TRANSPORT SYSTEM FOR A PIPE AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING A PIPE

Abstract

Transport system makes it possible to transport a pipe of any length and with the required quality to the location of the use of the pipe. The transport system for a pipe has a transport platform, a receptacle for the pipe, wherein the receptacle is configured in such a manner that the pipe may be received coiled on the receptacle, a drive, wherein the drive is configured in such a manner that the pipe may be conveyed by the drive in a transport direction, and a straightening device, wherein the straightening device is configured in such a manner that the pipe can be straightened with the straightening device. The receptacle, the drive and the straightening device are arranged on the transport platform in such a manner that the pipe may be drawn automatically from the receptacle and fed to the straightening device by the drive.

Claims

1. Transport system for a pipe, comprising: a transport platform; a receptacle for the pipe, wherein the receptacle is configured such that the pipe can be received coiled up on the receptacle; a drive, wherein the drive is configured such that, with the drive, the pipe can be conveyed in a transport direction; and a straightening device, wherein the straightening device is configured such that the pipe can be straightened with the straightening device, wherein the receptacle, the drive and the straightening device are arranged on the transport platform such that, with the drive, the pipe can be drawn off the receptacle and fed to the straightening device in an automated manner.

2. Transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport platform can be at least handled by crane or conveyed or in that the transport platform is connected to a further device which can be at least handled by crane or conveyed.

3. Transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system has a cutting device, wherein the cutting device is configured and arranged such that the pipe can be severed with the cutting device, with the result that a pipe section can be produced with a selectable length, and wherein the receptacle, the drive, the straightening device and the cutting device are arranged on the transport platform such that, with the drive, the pipe can be drawn off the receptacle and fed to the straightening device and the cutting device in an automated manner.

4. Transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system has an electronic controller effectively connected at least to the receptacle, the drive or the cutting device, wherein the controller is configured such that, during operation of the transport system, the controller receives data from at least the receptacle, the drive or the cutting device and/or issues control commands to at least the receptacle, the drive or the cutting device.

5. Transport system according to claim 4, wherein the controller comprises a communications interface, wherein the communications interface is configured such that, with the communications interface, data can be transmitted from the transport system to a server over a data network.

6. Transport system according to claim 4, wherein the controller has an electronic reading device for contactlessly reading a data carrier.

7. Transport system according to claim 6, wherein the transport system has a drum for the coiled pipe, wherein the drum is received on the receptacle and wherein the drum is provided with a contactlessly readable data carrier, which can be read by the reading device.

8. Transport system according to claim 6, wherein the transport system has a coiled pipe, wherein the pipe is received on the receptacle and wherein the pipe is provided with a contactlessly readable data carrier, which can be read by the reading device.

9. Transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system has a coiled pipe, wherein the pipe is received on the receptacle and wherein the pipe consists of a plurality of cold-formed pipe sections made of a stainless steel joined together at their end faces.

10. Transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system has four side walls and a roof, wherein a closable unloading opening is provided in one of the side walls or in the roof, with the result that a pipe section can be taken out of the transport system through the unloading opening, wherein the receptacle, the drive, the straightening device and the cutting device are arranged such that a pipe section can be ejected through the unloading opening.

11. Transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system comprises a transport container, wherein the transport platform is the floor of the transport container or the transport platform is received on a floor of the transport container.

12. Transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system has a marking device arranged on the transport platform for marking a pipe section.

13. Transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system has a bending device arranged on the transport platform for defined bending of a pipe section.

14. Transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system has a degreasing device arranged on the transport platform for degreasing the pipe.

15. Transport system according to claim 1, wherein the transport system has a finishing device arranged on the transport platform, wherein the finishing device is configured and arranged such that, with the finishing device, a compression fitting can be fitted on at least one end of a pipe section.

16. Method for delivering a pipe, comprising: coiling up the pipe; receiving the pipe on a receptacle arranged on a transport platform; transporting the transport platform from a first location to a second location; conveying the pipe in a transport direction with a drive arranged on the transport platform, with the result that the pipe is drawn off the receptacle and fed to a straightening device in an automated manner; and straightening the pipe with the straightening device arranged on the transport platform.

17. Method according to claim 16, wherein, through the conveying of the pipe, the pipe is fed to a cutting device, wherein the method furthermore has the step of severing the pipe with the cutting device arranged on the transport platform, with the result that a pipe section is produced with a selected length.

18. Method according to claim 16, wherein the conveying, the straightening and the cutting are controlled by a common controller, wherein the controller collects data which are a measure of the length of the pipe drawn off the receptacle, and wherein the controller transmits the data to a server via a communications interface and a data network.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0063] FIG. 1 is a partially broken-away perspective representation of a transport system according to a variant of the present disclosure.

[0064] FIG. 2 is a partially broken-away perspective representation of a further variant of a transport system according to the present disclosure.

[0065] FIG. 3 is a side view of the transport system from FIG. 2 when received on a heavy goods vehicle.

[0066] FIG. 4 is a perspective view diagonally from above of the devices inside a transport container, as they are when they are a constituent of a transport system according to a variant of the present disclosure.

[0067] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the controller of a transport system according to FIG. 2

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0068] Identical elements are given identical reference numbers in the figures.

[0069] The transport systems 1, 1, 1 in FIGS. 1 to 4 are all based in each case on a 40-foot ISO shipping container 2, as is shown partially transparent in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0070] The container 2 has in each case a transport platform in the form of the floor 3 of the container 2, four side walls 4, 5, 6, 7 and a roof 8. A door 37, which closes a loading opening 9, is provided in one of the long walls 4. In addition, the front wall 5 is designed in the form of a double-leaf door, as is usual for shipping containers. An unloading opening 10, through which pipe sections 11 can be taken out of the container 2, is additionally provided in the front wall 5. It is understood that the unloading opening 10 can be closed with the aid of a cover plate, in order to completely protect the inside of the container 2 from environmental conditions during transport.

[0071] In the embodiment represented, the container is additionally received on a rolling adapter, with the result that the container can be transported and set down with pinpoint accuracy with the aid of a heavy goods vehicle 12 equipped for it, as shown by way of example in FIG. 3. Such a rolling adapter has the same receiving hook 13 as well as rollers (not represented in the figures), as are known from roller containers.

[0072] In addition to the container 2, the transport system 1, 1, 1 in each case comprises devices inside the container 2. The basis for the transport or the delivery of a pipe 18 is in each case the receptacle 14 or 14 for the coiled pipe. The variants of FIGS. 1 and 2 differ in the design of the receptacle 14, 14 for the coiled pipe.

[0073] In the case of the transport system 1 from FIG. 1 the receptacle 14 is a reel 15 for loading a so-called loose coil, i.e. a coiled pipe which was coiled without a core. The reel 15 is a constituent of the receptacle 14 and is typically not changed even when pipe material is added again. The receptacle 14 moreover comprises a tilt device 16, which makes it possible to adjust the reel 15 both in terms of height and in terms of the alignment of its axis of rotation 17. The height of the reel 15 is matched to the height of the intake for the pipe 18 into the further devices of the transport system 1. To load the loose coil onto the reel 15, its axis of rotation 17 can be tilted such that the axis of rotation 17 is aligned substantially horizontally (not shown in the figures), with the result that it is easy for a user to hang the loose coil on the reel. The reel is then tilted such that its axis of rotation 17 is substantially vertical (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4).

[0074] The receptacle 14 for the coiled pipe of the variant from FIG. 2 has a two-part receptacle mounting 27 for a drum 19 with the pipe 18 coiled thereon. In the variant with such a drum 19, almost any desired pipe lengths can be provided to the customer with the aid of the transport system 1. The length of the pipe is ultimately limited only by the volume of the drum 19.

[0075] The variants of the transport system 1, 1 shown are in each case a transport system for a pipe made of a stainless steel which was produced by cold-forming. The long pipe lengths on the drum 19 are produced by orbital welding of several pipes at their end faces. The material properties of the work-hardened pipes in the vicinity of the welded joint are, however, negatively altered by the welding. These must therefore be cut out of the pipe 18 before the pipe sections are ejected for the customer, and represent scrap which is to be recycled.

[0076] In the two variants of FIGS. 1 and 2 the pipe 18 is inserted into a driving tool 20 as the drive within the meaning of the present disclosure. In particular in the case of the long pipe lengths, as provided on the drum 19 of FIG. 2, the pipe ends of the pipe 18 are already inserted into the driving tool 20 when the transport system 1, 1 is delivered to the customer. The finishing of the pipe sections 11 can begin immediately. In the variant shown, the driving tool 20 is a roller driving tool with two rollers 21, 22, which are motor-driven and are in frictional engagement with the pipe 18, with the result that during operation the pipe 18 experiences a propulsion towards the unloading opening 10.

[0077] A straightening device in the form of a straightening set 23, 24 with a plurality of profile rollers is provided behind the driving tool 20 in the feed direction. The straightening set has two sets 23, 24 of rollers, wherein the axes of rotation of the rollers of the first set 23 are perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the rollers of the second set 24. The straightening device 24 serves to provide the pipe 18, which has been given a curvature of its surfaces by the coiling, with the necessary straightness.

[0078] A cutting device in the form of a parting-off head, which rotates around the pipe 18 in a motor-driven manner and severs it, is provided behind the straightening device 23, 24 in the conveying direction. After the parting-off with the aid of the cutting device 25, the pipe section 11 can be taken from the transport system 1, 1 in the desired straightness and length.

[0079] FIG. 4 shows a further variant of the devices inside the container 2, wherein the container 2 is not represented in FIG. 4 for the sake of simplicity. Like the variant from FIG. 1, the transport system from FIG. 4 again also has a receptacle for a coiled pipe in the form of a loose coil. In addition to the driving tool 20, the straightening set 23, 24 and the parting-off device 25, the variant of the devices of the transport system 1 from FIG. 4 has a bending device 26, which bends the individual pipe sections after being parted off with the aid of the cutting device 25 such that the pipe sections can then be immediately processed further, i.e. for example installed in industrial machines.

[0080] With reference to the variant of the transport system 1 from FIG. 2, the operation of the transport system 1 will now be briefly outlined. In the manufacture by the pipe manufacturer, the container 2 is loaded with a pipe 18 coiled onto the drum 19. The closed container 2 is then transported to the customer purchasing the pipe 18. For the transport, the heavy goods vehicle 12 from FIG. 3 can be used, but the container 2 can also be loaded onto the railway or a ship. At the customer's manufacturing location, which can be a workshop or also a construction site, the container 2 is set down and the final delivery steps can begin immediately. The driving tool 21 draws as much pipe 18 off the drum 19 as is required for the pipe section 11 to be taken in each case. The customer receives a pipe section 11 with a length and quality according to their specification.

[0081] FIG. 5 shows, in a schematic diagram, how the transport system 1 bridges the manufacture by the pipe manufacturer and the further processing by the customer. For this, the transport system 1 has a controller 34 with a computer 28. This computer 28 (not shown in FIGS. 1 to 3) is connected to the individual devices of the container 2, namely the receptacle 14, the driving tool 21, and the parting-off head 25, via corresponding data lines 29. The computer 28 now assumes the control of all further delivery steps, until the pipe section 11 can be taken out of the container 2 through the unloading opening 10 after the parting-off.

[0082] However, the computer 28 additionally also receives information about the operational state of the individual devices 21, 24, 25 via the data lines 29. From this information on the operational state, the computer 28 can deduce how many metres of the pipe 18 have already been drawn off the drum 19 and taken from the container 2 in cut form. As the controller, in addition to the computer 28, also has a mobile radio interface 30 connected to the computer 28, the computer 28 is capable of communicating with a server 32 of the pipe manufacturer over the Internet 31. The server 32 in turn is connected to a computer 33 of the customer over the Internet. In this way, the pipe manufacturer's server 32 can generate invoices for the lengths of the pipe 18 taken from the container 2 in an automated manner. In addition, certificates for the individual pipe section 11 can be transmitted to the customer in an automated manner. If the computer 28 establishes that the entire length of the pipe 18 received on the drum 19 will be drawn off within a particular time, the computer 28 triggers a repeat order for a pipe 18 of the same type via the communications interface 30, the Internet 31 and the pipe manufacturer's server 32. This is then delivered to the customer in a new container 2 in time. The delivering HGV 12 can then replace the empty container with the full container at the customer's location.

[0083] Furthermore, the computer 28 of the controller 34 is connected to an electronic reading device in the form of a contactless RFID reader 35. The RFID reader 35 serves to read RFID tags 36 which are arranged on the drum 19. In this way, the transport system 1 can detect, in an automated manner, the type of pipe 18 which is provided on the drum 19. The corresponding information is stored in the RFID tag 36.

[0084] For the purposes of original disclosure, it is pointed out that all features, as revealed to a person skilled in the art from the present description, the drawings and the claims, even if they were described specifically only in connection with particular further features, can be combined with others of the features or groups of features disclosed here both individually and in any desired combinations, unless this has been expressly ruled out or technical circumstances make such combinations impossible or pointless. The comprehensive, explicit representation of all conceivable combinations of features is dispensed with here only for the sake of the brevity and readability of the description.

[0085] While the disclosure has been represented and described in detail in the drawings and the preceding description, this representation and description is effected merely by way of example and is not intended as a limitation of the scope of protection as defined by the claims. The disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown.

[0086] Modifications of the disclosed embodiments are obvious for a person skilled in the art from the drawings, the description and the attached claims. In the claims the word have does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact of particular features being claimed in different claims does not exclude the combination thereof. Reference numbers in the claims are not intended as a limitation of the scope of protection.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0087] 1, 1, 1 transport system [0088] 2 container [0089] 3 floor of the container 2 [0090] 4, 5, 6, 7 side wall of the container 2 [0091] 8 roof [0092] 9 loading opening [0093] 10 unloading opening [0094] 11 pipe section [0095] 12 heavy goods vehicle [0096] 13 receiving hook [0097] 14, 14 receptacle for a coiled pipe [0098] 15 reel [0099] 16 tilt device [0100] 17 axis of rotation [0101] 18 pipe [0102] 19 drum [0103] 20 driving tool [0104] 21, 22 rollers of the driving tool 20 [0105] 23 first part of the straightening set [0106] 24 second part of the straightening set [0107] 25 cutting device [0108] 26 bending device [0109] 27 receptacle mounting [0110] 28 computer [0111] 29 data line [0112] 30 mobile radio interface [0113] 31 internet [0114] 32 pipe manufacturers server [0115] 33 customer's computer [0116] 34 controller [0117] 35 RFID reader [0118] 36 RFID tag [0119] 37 door