The present application is based on Japanese patent application No. 2005-059286 filed Mar. 3, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of feeding a pipe from a level wound coil (hereinafter called LWC) and, particularly, to a method of feeding a pipe from an LWC that is formed coiling a metal pipe, such as a copper and copper alloy pipe, which is used as a heat transfer pipe of an air-conditioning heat exchanger, a construction water plumbing etc. Furthermore, this invention relates to a package for LWC and a packaging method for LWC.
2. Description of the Related Art
A heat transfer pipe such as an inside-grooved pipe and a smooth pipe is used for the air-conditioning heat exchanger, the construction water plumbing etc. The heat transfer pipe is typically formed of a copper or copper alloy pipe (hereinafter simply called copper pipe). In the manufacturing process thereof, the pipe is coiled and then annealed into a given tempered material. Then, it is stored or transported in the form of LWC. In use, the LWC is uncoiled and cut into a pipe with a desired length.
When the LWC is used, the copper pipe is decoiled from the LWC by using a copper pipe feeding apparatus (uncoiler). For example, JP-A-2002-370869 discloses a copper pipe feeding apparatus, which will be explained below.
FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a conventional copper pipe feeding apparatus (vertical uncoiler). FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing a conventional copper pipe feeding apparatus (horizontal uncoiler).
As shown in FIG. 5A, the copper pipe feeding apparatus 10A is operated such that a bobbin 21 with an LWC 20 coiled around there is vertically attached, and a copper pipe 22 is decoiled from the bobbin 21 while being guided by a guide 11 in a feeding direction. Then, it is cut into a pipe with a desired length by a cutter (not shown).
As shown in FIG. 5B, the copper pipe feeding apparatus 10B is operated such that the bobbin 21 with the LWC 20 coiled around there is horizontally disposed on a turntable 12, and the copper pipe 22 is decoiled from the bobbin 21 while being guided by a guide 13 in a feeding direction. Then, it is cut into a pipe with a desired length by a cutter (not shown).
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view showing a detailed arrangement of LWC coiled around a bobbin in FIG. 5A or 5B. As shown, the LWC 20 is structured with the copper pipe coiled around the bobbin 21. The bobbin 21 comprises an inner cylinder 23 around which the copper pipe 22 is coiled in multiple layers, and a pair of disk-like side boards 24 attached to both sides of the inner cylinder 23.
However, the copper pipe feeding apparatuses 10A, 10B as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B have a problem that the structure is complicated and the cost thereof increases.
In order to solve this problem, JP-A-2002-370869 discloses a copper pipe feeding method called “Eye to the sky” (hereinafter called ETTS).
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the method of feeding a copper pipe by the ETTS method. An LWC assembly 30 has plural LWC's 32 that are stacked through a cushioning material 33 such that its center axis is directed perpendicularly to the upper surface of a pallet 31. The pallet 31 is formed rectangular and comprises plural wooden square logs 31a and one or more wooden board 31b attached on the square logs 31a. The cushioning material 33 is formed of wood, paper or resin and has a disk shape with a greater diameter than the LWC 32.
As shown, the LWC 32 has an outside diameter of about 1000 mm and an inside diameter of 500 to 600 mm. The total height of the LWC assembly 30 including the pallet 31 is about 1 to 2 m.
The method of feeding a copper pipe by the ETTS method will be explained below referring to FIG. 7.
The copper pipe 35 is fed upward from the inside of the top LWC 32 in the LWC assembly 30. Then, in order to cut the copper pipe 35 horizontally on a pass line about 1 m over the floor, the feeding direction is changed by a guide 34 disposed above the LWC assembly 30. Then, the copper pipe 35 is cut into a desired length by a cutter. The guide 34 is formed a circular arc metal or resin tube and has an inside diameter greater than that of the copper pipe 35. The height from the plane on which to place the pallet 31 to the guide 34 is about 2.5 to 3.5 m.
The ETTS method is advantageous in removing the purchase cost of the bobbin since the bobbin 21 as shown in FIG. 6 is not needed. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, since it is not needed to rotate the LWC, the uncoiler and turntable as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B are not needed. Thus, the facility cost can be significantly reduced.
A method of coiling the LWC 32 will be explained below referring to FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 6, for example, the copper pipe 22 is wound on the inner cylinder 23 of the bobbin 21 in alignment winding from a copper pipe 22a at start position to the right direction. The alignment winding is a method that the copper pipe 22 is wound a circuit around the inner cylinder 23 and then it is wound the next circuit in close contact with the previous circuit not to have a gap therebetween.
After the copper pipe 22 is wound up to the right end to have a cylinder form, the second layer is wound in alignment winding along the center-axis direction of the LWC from the right end to the left end (in the reverse direction). Further, the third layer coil is formed on the second layer coil in alignment winding. This is called traverse winding, where after the first-layer cylindrical coil is formed, the second-layer cylindrical coil is wound in the reverse direction along the center-axis direction of the LWC. Thereby, the LWC can be reduced in volume and, therefore, a space needed in storing and transporting can be reduced.
FIG. 8 is a schematic cross sectional view illustrating an uncoiling method in LWC. Shown in FIG. 8 is the uncoiling state when the LWC 20 is uncoiled by the ETTS method, where the LWC 20 is produced such that the copper pipe 22 is wound around the bobbin 21 by the coiling method as shown in FIG. 6, removing the bobbin 21, disposing the LWC 20 on the cushioning material 33 as shown in FIG. 7. At first, the copper pipe 22a at start end on the inner layer side is fed upward. After the feeding of the first-layer is completed, the feeding of the second layer begins from a copper pipe 22b at lower end. Subsequently, the outermost third layer is drawn from the upper end to the lower end.
However, the uncoiling method in LWC as shown in FIG. 8 has the next problems. When the LWC 20 is set as the LWC 32 in FIG. 7, the copper pipe 22b at lower end of the second layer is sandwiched between the cushioning material 33 (or the pallet 31) and a copper pipe 22 lying directly thereon. Therefore, it may be difficult to draw the copper pipe 22b due to the frictional resistance. When the frictional resistance in drawing is increased, the copper pipe 22 may be subjected to a bend or kink, resulting in product failure. Further, copper pipes 22b at the lower end of even-numbered layers, i.e., the second and fourth layers etc. can have the same problem.
In this regard, JP-A-2002-370869 discloses an uncoiling method to facilitate the feeding of a copper pipe at lower end in the ETTS method.
FIGS. 9 and 10 (corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 7, respectively, of JP-A-2002-370869) are schematic cross sectional views illustrating the uncoiling method to facilitate the feeding of a copper pipe at lower end.
One-side section of LWC 40 as shown in FIG. 9 is structured such that a copper pipe 41a at start end is located on the top, where an odd-numbered layer has n pipes and an even-numbered layer has (n−1) pipes. n is a natural number of 2 or more, typically 10 or more, and the pipes are wound in aliment winding.
In LWC 40 as shown in FIG. 9, the copper pipe 41a at start end on the inner layer side is fed upward. After the feeding of the first-layer is completed, the feeding of the second layer begins from a copper pipe 41b at lower end. In this case, since a gap exists between the copper pipe 41b at lower end of the second layer and the cushioning material 33 or pallet 31, the copper pipe 41b is less likely to be subjected to the frictional resistance. Thus, the copper pipe 41 can be decoiled stably.
In contrast, FIG. 9 shows one-side section of LWC 40 that a copper pipe 41a at start end is located at the bottom close to the cushioning material 33. The copper pipe 41a at start end on the inner layer side is fed upward from the lower end to the upper end. After the feeding of the first-layer is completed, the feeding of the second layer begins from a copper pipe 41 at the upper end. In this case, since a copper tube 41 at lower end of the second layer is not sandwiched when the copper pipe 41 to be fed turns upward, the copper pipe 41 can be drawn stably as well as the case in FIG. 9.
Meanwhile, the above is taught in paragraphs [0009] to [0012], [0014] to [0017], [0039], [0042], [0062], and [0063] and FIGS. 3, 7 and 14 of JP-A-2002-370869.
However, the uncoiling method of JP-A-2002-370869 has the next problem. In the LWC wound as shown in FIG. 9, a circuit from the copper pipe 41 at lower end of the first layer to the copper pipe 41b at lower end of the second layer is exactly formed of a continuous copper pipe, though seen as separate tubes in the cross sectional view of FIG. 9. Thus, the copper pipe 41 is continuously shifted upward in a shift section on the circuit. When the length of the shift section increases, the gap between the copper pipe 41b at lower end of the second layer and the cushioning material 33 or pallet 31 may substantially disappear. Namely, the copper pipe 41b at lower end of the second layer may be sandwiched between the cushioning material 33 or the pallet 31 and the copper pipe 41 lying directly thereon. Therefore, it may be difficult to feed the copper pipe 41 and the copper pipe 41 may be subjected to a bend or kink.
Further, in the ETTS method, in order to cut the copper pipe horizontally on the pass line about 1 m over the floor, the copper pipe needs to feed downward after it is fed upward 2.5 to3.5 m to be led to the guide disposed above the LWC assembly Thus, it takes a long time to set the copper pipe at the cutter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of feeding a pipe from an LWC that needs no bobbin or drive unit, and can prevent the incidence of a bend or kink in feeding the pipe at lower end of the LWC, and can reduce the time needed to set the pipe at a cutter.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a package for LWC to be used for the above method.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a packaging method for LWC to offer the above LWC package.
- (1) According to one aspect of the invention, a method of feeding a metal pipe from an LWC comprises:
mounting the one or more LWC on a mount surface of a pallet such that a coil center axis of the LWC is parallel to the mount surface of the pallet, the metal pipe being wound in alignment winding; and
feeding the metal pipe from an inside of an end face of the one or more LWC.
In the above invention (1), the following modifications and changes can be made.
(i) The feeding of the metal pipe is conducted such that the metal pipe is passed through a hollow guide after being drawn from the LWC, and an angle θ is 45 degrees or less which is defined between a line to connect a center of the end face of the LWC with a center of an inlet of the guide and the coil center axis of the LWC.
- (2) According to another aspect of the invention, a package for an LWC comprises:
one or more LWC comprising a metal pipe being wound in alignment winding;
a pallet on which the one or more LWC is mounted; and
a fixing means that secures the one or more LWC to the pallet,
wherein the LWC is mounted on the pallet such that a coil center axis of the LWC is parallel to a mount surface of the pallet.
In the above invention (2), the following modifications and changes can be made.
(ii) The fixing means comprises a resin film.
(iii) The pallet comprises a fixing base disposed on the mount surface, and
the fixing base has a curvature equal to or more than an outer curvature of the LWC.
(iv) The package further comprises a cushioning material disposed between the pallet and the LWC.
- (3) According to another aspect of the invention, a packaging method for an LWC comprises:
vertically placing a pallet along an outer surface of one or more LWC; and
securing the one or more LWC to the pallet by a fixing means.
In the above invention (3), the following modifications and changes can be made.
(v) The fixing means comprises a resin film.
(vi) The packaging method further comprising disposing a cushioning material between the pallet and the LWC.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiments according to the invention will be explained below referring to the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a package for LWC in a first preferred embodiment according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a package in the process of production;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another structure of a pallet;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a package for LWC in a second preferred embodiment according to the invention;
FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing the conventional copper pipe feeding apparatus (vertical uncoiler);
FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing the conventional copper pipe feeding apparatus (horizontal uncoiler);
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view showing a detailed arrangement of LWC coiled around a bobbin in FIG. 5A or 5B;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a method of feeding a copper pipe by the ETTS method;.
FIG. 8 is a schematic cross sectional view illustrating an uncoiling method in LWC;
FIG. 9 is a schematic cross sectional view illustrating an uncoiling method to facilitate the feeding of a copper pipe at lower end; and
FIG. 10 is a schematic cross sectional view illustrating another uncoiling method to facilitate the feeding of a copper pipe at lower end.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
First Embodiment
Composition of LWC Package
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a package for LWC in a first preferred embodiment according to the invention.
The package 1 comprises: a pallet 51; plural LWC's 52 that are each composed of a metal pipe such as a copper pipe wound in alignment winding, and are in alignment disposed on the pallet 51 to set the center axis of LWC parallel to the mount surface of the pallet 51; a guide 54 into which the copper pipe 53 drawn horizontally from one of the LWS's 52 is inserted; and a strip resin film 55 to secure the LWS's 52 to the pallet 51.
The pallet 51 is formed rectangular and comprises plural wooden square logs 51a and one or more wooden board Sib attached on the square logs 51a. It may be formed of a metal such as iron or plastics.
The LWC's 52 can be applied to all of the LWS's wounded as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10.
The plural LWS's 52 can be, if necessary, provided with a cushioning material 56 such as a cardboard wound on the periphery so as to prevent scratching or to absorb a shock during the transportation or when being mounted on the pallet 51. Alternatively, a cushioning material 60 can be disposed between the pallet 51 and the LWS's 52 (See FIG. 2). In this case, it is not needed that the cushioning material 60 is wound around the LWS's 52. Further, if necessary, the cushioning material (not shown) for protection can be disposed on the pallet 51 or between the LWS's 52. The cushioning material can be formed of a paper such as a cardboard or a resin material such as polyurethane.
The guide 54 serves to guide the copper pipe 53 in a desired direction, and it is operable to change freely the feeding direction of the copper pipe if necessary. It can be formed suitably a straight or curved pipe. The guide 54 can be a metal pipe or resin pipe with an inside diameter to insert the copper pipe 53 therethrough. It is preferable that it has hardness lower than the surface hardness of the copper pipe 53 at least in a part to contact the copper pipe 53 in order not to scratch the copper pipe 53.
The resin film 55 only has to be a material that has strength enough to secure the LWS's 52 to the pallet 51. Alternatively, the other material than the resin film can be used to secure the LWS's 52 to the pallet 51.
Method of Uncoiling the Copper Pipe
As shown in FIG. 1, from the inside of the rightmost LWC 52 in the package 1 where the plural LWS's 52 are disposed on the pallet 51 to set the coil axis of LWS's 52 parallel to the mount surface (pallet surface) of the pallet 51 and are secured to the pallet 51 through the resin film 55, the copper pipe 53 is fed in the horizontal direction. By user's operation, the copper pipe 53 is cut into a desired length by the cutter (not shown). If the copper pipe keeps having a winding form provided in the feeding until being inserted into the cutter, the copper pipe 53 may be passed through a guide with a predetermined length to repair the winding form thereof. The guide for repairing the winding form may be integrated with the guide 54 or separated from there.
The copper pipe 53 is released, layer by layer, from the inside layer to the outermost layer as it is drawn from the LWC's 52. After the drawing of the copper pipe 53 from the rightmost LWC 52 in FIG. 1 is completed, the copper pipe 53 can be drawn from the inside of the neighboring LWC 52. Thus, the copper pipe 53 can be continuously drawn from the LWS's 52 without moving the pallet 51.
When the plural LWC's 52 are mounted on one pallet as shown in FIG. 1 or when plural pallets with one or more LWC 52 mounted thereon are placed to align the coils' center axes, the copper pipe can be simultaneously drawn from both sides of the package, such a feeding process being impossible in the ETTS method. Thus, the customer of LWC can have an advantage that the freedom of a place where to dispose the LWC can be increased.
With respect to the feeding angle of the copper pipe 53, it is desired that, as shown in FIG. 1, an angle θ is 45 degrees or less which is defined between a line to connect the center of the LWC 52 side face (=drawing surface) with the center of the guide 54 inlet and the center axis of the LWC 52. If the angle θ is more than 45 degrees, the drawn copper pipe 53 may strongly contact upper part of the inside-layer of the LWC 52 during the drawing so that the copper pipe 53 can be scratched or its winding form can be broken.
Method of Making the LWC and LWC Package
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a package in the process of production.
Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, a method of making the LWC 52 and the LWC package 1 will be explained below.
At first, the copper pipe 53 is wound around the inner cylinder 23 of the bobbin 21 as shown in FIG. 6. The winding of the first layer is conducted in alignment winding from the left end, i.e., the copper pipe 22a at start position to the right end. Then, the second layer is wound in alignment winding from the right end by the traverse winding and, subsequently, the third layer is wound in alignment winding to the reverse direction to form the LWC 52. The winding form of the LWC 52 may be any as shown in FIGS.9 and 10.
After winding the copper pipe 53 around the bobbin 21, the LWC 52 is bound at two or more positions by a copper or copper alloy tape 63 as shown in FIG. 2. Then, the LWC 52 is separated from the bobbin 21. Then, the LWC 52 is annealed to temper the copper pipe 53. The binding copper (copper alloy) tape 63 may be left just before using the copper pipe 53 or removed in the process of making the package. Alternatively, the LWC 52 may be bound again by a resin tape such as a polypropylene tape after the annealing is completed and the binding copper (copper alloy) tape 63 is removed.
The plural LWS's 52 after the annealing are, as shown in FIG. 2, stacked through a disk-like cushioning material 61 in the vertical direction. Since the LWS's 52 are bound by the copper (or copper alloy) tape 63 or resin tape, the copper pipe 53 can be prevented from being released. Depending on the degree of the tempering of the copper pipe 53 in the annealing, the copper pipe 53 can be kept unreleased even when the binding tape is removed. In stacking the plural LWC's 52, the LWC 52 with a smaller outside diameter is disposed at an upper position when the LWS's 52 have different outside diameters.
Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the pallet 51 is disposed vertically along the LWS's 52. At that time, a sheet cushioning material 60 is inserted between the pallet 51 and the LWC's 52. The outer surface of the LWC 52 may be not covered with the cushioning material 56. Therefore, the large-diameter and small-diameter LWS's 52 are contacted at the coil end face each other through the cushioning material 61, and the coil side face thereof is contacted with the pallet 51 through the cushioning material 60 and/or 56.
Then, the LWS's 52 and the pallet 51 disposed as shown in FIG. 2 are covered with the resin film 55 such that the outside thereof is surrounded therewith to integrate the pallet 51 with the LWS's 52. In this case, the resin film 55 is wound on only the outer face thereof so as not to cover the end face of the LWC 52.
After the plural LWS's 52 are secured by the resin film 55, the package is 90 degrees-rotated such that the pallet 51 is placed at the bottom of the package as shown in FIG. 1. In feeding the copper pipe 53, the binding copper (or copper alloy) tape 62 or resin tape is cut. However, the cutting is not need when the binding tape is removed in the process of making the package.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another structure of a pallet. When the copper pipe 53 at the bottom side of the LWS's 52 may be deformed by the own weight of the LWS's 52, a fixing base 70 as shown in FIG. 3 can be disposed on the pallet 51. The fixing base can have a curvature equal to or more than the curvature of the largest outside diameter-LWC 52.
Effects of the First Embodiment
The effects of the first embodiment are as follows.
(i) The drawn copper pipe 53 is not sandwiched between the neighboring copper pipe 53 and the pallet 51 or cushioning material 56 as in the conventional method, since the copper pipe 53 is fed parallel to the coil center axis while disposing the LWC 52 horizontally. Therefore, the incidence of a pipe trapping (herein, the pipe trapping means that the drawing of a pipe is stuck or stopped because the supply of the pipe is blocked by some reason) at the lower end of LWC in drawing the copper pipe as happened in the conventional feeding method can be completely prevented.
(ii) The copper pipe 53 can be horizontally drawn from the LWC 52 to pass through the guide 54 and can be directly guided to the cutter disposed about 1 m above the floor. Therefore, the time required for guiding the copper pipe 53 to the cutter can be significantly shortened.
Example 1
Example 1 of the first embodiment will be described below.
The package 1 of the first embodiment is made, and is evaluated in easiness of feeding (number of a pipe trapping) In the evaluation, an average weight of each LWC 52 is 160 kg and 10 coils are tested. The copper pipe 53 is 7 mm in outside diameter, 0.25 mm in thickness, an inside-grooved pipe of phosphorus deoxidized copper (hereinafter simply called copper pipe). The LWC is wound by the winding method as shown in FIG. 9.
Comparative example 1 is an LWC wound by the winding method as shown in FIG. 9. The copper pipe 22 is fed upward from the inside of the bobbin 21 by the ETTS method as shown in FIG. 7.
The evaluation results are as shown in Table 1. In Table 1, the incidence number of a pipe trapping in feeding the copper pipe is shown.
TABLE 1
|
|
<Feeding easiness (number of pipe trapping)>
Comparative
Example 1Example 1
|
Feeding method, andETTS, winding asFeeding as shown in
winding formshown in FIG. 9FIG. 1, winding as
shown in FIG. 9
Incidence number of30
pipe trapping
|
As seen in Table 1, Comparative Example 1 has three trappings at the lower end of the LWC. In contrast, Example 1 has no trapping. In general, when a trapping happens during the feeding of copper pipe, the cutter has to be stopped to remove the trapping and then to be restarted. However, in the invention, since no trapping happens, the operation can be conducted efficiently.
In the ETTS method, as shown in FIG. 7, it is needed that the copper pipe 35 is drawn upward to be passed through the guide 34 and then is guided downward to the cutter. Since the guide 34 is disposed about 2.5 to 3.5 m above the floor, the operator needs a ladder to pass the copper pipe 35 through the guide 34. However, in the invention, since the copper pipe 53 can be drawn horizontally, the process of guiding the copper pipe 53 to the cutter can be facilitated.
Example 2
Example 2 of the first embodiment will be described below.
The package 1 of the first embodiment is made by changing an angle θ defined between a line to connect the center of the LWC 52 side face (=feeding surface) with the center of the guide 54 inlet and the center axis of the LWC 52, and is evaluated in easiness of feeding (number of a pipe trapping). In the evaluation, an average weight of each LWC 52 is 160 kg and 1 coil each is tested. The copper pipe evaluated is the same as use in Example 1.
The evaluation results are as shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2
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|
<Feeding easiness (number of pipe trapping)>
Incidence number of pipe
Angle θ [degree]trapping in one coil
|
150
300
451
553
|
As seen in Table 2, when the angle θ is 15 and 30 degrees, no trapping happens. When the angle θ is 45 degrees, only one trapping happens. When the angle θ is 55 degrees, three trappings happen. Accordingly, the angle θ is preferably 45 degrees or less, more preferably 30 degrees or less.
Second Embodiment
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a package for LWC in the second preferred embodiment according to the invention.
The package 1 of the second embodiment is different from that of the embodiment in that a pallet 80 with a slope is used instead of the pallet 51.
When the pass line of the cutter is above the feeding line, the pallet 80 with a slope allows the feeding of the copper pipe 53 to be more smoothly conducted.
Other Embodiment
Although the pallet 80 in FIG. 4 is sloped, the cushioning material on the pallet 51 can be alternatively changed in thickness to slope the LWC 52. Thus, the package of this embodiment can have the same effects as the second embodiment.
Although the invention has been described with respect to the specific embodiments for complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art which fairly fall within the basic teaching herein set forth.
Patent Application
20060207307
