An apparatus for peeling an outer surface of a tubular element of a tubular element assembly, the apparatus comprising:
- a peeler assembly, comprising:
- a housing, comprising an end wall;
- and
- a blade assembly, comprising a blade, the blade assembly operably coupled to the housing, and configurable in an element-receiving configuration and an element-peeling configuration;
- a guiding sleeve, disposed in the housing, the guiding sleeve comprising:
- a sleeve end wall;
- and
- a sleeve wall that extends from the sleeve end wall, the sleeve wall defining a sleeve cavity configured to receive the tubular element assembly, the sleeve wall including an inward-facing guide surface that is configured to co-operate with the outer surface of the tubular element to align the apparatus and the tubular element assembly, in response to receiving of the tubular element assembly in the sleeve cavity of the guiding sleeve;
- wherein the guiding sleeve is configurable in a retracted configuration and an extended configuration;
- a mandrel assembly, extending through the sleeve end wall, the mandrel assembly comprising:
- a mandrel, configured to engage with the tubular element assembly;
- and
- a shaft, received in the end wall of the housing;
- wherein:
- in the element-receiving configuration of the blade assembly, there is an absence of disposition of the blade in the sleeve cavity, and, in the element-peeling configuration of the blade assembly, the blade is disposed closer to a central longitudinal axis of the guiding sleeve, relative to its disposition while in the element-receiving configuration;
- in the extended configuration of the guiding sleeve, the guiding sleeve is spaced further apart from the end wall of the housing, relative to its disposition while in the retracted configuration;
- the peeler assembly, the guiding sleeve, and the mandrel assembly are co-operatively configured such that:
- in response to rotation of the peeler assembly, relative to the mandrel assembly, in a first rotation direction, about a rotation axis that is parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the housing:
- the guiding sleeve is rotated, relative to the mandrel assembly, in the first rotation direction, about the rotation axis;
- and
- the peeler assembly is longitudinally displaced, relative to the mandrel assembly and relative to the guiding sleeve, in a first longitudinal direction, along a displacement axis that is parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the housing, such that a minimum spacing distance between the guiding sleeve and the end wall of the housing is decreased;
- and
- in response to rotation of the peeler assembly, relative to the mandrel assembly, in a second rotation direction that is opposite the first rotation direction, about the rotation axis:
- the guiding sleeve is rotated, relative to the mandrel assembly, in the second rotation direction, about the rotation axis;
- and
- the peeler assembly is longitudinally displaced, relative to the mandrel assembly and relative to the guiding sleeve, in a second longitudinal direction that is opposite the first longitudinal direction, along the displacement axis, such that the minimum spacing distance between the guiding sleeve and the end wall of the housing is increased;
- while:
- (i) the guiding sleeve is disposed in the extended configuration, and (ii) the blade assembly is disposed in the element-receiving configuration:
- the tubular element assembly is receivable in the sleeve cavity of the guiding sleeve for disposing the tubular element assembly in engagement with the mandrel, the receiving of the tubular element assembly in the sleeve cavity of the guiding sleeve is with effect that the apparatus and the tubular element assembly become disposed in alignment via co-operation of the inward-facing guide surface of the sleeve wall and the outer surface of the tubular element;
- while:
- (i) the guiding sleeve is disposed in the extended configuration, (ii) the tubular element assembly is received in the sleeve cavity of the guiding sleeve, such that the apparatus and the tubular element assembly are disposed in alignment, (iii) the tubular element assembly is disposed in engagement with the mandrel, and (iv) the blade assembly is disposed in the element-receiving configuration:
- the blade assembly is transitioned from the element-receiving configuration to the element-peeling configuration, with effect that the blade becomes disposed in engagement with the outer surface of the tubular element;
- while:
- (i) the guiding sleeve is disposed in the extended configuration, (ii) the tubular element assembly is received in the sleeve cavity of the guiding sleeve, such that the apparatus and the tubular element assembly are disposed in alignment, (iii) the tubular element assembly is disposed in engagement with the mandrel, and (iv) the blade assembly is disposed in the element-peeling configuration, such that the blade is disposed in engagement with the outer surface of the tubular element:
- in response to rotation of the peeler assembly, relative to the mandrel assembly and relative to the tubular element assembly, in the first rotation direction, about the rotation axis:
- the guiding sleeve is rotated, relative to the mandrel assembly and relative to the tubular element assembly, in the first rotation direction, about the rotation axis, and the peeler assembly is longitudinally displaced, relative to the mandrel assembly, the guiding sleeve, and the tubular element assembly, in the first longitudinal direction, along the displacement axis, with effect that the outer surface of the tubular element is peeled by the blade, such that a peeled tubular element assembly is defined, and with further effect that the guiding sleeve becomes disposed in the retracted configuration.