WO2019197879A1

WO2019197879A1 - A tube transfer unit

Info

Publication number: WO2019197879A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/052544
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gianluca GORI
Original assignee: Fives Oto S.P.A.
Priority date: 2018-04-11
Filing date: 2018-04-11
Publication date: 2019-10-17

Abstract

A tube transfer unit (100) comprising an anthropomorphous robotic arm (110) having an end portion (112) that can be moved between a gripping station (P) and a release station (R) and a gripping means (120) mounted on the end portion (112) and configured to constrain a plurality of tubes arranged in the gripping station (P), to simultaneously transport the plurality of tubes from the gripping station (P) to the release station (R) and to release the plurality of tubes at the release station (R).

Description

A TUBE TRANSFER UNIT

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to the field of the industrial packaging of tubes, in particular tubes produced by plants for the production of a longitudinally welded, trimmed or unwelded metal alloy tube.

In more detail, the present invention relates to a tube transfer unit and an apparatus for moving tubes comprising the aforementioned transfer unit. Apparatuses for moving tubes are used for moving the latter between different production stations inside the same plant and are normally positioned downstream of the production line for receiving the tubes coming from the latter and arranging them in ordered rows for the packaging thereof.

The apparatuses for moving tubes currently used consist of a series of inclined planes that move tubes by rolling and determine stopping in the desired position through an abutment. To move the tubes between one level and another a series of forks is provided which, housed in relevant recesses, rise to engage the tubes striking against the abutment and move them towards the start of the subsequent level.

Disadvantageously, these apparatuses are normally very bulky and occupy a significant portion of the production plant.

Furthermore, the known apparatuses for moving tubes are particularly noisy because of the rolling of the tubes described above and the consequent impacts with each other and against the abutment which, especially for metal tubes, are significantly noisy and determine a potentially harmful level of acoustic pollution for the health of the personnel inside the plant.

A further disadvantage of the apparatuses described above consists of their poor flexibility. In fact, they are not adaptable to tubes of different lengths or widths except with substantial and expensive structural modification interventions. In this context, the technical task underpinning the present invention is to provide a tube transfer unit and a related apparatus for moving tubes, which overcome at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art cited above.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tube transfer unit and a related apparatus able to reduce the size and noise of known apparatuses.

A further object of the present invention is to propose a tube transfer unit and related apparatus that are more flexible than known apparatuses and able to operate in the presence of a greater dimensional variability of the tubes.

The set technical task and the specified aims are substantially attained by a tube transfer unit and related apparatus, comprising the technical characteristics set out in one or more of the appended claims. The dependent claims correspond to possible embodiments of the invention. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the indicative and non-limiting description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a tube transfer unit and a related apparatus.

This description will be set out below with reference to the attached drawings, provided solely for indicative and therefore non-limiting purposes, in which:

- figure 1 shows a perspective view of a tube transfer unit and a related apparatus according to the present invention;

- figure 2 illustrates a view from above of the tube transfer unit and related apparatus of figure 1.

- figure 3 illustrates a front view of the tube transfer unit and related apparatus of figure 1.

- figure 4 illustrates a lateral view of the tube transfer unit and related apparatus of figure 1.

With reference to the figures, an apparatus for moving tubes, according to the present invention, is generally indicated by number 1 and reference will be made to it below with the notation“apparatus 1”.

Further subject matter of the present invention is a tube transfer unit, indicated by number 100 in the appended figures and mentioned below with the notation“transfer unit 100”.

The tubes to which reference is made in this description are preferably metal tubes made of carbon steel, stainless steel or aluminium for hydraulic or structural applications, in particular tubes with a weight indicatively comprised between 0.1 kg and 1 ,500 kg, preferably between 1 kg and 1 ,000 kg and with a diameter comprised between 10 mm and 800 mm, preferably between 15 mm and 615 mm.

The apparatus 1 is configured to receive a plurality of tubes from an inlet station“M”, for example coinciding with the end part of the production line of a plant for producing tubes, and for moving the same tubes towards a release station“R”, for example an accumulation unit or a parking point of the tubes coming from the production line.

The apparatus 1 comprises a conveyor 10 configured to move a plurality of tubes from the inlet station“M” to a gripping station“P” in which the tubes are arranged so as to be picked up by the transfer unit 100, described below.

In particular, the conveyor 10 is configured to position the aforementioned tubes in the gripping station“P” according to an ordered arrangement in which the tubes themselves are adjacent and parallel to each other, so as to occupy a rectangular surface.

Preferably, the conveyor 10 is provided with a tube supply device, which can comprise for example one or more motorised belts, one or more motorised chains or other means to allow the movement of tubes from the inlet station“M” to the gripping station“P”.

In the embodiment represented, the supply device comprises an inclined plane 12 arranged sloping downwards with respect to the inlet station“M” so as to determine a movement of the tubes, which could comprise sliding and/or rolling, from the inlet station“M” to the gripping station“P”.

Furthermore, the conveyor 10 comprises an abutment wall 14 arranged at the end of the inclined plane 12 so as to delimit a side of the gripping station“P”.

The abutment wall 14 is configured to stop the advancement of the tubes in a predefined position at the gripping station “P”, so that they are arranged in a row striking against it in the end stretch of the inclined plane 12.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the apparatus 1 comprises a system for adjusting the inclination acting on the inclined plane 12 to vary the inclination of the latter. In particular, in the illustrated solution, the inclined plane 12 is pivoted to a support 15 and the system for adjusting the inclination comprises an actuator 16, preferably a jack, acting on the inclined plane 12 so as to rotate it with respect to the support 15.

The inclination adjustment system is configured to change the inclination of the inclined plane 12 between a rolling angle in which it defines a downward slope between the inlet station“M” and the gripping station“P” and a gripping angle, preferably substantially horizontal.

In particular, the rolling angle determines a slope of the inclined plane 12 sufficient to cause a movement of the tubes coming from the inlet station “M” to the abutment wall 14 which stops them in the gripping station“P”. Such slope is also sufficient to determine the aforementioned movement of the tubes compatibly with the operating frequencies required by the other elements and machinery of the apparatus 1 described below.

The gripping angle is, instead, such as to promote the gripping of the tubes in the gripping station“P” by the transfer unit 100 and, preferably, is such as to align the upper portions of the tubes in the gripping station“P” in a substantially horizontal plane.

Preferably, the apparatus 1 comprises a compacting means 18 acting on the tubes arranged in the gripping station“P” for moving them along its own main extension direction, i.e. the length, so as to align the respective ends and arrange the aforementioned tubes on an exactly rectangular surface.

In the illustrated embodiment, the compacting means 18 comprises an abutment wall that can be moved along the inclined plane 12 according to a direction“D” parallel to the abutment wall 14 to strike against the tubes arranged in the gripping station“P” and move the aforementioned tubes against a wall opposite the aforementioned abutment wall that laterally delimits the inclined plane 12.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the compacting means 18 is also configured to perform a measurement of the length of the tubes. For that purpose, a measuring device, not illustrated, is provided to measure the stroke performed by the abutment wall starting from an initial reference position to a position in which the tubes are in contact with the opposite wall. Such measuring device is well known by a person skilled in the art and will therefore not be described in further detail.

The length measurement of the tubes can be used by a control unit of the apparatus 1 for determining the position of the centre of gravity of each tube, so as to determine, for each tube, a barycentric gripping position that keeps the tube substantially horizontal, preventing the tube from tending to tilt due to the effect of an eccentric grip.

The apparatus 1 further comprises the transfer unit 100 previously mentioned.

The transfer unit 100 comprises an anthropomorphous arm 1 10 able to move an end portion 1 12 thereof between the gripping station“P” and the aforementioned release station“R” of the apparatus 1.

Preferably, the robotic arm 110 is of the type with four degrees of freedom and, in the illustrated embodiment, it has two horizontal axis joints and two vertical axis joints.

Furthermore, the transfer unit 100 comprises gripping means 120 mounted on the end portion 1 12 and configured to constrain one or more tubes arranged in the gripping station“P”, to keep the tubes constrained during the lifting and movement thereof by means of the robotic arm 1 10 and to release them at the release station“R”.

Preferably, the robotic arm 110 and the inclination adjustment system acting on the inclined plane 12 are coordinated with each other so that the adjustment system orients the inclined plane 12 according to the gripping angle described above when the gripping means 120 gets ready to pick up the tubes in the gripping station “P”, so that they are facilitated in constraining the aforementioned tubes.

Furthermore, the inclination adjustment system is configured to incline the inclined plane 12 following the movement of the tubes in the gripping station“P” so as to allow further tubes to occupy it.

In the illustrated solution, the gripping means 120 is configured to pick up one or more tubes adjacent to each other and arranged according to a rectangular plan oriented according to a substantially horizontal plane. Advantageously, the robotic arm 1 10 and the gripping means 120 according to the present invention allow various tubes to be transported simultaneously from the gripping station“P” to the release station“R” for each stroke of the robotic arm 1 10.

Furthermore, the robotic arm or robotic arms 1 10 and the gripping means

120 are configured to move a plurality of tubes with a total weight comprised between 10 kg and 2000 kg, preferably between 50 kg and 1000 kg.

Preferably, the gripping means 120 comprises a plate 121 or another type of support having a flat lower surface and a plurality of constraint members 122 arranged in a matrix arrangement on the lower surface of the plate

121 itself. In particular, the constraint members 122 are arranged in parallel rows aligned with the predefined arrangement of the tubes in the gripping station“P”.

Preferably, the constraint members 122 comprise a plurality of suckers connected to a pneumatic system configured to determine a depression between the suckers and a lateral surface of respective tubes, for allowing the lifting and movement of the tubes themselves by means of the robotic arm 110.

Alternative embodiments of the present invention envisage the adoption of grippers and/or magnets in the place of the aforementioned suckers, or alongside them, for the lifting and movement of the tubes. Furthermore, the constraint members 122 can be provided with further gripping elements, structured to grasp and release further components necessary for packaging the tubes, e.g. stabiliser wedges, flat layers to be interposed between superposed layers of tubes, or the like.

The robotic arm 110 is configured to move the plate 121 between the gripping“P” and release“R” stations and, preferably, to keep the plate 121 oriented horizontally during the aforementioned movement so as to facilitate the picking, transport and release of the tubes by the constraint members 122.

Preferably, the robotic arm 1 10 and/or the gripping means 120 can be calibrated and/or adjusted to pick up the tubes from the gripping station “P” according to the predefined position thereof determined by the inclined plane 12, the abutment wall 14 and the compacting means 18.

Furthermore, the robotic arm 110 and/or the gripping means 120 are configured to release the plurality of tubes at the release station “R” according to a predefined arrangement in horizontal layers. They can therefore be calibrated and/or adjusted according to the aforementioned predefined arrangement.

In particular, the robotic arm 110 is configured to rotate the plate 121 about a vertical axis so as to align it with the predefined arrangement of the tubes alternatively in the gripping“P” and release“R” stations.

Furthermore, the robotic arm 110 is controlled to position the plate 121 in such a position so that each tube is grasped in a barycentric position. This is possible for the control unit of the apparatus, as the length of the tube measured through the compacting means 18 is known, which can therefore activate the robotic arm 1 10 knowing the position of the centre of gravity of the tubes.

The use of a robotic arm 110 enables the transfer unit 100 to be adapted for installation in plants with different floor plans and therefore allows a certain degree of flexibility in the positioning of the gripping“P” and release “R” stations inside the plant itself.

In some embodiments not shown, the transfer unit 100 comprises two or more robotic arms 1 10, arranged so as to operate between the same gripping“P” and release“R” stations and synchronised so as to operate on two or more spaced apart sections of the tubes arranged in the gripping station “P”. Such embodiment is particularly useful in the presence of longer tubes.

In particular, the robotic arms 1 10 are each configured to constrain a respective section of the tubes, where the gripping sections are arranged symmetrically with respect to the centre of gravity of the tubes. The robotic arms 1 10 are also provided to move in a coordinated way, so as to move the tubes from the gripping station “P” to the release station “R” and arrange them according to the predetermined arrangement in horizontal layers as above. The coordination between the movements of the robotic arms 110 may be performed by the control unit of the apparatus 1.

Preferably, the apparatus 1 comprises one or more collecting devices 130, at least one of which is arranged at the release station“R” of the transfer unit 100 and configured to receive a plurality of tubes arranged in horizontal layers.

Preferably, the control unit is configured to activate the constraint members 122 so as to adjust the numbers of tubes transported in a single movement of the robotic arm 1 10 from the gripping station “P” to the release station“R” according to the number of tubes already present in the upper layer of the aforementioned plurality of tubes on the collecting device 130, so as to pick and release only the number of tubes necessary for completing the aforementioned layer and starting the subsequent layer through the subsequent movement. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus 1 comprises a plurality of collecting devices 130 comprising carriages, one carriage being arranged in the loading position 132 at the release station“R” so as to receive the tubes from the transfer unit 100 and one or more further carriages 133 arranged so as to take its place after a predetermined number of tubes has been arranged on the carriage in the loading position 132.

Preferably, the apparatus 1 comprises a rail 135 passing through the release station“R” and the aforementioned carriages are slidable on or along such rail 135 away from and towards the release station“R”.

Furthermore, the apparatus 1 incorporates a management system configured to detect the presence of a predetermined number of tubes on the carriage in the loading position 132 and, upon reaching a predetermined threshold, to move the carriage loaded with tubes away from the release station“R”.

In parallel, the management system is configured to move one of the further empty carriages 133 towards the release station“R” to take the place of the carriage in the loading position 132 which has no more capacity.

The present invention reaches the proposed object, overcoming the described disadvantages of the known art.

In particular, the transfer unit described allows the effective and elastic movement of the tubes between a gripping station and a release station, adapted for tubes of different diameters, lengths and weights and more silent than systems of the prior art.

Furthermore, the described apparatus for moving tubes has a system for moving and/or packaging tubes alternative to those present in the prior art, largely or completely automated (or that can be automated) and more efficient from the point of view of the use of space with respect to the prior art.

Claims

1. A tube transfer unit (100) comprising:

- an anthropomorphous robotic arm (110) having an end portion (1 12) movable between a gripping station (P) and a release station (R);

- gripping means (120) mounted on said end portion (1 12) and configured to constrain one or more tubes arranged in the gripping station (P), for transporting simultaneously said one or more tubes from the gripping station (P) to the release station (R) and releasing said one or more tubes at the release station (R).

2. The transfer unit (100) according to claim 1 wherein said gripping means (120) comprises a plate (121 ) and a plurality of constraint members (122) arranged in a matrix arrangement on a lower surface of said plate (121 ), so as to constrain and transport the tubes according to an arrangement in which the tubes are flanked, adjacent and parallel to each other.

3. The transfer unit (100) according to claim 2 wherein said constraint members (122) comprise respective suckers connected to a pneumatic system configured to determine a depression between said suckers and a lateral surface of a tube.

4. The transfer unit (100) according to claim 1 , comprising two or more robotic arms (1 10), mutually synchronised and configured to constrain respective sections of the tubes, and to move the tubes in a coordinated way from the gripping station (P) to the release station (R).

5. An apparatus (1 ) for moving tubes comprising:

- a tube transfer unit (100) according to one or more of claims 1 to 8;

- a conveyor (10) configured to move a plurality of tubes from an inlet station (M) to the gripping station (P) of the tube transfer unit (100) according to an arrangement in which the tubes are flanked, adjacent and parallel to each other.

6. The apparatus (1 ) according to claim 5, wherein said conveyor (10) comprises an inclined plane (12) configured to determine a rolling of the tubes from the inlet station (M) to the gripping station (P) and an abutment wall (14) adapted to stop the rolling of the tubes in a predefined position at the gripping station (P), the robotic arm (1 10) and/or the gripping means (120) of the tube transfer unit (100) being able to be calibrated and/or adjusted according to said predefined position for picking the tubes from the gripping station (P).

7. The apparatus (1 ) according to claim 5, comprising a compacting means (18) acting on the tubes arranged in the gripping station (P) for moving said tubes along a main or longitudinal extension direction, so as to mutually align them.

8. The apparatus (1 ) according to claim 7, wherein the compacting means (18) comprises: an abutment wall movable along a direction“D” parallel to the longitudinal direction so as to push the tubes against a wall opposite to the aforementioned abutment wall;

a measuring device, provided to measure the stroke performed by the abutment wall starting from an initial reference position to a position in which the tubes are in contact with the opposite wall.

9. The apparatus (1 ) according to claim 5, comprising a control unit configured to activate the constraint members (122) so as to adjust the number of tubes transported in a single movement of the robotic arm (1 10) from the gripping station (P) to the release station (R) according to the number of tubes already present in an upper layer of the arrangement in horizontal layers in the release station (R).

10. The apparatus (1 ) according to claim 5, comprising a collecting device (130) at the release station (R) of the transfer unit (100), said collecting device (130) being configured to receive a plurality of tubes according to a predefined arrangement of horizontal layers, the robotic arm (110) and/or the gripping means (120) of the transfer unit (100) being able to be calibrated and/or adjusted according to said predefined arrangement in horizontal layers.

11. A method for transferring tubes from a gripping station (P) to a release station (R), comprising the following steps:

arranging one or more mutually parallel and adjacent tubes in the gripping station (P);

picking one or more tubes from the gripping station (P) through a gripping means (120) associated with an anthropomorphous robotic arm (1 10); activating the robotic arm (1 10) to move the tubes to the release station (R);

releasing the tubes in the release station (R).

12. The method for transferring tubes, according to claim 1 1 , comprising:

a step of measuring the length of the tubes for determining the centre of gravity of the tubes;

a step of activating the robotic arm (1 10) for positioning the gripping means (120) in a barycentric position of the tubes.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising a step of picking one or more tubes from the gripping station (P) through two or more gripping means (120) associated with corresponding robotic arms (1 10), wherein the robotic arms (1 10) are activated and coordinated so as to position the gripping means at the gripping sections of the tubes arranged symmetrically with respect to the centre of gravity of the tubes.