Eccentric Guide Bodies for Pipe Clamping Gap Uniformity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamping devices for internally centering pipes face issues with maintaining uniform gap width due to deformation caused by bending moments, leading to non-uniform weld properties and reliability concerns.
Innovation Solution
The clamping device employs eccentrically positioned guide bodies that distribute bending loads and are situated away from the neutral line, ensuring the clamping heads remain parallel and maintain uniform gap width, using a combination of guide bodies, axial adjustment actuators, and a drive mechanism with radially displaceable clamping shoes and support discs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a centrally placed solid shaft is used to support clamping heads, then the clamping heads can be positioned with respect to one another, but bending moments cause deformation of the shaft resulting in non-parallel positioning and non-uniform gap width
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the previously single centralized shaft into multiple separate guide bodies (typically three or more) distributed around the peripheral direction. Each guide body independently supports one or more clamping heads, segmenting the load path and eliminating the deformation problem of a single centralized shaft while maintaining precise positioning and parallelism of clamping heads.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-dimensional centralized shaft support to a multi-dimensional distributed guide body arrangement. The guide bodies are positioned at different radial locations around the pipe, creating a spatial distribution that provides superior structural stability and resistance to bending moments while maintaining gap uniformity.
2Reliability
If the clamping heads are kept parallel to maintain uniform gap width, then weld properties are improved, but the structure becomes more complex requiring multiple guide bodies positioned eccentrically
Solution Approach 1:
The guide bodies serve multiple functions simultaneously: they guide the clamping heads axially, support the clamping heads during radial displacement, maintain parallelism between clamping heads, and distribute bending loads. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall structure despite the eccentric positioning requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide bodies are positioned eccentrically relative to the pipe centerline, with at least one guide body located away from the neutral line. This asymmetric positioning optimizes the structural rigidity and load distribution, providing better resistance to bending moments while maintaining the parallelism of clamping heads for uniform gap width.
Data Source
AI summary
A clamping device (1) for internally centering pipes with respect to one another includes two clamping heads (5, 6), which can be placed into the mutually facing ends of the pipes. The clamping heads each have radially displaceable clamping shoes (7) which are evenly distributed over its external periphery and a drive mechanism (8) for causing the radial displacements of the clamping shoes. Adjusting piston/cylinder devices (10) are provided for adjusting the mutual positions of the clamping heads in the axial direction and a guide element (11) for guiding the clamping heads in the axial direction with respect to one another. Bearings (13) are provided on at least one (5) of the clamping heads and on the guide element (11). The guide element has several guide bodies (12) which are positioned in an eccentric manner in connection with the stability of the clamping heads.