Coiled Pipe Transport and Straightening for On-Site Length Cutting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pipe transport systems face challenges in handling long lengths of work-hardened stainless steel pipes, as welding these pipes alters material properties and makes maintenance of screw connections complex, while existing solutions for unwinding and transporting pipes do not fully address the need for automated processing and selectable pipe lengths.

Innovation Solution

A transport system comprising a coiled receptacle, a drive, a straightening device, and a cutting device, allowing for the automatic unwinding, straightening, and cutting of pipes to any desired length, integrated within a transport container that can be transported and processed at the customer's site, enabling the production of pipe sections with specified lengths and quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If pipes are delivered in maximum lengths that can be stretched out and transported on a truck (around 12 meters), then transportability is improved, but the ability to install significantly longer pipelines without multiple connections is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepipe lengthVSAvoidnumber of connections
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe is supplied in coiled form and divided into required lengths at the construction site using the cutting device, eliminating the need for multiple separate pipe sections and connections while maintaining transportability of the coiled form

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pipe is transported in a coiled configuration (changing from linear to spiral dimension), allowing much longer pipe lengths to fit within standard truck transport dimensions, then straightened and cut to required lengths at the destination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Length of moving object

If welding is used to join pipe sections, then pipeline length can be extended, but material properties at the weld point are altered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepipeline lengthVSAvoidmaterial properties
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe is supplied in continuous coiled form with predetermined material properties, and the required length is cut before installation, eliminating the need for welding and preserving the cold-worked material properties throughout the pipeline

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The welding process is completely removed from the pipeline installation process by supplying pipe in coiled form that can be cut to length and joined by mechanical means, extracting the harmful welding step from the system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Stability of the object's composition

If bolting is used to join pipe sections, then pipeline length can be extended without material changes, but maintenance of connections becomes difficult or impossible when buried underground

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial propertiesVSAvoidconnection maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe is supplied in continuous coiled form and cut to the exact required length before installation, eliminating the need for field connections and thereby eliminating maintenance issues associated with buried connections

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

All field connections (bolting or welding) are removed from the installation process by supplying pipe in coiled form that can be cut to length, extracting the connection step that causes maintenance problems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If pipes are supplied in coiled form, then transportability and flexibility are improved, but the pipes require straightening and cutting to meet customer requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport flexibilityVSAvoidprocessing equipment
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The transport system is merged with processing functions by integrating the straightening device and cutting device directly onto the transport platform, allowing coiled pipe delivery with on-site processing capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The transport platform serves multiple functions: transporting the coiled pipe, unwinding it, straightening it, cutting it to length, and delivering the finished pipe sections, creating a universal system that handles both transport and processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3774625B1Transport system for a pipe and method for delivering a pipe
Publication Date: 2024.07.10 ALLEIMA GMBH
  • EP3774625B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3774625B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3774625B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the aim is to create a transport system which makes it possible to transport a pipe of any length and with the required quality to the location of the use of the pipe. The invention therefore relates to a transport system (1, 1', 1") for a pipe (18) with a transport platform (3), a receptacle (14, 14') for the pipe (18), wherein the receptacle (14, 14') is configured in such a manner that the pipe (18) may be received coiled on the receptacle (14, 14'), a drive (20), wherein the drive (20) is configured in such a manner that the pipe (18) may be conveyed by the drive (20) in a transport direction, and a straightening device (24), wherein the straightening device (24) is configured in such a manner that the pipe (18) can be straightened with the straightening device (24), wherein the receptacle (14, 14'), the drive (20) and the straightening device (24) are arranged on the transport platform (3) in such a manner that the pipe (18) may be drawn automatically from the receptacle (14, 14') and fed to the straightening device (24) by the drive (20).