Pipe connection device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pipe connection device comprising: a first flange part provided at one end of a first pipe; a second flange part provided at one end of a second pipe; a third flange part coupled to the outside of the second flange part; and a clamp, which clamps the first flange part and the third flange part so as to seal and connect the connection parts of the first and second pipes, and thus the respective connection parts of the first and second pipes are clamped and connected to each other, wherein each of the outer surface of the second flange part and the inner surfaces of the first and third flange parts are formed as curved surfaces having curvatures corresponding to each other, and the second pipe is rotatable about the second flange part, and thus the connection parts of a pair of pipes to be connected to each other are each clamped using V-clamping, and a flange having a curved shape is provided at the end of one pipe so as to absorb alignment errors such as bending or twisting of the corresponding pipe, thereby facilitating assembly and avoiding damage due to the alignment errors.

Description

Pipe connection device

[0001] The present invention relates to a pipe connecting device, and more specifically, to a pipe connecting device that absorbs twisting of the pipe shaft and enables bending of the pipe alignment without leakage or leaking of fluid moving through a pair of pipes.

[0002]

[0003] Generally, piping is installed in automobiles, industrial sites equipped with combustion devices, and buildings to form paths for fluid movement. To avoid interference with surrounding components or structures, such piping is configured to allow for curved placement.

[0004] Patent Documents 1 and 2 below disclose a flexible pipe and clamp configuration according to the prior art.

[0005] For example, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams of a pipe connection device according to the prior art.

[0006] A pipe connection device according to the prior art is configured to provide annular protrusions having a trapezoidal cross-section at the ends of a pair of pipes constituting a piping system that are connected to each other, and to connect them using a clamp having a V-shaped cross-section. Such a pipe connection structure is called the V-clamp type or Marmon type.

[0007] Alternatively, a pipe connection device according to the prior art is configured to provide annular protrusions with a curved shape having a certain curvature at each end of a pair of pipes connected to each other, and to connect the annular protrusions by overlapping them using a clamp. Such a pipe connection structure is called a swivel joint type.

[0008] The above V-clamp method has the advantage of enabling quick attachment and detachment, facilitating piping maintenance, minimizing exhaust gas leakage due to its high sealing performance, and ensuring even and stable surface pressure across the entire circumference, making it applicable even in high-temperature and high-back-pressure environments, while also minimizing twisting of the bellows.

[0009] On the other hand, the above V-clamp method had problems such as requiring precision machining to maintain airtightness, reduced fastening force when the clamp deforms at high temperatures, failure to absorb misalignment when an offset of the angular component occurs, and shortened durability as this misalignment is absorbed by the bellows connected to the piping.

[0010] The above swivel joint method has the advantage of allowing angle adjustment during assembly, making installation convenient, absorbing alignment errors when torsion and angle offset components occur, and minimizing torsion and buckling phenomena in the bellows.

[0011] On the other hand, the above-mentioned swivel joint method requires high machining precision to ensure airtightness, but since it is difficult to achieve such precision due to the shell structure, there is a high possibility of leakage. Furthermore, there were problems such as uneven or unstable surface pressure occurring when clamping, or poor or uneven surface roughness and contours occurring during long-term use, which could lead to loosening of the bolt securing the clamp and leakage due to wear on the joint part.

[0012] Therefore, there is a need to develop pipe connection device technology that combines the aforementioned V-clamp method and swivel joint method to block air leakage and allows for drawing adjustment during assembly work.

[0013]

[0014] The objective of the present invention is to solve the problems described above by providing a pipe connection device that combines a V-clamp method and a swivel joint method to block leakage or leaks and absorb misalignment caused by bending and twisting of the pipe during assembly work.

[0015] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pipe connection device that can improve the sealing between pipes to be connected and maximize the bending angle of pipe alignment.

[0016]

[0017] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the pipe connecting device according to the present invention comprises a first flange portion provided at one end of the first pipe, a second flange portion provided at one end of the second pipe, a third flange portion coupled to the outside of the second flange portion, and a clamp that clamps the first flange portion and the third flange portion to seal and connect the first and second pipes, wherein the outer surface of the second flange portion and the inner surface of the first and third flange portions are each formed as curved surfaces having corresponding curvatures, and the second pipe is rotatable around the second flange portion.

[0018]

[0019] As described above, according to the pipe connection device of the present invention, the connection portion of a pair of pipes to be connected to each other is clamped in a V-clamp manner, and a curved flange is provided at the end of one pipe to absorb alignment errors such as bending or twisting of the pipe, thereby obtaining the effect of ensuring ease of assembly and avoiding damage caused by alignment errors.

[0020] That is, according to the present invention, among the first and second pipes connected to each other, a first flange portion having a trapezoidal cross-section is provided at one end of one pipe, a second flange portion having a curved cross-section is provided at the other end of the pipe, and a third flange portion having a trapezoidal cross-section is provided outside the second flange portion, and the first and third flange portions can be clamped and fixed using a clamp.

[0021] Accordingly, according to the present invention, by fixing the first and third flange portions using a V-clamp method, the advantages of the V-clamp method are obtained, namely, that rapid attachment and detachment are possible, making maintenance of the piping easy; that fluid leakage can be minimized due to high sealing performance; that even and stable surface pressure can be secured across the entire circumference, making it applicable to high temperature and high pressure environments; and that twisting of the bellows can be minimized when an exhaust bellows is applied.

[0022] In addition, according to the present invention, by rotating another pipe around the second flange portion, the advantages of the swivel joint method, namely, the bending angle that occurs unintendedly during assembly, can be absorbed, making installation work convenient, and the alignment error can be absorbed when an offset of the twisting and angle components occurs, and the effect of minimizing twisting and buckling phenomena of the bellows can be obtained.

[0023] Accordingly, according to the present invention, by utilizing the advantages of the V-clamp method and the swivel joint method, the sealing performance between interconnected pipes is secured, and the effect of effectively avoiding interference with surrounding structures or parts is obtained.

[0024]

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pipe connection device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

[0026] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pipe connection device shown in FIG. 1.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the line AA' shown in FIG. 1,

[0028] FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating a state in which a bend occurs in a pair of pipes connected using the pipe connection device shown in FIG. 1.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating a state in which twisting occurs in a pair of pipes,

[0030] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a pipe connection device according to another embodiment of the present invention,

[0031] FIG. 7 is an operation state diagram showing the rotational state of the first and second pipes illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0032]

[0033] A pipe connection device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0034]

[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pipe connecting device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pipe connecting device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line AA' shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating a state in which a bend occurs in a pair of pipes connected using the pipe connecting device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating a state in which a twist occurs in a pair of pipes.

[0036] In the following, terms indicating directions such as 'left', 'right', 'forward', 'rear', 'upward', and 'downward' are defined as indicating the respective directions based on the state depicted in each drawing.

[0037]

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a pipe connecting device (10) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a first flange portion (20) provided at one end of the first pipe (11), a second flange portion (30) provided at one end of the second pipe (12), a third flange portion (40) coupled to the outside of the second flange portion (30), and a clamp (50) that clamps the first flange portion (20) and the third flange portion (40) to seal the connection portion of the first and second pipes (11, 12) so as to connect the connection portions of the first and second pipes (11, 12) to each other.

[0039] Here, the outer surface of the second flange portion (30) and the inner surface of the first and third flange portions (20, 40) are each formed as curved surfaces having corresponding curvatures, and the second pipe (12) can rotate around the second flange portion (30).

[0040] For convenience of explanation, the pipe positioned on the left side as seen in FIG. 1 is referred to as the ‘first pipe (11)’, and the pipe positioned on the right side is referred to as the ‘second pipe (12)’.

[0041] Therefore, the right end of the first pipe (11) and the left end of the second pipe (12) are connected by a clamp (50) while in contact with each other, forming a connection between the first and second pipes (11, 12).

[0042] And it is explained that a first flange portion (20) is provided at the right end of the first pipe (1), and a second flange portion (30) is formed at the left end of the second pipe (12).

[0043] Of course, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the positions of the first and second pipes (11, 12) and the positions of the first to third flange sections (20 to 30) may be changed symmetrically.

[0044] The clamp (50) is formed in a roughly ring shape and may have a shape with one side cut open.

[0045] Two pairs of fastening parts (51) to which the bolts are fastened may be provided on each side of the open part of the clamp (50) so that they can be fastened in a state where they are in close contact with each other by passing the bolts through.

[0046] A pair of supporting members (52) are installed through each pair of fastening parts (51) along the left and right directions, and a fastening groove (53) or a fastening hole (54) through which a bolt is installed along the front and rear directions may be formed in the center of each supporting member (52).

[0047] For example, as seen in FIG. 2, among a pair of support members (52), a fastening groove (53) into which the head of a bolt is coupled may be formed in the support member (52) positioned on the front side, and a fastening hole (54) into which the threaded part of a bolt is coupled may be formed in the support member (52) positioned on the rear side. A screw groove that engages with the threaded part of a bolt may be formed on the inner surface of the fastening hole (54).

[0048] A seating groove (55) that is supported when the head of a bolt is inserted can be formed on the front of each fastening groove (53).

[0049] Thus, the bolt can pass through the space between each pair of fastening parts (51) and the fastening groove (53) of each support member (52), and can be fastened into the screw groove formed on the inner circumference of the fastening hole (54). When fastening the bolt, the head of the bolt can be fixed in a state where it is inserted into the seating groove (55) formed on the front surface of the support member (52) positioned on the front side.

[0050] The inner surface of such a clamp (50) can be formed to be inclined in an approximately V shape so as to seal the first and third flange portions (20, 40) in a V-clamp manner.

[0051] That is, the first flange portion (20) and the third flange portion (40) are each clamped by a clamp (50) while in contact with each other.

[0052] To this end, the first flange portion (20) is integrally provided at the right end of the first pipe (11), and the cross-section of the first flange portion (20) may be formed in a roughly trapezoidal shape such that the left side, which contacts the inner surface of the clamp (50), is inclined toward the left and downward so as to correspond to the shape of the inner surface of the clamp (50). Thus, the first flange portion (20) can function as a connecting flange that clamps and connects the connection portion of the first pipe (11) and the second pipe (12).

[0053] The outer surface of the second flange portion (30) and the inner surface of the first and third flange portions (20, 40) can be formed as corresponding curved surfaces.

[0054] That is, the second flange portion (30) is integrally formed at the left end of the second pipe (12) and can be inserted into the first and third flange portions (20, 40) so that its outer surface contacts the inner surface of the first and third flange portions (20, 40). Thus, the second pipe (12) can rotate in various directions, such as forward, backward, up, and down, around the second flange portion (30). This second flange portion (30) can function as a connecting ball or sphere that rotatably connects the second pipe (12).

[0055] And the third flange portion (40) is formed in a roughly ring shape and can be clamped and fixed by a clamp (50) while in contact with the first flange portion (20).

[0056] To this end, the cross-section of the third flange portion (40) may be formed in a roughly trapezoidal shape such that the right side in contact with the inner surface of the clamp (50) is inclined toward the right and downward, so as to correspond to the shape of the inner surface of the clamp (50). Thus, the third flange portion (40) can function as a support flange that clamps and connects the connection portion of the first pipe (11) and the second pipe (12), and supports the second flange portion (30) to enable rotation of the second pipe (12).

[0057] And at the right end of the third flange section (40), an extension flange (41) extending to the right can be provided so as to shield the left side of the second pipe (12).

[0058] In this way, among the first and second pipes connected to each other, the present invention provides a first flange portion having a trapezoidal cross-section at one end of one pipe and a second flange portion having a curved cross-section at the other end of the pipe, and provides a third flange portion having a trapezoidal cross-section outside the second flange portion, and can clamp and fix the first and third flange portions using a clamp.

[0059]

[0060] Next, the coupling relationship and operation method of a pipe connection device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0061] First, the worker connects the second flange portion (30) provided at the left end of the second pipe (12) to the inside of the third flange portion (40), and arranges the first flange portion (20) provided at the right end of the first pipe (11) and the third flange portion (40) so as to be in contact with each other.

[0062] Then, a clamp (50) is placed outside the first and third flange sections (20, 40), and the clamp (50) is clamped.

[0063] At this time, a bolt is connected by passing through the support member (52) installed in each of the two pairs of fastening parts (51) provided at the open ends of the clamp (50), and after connecting a nut to the tip of the bolt, the two pairs of fastening parts (51) are rotated to bring them into close contact with each other.

[0064] By fastening these bolts and nuts, the clamp (50) can firmly clamp the first and third flange sections (20, 40) placed inside in a V-clamp manner. Accordingly, the connection sections of the first and second pipes (11, 12) are firmly connected to each other with the internal space sealed.

[0065] When the assembly of the pipe connection device (10) is completed through this process, the second pipe (12) becomes capable of rotating in various directions, such as forward, backward, and up and down, around the second flange part (30) coupled inside the first and third flange parts (20, 40).

[0066] That is, the pipe connecting device (10) according to the present embodiment can absorb bending that occurs between the first and second pipes (11, 12), as shown in FIG. 4.

[0067] And, as shown in FIG. 5, the pipe connecting device (10) according to the present embodiment can absorb the twisting when twisting occurs in the first and second pipes (11, 12) connected to each other, thereby avoiding alignment errors.

[0068] Therefore, the operator can freely change the arrangement angle of the second pipe (12) so as to avoid interference with surrounding structures or parts.

[0069] According to the results of an experiment using an actual product, it was confirmed that the second pipe (12) can absorb a bending angle (α) of up to about 4° centered on the second flange part (30).

[0070] In addition, according to the results of a leakage test using the above product, it was confirmed that leakage could be completely blocked under pressure conditions of about 2 bar.

[0071] Through the process described above, the present invention provides a first flange portion having a trapezoidal cross-section at one end of one pipe among the first and second pipes connected to each other, a second flange portion having a curved cross-section at the other end of the pipe, and a third flange portion having a trapezoidal cross-section outside the second flange portion, and then clamps and fixes the first and third flange portions using a clamp.

[0072] Accordingly, the present invention secures the first and third flange sections using a V-clamp method, thereby utilizing the advantages of the V-clamp method, namely, enabling quick attachment and detachment to facilitate maintenance of the piping, minimizing leakage of exhaust gas due to high sealing performance, and ensuring even and stable surface pressure across the entire circumference, making it applicable to high temperature and high pressure environments, and minimizing twisting of the bellows when an exhaust bellows is applied.

[0073] In addition, the present invention allows other pipes to rotate around the second flange portion, thereby absorbing the advantages of the swivel joint method, namely, the bending angle that occurs unintended during assembly, making installation work convenient, absorbing alignment errors when torsion and angle component offsets occur, and minimizing torsion and buckling phenomena in the bellows.

[0074] Accordingly, the present invention utilizes the advantages of the V-clamp method and the swivel joint method to secure sealing performance between interconnected pipes and effectively avoid interference with surrounding structures or components.

[0075] As a result, the present invention clamps the connection portions of a pair of pipes to be connected to each other using a V-clamp method, and provides a curved flange at the end of one pipe to absorb alignment errors such as bending or twisting of the pipe, thereby ensuring ease of assembly and avoiding damage caused by alignment errors.

[0076]

[0077] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the cross-section of the first flange portion (20), which is integrally provided at the left end of the first pipe (11), is described as being formed in a trapezoidal shape, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto.

[0078] That is, the present invention may be modified to form the outer surface of the connection portion of the first and second pipes (11, 12) into a curved shape, and to provide a pair of flange portions having a cross-section approximately trapezoidal in shape on the outside of the connection portion.

[0079] For example, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a pipe connection device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an operation state diagram showing the rotational state of the first and second pipes shown in FIG. 6.

[0080] A pipe connection device (10) according to another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, has the outer surface of the first flange portion (20) formed in a curved shape and further includes a fourth flange portion (60) coupled to the outside of the first flange portion (20).

[0081] That is, the fourth flange portion (60) is formed in a roughly ring shape so as to correspond to the third flange portion (40) described in the above embodiment, and the cross-section of the fourth flange portion (60) can be formed in a roughly trapezoidal shape with the left side inclined toward the lower left.

[0082] The first flange portion (20) is integrally provided at the right end of the first pipe (11), and the outer surface of the first flange portion (20) can be formed in a curved shape to correspond to the inner surface of the fourth flange portion (60).

[0083] Here, the right end of the first flange portion (20) may be formed with an outer diameter equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the second flange portion (30) so that it can be coupled to the interior of the second flange portion (30).

[0084] That is, the first flange portion (20) includes a large diameter portion (21) having the same outer diameter as the second flange portion (30) and a small diameter portion (22) having the same or slightly smaller outer diameter as the inner diameter of the second flange portion (30), and a stepped portion (23) formed by double bending inward and to the right or curved in a portion where the large diameter portion (21) and the small diameter portion (22) are connected may be provided so as to reduce the outer diameter.

[0085] Therefore, the first pipe (11) can rotate in the forward, backward, and up and down directions around the first flange part (20) while the fourth and third flange parts (60, 40) are clamped by the clamp (50).

[0086] Here, the first and second pipes (11, 12) can rotate according to the distance between the step portion (23) of the first flange portion (20) and the left end of the second flange portion (30).

[0087] For example, as the distance between the step portion (23) of the first flange portion (20) and the left end of the second flange portion (30) increases, the rotation angle of the first and second pipes (11, 12) may increase.

[0088] On the other hand, as the distance between the step portion (23) of the first flange portion (20) and the left end of the second flange portion (30) decreases, the rotation angle of the first and second pipes (11, 12) may decrease.

[0089] However, if the distance between the stepped portion (23) of the first flange portion (20) and the left end of the second flange portion (30) increases, the sealing performance of the connection portion of the first and second pipes (11, 12) may be reduced. Therefore, it is preferable to set the left-right width of the first flange portion (20) to be as long as possible, and to provide the stepped portion (23) approximately in the center of the first flange portion (20) or slightly to the right of the center, and to position the left end of the second flange portion (30) slightly to the right of the left end of the third flange portion (40).

[0090] And, at the outer ends of the third and fourth flange sections (40, 60), an extension flange (41, 61) may be provided to surround the outer surfaces of the first and second flange sections (20, 30) and the first and second pipes (11, 12), respectively.

[0091] In this way, the present invention provides a pair of inner flanges, each having an outer surface formed in a curved shape, to be integrally formed at the connection portion of a pair of pipes and joined together, and a pair of ring-shaped flanges, each having a trapezoidal cross-section, are arranged on the outer side of the joined connection portion to improve the sealing performance of the first and second pipes and to increase the bending angles (α, β) of the first and second pipes to maximize the degrees of freedom.

[0092] Although the invention made by the inventors has been specifically described according to the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof.

[0093]

[0094] The present invention is applied to a pipe connection device technology that secures ease of assembly and avoids damage caused by alignment errors by clamping the connection portions of a pair of pipes to be connected to each other in a V-clamp manner and providing a curved flange at the end of one pipe to absorb alignment errors such as bending or twisting of the pipes.

Claims

1. A pipe connecting device that connects the first and second pipes to each other by clamping the connecting portions of the first and second pipes, A first flange portion provided at one end of the first pipe, A second flange portion provided at one end of the second pipe, A third flange portion coupled to the outside of the second flange portion and It includes a clamp that clamps the first flange and the third flange to seal and connect the connection portion of the first and second pipes. The outer surface of the second flange portion and the inner surface of the first and third flange portions are each formed as curved surfaces having corresponding curvatures, and The second pipe is rotatable around the second flange portion, and The above clamp is formed in a ring shape with one side open, and Two pairs of fastening parts are provided at both ends of the open clamp, through which bolts are fastened. The cross-sections of the first flange portion and the third flange portion are each formed in a trapezoidal shape that is inclined to mutually symmetrical surfaces, and The inner surface of the clamp is formed in a V shape to correspond to the outer surface shape of the first and third flange portions, and A pair of support members are connected to each of the two pairs of fastening parts along a direction perpendicular to the bolt, and Each of the above pair of support members has a fastening groove through which a bolt passes and a fastening hole into which the bolt is screwed. The pipe connecting device is characterized by absorbing bending occurring between the first and second pipes and absorbing twisting occurring in the first and second pipes to avoid alignment errors.

2. In Paragraph 1, A pipe connection device characterized in that the second flange portion functions as a connecting ball or sphere that rotates along the inner surface of the first and third flange portions.

3. In Paragraph 1, A pipe connection device characterized by having an extension flange formed extendably at one end of the third flange portion to shield the outer surface of the second pipe.

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