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CN-120322310-B - Support device, support system and laser tube working machine

CN120322310BCN 120322310 BCN120322310 BCN 120322310BCN-120322310-B

Abstract

A support device (1) for supporting a pipe (T) on a pipe work machine (100). The support device (1) comprises a base unit (2), a pivot arm (3), an actuation unit (4) connected to the pivot arm (3) and configured to act on the pivot arm (3) to rotate the pivot arm (3) between an operating configuration and a stationary configuration, an extended guide element (5), the base unit (2) being mounted on the guide element (5) to slide in a sliding direction (S-S), and a drive unit (6) configured to drive the base unit (2) and to adjust the angular position of the pivot arm (3) when the pivot arm (3) is in the operating configuration.

Inventors

  • Lu Ka.fengtana
  • Hisham Skaki

Assignees

  • 百超激光有限公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20231201
Priority Date
20221202

Claims (16)

  1. 1. A support device (1) for supporting a pipe (T) on a pipe work machine (100), the support device comprising: a base unit (2), A pivot arm (3), the pivot arm (3) having a first portion (31) configured to support the tube (T) and a second portion (32) pivotally attached to the base unit (2) about an arm rotation axis (R-R), the pivot arm (3) being configured to rotate about the arm rotation axis (R-R) between an operating configuration in which the first portion (31) is positioned to support the tube (T) and a rest configuration in which the first portion (31) is released from the tube (T), An actuation unit (4), the actuation unit (4) being connected to the pivot arm (3) and being configured to act on the pivot arm (3) to rotate the pivot arm (3) between the operating configuration and the rest configuration, Characterized in that the support device (1) comprises: -a guide element (5), the guide element (5) extending along a sliding direction (S-S), the base unit (2) being mounted on the guide element (5) to slide along the sliding direction (S-S), -A drive unit (6), the drive unit (6) being connected to the base unit (2), the drive unit (6) being configured to drive the base unit (2) to slide the base unit (2) along the sliding direction (S-S) and to adjust the angular position of the pivot arm (3) about the arm rotation axis (R-R) when the pivot arm (3) is in the working configuration.
  2. 2. The support device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit (6) is configured to drive the base unit (2) to slide along the sliding direction (S-S) relative to the actuation unit (4).
  3. 3. The support device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the actuation unit (4) has a mounting portion (42) configured to be fixedly mounted with respect to the guide element (5) along the sliding direction (S-S).
  4. 4. A support device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the mounting portion (42) is configured to rotate about a mounting rotation axis (R1-R1) when the pivot arm (3) is in the operating configuration.
  5. 5. Support device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the mounting rotation axis (R1-R1) is parallel to the arm rotation axis (R-R).
  6. 6. The support device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The pivot arm (3) has a connecting portion (33) arranged between the first portion (31) and the second portion (32), -The actuation unit (4) has a connection end (41) connected at the connection portion (33) of the pivot arm (3).
  7. 7. The support device (1) according to claim 6, wherein the connecting end (41) is hinged to the pivot arm (3) at a fixed distance between the first portion (31) and the second portion (32).
  8. 8. The support device (1) according to claim 6, wherein the connection end (41) is configured to rotate relative to the pivot arm (3) about a connection rotation axis (R2-R2), the connection rotation axis (R2-R2) being parallel to the arm rotation axis (R-R).
  9. 9. A support device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the actuation unit (4) comprises an actuation member (40), the actuation member (40) being movable relative to the mounting portion (42) between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, the actuation member (40) defining the working configuration and the rest configuration of the pivot arm (3) in the extended configuration and the retracted configuration, respectively.
  10. 10. The support device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: -the base unit (2) comprises a first bracket (21) and a second bracket (22), the first bracket (21) and the second bracket (22) being mounted on the guide element (5) and being mutually slidable along the sliding direction (S-S), -The second portion (32) of the pivot arm (3) is pivotally attached to the first bracket (21) of the base unit (2) about the arm rotation axis (R-R), -The drive unit (6) is connected to the second carriage (22) to drive the second carriage (22) in the sliding direction (S-S).
  11. 11. Support device (1) according to claim 10, wherein the base unit (2) comprises a locking member (7), the locking member (7) being configured to lock and unlock the mutual sliding of the first and second brackets (21, 22), the locking member (7) being switchable between a locked configuration in which the first and second brackets (21, 22) are mutually locked along the sliding direction (S-S), and an unlocked configuration in which the first and second brackets (21, 22) are freely movable relative to each other along the sliding direction (S-S).
  12. 12. The support device (1) according to claim 11, wherein the locking member (7) comprises: -a connecting element (70), said connecting element (70) being connected to said first bracket (21) and to said second bracket (22), -A locking element (73), the locking element (73) acting on the connecting element (70) to adjust and lock the mutual distance between the first bracket (21) and the second bracket (22) along the sliding direction (S-S) when the locking member (7) is switched from the unlocked configuration to the locked configuration.
  13. 13. Support device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sliding direction (S-S) is perpendicular to the arm rotation axis (R-R).
  14. 14. A support system (10) for a pipe work machine (100), comprising: -two or more support devices (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, said support devices (1) being arranged along said sliding direction (S-S), -A synchronizing unit (8), said synchronizing unit (8) being connected to the driving unit (6) of each supporting device (1) to synchronize the sliding of the base unit (2) on said guide element (5) along said sliding direction (S-S).
  15. 15. The support system (10) according to claim 14, wherein the synchronization unit (8) comprises: -a synchronizing element (80), said synchronizing element (80) extending parallel to said sliding direction (S-S) and connecting said driving unit (6) of each supporting device (1), and -A drive motor (9), the drive motor (9) being configured to drive the synchronization element (80) in a drive direction (Y-Y) with respect to the guide element (5) of the support device (1).
  16. 16. A laser tube work machine (100) comprising: -a support system (10) according to claim 14 or 15, -A laser workstation (110), said laser workstation (110) comprising a laser working head (110 a) configured to cut or engrave a tube (T) supported by said support system (10), -A tube-carrying carrier (130), the tube-carrying carrier (130) being configured to feed the tube (T) to the laser workstation (110) along a longitudinal direction (L-L).

Description

Support device, support system and laser tube working machine Technical Field The present invention relates to the field of apparatus and components for supporting a pipe on a pipe work machine. In particular, the present invention relates to a support device and associated support system for supporting a tube on a tube working machine, in particular a laser tube cutting machine. Another object of the invention is a laser tube working machine comprising such a support system. Background Laser cutting is a well known technique that uses a laser beam to evaporate material, thereby creating a cut edge or engraving. Such laser cutting techniques have been combined with computer numerical control in CNC machines to automate the cutting operation of workpieces such as metal sheets or tubes. The known laser tube working machine comprises a workstation in which the laser is configured to perform a cutting operation on the tube to be worked, a support system configured to vertically support the tube, and a moving mandrel configured to grip the rear end of the tube and feed the tube to the workstation. The mandrel is also configured to rotate the tube about its axis to allow the laser to perform a cut along the entire contour of the tube. In order to perform a cutting operation along the entire profile of the tube, the tube axis must be maintained at a constant height during rotation of the tube. For this purpose, the laser tube working machine is configured to actively control the support system as the spindle rotates the tube about its axis. The laser tube work machine is configured to synchronize the support system with the axis of rotation of the spindle such that during tube rotation the support system follows the tube profile, thereby maintaining the tube axis at a constant distance from the ground. Various active support systems for pipe work machines are known. For example, EP3292944B1 discloses a support system for a laser tube working machine comprising a plurality of support devices configured to collectively support a tube to be worked. Each support device has a pivot arm hinged to the base of the pipe work machine, and a pneumatic cylinder configured to switch the pivot arm between an operating configuration in which the pivot arm supports the pipe and a resting configuration in which the pivot arm is released from the pipe. Notably, the pneumatic cylinders need to be continuously fed with the compressed air stream provided by the air compressor. The support system disclosed in EP3292944B1 also comprises a rack and pinion system interconnecting the support means to simultaneously adjust the pivot arm inclination of the support means. In use, the drive motor acts on the rack and pinion system to vary the inclination of the pivot arm to achieve active tube support. When the rack and pinion system changes the inclination of the pivot arm, the pneumatic cylinders of the respective support devices are compressed/extended. Thus, in order to actively support the tube, the drive motor must continuously overcome the resistance of the pneumatic cylinder and the air compressor must continuously feed a restorative compressed air stream to the pneumatic cylinder. The resistance of the pneumatic cylinders and the need to continuously provide a restorative flow of compressed air result in significant waste of energy and limit the dynamic behavior of the system. Furthermore, the resistance created by the pneumatic cylinders causes additional mechanical stresses in the mechanical components of the support system, which must therefore be oversized. Disadvantageously, this negatively affects the dynamic behaviour of the support system, increasing the inertia of the moving parts. Disclosure of Invention Under such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide an energy efficient support device and support system configured to support a pipe on a pipe work machine. Another object of the invention is to provide a support device capable of achieving high dynamics with less forces and mechanical stresses on the component. The specified technical purpose and the specified aim are substantially achieved by a support device and a support system comprising the technical features described in one or more of the appended claims. The support device for supporting a pipe on a pipe machining machine according to the object of the invention comprises a base unit, a pivot arm pivotally attached to the base unit about a rotation axis, and an actuation unit connected to the pivot arm. The actuation unit is configured to rotate the pivot arm about the rotation axis between an operating configuration in which the pivot arm supports the tube and a resting configuration in which the pivot arm is released from the tube. The support device further comprises a guide element extending in the sliding direction, on which the base unit is mounted, and a drive unit connected to the base unit. The drive unit is configured to drive t