Articulated Drilling Mast Support for >180° Rotation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drilling machines with articulated supports are limited in their ability to rotate the mast device beyond 90° without decoupling hydraulic pistons, which restricts their operational flexibility, especially in Front The Wall mode where more than 180° rotation is required.
Innovation Solution
An articulated support system comprising a main body with two independently rotating bodies and linear actuators that allow the mast device to rotate more than 90° on each side relative to the direction of advancement, ensuring continuous operation without piston disconnection by maintaining non-zero lever forces and avoiding mechanical interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional articulated support with two hydraulic pistons is used, then the drilling machine can operate in Front The Wall mode, but the rotation is limited to about 180° total and requires decoupling the pistons to rotate beyond this limit
Solution Approach 1:
The articulated support is divided into three independent rotating bodies (main body, first rotatable body, second rotatable body) that can rotate independently around the same axis. This segmentation allows each body to contribute to the total rotation angle without requiring decoupling, enabling rotation beyond 180° while maintaining continuous piston connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an additional rotational dimension by adding the first rotatable body between the main body and the second rotatable body. This intermediate rotational stage distributes the total rotation angle across multiple independent rotations, allowing the system to achieve greater total rotation without mechanical interference or piston decoupling.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mast device is rotated more than 90° on each side, then operational flexibility in Front The Wall mode is enhanced, but mechanical interference between pistons and rotation pin occurs
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the rotation mechanism into three independent rotatable bodies, the invention eliminates mechanical interference between pistons and rotation pin. Each piston connects to a different rotatable body, and their independent rotation capabilities ensure that they do not interfere with each other's movement, allowing rotation beyond 90° on each side without mechanical conflict.
Solution Approach 2:
The first rotatable body acts as an intermediary between the main body and the second rotatable body. This intermediate element mediates the rotation movements, allowing the pistons to rotate the mast device through multiple independent rotational stages without direct mechanical interference between them.
3Adaptability or versatility
If two independently rotating bodies are used, then rotation beyond 180° is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each rotatable body in the articulated support performs multiple functions: it serves as a structural element, a rotation joint, and a mounting point for actuators. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity despite enabling rotation beyond 180°.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the rotation functions of multiple bodies around a common axis, allowing them to work together as an integrated system. By combining their rotational capabilities, the three bodies achieve greater total rotation angle without requiring separate complex mechanisms for each rotation stage, thus limiting the overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the drilling machine to rotate the mast device by more than 180°, enhancing operational flexibility and preventing mechanical interference, thus allowing for efficient drilling operations in various orientations, including Front The Wall mode without decoupling the pistons.
Implementation Method 1
A linear actuator is pivoted on the main body and is configured to rotate the first rotatable body with respect to the main body around this axis of rotation
Implementation Method 2
Another linear actuator is pivoted on the first rotatable body and is configured to rotate the second rotatable body with respect to the first rotatable body around said axis of rotation
Implementation Method 3
two rotating bodies, first and second, hinged to the central body along a same axis
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
This disclosure relates to an articulated support for mast devices of drilling machines, as well as a relative drilling machine, which allows to rotate the mast device by even more than 90° from one side to the other with respect to a direction of advancement of the drilling machine, thanks to an articulated support comprising a main body and two rotating bodies, first and second, pivoted to the central body along a same axis and one independently from the other. A linear actuator is pivoted on the main body and is configured to rotate the first rotatable body with respect to the main body around this axis of rotation. Another linear actuator is pivoted on the first rotatable body and is configured to rotate the second rotatable body with respect to the first rotatable body about this axis of rotation. On the second rotatable body there is a support to fix a mast device.