TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a support system for a machine, and in particular, to a support system for a machine that is adapted to perform an operation on a component having a tubular portion.

BACKGROUND

Hydraulic couplers are generally used for coupling various types of fluid conduits, such as hoses, pipes, and the like, with other hydraulic components. Such hydraulic couplers typically include a stem portion which undergoes one or more manufacturing processes, such as a staking process followed by a bending process. During the staking process, an inner surface of the stem portion may collapse due to an applied pressure. Such a decrease in an inner diameter of the stem portion may impede the subsequent bending process. Further, the collapse of the inner surface may also cause fatigue failure in the finished hydraulic coupler.

For reference, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,303 (the '303 patent) discloses an internal mandrel which is used for supporting the inner wall of a pipe during bending. A plurality of unique resilient discs are provided. The discs are dome shaped with a rim at the bottom of the dome. The dome has a concave side and a convex side. The discs nest together, i.e. convex side of one into the concave side of the adjacent disc to form a resilient plug. A hydraulic cylinder applies force on the convex side of the outermost disc and the concave side of the innermost disc to deflect the rims of the disc outwardly to contact the inner wall of the pipe p bent. However, the dome shaped resilient discs, as disclosed in the '303 patent, may increase a design complexity of the internal mandrel.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an aspect of the present disclosure, a support system for a machine is provided. The machine is adapted to perform an operation on a component having a tubular portion. The support system includes a tool support disposed in an opening of the machine. The tool support is adapted to support the tubular portion of the component thereon. The tool support defines an aperture. The support system includes a mandrel at least partially received in the tool support and defines a central axis therethrough. The mandrel includes a plurality of segments disposed about the central axis. Each of the plurality of segments includes an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface of each of the plurality of segments is adapted to selectively engage an inner surface of the tubular portion of the component. The support system further includes a pin movably received through the aperture of the tool support. The support system further includes an actuator coupled with the pin and adapted to selectively move the pin relative to the tool support along the central axis.

Further, the pin is adapted to selectively engage with the inner surface of each of the plurality of segments of the mandrel based on a movement of the actuator. The pin is further adapted to displace each of the plurality of segments radially outwards with respect to the central axis so that the outer surface of each of the plurality of segments engages with the inner surface of the tubular portion. The outer surface of each of the plurality of segments is adapted to support the tubular portion during the operation performed by the machine.

Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of the machine having a support system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of the machine along a line A-Aâ€² in FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of a mandrel of the support system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the machine having the mandrel engaged with a tubular portion of a component; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view of the machine along a line B-Bâ€² in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or corresponding parts.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show different views of an exemplary machine 100 having a support system 104, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The machine 100 is adapted to perform an operation on a component 200 having a tubular portion 204. In the illustrated embodiment, the machine 100 is adapted to perform a staking operation on the component 200. The machine 100 is adapted to couple the tubular portion 204 of the component 200 with a part 208 by staking. The machine 100 may be configured to couple the part 208 with the tubular portion 204 by pressing the part 208 against the tubular portion 204. In an example, the tubular portion 204 includes an inner surface 206. In the illustrated embodiment, the component 200 may be a hydraulic coupler. The tubular portion 204 may include a flange 207 adapted to be attached to another hydraulic component. Further, the part 208 may include multiple protrusions 209 adapted to retain a fluid conduit (such as a hose) between the part 208 and the tubular portion 204.

In various embodiments, the machine 100 may also be adapted to perform various other operations on the component 200, such as crimping, swaging, and the like. The machine 100 may be connected to a power source (not shown). In various embodiments, the power source may be an electrical power source, a hydraulic power source, a mechanical power source, and the like. Further, the machine 100 may include one or more actuators for performing various operations. Moreover, the machine 100 may be an autonomous or a semi-autonomous machine. The machine 100 may include a control panel (not shown) communicably coupled to a control system (not shown) associated with the machine 100. In an example, the control panel may include one or more buttons that are controlled by an operator.

The machine 100 includes a body 102 which defines an opening 112. The support system 104 is at least partially disposed within the opening 112. The support system 104 may be adapted to support the component 200 during the operation performed by the machine 100. Specifically, the support system 104 may be adapted to support the inner surface 206 of the tubular portion 204 during the operation performed by the machine 100. Further, the support system 104 includes a tool support 116 disposed in the opening 112 of the machine 100. The tool support 116 is adapted to support the tubular portion 204 of the component 200 thereon. The tool support 116 defines an aperture 118. In the illustrated embodiment, the tool support 116 includes an upper tool support 120 and a lower tool support 124. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper tool support 120 is coupled to a lower tool support 124. The upper tool support 120 may be coupled to the lower tool support 124 by various methods, such as welding, mechanical fasteners, adhesives, and the like. The tool support 116 is adapted to support the tubular portion 204 of the component 200 and the part 208 thereon. In an example, the tubular portion 204 and the part 208 may be disposed on the upper tool support 120. Further, the support system 104 includes a ring 122. The ring 122 may be adapted to ensure alignment of the tool support 116.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the support system 104 includes a mandrel 128 at least partially received in the tool support 116. The mandrel 128 defines a central axis XXâ€² therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment, the mandrel 128 is a split mandrel having a double drawn design. The support system 104 includes a pin 140. The pin 140 is movably received through the aperture 118 of the tool support 116 along the central axis XXâ€². The upper tool support 120 may be configured to align the pin 140 with the aperture 118 along the central axis XXâ€². In the illustrated embodiment, a portion of the pin 140, which is received through the aperture 118, has a diameter â€œD1â€ . Further, the support system 104 includes an actuator 144 coupled with the pin 140. The actuator 144 is coupled to a mounting plate 108. The mounting plate 108 may be coupled to the body 102 of the machine 100. In an example, the actuator 144 may be a pneumatic cylinder. In various alternate embodiments, the actuator may be a hydraulic cylinder, a gear mechanism, and the like. The actuator 144 includes a piston 145. The piston 145 is configured to move along the central axis XXâ€² between an upper surface 147 and a lower surface 149 of the actuator 144. In a first position, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the piston 145 is disposed adjacent to the lower surface 149. The piston 145 includes a protruding portion 146 coupled to the pin 140. The pin 140 may be coupled to the actuator 144 by various methods, such as welding, mechanical fasteners, adhesives and the like. The actuator 144 is adapted to selectively move the pin 140 relative to the tool support 116 along the central axis XXâ€². In an example, the actuator 144 may move the pin 140 along the central axis XXâ€² based on a user input.

The machine 100 includes multiple jaws 148. In the illustrated embodiment, the machine 100 includes eight jaws 148. However, it may be contemplated that the machine 100 may include any number of the jaws 148. The jaws 148 are movably coupled to the body 102. Further, the jaws 148 are angularly disposed about the central axis XXâ€². The jaws 148 are configured to selectively move radially inwards with respect to the central axis XXâ€² based on a user input from the control panel. Further, the jaws 148 are configured to move radially inwards to press the part 208 against the tubular portion 204 of the component 200.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mandrel 128 includes a plurality of segments 132 disposed about the central axis XXâ€². In the illustrated embodiment, the segments 132 are six in number. However, it may be contemplated that the mandrel 128 may include any number of the segments 132 as per requirements. Each of the segments 132 includes an inner surface 134 and an outer surface 136. Each of the segments 132 may be movable along a radial direction defined with respect to the central axis XXâ€². Further, the mandrel 128 includes a base 130 which is connected to the segments 132.

FIG. 3 illustrates the mandrel 128 of the support system 104. The segments 132 of the mandrel 128 define a cavity 129 therebetween along the central axis XXâ€². The cavity 129 is configured to receive the pin 140 (shown in FIG. 2) therethrough. The cavity 129 is coaxial with the aperture 118 along the central axis XXâ€². The cavity 129 includes a first portion 133, a second portion 135. The first portion 133 of the cavity 129 normally has a substantially circular cross-section having a diameter â€œD2â€ . The diameter â€œD2â€ of the first portion 133 may be less than the diameter â€œD1â€ of the pin 140 so that the segments 132 may displace radially outwards with respect to the central axis XXâ€² upon receiving the pin 140 in the first portion 133. Further, the second portion 135 of the cavity 129 has a substantially circular cross-section having a diameter â€œD3â€ . The diameter â€œD3â€ of the second portion 135 may be substantially equal to the diameter â€œD1â€ of the pin 140. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the pin 140 is received in the second portion 135 of the cavity 129 when the piston 145 is adjacent to the lower surface 149 of the actuator 144 in the first position. The outer surface 136 of each of the segments 132 may contact the inner surface 206 when the pin 140 is disposed in the second portion 135. However, the segments 132 may not apply a pressure against the pressure applied by the jaws 148 in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show different views of the machine 100 having the mandrel 128 engaged with the tubular portion 204 of the component 200. The piston 145 of the actuator 144 may move along the central axis XXâ€² based on a user input from the control panel (not shown). As shown in FIG. 4, in a second position, the piston 145 is disposed adjacent to the upper surface 147 of the actuator 144. The piston 145 of the actuator 144 is adapted to move the pin 140 relative to the tool support 116 along the central axis XXâ€². Further, based on the movement of the piston 145, the pin 140 is received in the first portion 133 of the mandrel 128.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the pin 140 is adapted to selectively engage with the inner surface 134 of each of the segments 132 of the mandrel 128 based on the movement of the pin 140. The pin 140 is adapted to displace each of the segments 132 radially outwards (indicated by arrows â€œRâ€ ) with respect to the central axis XXâ€² so that the outer surface 136 of each of the plurality of segments 132 engages with the inner surface 206 of the tubular portion 204. The outer surface 136 of each of the segments 132 is adapted to support the tubular portion 204 during the operation performed by the machine 100. The segments 132 may apply a pressure on the inner surface 206 of the tubular portion 204 to resist collapse due to the pressure applied by the jaws 148.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present disclosure is related to the support system 104 of the machine 100. The support system 104 of the machine 100 may be used to support the tubular portion 204 of the component 200 to prevent collapse of the tubular portion 204 of the component 200 during the operation performed by the machine 100. Specifically, the radially outward movement of the segments 132 due to the pin 140 may apply a pressure on the inner surface 206 of the tubular portion 204, and prevent a collapse of the inner surface 206 is prevented during the operation performed by the machine 100.

During an exemplary staking operation, the machine 100 may be activated by a user input from the control panel. The actuator 144 may be activated prior to movement of the jaws 148. Thereafter, the piston 145 may move upwards from the first position (shown in FIG. 2) to the second position (shown in FIG. 5). The segments 132 apply pressure on the inner surface 206 of the tubular portion 204. The jaws 148 may be then moved radially inwards to perform the staking operation. The segments 132 may prevent collapse of the inner surface 206 during the staking operation. After the staking operation, the jaws 148 may move radially outwards. In various embodiments, the jaws 148 may automatically move after the staking operation. Further, the piston 145 of the actuator 144 may move to the first position. Consequently, the pin 140 may move downwards out of the first portion 133 of the cavity 129, thereby allowing the segments 132 of the mandrel 128 to move radially inwards to the normal position. The component 200 may be then removed from the machine 100 thereafter.

Therefore, a control of the actuator 144 may be integrated with the operation of the machine 100, thereby simplifying operation of the machine 100. Further, the support system 104 may have a simple design including the mandrel 128, the tool support 116 and the actuator 144. Moreover, shape and dimensions of various components of the support system 104 may be suitably chosen based on a shape and dimensions of the component 200, the type of the machine 100, and the corresponding operation performed on the component 200. Specifically, the support system 104 may be conveniently retrofittable with an existing machine.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.