Adjustable Clamping Plate for Centered Pipe Drilling and Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe drilling and welding technologies often result in misaligned or angled connections due to the lack of centric machining, particularly in pre-insulated pipelines, and existing devices are not adjustable to different pipe diameters.
Innovation Solution
A mounting plate with two parallel, wedge-shaped supports that are infinitely adjustable via a linear guide, ensuring the drill bit or sleeve is always centered, allowing for stable contact and alignment with the pipe's outer diameter, regardless of diameter size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple drill bit without guides is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mounting plate as an intermediary device between the drill bit and the pipe. The plate provides a stable base with a centered opening that guides the drill bit, ensuring precise and perpendicular drilling without requiring complex guided systems. This mediator simplifies the overall device while maintaining high manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting plate is prepared in advance with a precisely positioned opening that aligns with the pipe's central axis. The wedge-shaped supports are pre-configured to automatically center the plate on the pipe diameter. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex real-time adjustment mechanisms during drilling, reducing device complexity while ensuring manufacturing precision.
2Device complexity
If a rigid support with fixed geometry is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs wedge-shaped supports that can be dynamically adjusted along the pipe's diameter. The supports feature movable positioning mechanisms that allow them to adapt to different pipe diameters while maintaining their wedge geometry. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the same simple device structure to work across multiple pipe sizes, achieving adaptability without increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting plate system allows changes in geometric parameters, specifically the position and orientation of the wedge-shaped supports relative to the pipe diameter. By adjusting these parameters, the device adapts to different pipe sizes while maintaining the same basic structure. The opening in the plate can also be repositioned to maintain central alignment with varying diameters.
3Device complexity
If the supports are positioned close to the center, then the device complexity is reduced, but the stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the wedge-shaped supports at the extreme edges of the mounting plate, maximizing their distance from the center. This dimensional arrangement creates a wide base that spans the pipe's diameter, providing superior stability. The supports are arranged in opposite pairs at the plate's boundaries, creating a stable rectangular configuration that resists rotational and lateral movements during drilling operations.
4Ease of manufacture
If the opening is not centered, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plate incorporates self-centering features where the wedge-shaped supports automatically align the plate with the pipe's central axis. The geometry of the supports and their interaction with the pipe diameter create a self-aligning mechanism that ensures the opening remains centered without requiring complex machining or adjustment procedures. This self-service approach maintains manufacturing precision while simplifying the manufacturing process.
Data Source
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AI summary
Mounting plate for right-angled and centric drilling of a pipe and/or for right-angled and centric welding of a branch pipe, comprising a rectangular plate, wherein a circular opening for receiving a workpiece or tool is arranged in the middle, two wedge-shaped supports, wherein the two opposing supports are arranged parallel to each other and linearly displaceable on the plate, wherein the supports are arranged on the plate with a linear guide infinitely adjustable.