APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IMPRESSING A CORRUGATION INTO A PIPE

• US 20150013407A1
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nexans Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nexans Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Zummach, Volker, Krause, Thomas, Schmidt, Anatoli, Harms, Adrian
• Granted Patent: US 9,687,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 72/31.06
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 15/04 transversely, e.g. helically
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 15/06 annularly with thinning B21C37/205
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/003 of rotating machines G01H1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/22 and converting vibrations due to imbalance into electric variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/045 Acoustic or vibration analysis

Abstract

An apparatus has a corrugating device through which a pipe is moved producing corrugation in the circumferential direction of the pipe by rotation. The corrugating device has a corrugator head which is rotatable about its axis, and a hollow shaft on which the corrugator head is firmly fitted and via which the corrugator head is driveable in rotation. A vibration measuring means is connected mechanically to the corrugating device for automatically detecting mechanical vibrations of the rotating corrugating device. The vibration measuring means simultaneously detects measured values for vibrations of the hollow shaft which are characteristic of the state of the hollow shaft bearings and measured values for vibrations of the corrugator head which are characteristic of the balancing thereof. A display apparatus displays the measured values detected thereby and/or evaluation results based on the measured values is furthermore provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for impressing a corrugation into a metallic smooth pipe having a corrugating device through which the pipe is moved in its longitudinal direction and which produces the corrugation in the circumferential direction of the pipe by rotation, said corrugating device comprising:

a corrugator head which is rotatable about. its axis;

a hollow shaft on which the corrugator head is firmly fitted and via which the corrugator head is driveable in rotation, said hollow shaft being mounted rotatably on hollow-shaft bearings; and

a vibration measuring means fitted on the apparatus and mechanically connected to the corrugating device, suitable for automatically detecting mechanical vibrations of the rotating corrugating device,

wherein the vibration measuring means is suitable for simultaneously detecting measured values for vibrations of the hollow shaft which are characteristic of the state of the hollow shaft bearings and measured values for vibrations of the corrugator head which are characteristic of the balancing thereof, and

wherein a display apparatus is coupled to the vibration measuring means for displaying the measured values detected thereby and/or evaluation results based on the measured values is provided.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibration measuring means is fitted to the corrugating device by means of a direct mechanical connection to the corrugator head and to the hollow shaft.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the direct mechanical connection is a rib which holds the corrugating device in a housing, and wherein the vibration measuring means is fitted on the outside of the housing in the direction of the axis of the rib.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibration measuring means is an acceleration sensor.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a monitoring unit is included or attached, said monitoring unit delivering the evaluation results based on the vibration measured values and being suitable for establishing whether the corrugating device is operational.

6. Method for impressing a corrugation into a metallic smooth pipe by means of an apparatus which has a corrugating device through which the pipe is moved in its longitudinal direction and which produces a corrugation of the pipe, said corrugation extending in the circumferential direction of the latter, wherein the corrugating device, which has a corrugator head and a hollow shaft connected to the latter and mounted rotatably on hollow shaft bearings, is rotated about its axis, said method comprising the steps of:

fitting a vibration measuring means on the corrugating device (9);

automatically detecting via said vibration measuring means that is mechanically to the corrugating device, mechanical vibrations of the rotating corrugating device;

measuring, by way of the vibration measuring means, values for vibrations of the hollow shaft which are characteristic of the state of the hollow shaft bearings and values for vibrations of the corrugator head which are characteristic of the balancing thereof are simultaneously detected; and

displaying, via a display apparatus, measured values which are delivered by the vibration measuring means and/or evaluation results based on the measured values.