Battery Roll Groover With Motorized Pipe Grooving Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current roll groovers require skilled users and take a significant amount of time to operate, necessitating the development of automated systems that are simpler and more efficient.
Innovation Solution
A battery-powered roll groover with motors and an electronic processor that automatically adjusts groove depth and produces grooves on pipes by moving the groove roll radially and circumferentially, equipped with sensors and inertial measurement units for precision and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual crank mechanism is used to operate roll groover, then device complexity is reduced, but operation time increases and requires skilled users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual crank mechanism with an automated motor-driven system. Motors are coupled to the groove roll and inner roller through gear mechanisms, enabling automatic rotation and groove formation without manual cranking. This substitution eliminates the need for skilled manual operation while significantly reducing operation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The roll groover is designed to perform the grooving operation automatically once positioned on the pipe. The motors self-regulate the rotation of the groove roll and inner roller, and the system automatically controls the depth and progression of the groove formation process without requiring continuous manual intervention.
2Productivity
If automated motor-driven system is implemented, then productivity increases and ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic controller integrates multiple functions into a single device: it controls motor speed and direction, regulates groove depth, monitors position sensors, and manages the overall grooving process. This consolidation of control functions reduces the need for separate mechanical devices while achieving automation and improved productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an electronic controller as an intermediary between the user and the mechanical components. The controller receives input signals and translates them into coordinated motor actions, managing the complexity of automated operation through electronic mediation rather than complex mechanical linkages.
3Manufacturing precision
If groove depth is increased for deeper grooves, then manufacturing precision improves, but force required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the groove depth during the grooving process. The electronic controller modulates motor speed and torque based on real-time feedback from position sensors, enabling precise depth control while optimizing the force applied at each stage of groove formation rather than applying maximum force throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The grooving process employs periodic action through multiple passes. The groove roll and inner roller rotate in coordinated cycles, progressively deepening the groove in controlled increments. This periodic engagement allows precise depth control while distributing the required force across multiple smaller applications rather than one large force application.
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 automated system reduces operation time and complexity, enabling unskilled users to efficiently create grooves on pipes, enhancing productivity and safety through precise control and obstacle detection.
Implementation Method 1
the roll groover includes a battery pack configured to power the one or more motors
Data Source
AI summary
Battery pack powered roll groover described herein includes a housing, an inner roller provided on the housing and configured to be received in an inner circumference of a workpiece, a groove roll provided on the housing and configured to produce a groove on the workpiece, one or more motors provided within the housing and configured to drive the groove roll, and an electronic processor electrically connected to the one or more motors. The electronic processor is configured to operate the one or more motors to perform a first operation of moving the groove roll in a radial direction, and operate the one or more motors to perform a second operation of moving the groove roll around a track in a circumferential direction. The first operation is performed to adjust a groove depth on the workpiece. The second operation is performed to produce the groove on the workpiece.