Cam-Driven Pipe Cutter for Clean Cuts Without Deformation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pipe cutting methods, such as hacksaws and pipe cutters, result in rough cut surfaces with burrs, deformation, and require additional facing operations, and are inefficient due to manual operation and potential material corrosion.

Innovation Solution

A pipe cutting device with a fixing part that secures the pipe and a cutter part that rotates around it, using a cam mechanism driven by a single motor to minimize deformation and eliminate the need for additional facing, featuring a rotating plate, cam, and cutter part with a position-adjusting mechanism for precise cutting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a hacksaw is used to cut a pipe, then the cutting operation can be performed, but the cut surface becomes rough with many burrs on the inner and outer peripheral edges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting operation feasibilityVSAvoidcut surface quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional hacksaw mechanical cutting system with a pipe cutter that uses a circular cutting blade combined with rollers to compress and cut the pipe simultaneously. This substitution of the cutting mechanism eliminates the rough cut surfaces and burrs produced by hacksaws, achieving smooth cut surfaces without additional facing operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite cutting system combining a circular cutting blade with rollers made of different materials (carbon steel rollers with stainless steel protection layers). This composite approach allows the rollers to provide compression while the cutting blade performs the actual cutting, resulting in clean cuts without the deformation and burrs associated with single-mechanism cutting methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If a pipe cutter is used to compress and cut a pipe, then the pipe can be cut, but the cut surfaces become deformed and require additional facing operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting capabilityVSAvoidcut surface deformation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the conventional pipe cutter mechanism that causes deformation with an improved system where the circular cutting blade and rollers work in a specific sequence. The cutting blade rotates around the pipe while rollers provide controlled compression, substituting the deforming compression-first approach with a cutting-dominated process that maintains pipe integrity and produces undistorted cut surfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of manufacture

If carbon steel rollers are used for compression in a pipe cutter, then the cutting operation can be performed, but corrosion transition occurs when cutting stainless steel pipes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller material availabilityVSAvoidcorrosion transition
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies homogeneity by making the rollers and protection layers the same material as the pipe being cut (stainless steel). This ensures material compatibility and prevents corrosion transition when cutting stainless steel pipes. The circular cutting blade and rollers are configured to match the material properties of the workpiece, eliminating galvanic corrosion issues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses protectable roller surfaces that can be replaced or protected with stainless steel layers. The rollers are designed with replaceable protection layers that prevent corrosion transition, allowing the use of cost-effective roller designs while maintaining compatibility with expensive stainless steel pipes through periodic protection layer application or replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Ease of operation

If manual operation is used for pipe cutting, then the cutting process can be controlled, but cutting operations take a long time and productivity is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanual control capabilityVSAvoidcutting speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling the pipe cutter to perform cutting operations automatically once the pipe is positioned and the cutting parameters are set. The motor-driven circular cutting blade and rollers automatically execute the cutting sequence without continuous manual intervention, allowing the operator to simply load the pipe and retrieve the cut piece, significantly reducing operation time while maintaining control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent achieves continuous useful action through the motor-driven rotation of the circular cutting blade around the pipe while the rollers continuously compress. This continuous cutting action eliminates the intermittent manual pushing and positioning required by traditional pipe cutters, maintaining constant cutting force and motion throughout the operation to reduce total cutting time and improve productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The device achieves neatly cut surfaces with minimized deformation, reducing the need for additional processing and improving productivity by allowing automatic cutting with reduced manual effort and minimizing material interaction issues.

Implementation Method 1

a cam (450) coupled to the rotating plate (300) so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft (331) at a point spaced apart from the center axis, configured to rotate together with the rotating plate (300), and connected to a second driving part (320, 330) to be rotationally controlled; and a cutter part (400) coupled to the rotating plate (300) and configured to rotate together with the rotating plate (300) and to come into contact with the cam (450) such that, according to rotation of the cam (450), a cutting tip (430) moves forwards and backwards along the center axis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCam mechanism: Cam

Implementation Method 2

a return spring (420) coupled to the hinge (411) and having one end fixed to the rotating plate (300) and the other end fixed to the tip holder (410) such that the tip holder (410) is in close contact with the cam (450)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3988233A1Pipe cutting device
Publication Date: 2022.04.27 DCSENG CO LTD
  • EP3988233A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3988233A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3988233A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Pipe cutting device including: a body (100); a pipe fixing part (200) for holding a pipe in a fixed position; a rotating plate (300) with a hollow hole (110) mounted on the body (100) and driven rotatably about a centre axis of the hollow hole (110); a rotatable cam (450) mounted on the rotating plate (300) for rotation about a second axis parallel to the centre axis of the hollow hole (110); and a cutter part that is kept in contact with the cam (450) such that, according to the rotation of the cam (450), a cutting tip (430) moves towards or away from the center axis of the hollow hole (110).