WO2022005382A1

WO2022005382A1 - Laser tool for pipe installation

Info

Publication number: WO2022005382A1
Application number: PCT/SE2021/050660
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marcus BOMAN
Original assignee: Boman Marcus
Priority date: 2020-07-02
Filing date: 2021-07-01
Publication date: 2022-01-06
Also published as: SE2050829A1; SE545317C2

Abstract

A tool (1) for pipe installation, comprising a frame (3,4), a laser (2), arranged on said frame (3), wherein the tool (1) is arranged to be placed on an inside of a pipe opening in an initial position and, due to the force of gravitation, automatically adjust its position to be in a final position, and wherein the laser (2), when the tool (1) is in its final position, is disposed vertically above the bottom of the pipe opening at a position coinciding with the longitudinal centerline axis of the pipe.

Description

LASER TOOL FOR PIPE INSTALLATION

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to tools used during installation of pipes. More specifically it relates to a laser tool used in connection to a pipe opening.

Background art

[0002] Pipes are common building elements in many areas of construction. They can for example be ventilation pipes or plumbing pipes. A pipe is often divided into several pipe elements and, during the installation of the pipes, fixating means are used to fasten each pipe element to a wall or a ceiling. For example, ventilation pipes are often fastened to the ceiling using a fixating means with two components, a roof fastening and a so-called pendulum between the roof fastening and the pipe. It is important that the pipes are installed along the same horizontal axis, however, the roof from where the fastening means extend may not be completely horizontal. Therefore, it is up to the installer to adjust the length of each pendulum to make sure that every pipe element follows the same horizontal axis. To his/her aid, the installer often uses a cross laser, providing horizontal and vertical lines showing where the fastening means should be placed and how far out the pendulum should extend. The cross laser often stands on the ground or on a platform and when the installer moves to install each new fastening means, the laser has to be moved as well. Therefore, for each move, the cross laser needs to be re-positioned and adjusted so that the pipes’ horizontal axis is maintained. This is tedious and time consuming and furthermore presents a possibility for accumulated errors if the cross laser is not positioned in the right place every time.

[0003] It is possible to avoid moving the laser by positioning it in connection to a first pipe, an using the first pipe as a reference for the installation of subsequent pipe elements. One such solution is disclosed in patent document US6823600 B1 which discloses an adjustable fit laser projecting tool which is clamped to an outer surface of a cylindrical object, and allows a laser diode to be moved to the centerline of the cylindrical object to aid in the alignment of additional cylindrical objects.

[0004] However, pipes are often installed in cramped places, sometimes high above the ground. Therefore, it remains to be solved how to position the laser quickly and easily without excessive effort from the user, and without it taking up an unnecessary amount of space surrounding the pipe. Furthermore, it is important to lessen the impact of human error in the positioning of the laser.

Summary of invention

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to solve at least some of the issues outlined above.

[0006] This object is achieved in a first aspect of the invention, in which there is provided a tool for pipe installation, comprising a frame, a laser arranged on said frame, wherein the tool is arranged to be placed on an inside of a pipe opening in an initial position and, due to the force of gravitation, automatically adjust its position to be in a final position, and wherein the laser, when the tool is in its final position, is disposed vertically above the bottom of the pipe opening at a position coinciding with the longitudinal centerline axis of the pipe.

[0007] An advantage of the tool is that the laser does not have to be repositioned during the course of installing several pipe elements, because it provides reference laser beams emanating from the pipe opening. A further advantage is that the final position of the tool is dependent on the force of gravity and does not rely on the initial position in which the tool is placed, the impact of human error is thus decreased, compared to other tools.

[0008] In one embodiment, the laser, when the tool is in its final position, is directed out from the pipe opening.

[0009] The laser may thereby emit reference laser beams in the surrounding of the pipe that emanate from the centerline axis of the pipe. These reference laser beams can then be utilized by a user to find suitable positions for pipe fixating means which will cause subsequent pipes to follow the longitudinal centerline axis of the pipe.

[0010] In one embodiment, the tool further comprises a rolling element, and wherein automatically adjusting the position comprises rolling of the rolling element along the inside of the pipe opening to a bottom of the pipe opening.

[0011] Due to the rolling element, the adjustment from the initial to the final position along the inside of the pipe opening is done in a way which allows for very small displacements, meaning that even if a user places the tool in an initial position which is very close to the final position, the rolling element would still adjust the position to be at the final position.

[0012] In one embodiment, the tool further comprises a weight arranged on said frame.

[0013] The weight has the advantage of forcing the tool downwards, helping it reach the final position quicker and with higher accuracy. The weight also works as a counterweight to the laser, so that it is kept in its vertical position.

[0014] In one embodiment, the laser is arranged to be movable along the frame between a plurality of positions corresponding to pipe diameters.

[0015] The plurality of positions ensures that the laser is in a position coinciding with the centerline axis of the pipe, independently of the diameter of the pipe. This has the advantage that the tool can be used with pipes of different dimensions and standards.

[0016] In one embodiment, the frame comprises a main frame and a sliding bar arranged to slide along said main frame.

[0017] In one embodiment, the laser is fixedly arranged on the sliding bar and the rolling element and the weight are arranged on the main frame. [0018] Due to the laser being arranged on the sliding bar, it can be moved between different positions, while the rolling element and the weight are not moved.

[0019] In one embodiment, the tool comprises a locking arrangement arranged to lock the sliding bar to the main frame into a plurality of positions.

[0020] The locking arrangement ensures that the laser, when it is in a desirable position, does not slide and is not displaced. The advantage is that it will remain in its position coinciding with the centerline axis of the tool during use.

[0021] In one embodiment the locking arrangement comprises a plurality of indents longitudinally arranged on the sliding bar and a ball spring arranged on the main frame, wherein sliding of the sliding bar in the main frame causes the ball spring to slide into an indent and thereby lock the sliding bar to the main frame.

[0022] In one embodiment, the laser is a cross laser.

[0023] In a second aspect, there is also provided a method for using a laser tool according the first aspect comprising: determining a first pipe (8); placing the laser tool (1 ) in an initial position on an inside of a pipe opening of the first pipe (8) wherein the laser tool (1 ), due to the force of gravitation, automatically adjust its position to be in a final position, and the laser (2), when the tool (1) is in its final position, is disposed vertically above the bottom of the pipe opening at a position coinciding with the longitudinal centerline axis of the pipe.

Brief description of drawings

[0024] The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] Fig. 1 displays a front view of a laser tool.

[0026] Fig. 2 displays a back view of a laser tool. [0027] Fig. 3 displays a laser tool during use.

Description of embodiments

[0028] In the following, a detailed description of a laser tool used during pipe installation will be provided. The embodiments described herein should not be seen as limiting to the scope of the invention, but as examples provided to give a better understanding of the claimed invention.

[0029] Fig 1 displays a front view of a laser tool 1 used during pipe installation. Pipes may be ventilation pipes, plumbing pipes or other pipes or cylindrical construction elements. The laser tool 1 is arranged to be placed in connection to a first pipe 8 (shown in Fig. 3). The first pipe 8 is used as a reference and the longitudinal centerline axis of the first pipe 8 is used as the reference axis along which subsequent pipes are aligned. More specifically, the laser tool 1 is arranged to be placed on an inside of an opening of the first pipe 8. The pipe opening is the end-part of a pipe, where it is possible to connect a subsequent pipe. The laser tool 1 , when it is placed on the inside of the pipe opening, may therefore provide laser reference lines emitting from the longitudinal centerline axis of the first pipe 8. The laser reference lines can be used when determining desired positions of fixating means that fixate the subsequent pipes to walls or ceilings or other surfaces. The desired positions of these fixating means correspond to the positions which causes the subsequent pipes, when installed, to be disposed along the longitudinal centerline axis of the first pipe 8.

[0030] The laser tool 1 is shown in Fig. 1. The laser tool 1 comprises a frame which in turn comprises two parts, a main frame 4 and a sliding bar 3. The sliding bar 3 has a laser 2 arranged thereon. The main frame 4 has a rolling element 5 and a weight 6 arranged thereon. The tool further comprises a locking arrangement 7 for locking the sliding bar 3 to the main frame 4. The locking arrangement 7a, 7b enables locking of the sliding bar 3 in a plurality of positions in relation to the main frame 4. [0031 ] The sliding bar 3 is formed by a first and second elongated plate fixated perpendicular to each other so that the sliding bar 3 essentially has a T-shaped cross-section. The main frame 4 is formed by one elongated plate having folded longitudinal edges, fitted to slidably receive the first plate of the sliding bar 3. The frame may for example be formed by a metal, for example steel or aluminum, or it may be formed by another rigid material such as a thermosetting polymer material.

[0032] The locking arrangement 7 comprises a ball spring 7a arranged on the main frame 4. The ball spring 7a is arranged on the side of the main frame 4 arranged to receive the sliding bar 3. Furthermore, the locking arrangement 7 comprises a series of indents or recesses 7b, longitudinally arranged on the first plate of the sliding bar, on the side facing the main frame 4. During use, as the sliding bar 3 is slid along the main frame 4 by a user, the ball spring slides into and out of the indents 7b. When the ball spring slides into a first indent of the indents 7b, it locks the sliding bar 3 to the main frame 4 in a first locked position. When the user slides the sliding bar 3 along the main frame 4, the ball spring slides into a second indent of the indents 7b and locks the sliding bar 3 in a second locked position. Each indent 7b therefore represents a position in which the sliding bar 3 may be locked to the main frame 4.

[0033] The laser 2 is fixedly arranged on the sliding bar 3. Therefore, as the sliding bar 3 is slid between the locked positions, the laser 2 is also moved between the locked positions. The locked positions, and thereby also the idents 7b, correspond to pipe diameters, and what position is chosen by the user depends on the diameter of the first pipe 8 which is to be used as reference for the subsequent pipes. During use, the user slides the sliding bar 3 so that the ball spring 7a slides into that of the indents 7b which corresponds to the diameter of the first pipe 8. To this end, each of the indents 7b may be marked with a number or other reference corresponding to pipe diameters of differently sized pipes, and the user thus chooses the indent 7b which is marked with the number or reference corresponding to the diameter of the first pipe 8. When the tool 1 is in the locked position corresponding to the diameter of the first pipe 8 and placed in the pipe opening of the first pipe 8, the laser 2 coincides with the centerline axis of the first pipe 8.

[0034] The rolling element 5 is rotatably arranged on a first end of the main frame 4. The rolling element is formed by a cylinder which is arranged to rotate freely on an axis extending perpendicularly from the side of the main frame 4 opposite the side arranged to receive the sliding bar 3. On the opposite end of the main frame 4, the weight 6 is fixedly arranged. The weight 6 can have essentially any shape or size. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 1 it has the shape of a cylinder extending perpendicularly from the main frame 4, however it may also have other shapes and may also be integrally formed with the main frame 4.

[0035] During use, the rolling element 5 is placed on an inside of a pipe opening. Due to its ability to rotate freely, it may roll along the inside of the pipe opening. Due to the weight 6 arranged on the opposite end of the main frame 4, the rolling element 5 rolls from an initial position where it is placed by a user, to a final position at the bottom of the inside of the pipe opening. This means that the force of gravitation will adjust the position of the rolling element 5 to be at the bottom of the pipe opening, irrespective of the initial position where a user places it. The accuracy of the final position, meaning how close the rolling element 5 is to the actual bottom of the pipe opening, is enhanced by the weight 6 forcing the tool downwards. In the final position of the rolling element 5, and thereby also the final position of the laser tool 1 , the main frame 4 and the weight 6 extends vertically below the bottom of the pipe opening.

[0036] Fig. 3 shows the laser tool 1 during use. In Fig. 3, the laser tool 1 is in its final position and the rolling element 5 rests at the bottom of the pipe opening of the first pipe 8. The sliding bar 3 extends vertically above the bottom of the pipe opening and the laser 2 arranged thereon is in a position coinciding with the centerline axis of the first pipe 8, the centerline axis is shown in Fig. 3 as a dotted line. The laser 2 is arranged on the sliding bar so that it, during use, faces out from the pipe opening. The laser 2 may for example be a cross laser emitting two perpendicular laser beams or laser planes. The weight 6 works as a counterweight to the laser 2 to balance the laser tool 1 and keep it in its vertical position.

[0037] Following is a description of how a user may use the laser tool 1 during pipe installation.

[0038] The user determines a first pipe 8, along the centerline axis of which a second pipe or plurality of pipes is to be disposed. The user determines the diameter of the first pipe 8 and slides the sliding bar 3 so that the sliding bar 3 and the main frame 4 are in the locked position corresponding to said diameter. The user does so by sliding the sliding bar 3 along the main frame 4 so that the ball spring 7a is slid into one of the indents 7b corresponding to said position and thereby locking the sliding bar 3 in that position. The sliding bar 3 and the main frame 4 are thus locked by the locking arrangement 7. The user then places the laser tool 1 in an initial position at an opening of the first pipe 8 by placing the rolling element 5 at the inside of the pipe opening. Due to the force of gravitation, the rolling element 5 rolls to the bottom of the pipe opening. The accuracy is enhanced by the weight 6 pulling the laser tool 1 downwards. The user now turns on the laser 2, which is now disposed at a position coinciding with the centerline axis of the first pipe 8. Laser beams emitted from the laser 2 are thus emanating from the centerline axis of the first pipe 8 and can therefore be used as reference when positioning the fixating means meant to fixate subsequent pipes to a wall or a ceiling during pipe installation.

[0039] Preferred embodiments of a laser tool have been disclosed above. However, a person skilled in the art realises that this can be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the inventive idea.

[0040] All the described alternative embodiments above or parts of an embodiment can be freely combined or employed separately from each other without departing from the inventive idea as long as the combination is not contradictory.

Claims

1. A tool (1 ) for pipe installation, comprising: a frame (3,4), a laser (2), arranged on said frame (3), wherein the tool (1) is arranged to be placed on an inside of a pipe opening in an initial position and, due to the force of gravitation, automatically adjust its position to be in a final position, and wherein the laser (2), when the tool (1) is in its final position, is disposed vertically above the bottom of the pipe opening at a position coinciding with the longitudinal centerline axis of the pipe.

2. A tool (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the laser (2), when the tool (1 ) is in its final position, is directed out from the pipe opening.

3. A tool (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a rolling element (5), and wherein automatically adjusting the position comprises rolling of the rolling element (5) along the inside of the pipe opening to a bottom of the pipe opening.

4. A tool (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a weight (6) arranged on said frame.

5. A tool (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the laser (2) is arranged to be movable along the frame between a plurality of positions corresponding to pipe diameters.

6. A tool (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said frame comprises a main frame (4) and a sliding bar (3) arranged to slide along said main frame (4).

7. A tool (1 ) according to claim 6, wherein the laser (2) is fixedly arranged on the sliding bar (3) and the rolling element (5) and the weight (6) are arranged on the main frame (4).

8. A tool (1 ) according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a locking arrangement (7a, 7b) arranged to lock the sliding bar (3) to the main frame (4) into a plurality of positions.

9. A tool (1) according to claim 8, wherein said locking arrangement (7) comprises a plurality of indents (7b) longitudinally arranged on the sliding bar (3) and a ball spring (7a) arranged on the main frame (4), wherein sliding of the sliding bar (3) along the main frame (4) causes the ball spring to slide into an indent of the plurality of indents (7b) and thereby lock the sliding bar (3) to the main frame (4).

10. A tool (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said laser is a cross laser.

11. A method for providing a laser reference during pipe installation using a laser tool (1 ) comprising the steps of: determining a first pipe (8); placing the laser tool (1 ) in an initial position on an inside of a pipe opening of the first pipe (8) wherein the laser tool (1 ), due to the force of gravitation, automatically adjust its position to be in a final position, and a laser (2) arranged on the laser tool (1), when the laser tool (1) is in its final position, is disposed vertically above the bottom of the pipe opening at a position coinciding with the longitudinal centerline axis of the first pipe (8).