Method for expanding an end of a pipe and expander tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11529666-B2
Application number	US-201816619315-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2017
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A method for expanding an end of a pipe made of plastics having shape memory with the aid of an expander tool having a tool head having an expansion member arranged to be insertable inside the end of the pipe. The method includes steps of measuring the temperature of the pipe to be expanded, adjusting at least one of the expansion control parameters of the tool head on the basis the measured temperature of the pipe, and expanding the end of the pipe utilizing the adjusted expansion control parameter of the tool head. The expander tool includes a temperature sensor for measuring temperature of the pipe to be expanded and/or ambient temperature, and an electronic control unit for adjusting at least one of the expansion control parameters of the tool head on the basis the measured temperature value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An expander tool for expanding an end of a pipe made of plastics having shape memory, the expander tool comprising a tool head which comprises expanding means arranged to be insertable inside the end of the pipe for expanding the end of the pipe, the expander tool comprising:
a temperature sensor, and
an electronic control unit for adjusting at least one of the expansion control parameters of the tool head on the basis of the measured temperature value, wherein the temperature sensor is arranged to measure the temperature of the pipe to be expanded directly by making contact to the pipe;
wherein the tool head comprises a plurality of spreading elements forming the expanding means, the spreading elements being radially movable in relation to a center longitudinal axis (x) of the tool head between a starting position (I), at which the spreading elements are close along the axis (x) and are insertable into the end of the pipe, to an outwardly extended expansion position (II) radially distanced from the axis (x) so as to expand the end of the pipe, each of the spreading elements having an outer spreading surface configured to press against an interior surface of the end of the pipe; and
wherein the temperature sensor is arranged to the spreading element to measure the temperature by making contact to the pipe.

2. The expander tool according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to adjust the expansion control parameter which is the number of expansion cycles and/or the expansion time and/or the dimension of the expansion diameter.

3. The expander tool according to claim 1 , wherein the expander tool comprises a set of interchangeable and detachably attachable tool heads for different pipe diameters, and that each tool head comprises a temperature sensor.

4. The expander tool according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is arranged in the tool head.

5. The expander tool according to claim 1 , wherein the expander tool comprises an expander tool frame and the tool head comprises a head frame which is detachably attachable to the expander tool frame.

6. The expander tool according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is arranged in the tool head.

7. The expander tool according to claim 5 , wherein the electronic control unit is arranged inside the expander tool frame.

8. The expander tool according to claim 1 , wherein the tool head which is configured for expansion of a predetermined pipe diameter comprises an electronic identification means to identify the predetermined pipe dimension, and that the electronic control unit located in the expander tool is arranged to recognize the electronic identification means and adjust the at least one of the expansion parameters on the basis of the identified pipe dimension.

9. The expander tool according to claim 1 , wherein the expander tool comprises a heater and/or a cooler for heating and/or cooling the pipe to be expanded.

10. The expander tool according to claim 9 , wherein the heater and/or the cooler is arranged in the tool head.

11. The expander tool according to claim 1 , wherein the expander tool comprises an input device for manually adjusting the at least one of the expansion control parameters.

12. The expander tool according to claim 1 , wherein the expander tool comprises a piston configured to spread the spreading elements from the starting position (I) to the expansion position (II) by moving along the axis (x) from a retracted piston position (III) to a fully extended piston position (IV) against interior surfaces of the spreading elements, and an actuator for moving the piston.

13. The expander tool according to claim 1 , wherein the tool head comprises
a gripping member insertable into the pipe at a distance from the end of the pipe, the gripping member being transformable between a release position (V) allowing its insertion into the pipe and a pressing position (VI) wherein the gripping member exerts a pressing force to the inner surface of pipe to hold the pipe firmly in relation to the tool head,
a pull rod which is axially movable for transforming the gripping member between the release position (V) and the pressing position (VI),
a mandrel sleeve having a conical outer surface forming the expansion means, the mandrel sleeve being axially movable between a retracted position (VII) wherein the mandrel sleeve is at position out from the position of the end of the pipe, and an expansion position (VIII) wherein the mandrel sleeve is pushed into the end of the pipe for expanding the end of the pipe.

14. The expander tool according to claim 13 , wherein the tool head comprises a holding sleeve having an inner channel to receive the pipe for holding the pipe stationary against the pushing force of the mandrel sleeve during expansion of the end of the pipe from outside of the pipe.

15. The expander tool according to claim 14 , wherein the holding sleeve comprising mutually openable and closable holding sleeve parts to enable closing of the holding sleeve to a closed position (IX) around the tube for the expanding operation of the end of the tube, and for opening of the holding sleeve to an opened position (X) for releasing the expanded end of the pipe.

16. The expander tool according to claim 15 , wherein the holding sleeve comprises a first holding sleeve part and a second holding sleeve part, and a lock device for locking the holding sleeve parts in a closed position.

17. The expander tool according to claim 16 , wherein the first holding sleeve part comprises a first pivot arm which is pivoted to be turnable about a pivot hinge axle, and the second holding sleeve part comprises a second pivot arm which is pivoted to be turnable about the same pivot hinge axle as the first pivot arm.

18. The expander tool according to claim 13 , wherein the temperature sensor is arranged to the gripping member and/or to the mandrel sleeve and/or to the holding sleeve.

Assignees

• Uponor Innovation Ab

Inventors

• Savolainen Mika
• Laakso Jyri
• Uosukainen Mika
• Rotso Vesa

Classifications

• B21D39/20 Primary

  with mandrels, e.g. expandable · CPC title

• B21D41/026

  by means of mandrels · CPC title

• B29C57/00

  Shaping of tube ends, e.g. flanging, belling or closing; Apparatus therefor {, e.g. collapsible mandrels} · CPC title

• B29C57/08

  using pressure difference · CPC title

• B29C35/02

  Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing {during moulding, e.g. in a mould}(cold vulcanisation B29C35/18 {; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601}) · CPC title