel. In these cases, there are problems such as the significant effort required for coupling confirmation, the risk of damage to the coupling itself, and concerns about safety.

[0007] In particular, in the case of mechanical couplings, there is a possibility that an uneven shape (fitting interference shape) that interferes with the uneven shape of the male coupling and the uneven shape of the female coupling may exist between the joining start position when the male coupling and the female coupling are disconnected (including the state immediately before the male coupling is mated to the female coupling) and the joining completion position when the joining of the male coupling and the female coupling is complete. If an interfering shape exists between the uneven shape of the male coupling and the uneven shape of the female coupling, there is a possibility that the joining process of the coupling may be interrupted. Therefore, there has been a need for a technology that can more easily determine whether a mechanical coupling has an uneven shape that can be joined before use in the field, regardless of the state of the mechanical coupling or the connected pipe.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a shape measurement method, a shape measurement device, a measurement method for a mechanical joint, a measurement system for a mechanical joint, which enable joint confirmation in a mechanical joint to be performed more easily regardless of the state of the mechanical joint or the state of a connected pipe. machine The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a mechanical joint and a method for quality control of a mechanical joint. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] (1) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the above-mentioned object, one aspect of the present invention provides a shape measurement method for analyzing the level of interference between concave-convex portions of a male joint and a concave-convex portion of a female joint for a set of mechanical joints having a male joint and a female joint corresponding to the male joint, the shape measurement method comprising: a joining completion state setting step for setting a joining completion state in which joining of the male joint and the female joint is completed, based on data on the respective concave-convex shapes of the male joint and the female joint; and an interference analysis step for analyzing the level of interference between the concave-convex portions of the male joint and the concave-convex portions of the female joint that correspond to the concave-convex portions of the male joint in the joining completion state.

[0010] (2) A shape measurement method according to one aspect of the present invention, in the invention described in (1), includes at least one of a step of determining whether the set of mechanical joints is pass or fail based on the interference level measured in the interference analysis step, and an interference information assignment step of assigning information about the interference part to a location determined to be an interference part based on the interference level measured in the interference analysis step.

[0011] (3) A method for measuring a mechanical joint according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a shape measurement step of measuring the concave-convex shape of a male joint and the concave-convex shape of a female joint corresponding to the male joint for a pair of mechanical joints, and a shape measurement step of analyzing the interference level for each pair of mechanical joints using the shape measurement method according to the invention described in (1) or (2) based on the data of the concave-convex shape measured in the shape measurement step.

[0012] (4) The method for manufacturing a mechanical joint according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing a set of mechanical joints having a male joint and a female joint corresponding to the male joint, and comprises a joint manufacturing process for manufacturing a mechanical joint, and a joint measurement process for performing the method for measuring a mechanical joint according to the invention described in (3) on the set of mechanical joints having a male joint and a female joint produced by the joint manufacturing process.

[0013] (5) A quality control method for a mechanical joint according to one aspect of the present invention is a quality control method for a mechanical joint that controls the quality of a set of mechanical joints having a male joint and a female joint corresponding to the male joint, and includes a joint manufacturing process for manufacturing the mechanical joint, a joint measurement process for measuring the uneven shape of the mechanical joint for the set of mechanical joints created by the joint manufacturing process using the mechanical joint measurement method according to the invention described in (3), and a quality control process for controlling the quality of the created mechanical joint using the results obtained from the joint measurement process.

[0014] (6) A shape measuring device according to one aspect of the present invention is a shape measuring device that analyzes the level of interference between the uneven portions of a male joint and the uneven portions of a female joint for a set of mechanical joints having a male joint and a female joint corresponding to the male joint, and is equipped with a control unit that executes a joining completion state setting process that sets a joining completion state in which joining of the male joint and the female joint is completed based on data on the respective uneven shapes of the male joint and the female joint, and an interference analysis process that analyzes the level of interference between the uneven portions of the male joint and the uneven portions of the female joint that correspond to the uneven portions of the male joint in the joining completion state.

[0015] (7) In one embodiment of the present invention, the shape measuring device according to the invention described in (6) further includes a communication unit, and the communication unit executes, via the control unit, at least one of the following: an acquisition process for data on the concave and convex shapes of the male joint and the female joint; and an output process for information on the interference level obtained by the interference analysis process.

[0016] (8) A measurement system for a mechanical joint according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a measurement unit configured to be able to measure the concave-convex shape of a male joint and the concave-convex shape of a female joint for a pair of mechanical joints having a male joint and a female joint corresponding to the male joint, and a shape measurement device according to the invention described in (6) or (7), which analyzes the interference level for each pair of mechanical joints based on data on the concave-convex shape measured by the measurement unit.

[0017] (9) A measurement terminal according to one aspect of the present invention is a measurement terminal configured to be capable of analyzing the interference level between the concave-convex portion of a male joint and the concave-convex portion of a female joint for a pair of mechanical joints having a male joint and a female joint corresponding to the male joint, and is controlled by a control unit. The measurement terminal is equipped with: a measurement unit that measures the concave-convex shape of the male joint and the concave-convex shape of the female joint, respectively, under the control of the control unit; a communication unit that executes at least one of an output process that outputs the measured concave-convex shape as data to a shape measuring device according to the invention described in (6) or (7), under the control of the control unit, and an acquisition process that acquires information regarding the interference level for each pair of the male joint and the female joint from the shape measuring device; and an output unit that is capable of outputting the acquired information in a predetermined format under the control of the control unit.

[0018] (10) In one embodiment of the measuring terminal of the present invention, in the invention described in (9), the control unit executes at least one of the following processes: a process for determining whether the set of mechanical joints is pass or fail based on the acquired information regarding the interference level and a predetermined criterion; and an interference information assignment process for assigning information about the interference part to a part determined to be an interference part based on the acquired information regarding the interference level and a predetermined criterion.

[0019] (11) A measurement system for a mechanical joint according to the present invention comprises a measurement terminal according to the invention described in (9) or (10), and a shape measurement device according to the invention described in (6) or (7), which analyzes the interference level for each pair of the mechanical joints based on data of the uneven shape measured by the measurement terminal.

[0020] (12) A quality control method for a mechanical joint according to one aspect of the present invention is a quality control method for a mechanical joint that controls the quality of a set of mechanical joints having a male joint and a female joint corresponding to the male joint, and controls the quality of the set of mechanical joints using information on the interference level obtained from an interference analysis process executed by the control unit of the shape measuring device according to the invention described in (6) or (7). [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] A shape measuring method, a shape measuring device, a measuring method for a mechanical joint, and a measuring system for a mechanical joint according to the present invention. machine According to the manufacturing method of a mechanical joint and the quality control method of a mechanical joint, it becomes possible to more easily check the joining of a mechanical joint regardless of the condition of the mechanical joint or the connected pipe. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the initial state of welding of a mechanical joint that is the measurement target in a mechanical joint measurement system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a completed joining state of a mechanical joint that is the measurement target in the mechanical joint measurement system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a mechanical joint measurement system according to a first example of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a mechanical joint measurement system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for measuring a mechanical joint according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a shape measurement process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7A] FIG. 7A is a diagram for explaining the coordinates of a mechanical joint in a shape measuring method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a diagram for explaining the coordinates of the mechanical joint in the shape measuring method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7C] FIG. 7C is a diagram for explaining the coordinates of a mechanical joint in a shape measuring method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a joining portion of a mechanical joint according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9]FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an interference portion in a joining portion of a mechanical joint according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion where the interference level of the load transmission key portion is high in a mechanical joint according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion where the interference level of the load transmission key portion is high in a mechanical joint according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the initial state of welding of a mechanical joint that is the measurement target in a mechanical joint measurement system according to a first modified example of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a completed joining state of a mechanical joint that is the measurement target in a mechanical joint measurement system according to a first modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a joining portion of a mechanical joint in a first modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an interference portion in a joining portion of a mechanical joint in a first modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the initial state of welding of a mechanical joint that is the measurement target in a mechanical joint measurement system according to a second modified example of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17A] FIG. 17A is a diagram showing a state during joining of a mechanical joint that is the measurement target in a mechanical joint measurement system according to a second modified example of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17B] FIG. 17B is a diagram showing a state in which the joining of the mechanical joint that is the measurement target in the mechanical joint measurement system according to the second modified example of one embodiment of the present invention is completed. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the initial state of welding of a mechanical joint that is the measurement target in a mechanical joint measurement system according to a third modified example of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a completed joining state of a mechanical joint that is the measurement target in a mechanical joint measurement system according to a third modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all drawings of the following embodiments, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0024] First, a description will be given of a mechanical joint that is the object of measurement by a mechanical joint measurement system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 1 and 2 are diagrams showing the joining start state and the joining completion state of a mechanical joint that is the object of measurement (measurement object) in the shape measurement system according to this embodiment, respectively.

[0025] (Male and female joints to be measured) As shown in Figure 1, the mechanical joint 10 of this embodiment is a joint for connecting, for example, pipes 15 and 16 to each other, and is configured to have a female joint 11 that serves as an outer box joint and a male joint 12 that serves as an inner pin joint that can be fitted together. Note that fitting can also be referred to as joining, if necessary.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, a female fitting 11 is welded to the lower end of an upper pipe 15. A male fitting 12 is welded to the upper end of a lower pipe 16. An arc-shaped load transmission key portion 17 that is appropriately divided around the entire circumference is attached to the female fitting 11. The load transmission key portion 17 is provided between external fitting protrusions 14 provided on the inner circumference of the female fitting 11.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, the female joint 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter approximately the same as the outer diameter of the pipe 15. The inner periphery of the female joint 11 serves as a receiving portion for the fitting portion of the male joint 12. The female joint 11 has threaded holes 17a formed on its outer periphery at appropriate intervals corresponding to the attachment positions of the load transmission key portions 17. The threaded holes 17a penetrate the female joint 11 from the outside to the inside.

[0028] The male fitting 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape, with a cylindrical section having approximately the same diameter as the outer diameter of the pipe 16 and a fitting portion having a smaller diameter than the cylindrical section extending therefrom. An engagement recess is formed on the base end side of the outer periphery of the fitting portion, into which the engagement protrusion of the female fitting 11 is inserted. An engagement protrusion is provided around the entire circumference at the tip of the fitting portion. Furthermore, a key groove 18 into which a load transmission key portion 17 is fitted is provided around the entire circumference between the inner fitting protrusions 13 on the outer periphery of the fitting portion of the male fitting 12. The load transmission key portion 17 is fitted into the key groove 18, thereby connecting the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12 via the load transmission key portion 17. As a result, the upper and lower pipes 15, 16 are mechanically connected in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 2.

[0029] A load transmission key portion 17 is attached to the female joint 11, and the load transmission key portion 17 is provided with a joining screw 17b, which is, for example, a hexagon socket head stud bolt. The load transmission key portion 17 is attached by screwing into a threaded hole 17a of the female joint 11. When screwing, the female joint 11 and the male joint 12 are butted together and the male joint 12 is inserted into the female joint 11, thereby positioning the female joint 11 and the male joint 12 in the vertical direction, and the tip of the load transmission key portion 17 is positioned at the entrance of the key groove 18 of the male joint 12.

[0030] 1 and 2, the joining screw 17b is rotated using a hex wrench or the like from the outside of the threaded hole 17a. The load transmission key portion 17 is advanced along the axis of the joining screw 17b and enters the key groove 18. This joins the female joint 11 and the male joint 12.

[0031] When the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12 are joined, a recess that straddles both the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12 is provided at one location or at multiple locations at appropriate circumferential intervals, and a rotation suppression key 19 is attached to prevent relative rotation between the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12. By providing the rotation suppression key 19 so as to straddle both the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12, the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12, i.e., the connected upper and lower pipes 15, 16, are prevented from rotating relative to each other around the axis.

[0032] The materials of the pipes 15, 16, the female fitting 11, and the male fitting 12 are not particularly limited. Examples include steel, metal materials other than steel, concrete, resin, or a combination of multiple materials. The material of the mechanical fitting is selected depending on the intended use and the conditions of the pipes, which will be described later. The present invention is particularly effective in the case of mechanical fittings 10 that are difficult to verify before shipping from the factory because they have a large diameter of 700 mm or more, the pipes 15, 16 to which the mechanical fittings are connected are 5 m or longer, or they are heavy.

[0033] The pipes 15 and 16 each constitute a structural body. The pipe 15 constitutes an upper structure. The pipe 16 constitutes a lower structure. Various structures can be employed as the structural body, such as those that have a predetermined function when buried in the ground, those that are used as part of an above-ground structure, or those that transport gases or liquids by utilizing the internal space of the pipes 15 and 16. Examples of structures that have a predetermined function when buried in the ground include piles, earth retaining piles, landslide prevention piles, pipe sheet piles, sheet pile walls, and tunnels. Examples of structures that are used as part of an above-ground structure include columns and beams. Examples of structures that transport gases or liquids by utilizing the internal space of the pipes 15 and 16 include oil well pipes, water pipes, and gas pipes. Examples of the pipes 15 and 16 include steel pipes, concrete pipes, plastic pipes, and pipes made of a combination of multiple materials. The present invention is particularly effective when the pipes 15, 16 are steel pipes with mechanical joints, which are large in diameter, long, or heavy, making it difficult to check the joint before shipping from the factory.

[0034] In this embodiment, a female fitting 11 having an external fitting convex portion 14 is fixed to an upper pipe 15, and a male fitting 12 having an internal fitting convex portion 13 is fixed to a lower pipe 16. Alternatively, the female fitting 11 may be fixed to the lower pipe 16, and the male fitting 12 may be fixed to the upper pipe 15. Furthermore, the female fitting 11 and male fitting 12 may be used as they are for measurement without connecting the pipes 15 and 16.

[0035] (First example of embodiment) Next, a mechanical joint measurement system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a mechanical joint measurement system according to one embodiment.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, the mechanical joint measurement system 1 is configured to include a shape measuring device 20 and a measuring unit 35. Furthermore, the shape measuring device 20 is connected to an unevenness processing device 40. The mechanical joint measurement system 1 may also be configured to include the shape measuring device 20, the measuring unit 35, and the unevenness processing device 40. Furthermore, the mechanical joint measurement system 1 according to one embodiment is designed to be used with the shape measuring device 20 fixed in place, but the measuring unit 35 and the shape measuring device 20 can be located close to each other or at a great distance.

[0037] (shape measuring device) The shape measuring device 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, and an input / output unit 23. It is also possible to not provide the input / output unit 23. The shape measuring device 20 can use a known computer, server, laptop computer, mobile terminal, tablet, smartphone, or a virtual device on a network such as a cloud.

[0038] The control unit 31 as a control means specifically includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) having hardware, and a main memory unit such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory) (none of which are shown).

[0039] The storage unit 22 physically comprises a storage medium selected from the group consisting of volatile memory such as RAM, non-volatile memory such as ROM, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), and removable media. Removable media include, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) memory or a disc storage medium such as a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), or a Blu-ray disc (BD). The storage unit 22 may also be configured using a computer-readable storage medium such as an externally attachable memory card. The storage unit 22 can store an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, various databases, and the like for executing the operations of the shape measurement device 20. The various programs include learning models and neural networks. These various programs can also be recorded on computer-readable storage media such as a hard disk, flash memory, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, and flexible disk for widespread distribution.

[0040] The storage unit 22 stores a shape database 221 and a pipe type database 222. The pipe type database 222 stores, as basic information, various pieces of information (pipe type information) related to the female joint 11 and the male joint 12 that constitute the mechanical joint 10 in a searchable manner. The pipe type information includes information such as the identification ID of the mechanical joint 10, the dimensions of the female joint 11 and the male joint 12 (diameter, concave-convex dimensions, concave-convex pitch, concave-convex height, length, etc.), and specifications. The shape database 221 stores, in a searchable manner, information related to the clearance between the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 based on the pipe type information, and information on the measurement results related to the interference level between the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 measured by a measuring unit 35 described below (hereinafter, shape information). In addition to the information on the measurement results of the interference level, the shape information includes various information related to interference, such as flag information as information on the interference part that defines the interference location, and pass / fail (pass / fail) information for the set of mechanical joints 10.

[0041] The shape calculation unit 211 of the control unit 21 is configured to be able to store the concave and convex shapes of the internal fitting convex portion 13 and the external fitting convex portion 14 measured by the measurement unit 35 as digital data in a shape database 221 of the storage unit 22. The storage unit 22 may be provided in a housing different from that of the control unit 21, and an external storage device or a virtual storage device such as a cloud on a network may be used as the storage unit 22.

[0042] In this embodiment, the control unit 21 loads a program stored in the storage unit 22 into a working area of ​​the main storage unit, executes the program, and controls each component unit through the execution of the program, thereby realizing functions that meet a predetermined purpose. Specifically, the control unit 21 can realize the functions of a shape calculation unit 211 and a determination unit 212 by executing the program.

[0043] The input / output unit 23 is composed of, for example, a touch panel display, a speaker / microphone, buttons, switches, a jog dial, etc. The input / output unit 23 as an output unit is configured to notify the outside of predetermined information by displaying characters, figures, etc. on the screen of a display such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or a plasma display, or by outputting sound from a speaker, under the control of the control unit 21. The input / output unit 23 includes a printer that outputs predetermined information by printing it on printing paper, etc. The various information stored in the memory unit 22 can be confirmed, for example, on a display of the input / output unit 23 installed in a predetermined office, etc.

[0044] The input / output unit 23 as an input unit may be configured, for example, as a keyboard, a touch panel keyboard incorporated inside the input / output unit 23 to detect touch operations on a display panel, a voice input device that enables external calls, a switch, or a jog dial. When the cross-sectional shapes of the concave and convex portions of the internal fitting protrusion 13 and the external fitting protrusion 14 are visually measured using the input / output unit 23 as an output unit, the input / output unit 23 can input measured values ​​of the shapes as shape information. Furthermore, as will be described in detail later, the input / output unit 23 can also input a flag to set or set a flag based on whether or not there is interference between the internal fitting protrusion 13 and the external fitting protrusion 14. Specifically, the input / output unit 23 may input "0" if there is interference between the internal fitting protrusion 13 and the external fitting protrusion 14, and "1" if there is no interference.

[0045] (Measurement section) The measurement unit 35 is composed of at least one device, such as a handheld 3D scanner. The 3D scanner may be, for example, a laser irradiation device or an infrared irradiation device. Because handheld 3D scanners must be operated while maintaining a focal length (for example, 20 cm to 40 cm) appropriate for the model, it is desirable to secure a space of 50 cm or more around the object to be scanned.

[0046] From the perspective of determining whether the female joint 11 and the male joint 12 can be joined or fitted together, the measurement accuracy of the measurement unit 35 is preferably less than half the desired interference level. Specifically, for example, if the interference level is 0.75 mm, the measurement accuracy is preferably less than (0.75 / 2 = 0.375 mm). The measurement accuracy is set according to the size of the mechanical joint 10 and the uneven shapes of the inner fitting protrusion 13 and the outer fitting protrusion 14, and is not limited to these values. In particular, since the mechanical joint 10 has a three-dimensional shape, blind spots are likely to occur due to unevenness. Therefore, from the perspective of operability, a handheld measuring device, such as a handheld 3D scanner, is desirable. Note that, among handheld 3D scanners, high-precision types typically require markers for shape measurement to be attached to the target object approximately every 10 cm. In contrast, when the mechanical joint 10 is large, a markerless handheld 3D scanner that does not require markers for shape measurement is desirable from the perspective of efficiency.

[0047] Specifically, the sensor constituting the measurement unit 35 can measure the distance from the installation position to the upper surface of an object, such as the inner fitting protrusion 13 or the outer fitting protrusion 14, by irradiating and reflecting a predetermined light, such as a laser beam. The measurement unit 35 can perform so-called sensing, which measures the distance from the measurement position to the surface of the object in association with two-dimensional position information. Sensing includes various measurements performed by the measurement unit 35. Examples of two-dimensional position information that can be used include coordinates (x, y) on the xy plane and coordinates (r, θ) at a distance r and a displacement angle θ. Based on distance information corresponding to the two-dimensional position information, the uneven shape of the surface of the inner fitting protrusion 13 or the outer fitting protrusion 14 can be measured three-dimensionally.

[0048] Furthermore, when selecting the equipment for the measuring unit 35, the higher the resolution, the more preferable. In this case, the resolution should be sufficient to accurately reproduce the uneven shape that affects the interference level used to determine whether the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12 can be joined. In this embodiment, since local unevenness may not occur easily in the uneven shapes of the inner fitting protrusion 13 and the outer fitting protrusion 14, the resolution should be approximately 1 mm or less, but is not limited to this value. Furthermore, since the determination of whether the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12 can be joined is made by combining them on the scanned data, in the case of an object whose direction is not fixed, it is desirable to ensure directionality by providing a marker or shape mark that can be recognized by scanning.

[0049] The measurement unit 35 outputs the measurement values ​​of the uneven shape measured by sensing to the shape measuring device 20. The shape calculation unit 211 in the control unit 21 of the shape measuring device 20 stores the acquired measurement values ​​in the shape database 221 of the storage unit 22.

[0050] (Irregularity processing equipment) The unevenness processing device 40 is a device used in the adjustment process for the internal fitting convex portion 13 and the external fitting convex portion 14 of the mechanical joint 10. The unevenness processing device 40 includes a control unit 41, a memory unit 42, an input / output unit 43, and an unevenness processing unit 45. The control unit 41, the memory unit 42, and the input / output unit 43 are configured functionally and physically in the same manner as the control unit 21, the memory unit 22, and the input / output unit 23, respectively. The unevenness processing device 40 is connected to the shape measuring device 20.

[0051] The control unit 41 loads a program stored in the storage unit 42 into a working area of ​​the main storage unit, executes the program, and controls each component unit through the execution of the program, thereby realizing a function that meets a predetermined purpose. Specifically, the control unit 41 can realize the function of a processing control unit 411 through the execution of the program. The processing control unit 411 is configured to be able to control the concave-convex processing unit 45.

[0052] The shape calculation unit 211 of the shape measuring device 20 reads shape information from the shape database 221 stored in the memory unit 22 and outputs it to the unevenness processing device 40. After acquiring the shape information, the unevenness processing device 40 stores the acquired shape information at least temporarily in the memory unit 42. When an instruction to correct an interfering portion of the inner fitting convexo-convex portion 13 or the outer fitting convexo-convex portion 14 is input from an operator or the like via the input / output unit 43, the processing control unit 411 of the control unit 41 controls the unevenness processing unit 45 to execute processing to correct the interfering portion based on the acquired shape information. The unevenness processing device 40 may be configured integrally with the shape measuring device 20. Furthermore, the unevenness processing device 40 can also be used to manufacture the mechanical joint 10. As described above, a mechanical joint measurement system 1 according to a first example embodiment is configured.

[0053] (Second example of embodiment) Next, a mechanical joint measurement system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the mechanical joint measurement system according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the mechanical joint measurement system 1A is configured to include a shape measuring device 20 and a measurement terminal 30A that can communicate with each other via a network 2.

[0054] The network 2 is, for example, a public communication network such as the Internet, and is made up of one or a combination of a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone, a public line, a VPN (Virtual Private Network), a dedicated line, etc. The network 2 is an appropriate combination of wired communication and wireless communication.

[0055] The mechanical joint measurement system 1A may further be connected to an unevenness processing device 40 that is capable of communicating with at least the shape measuring device 20 via the network 2. The mechanical joint measurement system 1A may also employ a configuration that includes the shape measuring device 20, the measurement terminal 30A, and the unevenness processing device 40.

[0056] (shape measuring device) The shape measuring device 20A includes a control unit 21, a memory unit 22, an input / output unit 23, and a communication unit 24. The communication unit 24 serving as a communication means is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) interface board or a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The LAN interface board and the wireless communication circuit are connected to a network 2. The communication unit 24 is connected to the network 2 and communicates with the measurement terminal 30A and the unevenness processing device 40A. The other configurations are the same as those of the shape measuring device 20 in the embodiment.

[0057] (measurement terminal) The measurement terminal 30A includes a control unit 31, a memory unit 32, an input / output unit 33, a communication unit 34, and a measurement unit 35. The control unit 31, the memory unit 32, the input / output unit 33, and the communication unit 34 have the same physical and functional configurations as the control unit 21, the memory unit 22, the input / output unit 23, and the communication unit 24 described above, respectively.

[0058] Furthermore, the measurement unit 35 in the measurement terminal 30A according to the second example of the embodiment is configured similarly to the measurement unit 35 in the first example of the embodiment. The control unit 31 can realize a function that meets a predetermined purpose by loading a program stored in the storage unit 32 into a working area of ​​the main storage unit and executing the program. Specifically, the control unit 31 can realize the function of a measurement control unit 311 by executing the program. The measurement control unit 311 is configured to be able to control the measurement unit 35.

[0059] (Irregularity processing equipment) The unevenness processing device 40A includes a control unit 41, a memory unit 42, an input / output unit 43, a communication unit 44, and an unevenness processing unit 45. The communication unit 44, which serves as communication means, is physically and functionally configured in the same manner as the communication unit 24 described above, and is connected to the network 2. The communication unit 44 is connected to the network 2 and communicates with at least the shape measuring device 20A. The other configurations are the same as those of the unevenness processing device 40 in the first embodiment. As described above, a mechanical joint measurement system 1A according to a second example of an embodiment is configured.

[0060] (One embodiment) (Mechanical joint measurement method) Next, a method for measuring a mechanical joint 10 using the mechanical joint measurement system 1 according to the first example of an embodiment or the mechanical joint measurement system 1A according to the second example of an embodiment configured as described above will be described. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a method for measuring a mechanical joint 10 according to one embodiment.

[0061] (Mechanical joint manufacturing process) As shown in FIG. 5, first, in step ST1, the joint manufacturing process is performed using the unevenness processing device 40. In step ST1, a forged ring is manufactured by heat treatment. Next, a cutting blade is brought into contact with the cast ring to cut it, thereby processing it into a joint. The movement of the cutting blade can be automatically controlled by the processing control unit 411 according to a predetermined program. After forming the uneven shape of the joint, a trial joining is actually performed, and the male joint 12 and the female joint 11 are joined so that their arrival lines coincide. Here, a start line is not marked, but joining is started by aligning the axes of the arrival lines of the male joint 12 and the female joint 11. Note that it is not necessary to use a forged ring; a steel pipe with a thickness that can be cut may also be used.

[0062] (Pipe connection process) Next, the process proceeds to step ST2, where the pipe connection process is performed. In step ST2, first, the mechanical joint performed in step ST1 is released. Next, one of the female joint 11 and the male joint 12, here for example the female joint 11, is attached to a horizontally placed pipe. Next, the male joint 12 alone is trial-joined to the horizontally placed pipe with the female joint. After confirming whether this trial joining reaches the reach line, the joining is released. Next, the other of the female joint 11 and the male joint 12, here for example the male joint 12, is attached to the horizontally placed pipe.

[0063] Here, in the case of a combination of a steel mechanical joint and a pipe, this trial joining is used to confirm whether the joining can be completed to the joining position, allowing for the effects of thermal deformation due to welding. Note that, in the case of a combination of a steel mechanical joint and a pipe with a pipe sheet pile, the mechanical joint is welded to the pipe after welding the steel connecting joint that connects the pipes horizontally. Here, it is also possible to weld the connecting joint after welding the mechanical joint. Note that it is also possible not to perform this step ST2.

[0064] (Mechanical joint measurement method) Here, a description will be given of a method for measuring a mechanical joint according to this embodiment. This embodiment includes a shape measurement step for measuring the shape of the mechanical joint after processing, and a shape measurement step for a set of mechanical joints based on the measured shape of the mechanical joint. These shape measurement steps and shape measurement steps are performed before the mechanical joint 10 is actually used.

[0065] (shape measurement process) That is, after performing step ST1 or step ST2, the process proceeds to step ST3, where a shape measurement process is performed. In the shape measurement process, first, the measurement unit 35 measures the concave and convex shapes of the outer fitting convex portion 14 of the female joint 11 and the inner fitting convex portion 13 of the male joint 12 for one set of mechanical joints 10 manufactured in step ST1. The measurement unit 35 outputs or transmits (hereinafter referred to as transmission) measurement data of the measured concave and convex shapes to the shape measuring device 20. Here, in the shape measurement process of the mechanical joint 10, measurement of the concave and convex shapes using the measurement unit 35 is performed, for example, by measuring the distance from the measurement unit 35 to the surfaces of the mechanical joints (female joint 11, male joint 12).

[0066] Furthermore, in the shape measurement process of the mechanical joint 10, the concave / convex shape can also be measured by photogrammetry using the acquired images, whereby the mechanical joint (female joint 11, male joint 12) is imaged from multiple viewpoints to acquire multiple pieces of image data. Specifically, point cloud data is acquired using a handheld 3D scanner constituting the measurement unit 35, and the acquired point cloud data is then polygonized (STL or meshed), and shape measurement and virtual placement are performed using CAD software that performs 3D measurement of the target mechanical joint 10. Here, to realize virtual placement, for example, it is preferable to use the vertices of the concave / convex shapes as data points when grasping the shape in detail. That is, to measure the shape of the concave / convex shapes, it is preferable that the vertices of the concave / convex shapes are included in the data points of the point cloud data. In practice, it is preferable that the resolution be less than the radius of curvature of the vertices of the concave / convex shapes, for example, 0.5 mm or less.

[0067] However, in some cases, localized protrusions are difficult to form due to the shape of the unevenness, and considering that the contact that affects the bondability is the planar contact of the uneven surface, a resolution of about 1 mm may be used. Also, as an example, the accuracy of the data points can be set to less than half the clearance, specifically, for example, 0.375 mm or less if the clearance is 0.75 mm, thereby enabling a judgment with sufficient accuracy for practical use.

[0068] Furthermore, since the joining is judged by using CAD software that performs 3D measurements and regarding the female joint 11 and male joint 12 as rigid bodies, there is no problem with passing the judgement if there is clearance, but even if there is a certain degree of interference, the joints may be able to fit together due to their ability to deform as elastic bodies.

[0069] As described above, by setting a judgment standard value that takes into account measurement accuracy, ignoring local contact, frictional resistance, elastic deformation, and usage conditions (directivity during joining, such as vertical, horizontal, or diagonal, and ambient temperature), it is possible to improve the accuracy of judgment. Here, the judgment standard value does not necessarily have to be 0; for example, a digital clearance of -0.2 mm (a hypothetical interference amount of 0.2 mm) can be used as the standard to determine whether or not the parts can be fitted. Also, depending on the measurement accuracy, interference may occur even when the clearance is a positive value, so it is desirable to set an appropriate judgment standard. Note that positive and negative clearances depend on the method used to organize them, so a negative value can be used to indicate that clearance exists.

[0070] Furthermore, it is not necessary to measure the entire mechanical joint 10; it is sufficient that the outer surface of the female joint 11 and the inner surface of the male joint 12 are measured by the measurement unit 35. In this case, it is possible to shorten the measurement time and reduce the volume of measurement data. Furthermore, when converting the acquired point cloud data into polygons (STL conversion, mesh conversion), points within a predetermined surface error range (for example, 0.01 mm) can be omitted to reduce the data volume.

[0071] (Shape measurement process) Next, proceeding to step ST4, an interference analysis step as part of the shape measurement method will be described. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an interference analysis method according to one embodiment. The flowchart shown in Fig. 6 is executed by the shape measurement device 20.

[0072] (Acquisition step) 6, in a shape measuring method according to one embodiment, first, in step ST411 as an acquisition step, control unit 21 of shape measuring device 20 acquires measurement data from measurement unit 35. The measurement data is measurement data relating to the concave-convex shape of outer fitting convex portion 14 of female fitting 11 and the concave-convex shape of inner fitting convex portion 13 of male fitting 12, measured by measurement unit 35 in step ST3.

[0073] (Joining completion state setting step) Next, the process proceeds to step ST412, which is a joining completion state setting step, and the shape calculation unit 211 of the control unit 21 executes a joining completion state setting process in which the male fitting 12 is joined to the inside of the female fitting 11 based on the acquired measurement data of the uneven shapes of the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14.

[0074] In the present invention, the "completion of joining" refers to a state in which, as shown in FIG. 2, the entire length of the concave-convex portion of the male fitting 12 in the pipe axial direction is substantially housed inside the female fitting 11, and the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 are mated to complete the joining (e.g., the eye marks are aligned). Ideally, the smooth portion of the male fitting 12 contacts the tip of the female fitting 11, but the tip of the male fitting 12 may also contact the bottom surface of the female fitting 11. Note that if there is no predetermined completion of joining line or eye mark, the completion of joining can be set using a shoulder touch state as the initial position, or can be set based on the positional relationship of accessories such as piping. In the case of the mechanical fitting 10 according to this embodiment, the completion of joining refers to the state immediately before the load transmission key portion 17 is slid after the male fitting 12 has been completely inserted into the female fitting 11.

[0075] The greatest feature of the present invention is that the welding completion state is set as the initial position, and the measurement of the interference level is started from the welding completion state. In this embodiment, the welding completion state is set as the initial position, and the shape measurement is performed in the welding completion state. Normally, when checking the welding using the actual mechanical joint 10, it is moved to a position where the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 are mated, and whether the welding is possible or not is checked at the stopped position. In particular, when virtually simulating the welding using an information processing device such as a computer, there are multiple possible conditions in the circumferential and axial directions for setting the position where the welding of the female joint 11 and the male joint 12 begins. In this case, many patterns must be considered to check whether the welding is possible or not.

[0076] In contrast, the joining completion position where the joining of the female joint 11 and the male joint 12 is complete can be easily set in any environment, including virtual ones. Therefore, in this embodiment, the joining completion position is set as the initial position and shape measurements are performed, thereby simplifying the fitting interference analysis process and enabling shape measurement and analysis to be easily performed regardless of the state of the mechanical joint 10 or the connected pipes 15, 16.

[0077] (Interference analysis step) Next, the process proceeds to step ST413, which is an interference analysis step, where the shape calculation unit 211 of the control unit 21 derives the interference state between the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 based on measurement data of the outer fitting convex portion 14 and the load transmission key portion 17 of the female joint 11 and measurement data of the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the key groove 18 of the male joint 12 in the joined state. The derivation of the interference state by the shape calculation unit 211 is performed at a preset location.

[0078] Here, Figures 7A, 7B, and 7C show how to create a coordinate system for measurement positions. That is, as shown in Figure 7A, a plane is created to create a cross section along the radial direction of the outer fitting convex portion 14 of the female joint 11 and a cross section of the inner fitting convex portion 13 of the male joint 12, and a cross section line L shown in Figure 7B is created. Next, two straight lines 1 are created from the cross section line, and an intersection point C is created. Next, as shown in Figure 7C, a circle (hereinafter referred to as a fit circle) is created that minimizes the error with the point (specified point) where the curve is specified. A coordinate system is created using the center point of this fit circle and multiple intersection points C. Note that the method of creating a coordinate system described with reference to Figures 7A to 7C is merely an example, and any method can be used to create and set a coordinate system.

[0079] In this embodiment, first, the central axes of the female joint 11 and the male joint 12 are set. To set the central axes, for example, a fitting cylinder is virtually generated by averaging the outer surface of the female joint 11, and the central axis of the generated fitting cylinder is set as the central axis of the female joint 11 and the male joint 12. Alternatively, a fitting cylinder may be generated by averaging the inner surface of the male joint 12. Next, the central axes of the female joint 11 and the male joint 12 are aligned, and then the joints are moved axially so that the shoulder portions that transmit the compressive load come into contact. The alignment may be perpendicular or oblique to the axis, as long as the compressive load can be transmitted. Next, the circumferential direction is adjusted to a position where the rotation prevention key 19 can be inserted. Positioning lines, such as eye marks, may be drawn in advance.

[0080] Returning to Figure 6, based on the coordinate system created in this way, four locations can be selected as the preset locations, each shifted by, for example, 90° around the center of a circle in the cross section (a plane perpendicular to the up-and-down direction in Figures 1 and 2) of the female joint 11 or male joint 12. Note that the preset locations can also be eight locations shifted by, for example, 45° around the center of the circle, and are not necessarily limited to a specific position or number.

[0081] In step ST413, as described above, the shape calculation unit 211 generates cross-sectional views of the concave-convex shapes from data on the concave-convex shapes at four or eight preset positions, and derives shape information between the concave-convex shapes of the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14. By setting the method for determining measurement points as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C in this way, the shape calculation unit 211 can automatically calculate the specified locations using a predetermined method. Note that the cross-sectional views of the concave-convex shapes generated by the shape calculation unit 211 may be output to the input / output unit 23 of the shape measuring device 20, and an operator may visually determine the state of interference (interference level) that affects joining or fitting and input the interference level from the input / output unit 23.

[0082] 8 and 9 show examples of a cross section of the mechanical joint 10 converted into data, generated by the shape calculation unit 211 of the shape measuring device 20 according to one embodiment. Fig. 8 is a cross section showing an enlarged view of a portion of the load transmission key portion 17 and the key groove 18 in a state where the internal fitting convex portion 13 and the external fitting convex portion 14 of the converted data mechanical joint 10 do not interfere with each other and the male joint 12 has been inserted into the female joint 11. Fig. 9 is a cross section showing an enlarged view of a portion of the converted data mechanical joint 10 in a state where the internal fitting convex portion 13 and the external fitting convex portion 14 are partially interfering with each other.

[0083] As shown in Figure 8, when there is no interference between the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14, the installation position of the load transmission key portion 17 matches the position of the key groove 18, and the interference level is low, the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12 can be joined.

[0084] Here, the interference level is determined as follows. That is, when the outer ends of the joints are brought into contact as the mating position, the interference level is determined based on whether or not the key groove 18 is secured. If the key groove 18 is secured, the interference level is determined to be low, and if it is not secured, the interference level is determined to be high. Furthermore, if a ring groove is formed in the load transmission key portion 17, the interference level can also be determined based on whether or not the ring groove is secured when the outer ends of the joints are brought into contact as the mating position. Furthermore, when the connecting screw 17b of the load transmission key portion 17 is turned to insert the load transmission key portion 17 into the key groove 18 as the mating position, the interference level can also be determined based on whether or not a clearance between the connecting screw 17b and the key groove 18 is secured.

[0085] Specifically, for example, the height h of the internal fitting protrusion 13 for proper joining is, for example, 8 mm or more and 20 mm or less. The centers of the internal fitting protrusion 13 and the external fitting protrusion 14 are defined as the closest points that are half the distance between the corners of the internal fitting protrusion 13. The white dots p are measurement points that ensure sufficient resolution for the internal fitting protrusion 13 of the male joint 12 and the external fitting protrusion 14 of the female joint 11. The more white dots p there are, the more accurate the determination of the positions of the centers of the internal fitting protrusion 13 and the external fitting protrusion 14 can be.

[0086] The height h of the inner fitting convex portion 13 is the distance between the upper surface of the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the bottom surface of the key groove 18. Similarly, the height h of the outer fitting convex portion 14 is the distance between the upper surface of the outer fitting convex portion 14 and the bottom surface of the installation portion of the load transmission key portion 17. The radial clearance c between the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 is, for example, 0.75 mm. The clearance c is the radial component of the line connecting the center of the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the center of the outer fitting convex portion 14, about the central axis of the male joint 12. In other words, the clearance c can be derived from the distance r1 from the radial center of the male joint 12 to the surface circumferentially tangent to the inner fitting convex portion 13 of the male joint 12, and the distance r2 from the radial center of the male joint 12 to the outer fitting convex portion 14 of the female joint 11.

[0087] The clearance c is not necessarily limited to the above definition, and various definitions can be set depending on whether the mechanical joint 10 can be joined. For example, as another definition of clearance c, a method of determining the position taking into account the vertices of the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 can be adopted. That is, if the vertices to be measured are determined in advance and connected at an angle, the distance corresponding to the radial or axial direction between the connected vertices can be measured and used as clearance c. Alternatively, the distance can be measured in the normal direction between each point on the male joint 12 or the line connecting the points, i.e., for each mesh, and the distance when the male joint 12 comes into contact with the female joint 11 in the joined state, i.e., the shortest distance, can be set as clearance c. Conversely, the distance can be measured in the direction from the female joint 11 to the male joint 12. Furthermore, depending on the conditions, visual inspection or examination using representative points is also possible.

[0088] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 9, if interference (interference portion E) occurs at least partially between the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 and the load transmission key portion 17 and key groove 18 due to the relative positions of the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12, the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12 will not be joined. In this case, the level of interference will be high. Here, for example, the height h of the inner fitting convex portion 13 when not joined properly is, for example, 8 to 20 mm. The radial clearance c with the outer fitting convex portion 14 is, for example, -1 mm, meaning that there will be interference of 1 mm in the radial direction.

[0089] The shape calculation unit 211 stores the clearance c calculated at a plurality of predetermined locations, for example, four or eight locations, as shape information in the shape database 221. The clearance c is calculated for all of the internal fitting convex portions 13, external fitting convex portions 14, load transmission key portions 17, and key grooves 18 of the joined portions at the plurality of predetermined locations in the female joint 11 and the male joint 12. Then, the minimum clearance c in the radial direction relative to the central axis is calculated, and the positional relationship between the load transmission key portions 17 and the key grooves 18 is calculated.

[0090] Specifically, the shape calculation unit 211 uses predetermined measurement software to extract the minimum value of the clearance c between the external fitting convex portion 14 of the female fitting 11 and the internal fitting convex portion 13 of the male fitting 12 in the central radial direction in each longitudinal cross section (see FIG. 7B). The derived information on the clearance c may be stored in the memory unit 22 in association with the mechanical joint identification ID of the pipe type information stored in the pipe type database 222. Similarly, the shape calculation unit 211 uses predetermined measurement software to extract the values ​​of the opening width and opening depth of the key groove 18 of the male fitting 12 and the values ​​of the opening width and key size of the load transmission key portion 17 of the female fitting 11 in each longitudinal cross section (see FIG. 7B). The derived information on the opening width, opening depth, key size, and other values ​​may be stored in the memory unit 22 in association with the mechanical joint identification ID of the pipe type information stored in the pipe type database 222.

[0091] (Joining possibility determination step) Next, the process proceeds to step ST414, which is a clearance determination step, where the determination unit 212 of the control unit 21 reads shape information from the shape database 221 of the storage unit 22 and determines whether or not joining is possible according to predetermined criteria. That is, the determination unit 212 makes a determination based on, for example, the predetermined criterion, that is, whether or not the clearance c between the internal fitting convex portion 13 of the male joint 12 and the external fitting convex portion 14 of the female joint 11 is equal to or less than a predetermined value. Note that the predetermined value can be set to any value, and in this embodiment, the predetermined value is set to 0, for example.

[0092] (Interference information assignment step) If the determination unit 212 determines in step ST414 that the clearance c between the internal fitting convex portion 13 of the male joint 12 and the external fitting convex portion 14 of the female joint 11 is less than a predetermined value, specifically, for example, less than or equal to 0 (c≦0) (step ST414: Yes), the process proceeds to step ST418. In step ST418, the determination unit 212 executes an interference information assignment process that assigns information about the interference portion E in the mechanical joint 10 that is the measurement target. The determination unit 212 outputs rejection information to which the information about the interference portion E has been assigned, and stores the rejection information as shape information in the shape database 221. This completes the interference analysis process.

[0093] As described above, an example has been described in which pass / fail is determined based on whether the interference between the outer surface of the male fitting 12 and the inner surface of the female fitting 11, due to factors such as a loss of circularity of the fitting pipe, meets the required specifications, thereby confirming whether the male fitting 12 can be fully inserted into the female fitting 11. While the above example focuses on the level of interference between the internal fitting protrusion 13 of the male fitting 12 and the external fitting protrusion 14 of the female fitting 11, the location for interference check is not limited to this. For example, the location for interference check may be the spigot joint, which prevents radial misalignment between the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12. If the product fails at this stage, processing can be performed using the unevenness processing device 40, 40A. In this case, the possibility of failure to join can be reduced by adjusting the clearance c to a sufficiently large value. However, in the case of structural components, increasing the clearance c can reduce the strength and rigidity of the mechanical joint 10, so it is preferable to adjust it to the appropriate range described above.

[0094] If the determination unit 212 determines in step ST414 that the clearance c between the internal fitting convex portion 13 of the male fitting 12 and the external fitting convex portion 14 of the female fitting 11 is greater than a predetermined value, specifically, for example, greater than 0 (c>0) (step ST414: No), the process proceeds to step ST415. That is, if the clearance c in the joined portion at multiple preset locations is greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that no interference will occur and that the female fitting 11 and male fitting 12 are joinable. Here, if the predetermined value is set to 0, the determination unit 212 can determine that no interference will occur and that the female fitting 11 and male fitting 12 are joinable if the clearance c is always positive (c=r2-r1>0). Note that interference area E may occur not only in the radial direction of the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14, but also in locations other than the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14, so a similar judgment may be made. However, since radial deformation of the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 is most likely to occur in the mechanical joint 10, the judgment unit 212 can determine that joining is possible if the radial clearance of the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 satisfies the above-mentioned condition (c > predetermined value). Note that in this static analysis, a method was used using measurement software and CAD, assuming that the overall shape of the joint is rigid and undeformed. However, a dynamic analysis can also be used, taking into account factors such as elastic deformation of the joint shape due to small localized interference and frictional resistance. For dynamic analysis, dynamic analysis using FEM or mechanism analysis can be performed to determine interference based on fluctuations in load, torque, contact, friction, etc.

[0095] (Step to determine the position of the recess) Next, in step ST415 as a recess positional relationship grasping step, the determination unit 212 acquires positional relationship information between the groove in the load transmission key portion 17 into which the joining screw 17b is fitted and the key groove 18. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step ST416, where the determination unit 212 determines whether the positional relationship between the load transmission key portion 17 and the key groove 18 is within the allowable range, i.e., whether the interference level is high or low, based on the positional relationship information acquired in step ST415.

[0096] The judgment unit 212 is capable of checking the positional relationship between the load transmission keys 17 and the key grooves 18, and judging the interference level based on whether the relative positional relationship between the load transmission keys 17 and the key grooves 18 satisfies the allowable range, thereby determining pass / fail. That is, the judgment by the judgment unit 212 determines whether the joining screw 17b of the load transmission keys 17 provided on the female joint 11 can slide relative to the key grooves 18 to a predetermined position that enables load transmission between the female joint 11 and the male joint 12. Here, the interference level is considered high when the joining screw 17b of the load transmission keys 17 cannot slide relative to the key grooves 18 to a predetermined position, and low when it can slide.

[0097] Here, Figures 10 and 11 show a state in which the interference level is high in the positional relationship (recess positional relationship) between the groove, which is the recess in which the joining screw 17b of the load transmission key portion 17 is accommodated, and the key groove 18, which is the recess in the male joint 12.

[0098] As shown in Figure 10, when the upper ends of the load transmission keys 17 in the female joint 11 and one of the pairs of upper ends of the keyways 18 in the male joint 12 are aligned (the lower end of the concave-convex pitch P in Figure 10), the interference level is considered to be high if the upper ends of the other load transmission keys 17 in the female joint 11 are higher than the upper ends of the keyways 18. In this case, the joining screws 17b (not shown in Figure 10) of the load transmission keys 17 interfere and cannot slide into the keyways 18. Conversely, when the upper ends of the load transmission keys 17 in the female joint 11 and one of the pairs of upper ends of the keyways 18 in the male joint 12 are aligned (the lower end of the concave-convex pitch P in Figure 10), the interference level is considered to be low if the upper ends of the other load transmission keys 17 in the female joint 11 are lower than the upper ends of the keyways 18. In this case, the joining screw 17b (not shown in FIG. 10) of the load transmission key portion 17 can slide into the key groove 18 without interference. Note that the interference level may be determined by aligning one pair of lower ends of the load transmission key portion 17 and the key groove 18.

[0099] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, when the upper ends of the load transmission keys 17 of the female joint 11 and one of the pairs of upper ends of the key grooves 18 of the male joint 12 are aligned (the lower end of the concave-convex pitch P in Figure 11), the interference level is considered to be high if the upper and lower ends of the other load transmission keys 17 of the female joint 11 are higher than the upper and lower ends of the key grooves 18, respectively. In this case, the joining screws 17b (not shown in Figure 11) of the load transmission keys 17 interfere with the ends of the key grooves 18 when they enter and are unable to slide. Conversely, when the upper ends of the load transmission keys 17 of the female joint 11 and one of the pairs of upper ends of the key grooves 18 of the male joint 12 are aligned (the lower end of the concave-convex pitch P in Figure 11), the interference level is considered to be low if the upper and lower ends of the other load transmission keys 17 of the female joint 11 are located between the upper and lower ends of the key grooves 18, respectively. In this case, the joining screw 17b (not shown in FIG. 11) of the load transmission key portion 17 can slide into the key groove 18 without interference. Note that the interference level may be determined by aligning one pair of lower ends of the load transmission key portion 17 and the key groove 18.

[0100] If the determination unit 212 determines in step ST416 that the recess positional relationship between the recess in which the joining screw 17b of the load transmission key portion 17 is housed and the key groove 18, which is a recess in the male joint 12, is outside the allowable range and that the interference level is high (step ST416: Yes), the process proceeds to step ST418. In step ST418, the determination unit 212 outputs information that the mechanical joint 10 being measured has failed, and stores this failure information as shape information in the shape database 221. Note that the failure information may also include the information on the recess positional relationship described above. This completes the interference analysis process. Note that the failed mechanical joint 10 can be corrected by processing using the unevenness processing device 40, 40A, and can be made into an acceptable product if it satisfies the regulations.

[0101] On the other hand, if the determination unit 212 determines in step ST416 that the recess positional relationship between the groove, which is the recess that houses the joining screw 17b of the load transmission key portion 17, and the key groove 18, which is the recess in the male joint 12, is within the allowable range and that the interference level is low (step ST416: No), the process proceeds to step ST417. In step ST417, the determination unit 212 outputs information that the mechanical joint 10 being measured is acceptable. This acceptable information includes clearance information and information on the recess positional relationship as determined in step ST414. The determination unit 212 stores the acceptable information in the shape database 221. This completes the interference analysis process.

[0102] According to the clearance measurement shape analysis process of one embodiment, a rejection is determined when a location where the clearance c is equal to or less than a predetermined value is found, thereby reducing the time and data volume required to determine whether the mechanical joint 10 is a rejection product, and the process can be carried out simply. Also, by checking the positional relationship (recess positional relationship) between the groove, which is the recess in which the joining screw 17b of the load transmission key portion 17 is housed, and the keyway 18, which is the recess in the male joint 12, and determining whether the joining screw 17b can enter the keyway 18, it is possible to obtain rejection information before the joining screw 17b is actually inserted into the threaded hole 17a.

[0103] Thereafter, the process proceeds to step ST5 shown in Fig. 5, where the control unit 21 outputs pass or fail information for the mechanical joint 10 being measured to the input / output unit 23. Note that for mechanical joints 10 that have been determined to have failed, a mark may be placed on the actual mechanical joint 10. Note that for mechanical joints 10 that have been determined to have failed, it is possible to appropriately select whether to perform an adjustment process, which will be described later, or to discard the mechanical joint. This completes the measurement process for the mechanical joint.

[0104] The quality of the mechanical joint 10 can be controlled based on the measurement method for a mechanical joint described above. That is, in the quality control method for the mechanical joint 10, first, the mechanical joint 10 is manufactured in a joint manufacturing process in step ST1. Next, the concave and convex shapes of the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 of the mechanical joint 10 are measured in a joint measurement process in step ST3. Thereafter, in step ST4, an interference analysis process is performed using the measurement results obtained in the joint measurement process, thereby making it possible to control the quality of the mechanical joint 10 as a quality control process.

[0105] The above-described method for measuring a mechanical joint 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention allows confirmation of whether the mechanical joint 10 can be joined after its manufacture is complete or before its construction. While conventional methods require the female joint 11 and male joint 12 to be actually mated to determine this, this method ensures accuracy by confirming the interference between the inner fitting convex portion 13 and the outer fitting convex portion 14 as a clearance based on information from measurement results. Furthermore, because the measurement starts from the completed joining position of the mechanical joint 10, there is no need to search for the starting position of joining. Furthermore, it is possible to detect interference points early, allowing for efficient start of measurement of the clearance of the mechanical joint 10. Furthermore, because it is possible to determine in advance whether the joining thread 17b of the load transmission key portion 17 can enter the key groove 18, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the female joint 11 and male joint 12 cannot be fixed by the load transmission key even after actually mating them.

[0106] Furthermore, regardless of the condition of the mechanical joint, such as its length or size, prior joint confirmation at a factory or other on-site location can be safely and easily performed. The measurement method for the mechanical joint 10 according to this embodiment can be used not only in factories but also in storage areas at construction sites. Specifically, for example, if there is concern about deformation of the mechanical joint 10 at a construction site due to damage caused by welding additional members, transportation, or excessive exposure to direct sunlight, the shapes of the male joint 12 and the female joint 11 can be measured by the measuring unit 35 at the storage area at the construction site, and a joint determination can be made before the actual joining, minimizing the need for on-site work to be stopped due to problems.

[0107] Although the mechanical joint 10 has been described above as an example, the present invention can be similarly effective in the following cases. For example, the internal fitting protrusion 13 and the external fitting protrusion 14 are not limited to two stages, but may be one stage or three or more stages. Furthermore, there is no particular limitation on the presence or absence of a spigot. The load transmission key 17 may be provided on the male joint 12 rather than the female joint 11. Furthermore, the load transmission key 17 and the key groove 18 do not have to be circular in shape with the same axial position in the circumferential direction, and may be spiral or elliptical. Furthermore, the load transmission key 17 may be divided or diagonal in the circumferential direction, or may be a ring shape extending in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the female joint 11 and the male joint 12 may protrude outward from the outer periphery of the steel pipe.

[0108] (Mechanical joint according to the first modified example) Next, another mechanical joint to which the measurement method of a mechanical joint according to the embodiment described above can be applied will be described. Figures 12 and 13 are diagrams showing the welding start state and the welding completion state, respectively, of a mechanical joint to be measured in the mechanical joint measurement systems 1 and 1A according to a first modified example of the embodiment.

[0109] (Male and female joints to be measured) 12, the mechanical joint 10A is used, for example, as a weldless mechanical joint for connecting multiple pipes in the axial direction Y when connecting and casting multiple pipes. The mechanical joint 10A according to the first modified example is used, for example, as a joint for connecting pipes 15 and 16 to each other.

[0110] The mechanical joint 10A according to this embodiment is configured to include a female joint 11A serving as an outer joint and a male joint 12A serving as an inner joint, which are engageable with each other. The mechanical joint 10A is configured such that the male joint 12A is attached to the lower end of the upper pipe 15 by welding or the like, and the female joint 11A is attached to the upper end of the lower pipe 16 by welding or the like. This results in a pair of the male joint 12A and the female joint 11A facing each other in the axial direction Y. The mechanical joint 10A has multiple inner fitting protrusions 13A formed on the outer periphery of the male joint 12A, and multiple outer fitting protrusions 14A formed on the inner periphery of the female joint 11A. This configuration results in a gear-type joint in which the multiple inner fitting protrusions 13A and the multiple outer fitting protrusions 14A are formed on approximately the same circumference in the circumferential direction W. The gear type can also employ various numbers of stages, and the number of stages is not limited.

[0111] The female joint 11A has a plurality of outer fitting protrusions 14A formed by protruding inward in the direction orthogonal to the axial core X. As a result, a plurality of outer fitting grooves 14Aa are formed adjacent to the outer fitting protrusions 14A in the circumferential direction W. In addition, a plurality of outer fitting valleys 14Ab are formed on the base end side of the outer fitting protrusions 14A in the axial core direction Y. In the female joint 11A, the outer fitting protrusions 14A and the outer fitting valleys 14Ab are provided alternately adjacent to each other along the axial core direction Y.

[0112] In the female joint 11A, outer fitting protrusions 14A and outer fitting grooves 14Aa are formed alternately in the circumferential direction W, with the multiple outer fitting protrusions 14A arranged in a substantially line in the axial direction Y and the circumferential direction W, and the multiple outer fitting grooves 14Aa arranged in a substantially line in the axial direction Y and the circumferential direction W. The female joint 11A has an outer fitting tip face formed on its tip side along the axial direction Y, and an outer fitting excess length portion provided on its base end side along the axial direction Y as a portion to be attached to the end of the pipe 16 below by welding or the like.

[0113] The male joint 12A has multiple internal fitting protrusions 13A formed to protrude outward in the direction orthogonal to the axial core X. This forms multiple internal fitting grooves 13Aa adjacent to the internal fitting protrusions 13A in the circumferential direction W. Additionally, multiple internal fitting valleys 13Ab are formed on the base end side of the internal fitting protrusions 13A in the axial core direction Y. The male joint 12A is formed with the internal fitting protrusions 13A and the internal fitting valleys 13Ab alternately adjacent to each other in the axial core direction Y.

[0114] In the male fitting 12A, internal fitting convex portions 13A and internal fitting groove portions 13Aa are formed alternately in the circumferential direction W, with the multiple internal fitting convex portions 13A arranged in a substantially line in the axial direction Y and the circumferential direction W, and the multiple internal fitting groove portions 13Aa arranged in a substantially line in the axial direction Y and the circumferential direction W. The male fitting 12A has an internal fitting tip surface formed on the tip side along the axial direction Y, and an internal fitting excess length portion is provided on the base end side along the axial direction Y as a portion to be attached to the end of the upper pipe 15 by welding or the like.

[0115] As shown in Figure 13, in the mechanical joint 10A, the pipes 15 and 16 are connected to each other by fitting a male joint 12A and a female joint 11A together. In the mechanical joint 10A, the male joint 12A attached to the lower end of the upper pipe 15 is inserted into the female joint 11A attached to the upper end of the lower pipe 16. At this time, in the mechanical joint 10A of the steel pipe pile, the protruding heights of the inner fitting convex portion 13A and the outer fitting convex portion 14A are equal to or less than the depths of the inner fitting groove portion 13Aa and the outer fitting groove portion 14Aa in the direction X orthogonal to the axis, so that the inner fitting convex portion 13A and the outer fitting convex portion 14A pass through the outer fitting groove portion 14Aa and the inner fitting groove portion 13Aa, respectively.

[0116] Thereafter, with the male fitting 12A inserted into the female fitting 11A, the steel pipe mechanical joint 10A rotates the upper pipe 15 and the lower pipe 16 relatively in the circumferential direction W about the axis. In this case, the protruding heights of the inner fitting convex portion 13A and the outer fitting convex portion 14A of the steel pipe mechanical joint 10A become equal to or less than the depths of the outer fitting valley portion 14Ab and the inner fitting valley portion 13Ab in the direction perpendicular to the axis X, so that the inner fitting convex portion 13A and the outer fitting convex portion 14A are fitted into the outer fitting valley portion 14Ab and the inner fitting valley portion 13Ab, respectively.

[0117] In the mechanical joint 10A, the length in the axial direction Y of the inner fitting convex portion 13A is designed to be equal to or less than the length in the axial direction Y of the outer fitting valley portion 14Ab, and the length in the axial direction Y of the outer fitting convex portion 14A is designed to be equal to or less than the length in the axial direction Y of the inner fitting valley portion 14Ab. In this case, in the pipe mechanical joint 10A, when the male joint 12A is inserted into the female joint 11A and rotated relative to each other in the circumferential direction W, the inner fitting convex portion 13A and the outer fitting convex portion 14A are locked to each other in the axial direction Y.

[0118] The materials of the pipes 15, 16, male fitting 12A, and female fitting 11A are not particularly limited. Examples include steel, metal materials other than steel, concrete, resin, or a combination of multiple materials. The material of the mechanical fitting is selected depending on the intended use and the conditions of the pipes, which will be described later. The present invention is particularly effective in the case of mechanical fitting 10A, which has a large diameter of, for example, 700 mm or more, or the pipes 15, 16 to which the mechanical fittings are connected are 5 m or longer, or are heavy, making it difficult to check the connection before shipping from the factory.

[0119] In the case of the mechanical joint 10A shown in FIG. 13, the welding completion position is, for example, the position where a preset welding completion line (e.g., an eye mark) is reached in a shoulder-touch state, i.e., the position where a rotation prevention key can be inserted, but is not limited thereto. For example, if a preset welding completion line does not exist, the welding completion position can be set using the shoulder-touch state as the initial position, or can be set based on the positional relationship of accessories such as piping. Therefore, the method of setting the center axis and aligning the data used in the shape measuring devices 20 and 20A described above is the same as that of the mechanical joint 10. The mechanical joint 10A, which is a gear-type joint, requires rotation during welding. However, since the rotation amount is only the width of the gear, it can be determined that welding is possible if the interference amount in the welding completion state satisfies the specified criteria. In other words, by treating the rotation of the gear as the insertion amount, the clearance c can be derived and determined as in the above-described embodiment.

[0120] 14 and 15 show examples of a cross section of the mechanical joint 10A converted into data, generated by the shape calculation unit 211 of the shape measuring device 20, 20A according to the embodiment described above. Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross section showing a state in which the inner fitting convex portion 13A and the outer fitting convex portion 14A of the converted mechanical joint 10A do not interfere with each other, and the insertion of the male joint 12A into the female joint 11A and rotation of the gears are complete. Fig. 15 is an enlarged cross section showing a portion of the converted mechanical joint 10A in a state in which the inner fitting convex portion 13A and the outer fitting convex portion 14A partially interfere with each other, resulting in the presence of an interference portion E.

[0121] As shown in Figure 14, when there is no interference between the inner fitting convex portion 13A and the outer fitting valley portion 14Ab, and between the outer fitting convex portion 14A and the inner fitting valley portion 13Ab, and the interference level is low, the female fitting 11A and the male fitting 12A can be joined. The same process of determining the level of interference is performed for the inner fitting groove portion 13Aa and the outer fitting groove portion 14Aa. Clearance c is defined as the radial component of the line connecting the center of the inner fitting convex portion 13A and the center of the outer fitting convex portion 14A of the male fitting 12A. Clearance c can be calculated from the distance r1 from the radial center of the male fitting 12A to the surface of the male fitting 12A that is circumferentially tangent to the inner fitting convex portion 13A of the male fitting 12A, and the distance r2 from the radial center of the male fitting 12A to the outer fitting convex portion 14 of the female fitting 11A.

[0122] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 15, if interference (interference part E) occurs between the inner fitting convex portion 13A and the outer fitting valley portion 14Ab, and between the outer fitting convex portion 14A and the inner fitting valley portion 13Ab, due to the positional relationship between the female fitting 11A and the male fitting 12A, the female fitting 11 and the male fitting 12 will not be joined. In this case, the interference level will be high.

[0123] The shape calculation unit 211 stores the clearance c calculated at multiple predetermined locations, for example, four or eight locations, as shape information in the shape database 221. The clearance c is calculated for all of the internal fitting convex portions 13A, external fitting convex portions 14A, internal fitting valley portions 13Ab, external fitting valley portions 14Ab, internal fitting groove portions 13Aa, and external fitting groove portions 14Aa of the joined portions at multiple predetermined locations in the female joint 11A and the male joint 12A. The minimum clearance c in the radial direction relative to the center is then calculated, and the positional relationship between the load transmission key portion 17 and the key groove 18 is also calculated.

[0124] In the same manner as in the shape measurement method for the mechanical joint 10 according to the embodiment described above, pass / fail is determined based on whether the amount of interference (interference part E) between the outer surface of the male joint 12A and the inner surface of the female joint 11A due to factors such as loss of circularity of the mechanical joint 10A in the joined state satisfies a standard. As in the embodiment described above, if there is no interference part E, the interference level is deemed low and the mechanical joint 10A is judged to be pass, and if there is interference part E, the mechanical joint 10A is judged to be fail. Note that a failed mechanical joint 10A can be corrected by processing using the unevenness processing devices 40, 40A, and if it satisfies the standard, it can be made into a passing product.

[0125] The mechanical joints 10 and 10A described above have an axisymmetric structure, but the present invention can also be applied to mechanical joints in which the recesses into which the keys or rings are inserted are not perpendicular to the axis but are inclined. The mechanical joint according to the second modified example described below is a mechanical joint in which the recesses into which the keys or rings are inserted are inclined with respect to the axis.

[0126] (Mechanical joint according to the second modified example) Next, we will explain other mechanical joints to which the measurement method for a mechanical joint according to the embodiment described above can be applied. Figures 16, 17A, and 17B are diagrams showing the welding start state and the welding completion state of a mechanical joint that is the measurement target in the mechanical joint measurement system 1, 1A according to a second modified embodiment of the embodiment, respectively. Note that Figure 16 shows the state before the joint is inserted, Figure 17A shows the state after the joint has been inserted but before the fitting is completed, and Figure 17B shows the state after the fitting is completed.

[0127] As shown in FIG. 16, a mechanical joint 10B according to a second modification comprises a tubular male joint 12B and a female joint 11B into which the male joint 12B is inserted and fitted. The mechanical joint 10B is attached to the ends of pipes 15 and 16 to join the pipes 15 and 16. A step is formed at the base end of the male joint 12B, and as shown in FIG. 17A, when the male joint 12B is inserted into the female joint 11B, the tip of the female joint 11B abuts the step, completing the mating state. Here, the upper view of FIG. 17A is a cross-sectional view of the mechanical joint 10B as viewed from the radial direction, and the lower view of FIG. 17A is a cross-sectional view of the mechanical joint 10B as viewed from the central axis along arrow AA. The upper and lower views of FIG. 17B are similar. In the second modification, the male joint 12B is also referred to as an inner joint or a PIN joint, and the female joint 11B is also referred to as an outer joint or a BOX joint.

[0128] The male joint 12B is located inside the mechanical joint 10B. The female joint 11B is located outside the mechanical joint 10B. Annular grooves 17B, 18B are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the male joint 12B and the inner peripheral surface of the female joint 11B, respectively, so as to face each other in the fully mated state and are inclined relative to the axial direction of the mechanical joint 10B. The inclination angle of the annular grooves 17B, 18B may be set appropriately as long as the ring members do not rotate when a torsional load is applied. The inclination angle of the annular grooves 17B, 18B relative to the axial direction is preferably a constant angle so that they form a straight line when viewed radially of the mechanical joint 10B. Furthermore, the upper limit of the inclination angle of the annular grooves 17B, 18B relative to the axial direction is preferably 5° or less in the axial direction of the mechanical joint 10B, assuming that the radial direction of the mechanical joint 10B is 0°. This is because a large inclination increases the length of the joint, resulting in increased costs.

[0129] The annular grooves 18B, 17B formed in the female joint 11B and the male joint 12B, respectively, form annular grooves 18B, 17B consisting of an elliptical closed space when the joints are in a fully mated state. Furthermore, the mechanical joint 10B is provided with an annular ring member 13B. This ring member 13B can be stored in the annular groove 18B of the male joint 12B so as not to interfere with the mating of the male joint 12B and the female joint 11B, and can be positioned within the annular grooves 17B, 18B so as to straddle the annular groove 18B of the male joint 12B and the annular groove 17B of the female joint 11B in the fully mated state.

[0130] As shown in the lower diagram of Figure 17A, ring member 13B has a notch in one circumferential position and has a spring structure that expands and contracts radially. Ring member 13B has several drilled holes, and male joint 12B has several tapped holes that correspond to the drilled holes. Ring member 13B is fixed with a reduced diameter so that it fits along the outer peripheral surface of male joint 12B using bolts that pass through the drilled holes and tapped holes. This structure allows ring member 13B to have a diameter larger than the outer diameter of annular groove 17B when not fixed, and to fit completely into annular groove 17B.

[0131] In this specification, screws are used as members to be combined with drilled holes, tapped holes, through-tapped holes, and screw holes. In particular, any male thread can be used, and can be selected appropriately depending on the intended use of the screw. In the second modification, bolts, bolt screws, and set screws are examples of screws.

[0132] The ring member 13B can be made, for example, by bending a long flat plate of a predetermined length. In this case, the gap created when the ends of the flat plate are bent to face each other forms the notch. In addition to the above-described method, the notch may be formed by cutting a portion of the ring-shaped member. Although FIG. 16 shows only one notch in the circumferential direction of the ring member 13B, multiple notches, for example, two notches, may be provided. In this case, it is preferable that the second notch be provided near the first notch so as to maintain the spring structure of the ring member 13B. In order to maximize the spring structure of the ring member 13B, it is most preferable that the number of notches be one.

[0133] To prevent the bolt head from protruding from the outer peripheral surface of ring member 13B, the drilled hole provided in ring member 13B has a recessed portion for accommodating the bolt head, and the drilled hole is a stepped hole. The drilled hole is also elongated in the circumferential direction of ring member 13B so that it can accommodate expansion and contraction of ring member 13B. Details of the drilled hole and recessed portion are omitted in the lower diagrams of Figures 17A and 17B.

[0134] The bolt that secures ring member 13B must be loosened after male joint 12B has been completely inserted into female joint 11B. To enable this operation, female joint 11B is provided with a through-hole 19B at a position opposite the bolt position in the fully mated state, as shown in the lower diagrams of Figures 17A and 17B.

[0135] The mating operation of the mechanical joint 10B configured as described above will now be described. Before the male joint 12B is inserted into the female joint 11B, as shown in Figure 16, the ring member 13B is stored in the annular grooves 17B, 18B of the male joint 12B, and the male joint 12B and female joint 11B are aligned, and the male joint 12B is inserted into the female joint 11B. Aligning the directions means that the inclination directions of the annular grooves 17B, 18B of the male joint 12B and the annular grooves 17B, 18B of the female joint 11B are aligned. In this state, the through hole 19B of the female joint 11B is positioned opposite the bolt of the male joint 12B when mating is complete.

[0136] As shown in Figure 17A, insertion of the male joint 12B into the female joint 11B is completed when the stepped portion of the male joint 12B and the tip of the female joint 11B are in contact. In this state, the annular grooves 17B, 18B formed in the male joint 12B and the female joint 11B respectively form annular grooves 17B, 18B consisting of elliptical closed spaces, and the ring member 13B housed in the annular grooves 17B, 18B of the male joint 12B is positioned opposite the annular grooves 17B, 18B of the female joint 11B. Note that the determination of the joining by the determination unit 212 is performed after the male joint 12B has been inserted into the female joint 11B and before the ring member 13B is released.

[0137] Next, by inserting a tool into through hole 19B and loosening the bolt, as shown in FIG. 17B, ring member 13B expands in diameter due to its own spring force, and ring member 13B is positioned so that it straddles both annular grooves 17B and 18B, completing the engagement. Ring member 13B expands in diameter due to its own spring force and maintains this state while positioned within annular grooves 17B and 18B. Therefore, once the engagement is complete, the bolt is no longer necessary for the joint to function. Therefore, even if the bolt becomes loose or breaks due to vibration or other reasons, the function of the joint is not affected.

[0138] 17B, ​​in the fully mated state, compressive force is transmitted mainly by contact pressure between the stepped portion of male joint 12B and the tip of female joint 11B, and tensile force is transmitted mainly by the supporting pressure of ring member 13B. Furthermore, torsional force is transmitted mainly by shear of ring member 13B, and shear force is transmitted mainly by the double pipe portion formed by male joint 12B and female joint 11B.

[0139] The present invention can be applied to the mechanical joint 10B configured as above as long as the female joint 11B and the male joint 12B have a shape with a concave-convex structure, and is not limited to a special joint shape.

[0140] (Mechanical joint according to the third modified example) Next, we will explain other mechanical joints to which the measurement method for a mechanical joint according to the embodiment described above can be applied. Figures 18 and 19 are views showing the welding start state and the welding completion state, respectively, of a mechanical joint to be measured in the mechanical joint measurement systems 1, 1A according to a third modified embodiment of the embodiment. Note that Figure 18 shows the state before the joint is inserted, and Figure 19 shows the state after the joint has been inserted and mated.

[0141] As shown in Figure 18, a mechanical joint 10C according to the third modification comprises a female joint 11C, which is an outer joint pipe, and a male joint 12C, which is an inner joint pipe, and is attached to the ends of steel pipes to join the steel pipes together. Through holes 11Ca, 12Ca are provided on the side surfaces of the female joint 11C and the male joint 12C. The through holes 11Ca, 12Ca are each arranged at a plurality of positions spaced apart at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of a cylindrical cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, with the through-holes aligned at the center.

[0142] As shown in Figure 19, the male joint 12C is inserted into the hollow portion of the female joint 11C at the step 12Cb, and after fitting the through holes 11Ca, 12Ca so that their centers are aligned, a joining member 17c is installed so that it straddles and communicates with the through holes 11Ca, 12Ca. This joins the male joint 12C and the female joint 11C. Here, various joining members such as pins, screws, and bolts can be used as the joining member 17c, depending on the diameter of the through holes 11Ca, 12Ca and the plate thickness of the mechanical joint 10C.

[0143] 18 and 19, when joining male joint 12C and female joint 11C, it is necessary to align the height in the material axis direction and the position in the circumferential direction in order to align the center positions of through holes 11Ca, 12Ca. In other words, when mating female joint 11C and male joint 12C, whether or not there is contact or interference between the inner surface of female joint 11C and the outer surface of male joint 12C affects workability.

[0144] Therefore, in the interference analysis process according to the third modified example, in the data acquisition process of step ST411 shown in Figure 6, the shapes of the inner surface of the female fitting 11C and the outer surface of the male fitting 12C, which may interfere during mating, are measured using, for example, a measurement terminal 30A or a measurement unit 35.

[0145] After the data acquisition process in step ST411 is completed, the process proceeds to step ST412, where a joining completion state is set. In setting the joining completion state, the respective center positions of the female joint 11C and the male joint 12C and the respective center positions of the through holes 11Ca, 12Ca of the female joint 11C and the male joint 12C are made to coincide with each other based on the shape measurement data obtained by the data acquisition process, and as the mating completion position, a state where the positional deviation of the targeted through holes 11Ca, 12C is minimized while shoulder touching is performed and the state is set as the joining completion state.

[0146] Next, the process proceeds to step ST413, where interference analysis measurement is performed. In the interference analysis process, the joining completion state set in step ST412 is first set as the initial position. The determination unit 212 performs interference determination based on the presence or absence of radial surface contact and the presence or absence of axial and circumferential deviations greater than or equal to a preset clearance between the joining member 17c, such as a bolt, and the positions of all of the through holes 11Ca, 12Ca. In the interference determination in the third modified example, if the determination unit 212 determines that the joint is passed, the result is considered to be passed, and if the determination unit 212 does not determine that the joint is passed, the result is considered to be failed.

[0147] If the determination unit 212 determines that the joint is unacceptable, it can also be determined as acceptable by the following method. That is, the shape calculation unit 211 rotates the female joint 11C and the male joint 12C relative to each other to search for a position where the interference level is acceptable. The female joint 11C and the male joint 12C are rotated to appropriately change the paired through holes 11Ca, 12Ca to search for a position where the joint is acceptable. Alternatively, the unevenness processing device 40 is used to process at least one of the female joint 11C and the male joint 12C so that the interference level is acceptable.

[0148] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications based on the technical concepts of the present invention are possible. For example, the numerical values ​​and materials given in the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and different numerical values ​​and materials may be used as necessary.

[0149] For example, in each of the above-described embodiments and modifications, the determination unit 212 determines whether the clearance c between the internal fitting convex portion 13 of the male coupling 12 and the external fitting convex portion 14 of the female coupling 11 is equal to or less than a predetermined value as the predetermined criterion. However, this is not limited to this, and the determination may be based on whether the clearance c is less than a predetermined value as the predetermined criterion. Similarly, the "Yes" and "No" in step ST414 may be interchanged based on whether the clearance c is equal to or greater than a predetermined value as the predetermined criterion. Even in these cases, the predetermined value can be set to any value.

[0150] For example, the method for measuring a mechanical joint according to the above-described embodiment can be performed manually or automatically using shape measurement software or high-end CAD that is applied to a handheld 3D scanner. When performed automatically, the method can be performed using a software program by the control unit 21 of the shape measuring device 20. This makes it possible to achieve even greater efficiency in the method for measuring a mechanical joint. [Industrial Applicability]

[0151] The present invention is suitably applied to joining steel pipes together. [Explanation of symbols]

[0152] 1,1A Mechanical Joint Measurement System 2 Network 10, 10A, 10B, 10C Mechanical Coupling 11, 11A, 11B, 11C female fittings 11Ca,12Ca through hole 12, 12A, 12B, 12C male connector 12Cb step 13,13A Inner fitting convex part 13Aa Inner fitting groove 13Ab Inner valley part 13B Ring member 14,14A External fitting convex part 14Aa External fitting groove 14Ab Sotoganyabe 15,16 tube 17 Load transmission key part 17B, ​​18B Annular groove 17a screw hole 17b Joint screw 17c Joint material 18 Keyway 19 Rotation suppression key 19B Through hole 20,20A Shape measuring device 21, 31, 41 Control unit 22,32,42 Storage section 23,33,43 Input / output section 24, 34, 44 Communications Department 30A Measuring Terminal 35 Measurement section 40,40A unevenness processing equipment 45 Uneven processing section 211 Shape calculation section 212 Judgment section 221 Shape Database 222 Pipe Type Database 311 Measurement control section 411 Processing control unit

Claims

1. A shape measurement method for analyzing an interference level between an uneven portion of a male joint and an uneven portion of a female joint, the method comprising the steps of: a joining completion state setting step of setting a joining completion state in which joining of the male joint and the female joint is completed based on data of the concave-convex shapes of the male joint and the female joint, respectively; an interference analysis step of analyzing an interference level between concave-convex portions of the male joint and concave-convex portions of the female joint corresponding to the concave-convex portions of the male joint in the joined state; Equipped with Shape measurement method.

2. a step of determining whether the set of mechanical joints passes or fails based on the interference level measured in the interference analysis step; and an interference information assigning step of assigning information about the interference portion to a portion determined to be an interference portion based on the interference level measured in the interference analysis step. The shape measuring method according to claim 1 .

3. a shape measurement process for measuring the concave-convex shapes of the male joint and the concave-convex shapes of the female joint for a set of mechanical joints including a male joint other than a threaded joint and a female joint other than a threaded joint corresponding to the male joint; a shape measuring step of analyzing an interference level for each pair of the mechanical joints by the shape measuring method according to claim 1 or 2, based on data of the uneven shape measured in the shape measuring step; Equipped with Measurement methods for mechanical joints.

4. A method for manufacturing a mechanical joint, which manufactures a set of mechanical joints having a male joint other than a threaded joint and a female joint other than a threaded joint corresponding to the male joint, a joint manufacturing process for manufacturing a mechanical joint; a joint measurement process of performing the mechanical joint measurement method according to claim 3 on the set of mechanical joints having a male joint and a female joint produced by the joint manufacturing process; Equipped with Manufacturing method of mechanical joints.

5. A quality control method for a mechanical joint that controls the quality of a set of mechanical joints having a male joint other than a threaded joint and a female joint other than a threaded joint corresponding to the male joint, a joint manufacturing process for manufacturing the mechanical joint; a joint measurement step of measuring the concave and convex shape of the mechanical joint by the mechanical joint measurement method according to claim 3 for the set of mechanical joints produced by the joint manufacturing step; a quality control step of controlling the quality of the produced mechanical joint using the results obtained from the joint measurement step; Equipped with Quality control methods for mechanical fittings.

6. A shape measuring device for analyzing the interference level between a concave-convex portion of a male joint and a concave-convex portion of a female joint corresponding to a male joint other than a threaded joint, for a set of mechanical joints including the male joint and a female joint other than a threaded joint, a joining completion state setting process that sets a joining completion state in which joining of the male joint and the female joint is completed based on data of the concave-convex shapes of the male joint and the female joint, respectively; an interference analysis process for analyzing an interference level between concave-convex portions of the male joint and concave-convex portions of the female joint corresponding to the concave-convex portions of the male joint in the joined state; A control unit that executes Shape measuring device.

7. Further, a communication unit is provided, The communication unit, by the control unit, At least one of the following is executed: a process for acquiring data on the concave and convex shapes of the male joint and the female joint; and a process for outputting information on the interference level obtained by the interference analysis process. The shape measuring device according to claim 6.

8. A measuring unit configured to be able to measure the concave-convex shape of the male joint and the concave-convex shape of the female joint for a set of mechanical joints including a male joint other than a threaded joint and a female joint other than a threaded joint corresponding to the male joint; 8. The shape measuring device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein an interference level is analyzed for each pair of the mechanical joints based on data of the concave-convex shape measured by the measuring unit; Equipped with Measuring system for mechanical joints.

9. A measurement terminal configured to be capable of analyzing the interference level between the uneven portion of a male joint other than a threaded joint and the uneven portion of a female joint corresponding to the male joint, for a set of mechanical joints having a male joint other than a threaded joint and a female joint other than a threaded joint, and controlled by a control unit, the measurement terminal comprising: a measurement unit that measures the uneven shape of the male joint and the uneven shape of the female joint, respectively, under the control of the control unit; a communication unit that executes at least one of an output process that outputs the measured uneven shape as data to the shape measuring device described in claim 6 under the control of the control unit, and an acquisition process that acquires information relating to the interference level for each set of the male joint and the female joint from the shape measuring device; and an output unit that is capable of outputting the acquired information in a predetermined format under the control of the control unit; a shape measuring device according to claim 6, which analyzes an interference level for each pair of the mechanical joints based on data of the uneven shape measured by the measurement terminal; Equipped with Measuring system for mechanical joints.

10. The control unit a process of determining whether the set of mechanical joints is acceptable or not based on the acquired information on the interference level and a predetermined criterion; an interference information assigning process for assigning information about the interference portion to a portion determined to be an interference portion based on the acquired information about the interference level and a predetermined criterion. The measurement system of claim 9 .

11. A quality control method for a mechanical joint, which controls the quality of a mechanical joint for a set of mechanical joints having a male joint other than a threaded joint and a female joint other than a threaded joint corresponding to the male joint, The quality of the set of mechanical joints is managed using information on the interference level obtained from the interference analysis process executed by the control unit of the shape measuring device according to claim 6 or 7. Quality control methods for mechanical fittings.

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