Portable Pipe Threader With Diameter Sensing and Auto Lubrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable pipe threaders often lack efficient mechanisms for accurately determining pipe diameter and applying consistent torque, leading to suboptimal threading performance and requiring manual lubrication, which can be time-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A portable pipe threader with a sensor system to determine pipe diameter and a drive assembly featuring a brushless direct current motor, gear box, and electronic speed control, along with a lubrication system that includes a self-priming positive displacement pump and quick-connect couplings for automatic lubricant application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual lubrication with hand-operated pump is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming manual operation
Solution Approach 1:
The lubrication system automatically applies lubricant to the dies during threading operations without requiring manual intervention. The system uses a pump mechanism that is activated by the threading process itself, allowing the system to serve itself and eliminating the need for operators to manually pump lubricant during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The lubrication system is pre-configured with lubricant reservoirs and delivery mechanisms positioned to automatically supply lubricant to the dies before and during the threading process. This preliminary preparation ensures that lubrication is already in place when threading begins, eliminating the need for manual lubrication during operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If sensor system and electronic controller are added to determine pipe diameter, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual measurement methods with electronic sensor systems that automatically detect pipe diameter. Sensors positioned near the chuck jaws use electrical or optical fields to measure pipe dimensions, substituting mechanical measurement tools with electronic detection methods that provide more precise and automated measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system continuously monitors pipe diameter measurements and provides feedback to the electronic controller, which automatically adjusts threading parameters based on the detected dimensions. This closed-loop feedback system ensures precise control of the threading process while automating what would otherwise require manual measurement and adjustment.
3Productivity
If brushless direct current motor with electronic speed control is used, then productivity is improved through consistent torque application, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces traditional AC motor control with electronic speed control mechanisms that use electronic sensors and controllers to precisely regulate motor speed and torque. This substitution of mechanical control systems with electronic equivalents provides more consistent and controllable performance while enabling automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The brushless direct current motor allows for dynamic adjustment of operating parameters such as speed and torque through electronic control. The system can change motor parameters in real-time based on the threading process requirements, providing optimized performance across different operating conditions while maintaining consistent torque application.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable pipe threader includes a stand upon which a pipe is supported, a carriage supported by the stand upon which at least one pipe threading tool is supported, a spindle including a plurality of chuck jaws for clamping the pipe, the chuck jaws configured to move radially inward along a travel path toward an outer surface of the pipe, and a sensor system configured to determine a location of the chuck jaws along the travel path and relative to the outer surface of the pipe, the sensor system configured to output a signal corresponding to the location of each of the chuck jaws when engaged with the outer surface of the pipe. The portable pipe threader further includes an electronic controller in communication with the sensor system configured to determine an outer diameter of the pipe in response to the signal output from the sensor system.