JP2001340921A - Metal bellows forming method for bulging and metal bellows forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain simultaneously a plurality of a bellows pipe in one cycle of bulging, and also to produce a flexible stainless steel pipe as a flawless finished product at an effective mass productivity. SOLUTION: A pipe stock P1 is one by one fed and aligned to a pipe aligning and feeding equipment 2 from a pipe supplying equipment 1 storing pipe stocks, and the pipe stocks are transferably supported therein. Further, a core metal 300 for bulging is inserted in the rough pipe P1 from the rear end side to a the front end side, and then a flexible pipe P having a bellows portion P2 is bulged so that the pipe stock P1 having the inserted core metal is fed from the pipe aligning and feeding equipment 2 to a bulging apparatus 4. After bulging, selection for a finished product or defected product is performed by a leak test of the flexible pipe P, and then the finished product and defected product are separately collected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming a metal bellows for bulging suitable for efficiently manufacturing a stainless steel flexible pipe having a bellows portion in a stainless steel tube, and a metal bellows. The present invention relates to a molding device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 14A, a stainless steel flexible pipe P in which a corrugated bellows portion P2 is formed in a raw pipe P1 formed as a straight pipe has excellent durability and rigidity. At the same time, since it has flexibility through the bellows portion P2, when used as a water pipe or a gas pipe buried in the ground, it has a displacement absorbing property due to vibration or the like.

[0003] In addition, a bent joint or the like is not required for a bent pipe, and as shown in FIG.
The flexible pipe P can be bent in a three-dimensional direction through the pipe, so not only as an underground pipe,
In recent years, it has been used as piping for various purposes in various places such as high-rise buildings, apartment houses, general houses and factories. Therefore, a metal bellows forming apparatus capable of efficiently manufacturing a flexible pipe P in which a corrugated bellows portion P2 is formed in a metal pipe is required.

[0004] In such a flexible pipe metal bellows forming apparatus, a pair of upper and lower split molds having a semicircular half-hole are used to form a set of mold bodies, and the outer periphery of the base tube P1 is radially arranged. A pair of split molds are used to constrain the bellows P2 at each peak. Also, a large number of such a set of mold bodies are arranged in a row, and both ends of the raw tube P1 are sealed with a fixing end cap, a moving end cap, and the like, and a water solution for bulging is poured into the raw tube P1. Then, the pipe P1 is compressed from the moving end cap side to the fixing end cap side while increasing the liquid pressure.

At the same time, each mold body is also moved in the axial direction of the tube body together with the compression of the tube P1, so that the tube P1 is inserted into the corrugated space (see FIG. 9) formed by the mutually joined mold bodies. Of the bellows part P2
Is formed.

[0006]

By the way, in the conventional metal bellows forming apparatus for bulging described above,
Since the split molds constituting the mold body repeat the compression movement of the mold body and the returning operation to the origin position, it is pointed out that the degree of wear is high and mass productivity is poor.

In addition, bulging is carried out while handling each long stainless steel pipe to make a flexible pipe made of stainless steel, and mass-produced finished products with no leakage of liquid or gas in the pipe with good yield. Has a lot of trouble.

Accordingly, as described above, a bent joint is not required even in the case of a bent pipe, and a metal bellows molding capable of efficiently manufacturing a stainless steel flexible pipe having a corrugated bellows part whose demand is increasing. A device is needed.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a plurality of bellows tubes can be obtained at the same time during one cycle of bulging, and a stainless steel flexible as a finished product having no defect. Jibble pipe,
An object of the present invention is to provide a metal bellows forming method and a metal bellows forming apparatus which can be manufactured with good mass productivity.

[0010]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a method for forming a metal bellows includes the steps of: The pipe is fed into a pipe aligning and feeding device, and the pipes are aligned in the pipe aligning and feeding device, clamped so as to be transportable, and a bulge processing core is inserted from the rear end to the front end of the pipe. Insert the pipe with the core metal inserted into the bulge processing device from the pipe aligning and feeding device to form a flexible pipe with a bellows part, complete the leak inspection of the flexible pipe sent out from the bulge processing device and complete 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein a finished product and a defective product are separately collected by sorting the product and the defective product.
As described, the pipe aligning and feeding device is capable of aligning at least three raw tubes, and the bulging device is capable of bulging at least three raw tubes.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a metal bellows forming apparatus for receiving one or more pipes from a pipe supply apparatus and aligning the received pipes at a predetermined position. And a pipe moving device that is installed in the pipe aligning and feeding device and holds the raw tube and transfers the raw tube so as to perform bulge processing. A core metal feeding device for feeding gold, a bulge processing device for performing bulging on a raw tube fed from a pipe alignment feeding device,
A bulging post-processing device, which is arranged on the rear side of the bulging device and has a flexible pipe having a bellows portion subjected to bulging, and a flexible pipe arranged in the bulging post-processing device, are taken out. A leak inspection device that detects whether the flexible pipe is a defective product with a leak or a finished product without a leak, a defective storage box for storing the defective flexible pipe, and a completed storage for the completed product A pipe sorting bucket comprising a product storage box and a pipe sorting / feeding device, wherein the pipe aligning / feeding device can align at least three raw tubes, and the bulging device has at least three pipes. The present invention is characterized in that bulging can be performed on the raw pipes.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view showing a schematic configuration of a metal bellows forming apparatus according to the present invention,
FIG. 2 is an explanatory plan view showing a schematic configuration of the pipe aligning and feeding device and the metal core feeding device. Hereinafter, the operation of the apparatus will be described together with its configuration.

As shown in FIG. 1, this metal bellows forming apparatus includes a pipe feeder 1, a pipe alignment feeder 2, a cored bar feeder 3, a bulge processing device 4, a bulge post-processing device 5, and a leak inspection device 6. , A pipe sorting bucket 7, a control disk 8, a molding pressure generating device 9, a hydraulic device 10, a safety monitoring device 11, and the like.

The pipe supply device 1 accommodates a number of raw pipes P1 which are made of stainless steel flexible pipes P along the pipe aligning and feeding device 2, and also stores the raw tubes P1 one by one. 2 and are sequentially raised. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the pipe storage bucket 100 has an inclined surface such that a bottom portion 100 a thereof gradually faces downward in the direction of the pipe aligning and feeding device 2. A vibration generating device 101 is provided between F and F. Bucket 1 for pipe storage
A pipe pulling mechanism 102 is provided on the side of the pipe aligning and feeding device 2 at 00.

The raw tube lifting mechanism 102 includes a pair of upper and lower driving gears 103, 103, and the driving gears 103, 1
The endless chains 104 wound around the endless chains 103 are arranged in a pair on the left and right sides. Are protruded at appropriate intervals. The base tube mounting plate 105 has an L-shaped rising portion 105a fixed to the endless chains 104, 104, and a horizontal portion 105b serving as a base tube mounting portion for picking up the base tube P1.

Therefore, the raw pipe mounting plate 105 is configured such that the raw pipes P1 which are downwardly directed toward the pipe aligning and feeding apparatus side 100b by the inclined surface of the bottom portion 100a of the pipe storage bucket 100 and the vibration generator 101 one by one. I will pick it up.
Although not shown, the bottom 100a through which the base tube mounting plate 105 passes is provided with a recessed portion through which the base tube mounting plate 105 can pass.

The pipe aligning and feeding device 2 performs a process for aligning the raw pipes P1 picked up from the pipe supplying device 1 and sending them to the bulge processing device 4. A first pipe arranging mechanism is arranged on a table surface near the pipe supply device 1 in the pipe aligning and feeding device 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first pipe arranging mechanism includes a pair of first raw pipe mounting bases 200 and 200 each having a U-shaped groove 200a into which the raw pipe P1 is fitted. Punches 201, 201 for forming both ends of a pipe P1, and a pipe horizontal feeder 2 arranged between raw pipe mounting bases 200, 200
02, 202.

Therefore, as is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, the raw pipe P1 fed from the pipe supply device 1 is used.
First, the raw pipe mounting table 20 of the first pipe arranging mechanism.
0, 200 are inserted into the U-shaped grooves 200a, 200a to be in a line-up state. Pipe traverses 202, 202
Is, as shown in FIG.
02b is connected to the support rod 202
It is installed so as to be able to move up and down through c, and when the pipes P1 are arranged in a row, it is moved downward with respect to the table surface (solid line in FIG. 5).

The punches 201, 201 are connected to the pipe P1.
To form both ends of the raw tube P1 to correct the deformation at both ends. Then, punch 201,
When 01 moves away from both ends of the tube P1 and returns to the original position, the pipe traverses 202 move upward with respect to the table surface, and move the tube P1 as shown by the dotted line in FIG. Lift the tube mounts 200 from the U grooves 200a, 200a.

Since the pipe mounting plate 202a of the horizontal pipe feeder 202 has an inclined surface, the pipe placing plate 202a is moved upward to move the pipe P1.
Is lifted, the raised tube P1 can be rolled and fed sideways (see the dotted line in FIG. 5). The laterally fed raw pipe P1 is moved to the second raw pipe mounting table 200 installed in the second pipe arranging mechanism, and the U-groove 20 is moved.
0a, 200a, and 200a (see FIG. 2).

However, the raw pipe P1 moved to the raw pipe mounting table 200 in the second pipe arranging mechanism is initially inserted into the first U-groove 200a, but the first pipe is inserted horizontally. By the operation of the feed bars 202, 202, the central U-shaped groove 200 is formed.
a, 200a, and then by the operation of the second pipe traverses 202, 202, the central U-groove 200
a, 200a, the third U groove 200a on the right side in the figure.
Moved to 200a. In this way, the three pipes P1, P1 and P1 are arranged in the second pipe arrangement mechanism at equal intervals.

Reference numeral 203 denotes a pipe end holding device. The pipe end holding device 203 comprises three raw pipes P1, P1, P1 arranged in a second pipe arrangement mechanism by forward movement.
Is pressed to correct the unevenness of the ends. The three pipes P1, P1 and P1 whose end irregularities have been corrected are chucked by the pipe moving device 205 (see FIG. 3), and as shown by the dotted line in FIG. Be moved.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pipe moving device 205 includes a traveling plate 205a movably suspended from the upper surface of the device and a pipe chuck 205 for holding the pipe P1.
b, 205b, and 205b. Second
The three pipes arranged in the pipe arrangement mechanism are pipe chucks 205b, 205b, and 20 of the pipe moving device 205.
5b, and is moved from the second pipe arranging mechanism to the bulge processing feed area (see FIG. 2).
P1 and P1 are U-grooves 200a, 200a, 200 in the base tube mounting table 200 in the bulge processing feed area near each end.
a.

In this state, the three pipes P1, P
As shown in FIG. 6, 1, P1 is a core metal whose rear end side is sandwiched by a collet chuck 206a of a pipe moving device 206 and whose front end side is a bulge forming part 301a in a base tube P1 from a rear end side. 301 is inserted.

The pipe moving device 206 comprises pipes P1, P
1, a rail 2 laid on a table surface of a pipe aligning and feeding device 2 to a bulging device 4 while holding P1
It travels along 03. In this case, three pipes P
The pipe mounting table 200 on which the vicinity of each end of each of the pipes 1, P1 and P1 is placed obstructs the travel of the pipe moving device 206. Therefore, the rail laid so as to be orthogonal to the rail 203 on the table surface. In accordance with 204, the pipe moving device 206 is moved to the position shown by the dotted line in FIG. Also, the raw pipe moving device 205 is returned to the area of the second pipe laying mechanism.

Next, the pipe moving device 206 starts running toward the bulging device 4 with the three raw pipes P1, P1, P1 chucked, and the three raw pipes P1, P1, P1,
P1 is fed into the bulge processing device 4 from the tip side. On the other hand, in synchronization with this, the core metal feed driving device 300 operates,
The metal cores 301, 301, 301 are caused to run in the raw pipes P1, P1, P1, and the bulge forming part 301a is stopped at the bellows forming position of the raw pipe P1 (see FIG. 8).

Die main body 400 in bulging machine 4
As shown in FIG. 7, the upper part is constituted by an upper parting mold 401 and a lower parting mold 402. Split mold 401
And the split mold 402 are provided with a series of split holes which are joined to each other to form a series of split holes, and the half split holes 40 for holding the raw pipe P1.
Three holes 1a and 402a are formed at predetermined intervals.

On the upper side of the split mold 401 and the lower side of the split mold 402, a pair of left and right guide holes 40 for the split mold are provided.
1c-401c and 402c-402c are opened, and the split molds 401 and 402 are respectively perpendicular to the tube axis direction by a guide shaft (not shown) inserted through the guide holes 401c and 402c. It is moved (upright movement) while being supported.

On the other hand, the left and right ends of the upper split mold 401 and the lower split mold 402 have flanges 401b-
401b, 402b-402b are formed to project,
The flange 401b of the upper split mold 401 is formed as a short flange, and the flange 402b of the lower split mold 402 is formed as a slightly longer flange than the flange 401b.

The clamp plate (not shown) is connected to the flanges 401b-4 of the two split molds 401 and 402.
02b, 401b-402b are provided with recesses which are fitted into the flanges 401c, 402c of the split molds 401, 402 from the left and right sides, and the split molds 401, 402 are integrally formed. A pair of mold bodies 40
0 is formed.

The clamp plate is provided with a clamp plate turning hole, and the clamp plate itself is turned around a turning shaft inserted through the turning hole. As a result, the clamp plate is held on the long flange 402b of the lower split mold while being held by the upper split mold 401.
Can be released from the short flange 401b, and the clamp plate is moved in the left-right direction so as to be attached to and detached from the mold body 400. For this reason, the mold body 4
00 can be significantly reduced,
The attachment to and detachment from the mold body 400 is facilitated.

Although the clamp plate has been described as having a configuration in which the flanges 401b and 402b of the upper and lower split molds 401 and 402 are inserted into the recesses thereof, the upper and lower split molds 401 and 40 are inserted.
A concave portion may be provided on the second side, and a convex portion provided on the clamp plate side may be inserted into the concave portion.

The split molds 401,
402 may be two holes or one hole instead of three holes, but a case with three holes is preferable. The reason is that when one flexible pipe P is formed, the center split holes 401a-402a of the mold body 400 can be used, and when the two flexible pipes P, P are formed, Are left and right split holes 401a-402a of the mold body 400,
401a-402a can be used. In this way, the load applied to the mold body 400 during bulging can be balanced, and the mold body 40 can be irrespective of the number of bulging of the flexible pipe P.
There is no need to exchange 0 each time. The mold body 40
Considering the weight of 0, operability, durability, etc., when forming the mold body 400 from a normal material, three holes are suitable.

The upper divided molds 401,..., And the lower divided molds 402,. Further, both ends of the raw pipe P1 are provided with moving end caps 4.
01-2, 402-2, fixing end cap 401-1,
It is hermetically supported by 402-1.

As described above, according to the bulge processing apparatus 4, the pair of split molds 40 that constitute one set of the mold main body 400.
1,402 three half holes 401a-402a, 401
a-402a constrains the outer circumference of each of the three pipes P1 in the radial direction in series, and arranges a large number of such mold bodies 400 in the axial direction of the pipe body.
The bulge forming part 301a of the core metal 301 is positioned in the tube of the bulge part of P1, P1 (see FIG. 5).

In the core metal 301, the water liquid whose water pressure has been increased by the molding pressure generating device 9 flows into the core metal 301 of each pipe P 1 via the water liquid branching mechanism 900, and the bulge forming part 301 a , And bulge out the bulged portion of the raw pipe P1. Then, the moving end caps 401-2 and 402-2 are fixed to the fixing end cap 401-.
1, 402-1 to move the three pipes P1, P
1, a corrugated bellows portion P2 is formed at a predetermined location on the outer periphery of P1 at the time of circumference (see FIG. 9). 302 is an O-ring for sealing.

The post-bulge processing device 5 aligns the formed flexible pipe P extruded from the bulge processing device 4, and has a guide groove 500 for receiving the extruded flexible pipe P on the table surface.
a, 500a and 500a are arranged in rows. On the upper surface side of the apparatus, a pipe moving apparatus 5 movably suspended.
01 (see FIG. 11), and the pipe moving device 50
Reference numeral 1 denotes a pipe chuck 501b, 501b, 501b for holding the traveling plate 501a and the flexible pipes P, P, P.
It is composed of

Reference numeral 503 shown in FIG. 10B denotes a cylinder, and 504 denotes an end extruding plate which enables the flexible pipe P to pass therethrough when it is extruded from the bulging device 4. The ends of the flexible pipes P, P, P are pressed and aligned by the operation of the cylinder 503.

The flexible pipes P, P, P chucked by the pipe moving device 501 are moved to the leak inspection device 6. This leak inspection device 6 is a water tank as shown in FIG. 11, and each flexible pipe P, P, P
Are supported at both ends by the sealing support plate 600,
It is sealed by the rubber seal member 601, and air is fed into the flexible pipe P from the air feed hose 602 via the rubber seal member 601 (see FIG. 12).
Since the flexible pipe P is submerged in the water tank of the leak inspection device 6, if there is a crack or the like, an air bubble is generated and is detected.

Although not shown, the rate of decrease in the air fed into the flexible pipe P can be measured by a gas amount detector or the like, and the flexible pipe P having a crack or the like can be detected. It can also be known by visually observing bubbles generated in the water tank.

The pipe moving device 501 releases the flexible pipe P on the table 502 after the leak inspection. Since the table 502 has an inclined surface facing the pipe sorting bucket 7, the released flexible pipe P naturally rolls toward the pipe sorting bucket 7.

The pipe sorting bucket 7 is a finished product storage box 700 for storing the finished product of the flexible pipe P.
And a defective product storage box 701 for storing defective products. As shown in FIG. 11, the defective product storage box 701 is installed on the apparatus side, and the finished product storage box 700 is arranged outside the defective product storage box 701.

On the upper surface side of the defective product storage box 701,
A plurality of open / close plates 702 are attached at appropriate intervals, and when this open / close plate 702 is in an open state, as shown in FIG. The flexible pipe P passing through the table 502 is not dropped into the defective product storage box 701, but is dropped into the finished product storage box 700.

When the opening / closing plate 702 is in the closed state,
As shown in FIG. 13, since the opening / closing plate 702 does not form a path to the finished product storage box 700 on the upper surface of the defective product storage box 701, the flexible pipe P passing through the table 502 is left open. In this case, the defective flexible pipe P and the finished flexible pipe P can be sorted and stored.

Next, the electrical system configuration of the metal bellows processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. That is, as the electrical system configuration,
A system control unit 800 that controls and controls the operation of each unit, an interface 801, a system operation storage unit 802, an emergency detection unit 803, a pipe supply command unit 804, a pipe alignment feed command unit 805, a core metal feed command unit 806, and bulge processing. It comprises a command section 807, a post-bulge processing command section 808, a leak inspection command section 809, a pipe selection command section 810, a molding pressure command section 811 and a hydraulic command section 812.

The interface 801 is provided from the information input unit 900 of the control disk 8 connected to the device.
The operation base information of each unit is input to the system control unit 800. The information input unit 900 may be any of keyboard operating means having character keys and numeric keys, program software reading means, personal computer terminal means, and the like.

The system operation storage unit 802 stores input information from the information input unit 900 and the progress operation of each unit in the apparatus, and enables a sequence control operation of each unit of the apparatus based on a general command of the system control unit 800.

The emergency detection unit 803 is provided for the safety monitoring device 11
Detects that a worker or the like has entered the monitoring area, an emergency detection signal is output, and the system control unit 800 can stop all the operations of the device units or the operations of related units.

The pipe supply command section 804 outputs a motor drive signal, and outputs the driving gear 30 in the pipe supply device 1.
0, which controls the operation of the drive motor of the drive gear 300 to be started or stopped (not shown).

The pipe alignment sending command section 805 includes first pipe arrangement confirmation instruction means, forming instruction means, first pipe lateral feed instruction means, second pipe arrangement confirmation instruction means, and second pipe arrangement confirmation instruction means.
It is composed of pipe lateral feed command means, pipe end holding command means, raw pipe movement command means, collet chuck command means, pipe movement command means, and the like.

The first pipe arrangement confirmation instructing means outputs an arrangement confirmation signal, and determines whether or not the element pipes P1 are arranged in an array on the element placing table 200 arranged in the first pipe arrangement mechanism. Detect. The forming instruction means outputs a punch operation signal and operates the punch 201 so as to expand both ends of the raw pipe P1 mounted on the first pipe arranging mechanism.

The first pipe lateral feed command means outputs a vertical movement operation signal, operates the horizontal feed table 202 arranged in the first pipe arrangement mechanism, and connects the raw pipe P1 to the second pipe arrangement. It is moved to the base tube mounting base 200 of the mechanism.

The second pipe arrangement command means outputs a second arrangement confirmation signal such as a primary placement confirmation signal and a secondary placement confirmation signal, and outputs the second pipe arrangement confirmation signal. The mounting position of the raw pipe P1 moved to 200 is detected, and the mounting movement is performed. First, the pipe P is inserted into the first U groove 200a.
1 is inserted, a primary placement confirmation signal is output, and the first
The pipe traverse instruction means operates the first traverse table 202 based on the output of the primary placement confirmation signal, and moves the raw pipe P1 into the second (center) U-groove 200a. Then, when the secondary placement confirmation signal is output, the second pipe lateral feed command means operates the second lateral feed table 202 based on the output of the secondary placement confirmation signal, and causes the raw pipe P1 to move to the second position. Move into the third U-groove 200a,

In the above case, the system operation storage unit 8
02 stores processing information of three flexible pipes P. In the case of one pipe, the raw pipe P1 is placed in the second (center) U-groove 200a. Is used to connect the raw pipe P1 to the first U groove 200a and the third U groove 200a.
a.

The pipe end pressing instruction means outputs an advancing / retracting operation signal, and corrects the irregularity of the end of the raw pipe P1 by the pipe end pressing plate 203. The pipe moving means outputs a pipe moving signal and operates the pipe moving device 205 to pinch and move the pipe P1 whose end is aligned at a predetermined position to the bulge processing feed area.

The collet chuck instructing means 811 outputs a tube chuck signal, and causes the collet chuck 206a to hold the rear end of the tube P1 moved to the bulging feed area. Further, the pipe moving means outputs a pipe moving signal, and feeds the pipe P1 in the collet chucked state to the bulging device 4 by running the pipe moving device 206.

The core feed command section 806 outputs a core feed signal, and in synchronization with the start of traveling toward the bulging device 4 with the pipe moving device 206 chucking the raw pipe P1, the core feed signal is output. The money feeding driving device 300 is operated, and the core metal 301 travels in the raw pipe P1 to stop the bulge forming part 301a on the distal end side at the bellows forming position of the raw pipe P1.

The molding pressure command section 811 outputs a molding command signal, and causes the water liquid whose hydraulic pressure has been increased by the molding pressure generating device 9 to flow into the core metal 301 through the water liquid branching mechanism 900 to form a bulge. The bulging portion of the raw pipe P1 is caused to flow out of the holes 301b,. In addition, the hydraulic pressure command unit 812 outputs a hydraulic pressure command signal to add a bulge forming pressure in the bulge processing device 4.

The bulge processing command unit 807 outputs a bulge command signal, and drives the mold body 400 to perform bulge processing on the raw tube P1 sent into the bulge processing device 4. The bulge command signal in the bulge processing command unit 807 is
The upper and lower split molds 401 and 402 are opened and closed by a mold opening and closing signal, and the moving end cap 401-
2, 401-2 Perform compression and release. Of course, this bulge command signal is synchronized with the core feed signal of the core feed command unit 806, the molding command signal of the molding pressure command unit 811, the hydraulic command signal of the hydraulic command unit 812, and the like.

The post-bulging processing instruction unit 809 outputs a post-processing signal and aligns the flexible pipe P extruded from the bulging device 4 with the guide groove 500a. Further, a pipe end holding signal is output, and the cylinder 503 and the pipe end holding plate 504 provided in the post-bulge processing device 5 are operated to align the ends of the flexible pipe P. Further, a tube chuck signal is output, and the tube moving device 501 suspended on the table surface.
Is operated to pinch the flexible pipe P and move it to the leak inspection device 6.
2. Release the flexible pipe P.

The leak inspection command unit 809 outputs a pipe sealing signal, and the both ends of each flexible pipe P chucked by the raw pipe moving device 501 by the rubber seal member 601 protruding from the sealing support plate 600. It is submerged in the water tank of the leak inspection device 6 while being hermetically supported, and air is fed into the flexible pipe P via a rubber seal member 601 from an air feed hose 602 communicating with a compressed gas feed device (not shown).

The pipe selection command section 810 outputs a pipe selection signal. If the flexible pipe P is determined to be a completed product, it outputs a completion signal, and the flexible pipe P is placed at an appropriate distance above the defective product storage box 701. A plurality of open / close plates 702 attached to each other are opened to form a passage to the completed product storage box 700 on the upper surface side of the defective product storage box 701, and pass through the upper surface of the defective product storage box 701 to complete the finished product storage box. Drop to 700.

If the flexible pipe P is determined to be defective, a defect signal is output, the open / close plate 702 is closed, and the upper surface side of the defective product storage box 701 is opened, and the defective flexible pipe P is opened. The P is dropped to the defective product storage box 701 without being sent to the completed product storage box 700 side.

Next, the operation of the metal bellows processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 16 (a) and 16 (b). When the power of the apparatus is turned on and the operation of the apparatus is started, in step 100, the system operation storage unit 802 forms the flexible pipe P such as the number of raw pipes P1 to be formed and the forming interval of the bellows P2. It is determined whether necessary information is stored.

In step 100, the system operation storage unit 80
If it is determined that the information necessary for molding is stored in step 2, the process proceeds to step 101, where the components of the apparatus are put into an operation standby state, and further proceeds to step 102, where the pipe supply device 1 is operated to Picking up the pipes P1 one by one from the storage sorting bucket 100, and aligning and feeding the pipes 2
Send to

In step 103, it is determined whether or not the raw pipes P1 are arranged in the first pipe arranging mechanism of the pipe aligning and feeding device 2, and if it is determined that the raw pipes P1 are laid out, the process proceeds to step 103. Proceeding to 104, tube forming is performed by the punch 201 on both ends of the raw pipes P <b> 1 arranged in the first pipe arrangement mechanism.

In step 105, the pipe traverse 20
1 is operated to laterally feed the expanded pipe P1 to the second pipe arranging mechanism, and aligns the raw pipe P1 on the second pipe arranging mechanism.

In step 106, the pipe traverse 20
It is determined whether or not the alignment of the pipes P1 is completed on the second pipe arranging mechanism by the operation 1 and in step 107, the raw pipe moving device 205 is operated to align on the second pipe arranging mechanism. The raw pipe P1 is clamped and moved to the bulge processing feed area.

In step 108, the raw pipe P 1 moved to the bulge processing feed area is clamped by the collet chuck 206 a of the pipe moving device 206, and the core feeder 3 operates to move the core pipe P 1 from the rear end thereof. The bulge forming part 301 is inserted into the raw pipe P1, and the bulge forming standby state is set.

In step 109, the pipe moving device 20
6 is fed to the bulge processing device 4 by moving the raw tube P1 in a state where the collet chuck is performed, and the core metal feed device 3 also operates the core metal feed driving device 300 in synchronization with the pipe moving device 206, and Bulge forming part 301 of 301
1a is the bellows portion forming position of the raw tube P1, and is in a bulge-workable state.

In step 110, the bulging device 4 drives the die body 400 to open and close the upper and lower split dies 401 and 402 at the base pipe P1 where bulging is to be performed, thereby performing bulge forming. However, at this time, the molding pressure generating device 9 and the water liquid branching mechanism 900 and the hydraulic device 10 are also synchronized so that the water liquid whose water pressure has been increased flows into the core metal 301 and the hole 301b of the bulge forming portion 301a is formed. , And bulges the bulged portion of the raw pipe P1.

In step 111, the bulge forming apparatus 4 performs bulge forming on a required portion of the raw pipe P1, and determines whether or not to end the bulge forming. Here, when it is determined that the bulge machining has not been completed, the process returns to step 108, but when it is determined that the bulge machining has been completed, the process proceeds to step 112.

In step 112, the post-bulge processing device 5 aligns the flexible pipe P extruded from the bulge processing device 4, and moves the raw pipe moving device 501.
With the operation described above, the flexible pipe P is pinched and moved to the leak inspection device 6, and post-bulge processing is performed.

In step 113, the leak inspection device 6 is operated, and both ends of each flexible pipe P chucked by the raw tube moving device 501 are immersed in a water tank while sealingly supporting both ends thereof. Air is fed into P, and a leak test is performed.

In step 114, it is determined whether or not a leak of the flexible pipe P has been detected based on the gas reduction rate of the compressed gas feeder, visual observation, and the like. If not detected, the process proceeds to step 116.

In step 115, the pipe sorting bucket 7 is operated, the open / close plate 702 on the upper surface side of the defective product storage box 701 is closed, and the defective product storage box 701 is closed.
Is set to the open state, and the process proceeds to step 117. Step 1
In 17, the defective flexible pipe P chucked by the raw tube moving device 501 is released on the table 502 and dropped into the defective product storage box 701 without being sent to the completed product storage box 700 side.

In step 116, the open / close plate 702 on the upper surface side of the defective product storage box 701 is opened, and the upper surface side of the defective product storage box 701 is closed.
Proceed to 19. In step 119, the pipe moving device 501
Is released on the table 502 and the defective product storage box 701 is released.
After passing through the upper surface, it is dropped into the finished product storage box 700.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the pipes are fed one by one from the pipe supply device for storing the pipes into the pipe aligning and feeding device, and the pipes can be aligned and transferred in the pipe aligning and feeding device. And insert a metal core for bulging from the rear end side to the front end side of the raw pipe, and feed the raw pipe with the core metal inserted into the bulge processing device from the pipe alignment feeder to accord A flexible pipe with a part is formed by bulging, and the flexible pipe sent out from the bulging machine is subjected to leak inspection to select between a finished product and a defective product, and the finished product and the defective product are collected separately. Have been. The pipe aligning and feeding device is configured to be able to align at least three raw tubes, and the bulging device is configured to be capable of performing bulging for at least three raw tubes.

Accordingly, the sequence of operations from picking up the raw tube to alignment, bulging, post-processing, leakage inspection, defect selection, and the like can be controlled as a series of operations, and a stainless steel flexible product as a finished product having no defects can be obtained. The jibble pipe can be manufactured with good mass productivity.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform sequence control as a series of operations from picking up a raw tube to alignment, bulge processing, post-processing, leakage inspection, defect selection, and the like. In addition, a stainless steel flexible pipe as a finished product having no defect can be manufactured with good mass productivity. In addition, one mold body simultaneously bulges a plurality of base tubes at the time of bulging, and a plurality of bellows tubes can be obtained at the same time during one cycle of bulging. And the like can be easily performed, and efficient metal bellows molding can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view showing a schematic configuration of a metal bellows forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory plan view showing a schematic configuration of a pipe alignment feed device and a core metal feed device in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a pipe supply device and a pipe aligning and feeding device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a base tube mounting table.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a base tube mounting table and a pipe lateral feeder.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory plan view showing a rear end portion of the raw tube and a state where a core metal is inserted.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory front view showing a combination of mold bodies.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory sectional view showing a bulge processing state.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory sectional view showing a bellows portion forming state.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory front view showing the post-bulge processing apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory front view showing a post-bulge processing device, a leak inspection device, and a pipe sorting bucket in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is an explanatory plan view showing the leakage inspection device in FIG. 1;

13 is an explanatory sectional view showing the pipe sorting bucket 7 in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing a flexible pipe.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the metal bellows forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the operation of the metal bellows forming apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 pipe feeder 2 pipe feeder 3 core feeder 4 bulging device 5 bulging post-processing device 6 leak inspection device 7 pipe sorting bucket 8 control disk 9 molding pressure generator 10 hydraulic device 11 safety device

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] December 22, 2000 (200.12.
22)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] All figures

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG.

FIG. 2

FIG. 3

FIG. 4

FIG. 13

FIG. 5

FIG. 6

FIG. 7

FIG. 8

FIG. 9

FIG. 10

FIG. 11

FIG.

FIG. 14

FIG.

FIG. 16

FIG.

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Brief description of drawings

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view showing a schematic configuration of a metal bellows forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory plan view showing a schematic configuration of a pipe alignment feed device and a core metal feed device in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a pipe supply device and a pipe aligning and feeding device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a base tube mounting table.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a base tube mounting table and a pipe lateral feeder.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory plan view showing a rear end portion of the raw tube and a state where a core metal is inserted.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory front view showing a combination of mold bodies.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory sectional view showing a bulge processing state.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory sectional view showing a bellows portion forming state.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory front view showing the post-bulge processing apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory front view showing a post-bulge processing device, a leak inspection device, and a pipe sorting bucket in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is an explanatory plan view showing the leakage inspection device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is an explanatory sectional view showing the pipe sorting bucket in FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing a flexible pipe.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the metal bellows forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an operation up to a bulge working standby operation of the metal bellows forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing an operation of the metal bellows forming apparatus according to the present invention from a state in which bulge processing is possible.

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0065

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Next, the operation of the metal bellows forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. When the power of the apparatus is turned on and the operation of the apparatus is started, in step 100, the system operation storage unit 802 forms the flexible pipe P such as the number of raw pipes P1 to be formed and the forming interval of the bellows P2. It is determined whether necessary information is stored.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A pipe feeder for storing raw pipes, feeds the raw pipes one by one into a pipe aligning and feeding apparatus, aligns the raw pipes in the pipe aligning and feeding apparatus, sandwiches the raw pipes so that they can be transported, and controls the pipes. Insert a metal core for bulging from the rear end side to the front end side, feed the raw pipe with the core metal inserted into the bulging machine from the pipe alignment feeder, and bulge the flexible pipe with the bellows part. , Metal bellows molding for bulging, characterized in that the flexible pipe sent out from the bulging machine is subjected to leak inspection to select between finished products and defective products, and to collect the finished products and defective products separately. Method. 2. The bulge according to claim 1, wherein the pipe aligning and feeding device is capable of aligning at least three raw tubes, and the bulging device is capable of bulging at least three raw tubes. Metal bellows forming method for processing. 3. A pipe aligning and feeding device for receiving one or a plurality of raw tubes from a pipe supply device and aligning the received raw tubes at a predetermined position, and being installed in the pipe aligning and feeding device for clamping the raw tubes. At the same time, a pipe moving device for transferring a raw tube so as to perform a bulge processing process, a metal core feeding device which is installed at a subsequent stage of the pipe aligning and feeding device and feeds a metal core into the raw tube, and is fed from the pipe aligning and feeding device A bulging machine for performing bulging on a hollow pipe, a bulging machine, a bulging machine, and a bulging machine after which a flexible pipe having a bellows portion subjected to bulging is arranged in a row at a rear side of the bulging machine. Take out the flexible pipes arranged in the post-processing equipment and detect whether these flexible pipes are defective products with leaks or finished products without leaks A metal bellows for bulging, comprising: a leak inspection device that performs the inspection, a defective product storage box that stores the defective product of the flexible pipe, and a finished product storage box that stores the finished product. Molding equipment. 4. The bulge according to claim 3, wherein the pipe aligning and feeding device is capable of aligning at least three raw tubes, and the bulging device is capable of bulging at least three raw tubes. Metal bellows forming equipment for processing.