Pipe Socket Centering Mechanism for Stable Spigot Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pipe centering devices face instability and inaccurate centering due to sinking or tilting on uneven ground surfaces when attempting to align the axial centers of pipes for joining, particularly in the up-down direction, as they rely on a fixed base that can shift under reaction forces.
Innovation Solution
A pipe-joining centering device with a support member tiltable in the pipe radial direction, supported on the inner peripheral surface of the socket, and a position adjustment member that tilts the support member to align the axial centers, stabilizing the posture and allowing precise up-down centering without relying on a fixed base.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a fixed base portion is used on uneven ground, then the device structure is simple, but the base sinks or tilts causing unstable installation posture and inaccurate centering
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a static fixed base to a dynamic support system where the support member can tilt and adjust its position. The support member is configured to tilt between the inner peripheral surface of the socket and the outer peripheral surface of the spigot, allowing it to adapt to uneven ground conditions while maintaining stable support for accurate centering.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member acts as an intermediary between the uneven ground (via the socket) and the spigot. By positioning the support member within the socket-spigot interface, it mediates the instability from the ground while providing a stable platform for the spigot, enabling accurate centering without a fixed base.
2Manufacturing precision
If a holder is moved upward and downward on a fixed base, then centering can be performed, but the base instability prevents accurate centering in the up-down direction
Solution Approach 1:
The support member provides dynamic adjustment capability by tilting in the pipe radial direction. This tilting motion allows the support member to precisely position the spigot in the up-down direction while maintaining reliability, as the tilting mechanism is supported by the stable inner peripheral surface of the socket.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of support orientation by allowing the support member to tilt. Instead of moving the entire holder up and down on an unstable base, the support member tilts to adjust the spigot position, providing reliable and accurate up-down centering through parameter change rather than position change of the entire assembly.
3Manufacturing precision
If a tiltable support member is used instead of a fixed base, then accurate centering is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the centering function into a dedicated support member with tilting capability, separate from the base structure. This segmentation allows the support member to be optimized for precision centering while the base remains simple, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high centering precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The tiltable support member introduces controlled dynamics to achieve precision centering. The tilting mechanism provides the necessary adjustment freedom for accurate alignment while being constrained by the socket geometry, preventing excessive complexity through natural mechanical constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe-joining centering device aligns, with an axial center of one pipe, an axial center of another pipe when a spigot of the other pipe is to be inserted into a socket of the one pipe. The pipe-joining centering device includes a support member configured to support an end part of the spigot. The support member is tiltable in a pipe radial direction between an inner peripheral surface of the socket and an outer peripheral surface of the spigot. The pipe-joining centering device also includes a position adjustment member configured to tilt the support member in the pipe radial direction. The support member and the position adjustment member are supported on the inner peripheral surface of the socket.