JPH0326328A - Method and device for connecting apparatus and piping - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simply and easily connect nozzles each other by providing nozzles and attachable/detachable couplings to both ends of flexible hose of a connecting pipe unit and moving the positions of the couplings according to the nozzles to be connected. CONSTITUTION:When the nozzles 81, 91 of fixedly installed apparatus, the nozzles 81, 91 of fixedly furnished pipings, or the nozzle of apparatus and the nozzle of piping mentioned above are to be connected each other, the plural connecting pipe units 2 consisting of flexible hoses 21 both ends of which are provided with couplings 22, 25 attachable and detachable to the nozzles 81, 91 are mounted on a carriage to be made one block. The connection block 1 movable as a whole in which the positions of couplings 22, 23 of both ends of each connecting pipe unit 2 are allowed to move, is moved to the position where the connection between the nozzles 81, 91 is to be carried out. The positions of the couplings 22, 23 of both ends of the unit 2 are moved there according to the position of nozzles 81, 91, and the connection is carried out.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for connecting various equipment and piping. The method and apparatus of the present invention are particularly significant when applied to so-called multi-purpose batch plants for mass production of a wide variety of products.

[Conventional technology]

For example, in industries that involve physical processing, such as the mixing of paints and chemical compositions, or industries that involve chemical reactions, such as the production of chemicals, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and catalysts, products of a large variety and relatively small quantity are produced. Naturally, when attempting to obtain such a product, batch processing using multiple equipment, mainly tanks, is performed. In order to meet and efficiently implement such demands for high-mix, low-volume production, a plant that is versatile and can flexibly respond to a variety of processes is required. Batch plants that have been proposed so far include the following: 1) "Container for batch production" (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62'-1447
No. 45>, a container, represented by a reactor, moves below the supply tank for raw materials and auxiliary materials, receives the necessary supplies there, performs the prescribed processing, and then transfers the contents of the container by gravity or It is called a ``pipeless factory'' and uses internal pressure to discharge water. 2) "Mobile tank type multi-purpose batch system"("Chemical Equipment J
Similar to 1) above, the October 1987 issue is also a system in which a moving tank moves by itself to the position where raw materials are supplied and washed, and is intended to be pipeless. 3) The plant described in the April 1987 issue of "Chemical Equipment J" differs from these in that it adopts a method in which intermediate tanks are moved, and uses an automatic conveyance vehicle and a mobile hoist. 4) "Mixing reaction treatment equipment" ” (Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-1 788
No. 34 Haka> adopts a system in which a processing container that rotates around a rotating column receives raw materials from a raw material storage tank installed above its trajectory, processes them, and discharges them into a receiving tank below. In all of the above batch plants, equipment such as reaction vessels and intermediate tanks are moved, so they are limited to small capacity plants. It will be immediately understood that this is not realistic, considering that a container with a capacity of 110 tons, for example, is to be self-propelled. Alternatively, the amount handled is naturally limited due to the size of the specified self-propelled container itself. In addition, the container is attached with electric power and heat medium supply or control devices for stirring and 7I1 heat/cooling, and there is also the technical problem of how to realize these in a self-propelled manner.
If the contents of the container are hazardous materials under the Fire Service Act, legal regulations may be imposed on their movement. The inventors of the present invention have overcome the above-mentioned problems, provided greater flexibility in handling volumes, eliminated technical difficulties regarding equipment utility and control, and avoided regulatory issues regarding the handling of hazardous materials. , invented and separately proposed a multi-purpose batch plant. The multi-purpose batch plant of the invention, as partially shown in Figs. 9〉 and the piping nozzle (91
) and the nozzle (81) of the device are connected by a detachable piping unit with a flexible hose. When using this device, please make the above connections and disconnections.
Of course, it is desirable to do this quickly and easily. The same thing is desired for multi-purpose batch plants that do not use the above-mentioned tower assembler, such as those shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in which equipment is arranged on a plane and connected to piping.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The purpose of the present invention, in response to such demands, is to connect nozzles of fixedly installed equipment, nozzles of fixedly installed piping, or arbitrary combinations of nozzles of these equipment and nozzles of piping. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus that can perform the following simply and quickly.

[Means to solve the problem]

The method for connecting equipment and piping of the present invention includes placing a plurality of connecting pipe units having the above-mentioned nozzles and detachable couplings on both ends of a flexible hose, and making the whole unit movable and connecting the connecting pipe units at both ends of each connecting pipe unit. A connection block that can change the position of the coupling is moved to the location where the nozzles are to be connected, and there, the position of the couplings at both ends of the connection pipe unit is changed according to the position of the nozzle to be connected, and the connection is made. consists of doing. The movement of the connecting block and the position change of the coupling of the connecting tube unit can be carried out by remote control or by automatic operation according to a predetermined sequence. The equipment and piping connection device of the present invention for carrying out the above-mentioned method includes the above-mentioned nozzles and the like at both ends of a flexible hose (21), as a typical example is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. A plurality of connection pipe units (2) having removable couplings (22, 23) are placed on a moving trolley (3), and the couplings (2) at both ends of the flexible hose
A connecting block (2, 23) provided with a coupling position changing means for connecting or disconnecting the nozzle (81, 91) by moving it according to the position of the nozzle (81, 91) to be connected.
Consists of 1). In the illustrated example, the coupling position changing means includes a horizontal moving section (5) that supports and moves the coupling in the horizontal direction.
〉 and a drive cylinder for advancing and retracting (52.53〉
and a vertical moving part {4} that vertically moves the drive cylinder up and down. As already mentioned regarding the connection method, the mobile trolley (3)
The device can be configured such that the movement of the coupling position change means and the operation of the coupling position changing means are carried out remotely or by automatic operation according to a predetermined sequence.

[For use]

The movable trolley (3) of the connection block (1) moves on a track or on a trackless track by itself or by being driven from the outside.A track (6) is provided as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Therefore, it is generally advantageous for the design and operation of equipment to have movement limited to a certain space (the area delimited by dashed lines and shaded in these figures). It is preferable that the motor is rotated by a power source such as a battery, and the motor is operated by itself.Moreover, it is even more preferable to operate it by wireless remote control, since there is no need to attach a power or control cable to the connection block.Any of the above embodiments Even if the connection block (1) is moved to the place where the nozzles should be connected,
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the connecting pipe unit (
Move the support column attachment/detachment parts <24) following the couplings (22.23> at both ends of 2> while being supported by the support columns (54), and attach the couplings (22.23>
1). If the nozzle (81.91) and the coupling (22, 9 10 23) are aligned in a straight line, the 9th
As shown in Figures and Figure 10, the drive cylinder (52
．． 53) to advance the coupling toward the nozzle and connect it. If a so-called "one-touch coupling" mechanism is used, both connection and conduction can be obtained at the connection part. When the connection is completed, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the support column (54) is lowered and then retreated and moved horizontally to connect the connecting pipe unit (2) to the nozzle (81.91). ), the connection block (1) returns to its original position. By repeating this operation, you can connect any device to the device,
Connections can be made between piping and piping and between equipment and piping. It will be easily understood that when a predetermined process is completed and the connection of equipment and piping is to be cut off, the above operation can be performed in reverse. "One-touch coupling" is
It is convenient that the conduction can be interrupted 11 at the same time as the disconnection. The invention is capable of many embodiments other than those illustrated. For example, in the illustrated example, the horizontal moving part (5)
Although only one (23) of the couplings at both ends is moved and the position of the other (22) is determined by the moving trolley (3), it may be configured so that both are moved by the horizontal moving part. Of course. On the other hand, if the height of the nozzle on at least one side of the connection block is always constant, no vertical moving part is required for the coupling on that side. Furthermore, even if the nozzle to be connected is inclined with respect to the horizontal and/or vertical, this can be handled by moving the coupling in that direction. It goes without saying that the number of connecting pipe units to be mounted can be arbitrarily selected as required.

【Effect of the invention】

The method of connecting equipment and piping according to the present invention is such that only the connecting block is moved without moving the equipment, so it is suitable for a multi-purpose batch plant with relatively large capacity reactors and the like as components. It is applicable whether the equipment is arranged in a flat or three-dimensional manner.
It is particularly useful for a multi-purpose batch plant in which equipment is arranged in multilayer stages using the above-mentioned tower assembly developed by the present inventors. The structure of the plant as a whole becomes simpler and construction costs can be lowered. This benefit is particularly apparent in the simplification of piping around the reactor. The fact that the equipment that makes up the plant and the parts that connect them are separate makes it easier to modify or expand the plant. The connecting pipe unit is easy to remove, clean, and replace, minimizing contamination.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the application of the present invention to the connection of equipment and piping in a separately proposed multi-purpose batch plant, with Figure 1 partially cut away to show the inside. FIG. 2 is a side view, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 3 and 4 illustrate another example of application of the present invention, in which FIG. 3 is a side view corresponding to FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a plan view. 5 and 6 show an example of the connecting device of the present invention, in which FIG. 5 is a side view seen from the direction of movement, and FIG. 6 is a plan view. Figures 7 to 12 explain the connection procedure using the device of the present invention, and Figures 7 and 8 show how the couplings at both ends of the connecting pipe unit are moved to face the nozzle to be connected. Figures 9 and 10 show the stage in which the coupling has been fitted, and Figures 11 and 12 show the stage in which the coupling has been fitted.
The figure shows each stage of completing the connection. 7, 9 and 11 are side views corresponding to FIG.
However, as for the part on the truck, only the rear part of the part ■■ in FIG. 6 is shown. ), FIGS. 8, 10, and 11 are plan views corresponding to FIG. 6. 1...Connection block 13 14 2...Connection pipe unit 21...Flexible hose 22.23...Coupling 24...Support column attachment/detachment part 3'...Movement cart 4...Vertical movement Part 5...Horizontal moving part, 52.53...Drive cylinder 54...Support column 6...Race 8...Equipment 81...Nozzle 9...Piping 91...Nozzle

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) A method of connecting nozzles of fixedly installed equipment, nozzles of fixedly installed piping, or any combination of nozzles of these equipment and nozzles of piping, in which the nozzles are connected to both ends of a flexible hose. A plurality of connecting pipe units having removable couplings are mounted on the connecting block, which is movable as a whole and can change the position of the couplings at both ends of each connecting pipe unit, between the nozzles. Move it to the location where it should be connected, and there change the position of the couplings at both ends of the connecting pipe unit according to the position of the nozzle to be connected,
How to connect equipment and piping. (2) The connection method according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the connection block and the variation of the position of the coupling of the connection pipe unit are performed by remote control or by automatic operation according to a predetermined sequence. (3) A device that connects nozzles of fixedly installed equipment, nozzles of fixedly installed piping, or any combination of nozzles of these equipment and nozzles of piping, and which connects both ends of the flexible hose (21). A plurality of connecting pipe units (2) having couplings (22, 23) that can be attached and detached from the nozzles are placed on the moving trolley (3), and the couplings (22, 23) at both ends of the flexible hose are placed on the movable trolley (3).
23) A device consisting of a connecting block (1) provided with a coupling position changing means for moving and connecting or disconnecting according to the position of the nozzle to be connected;
Piping connection device. (4) The coupling position changing means includes a horizontal moving part (5) that supports and moves the coupling in the horizontal direction, drive cylinders (52, 53) that move the coupling forward and backward, and raises and lowers this air cylinder in the vertical direction. Vertical moving part (
4) The connecting device according to claim 3, comprising a combination of: (5) The connection device according to claim 3, wherein the movement of the movable cart (3) and the operation of the coupling position changing means are performed remotely or by automatic operation according to a predetermined sequence.