US 12,434,336 B2
Method for installing and/or maintaining a flange connection, and tool and use
Ralf Köllges, Erkelenz (DE)
Assigned to SCHAAF GmbH & Co. KG, Erkelenz (DE)
Filed by SCHAAF GmbH & Co. KG, Erkelenz (DE)
Filed on Oct. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/970,725.
Application 17/970,725 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2021/060583, filed on Apr. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 102020110895.8 (DE), filed on Apr. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0041918 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B23P 19/06 (2006.01); B23Q 15/14 (2006.01)
CPC B23P 19/067 (2013.01) [B23Q 15/14 (2013.01); B23Q 2717/00 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for installation and/or maintenance of a flange connection comprising a plurality of screw connections with a manually movable tool at least comprising a screw tensioning structure, a processing unit and a screw identification sensor, wherein the method comprises:
assigning a one-to-one identification to each screw connection of the flange connection;
determining a respective screw connection to be tensioned;
positioning the tool on the respective screw connection to be tensioned;
identifying the respective screw connection by the screw identification sensor;
releasing the screw tensioning structure by the processing unit; and
tensioning the respective screw connection by the screw tensioning structure;
wherein it is checked whether the tool or the screw tensioning structure is placed correctly on the respective screw connection; and
wherein the screw tensioning structure is released when the result of this check is positive and/or the screw tensioning structure is blocked or stopped when the result of this check is negative;
wherein:
parameters of the tensioning of the respective screw connection are documented by the processing unit; and/or
at least one parameter of the tensioning of the respective screw connection is documented on the flange connection; and/or
at least one parameter of the tensioning of the respective screw connection is signalled and/or displayed by a signal unit, wherein the signalling and/or this display takes place after each tensioning process and/or after the tensioning process of the last screw connection in a tensioning sequence; and/or
a conclusion protocol and/or an error protocol and/or recommendations for the correction of defective screw connections are created and signalled and/or displayed by a signal unit, wherein this signalling and/or this display takes place after each tensioning process and/or after the tensioning process of the last screw connection in a tensioning sequence.