Pipe-Joining Attachment for Aligning Bent Pipes in Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pipe joining methods, such as those using a pipe laying machine with a laser beam for positioning, face difficulties in accurately aligning the insertion port of a pipe with the receiving port of a to-be-joined pipe when the pipe is bent at a predetermined angle with respect to the to-be-joined pipe in a groove.
Innovation Solution
A pipe-joining attachment for a work machine that includes an arm connecting unit, a grip unit, and a to-be-joined pipe contact unit, which allows for easy positioning of the insertion port with respect to the receiving port by contacting the outer peripheral surface of the to-be-joined pipe, and features a horizontal-direction rotation mechanism and axial-direction movement mechanism to adjust the pipe's position without moving the work machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a laser beam positioning system is used to position pipes in a groove, then the pipe can be disposed straight along the laser beam, but it becomes difficult to accurately position the insertion port with respect to the receiving port when the pipe is bent at a predetermined angle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a to-be-joined pipe contact unit as an intermediary component between the pipe positioning system and the bent pipe configuration. This contact unit physically contacts the outer peripheral surface of the to-be-joined pipe and transmits position information about the receiving port to the grip unit, enabling accurate positioning of bent pipes without requiring the work machine to move or reposition the laser beam system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical positioning approach (moving the work machine or arm to align bent pipes) with a sensor-based information transmission system. The to-be-joined pipe contact unit detects the position of the receiving port and communicates this information to the grip unit, which then adjusts its grip position accordingly, substituting mechanical repositioning with electronic information processing
2Ease of manufacture
If manual alignment is performed in a narrow groove, then the pipe can be joined to the to-be-joined pipe, but the workload on the operator is high and workability is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service positioning where the to-be-joined pipe contact unit automatically detects the position of the receiving port and the grip unit automatically adjusts its position based on this information. The system serves itself by using the physical presence of the to-be-joined pipe to generate positioning data, eliminating the need for operator intervention in alignment tasks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the to-be-joined pipe contact unit continuously monitors the position of the receiving port and provides real-time position information to the grip unit. This feedback loop enables automatic adjustment of the pipe position to achieve accurate alignment without operator intervention
3Manufacturing precision
If the work machine moves to adjust pipe position, then alignment can be achieved, but the positioning efficiency decreases when bent pipes are involved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical movement of the work machine with electronic information processing. Instead of physically moving the heavy work machine or arm to align bent pipes, the system uses the to-be-joined pipe contact unit to detect receiving port position and transmits this information to the grip unit, which makes precise positional adjustments based on the received data
Solution Approach 2:
The to-be-joined pipe contact unit acts as an intermediary that eliminates the need for work machine movement. It directly contacts the to-be-joined pipe to obtain position information and communicates this to the grip unit, serving as a mediator that enables accurate positioning of bent pipes without requiring the work machine to reposition itself
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe-joining attachment of a work machine includes an arm connecting unit connected to an arm of the work machine; a grip unit configured to grip a pipe; and a to-be-joined pipe contact unit located with respect to the grip unit in an axial direction of an insertion port of the pipe which is gripped by the grip unit and configured to come into contact with an outer peripheral surface of a to-be-joined pipe to be joined to the pipe on a receiving port side.