Fingerboard Latch Orientation Sensing Without Wired Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fingerboard latch assemblies in the oil and gas industry lack effective orientation sensing, leading to potential latch failure and safety issues due to pneumatic actuation system failures, which can result in insecure tubulars and equipment damage or worker safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A fingerboard latch assembly with a sensor unit encapsulated within the latch, featuring a wireless communication interface for remote monitoring of latch orientation, utilizing a radio communication interface or modulated light output to avoid electrical connections, and including a processor for metadata association and low power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wired connection is used to communicate latch orientation, then reliable data transmission is achieved, but installation difficulty increases and wire damage risks arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces wired mechanical connections with wireless communication technology. The sensor unit communicates latch orientation data wirelessly to the monitoring system, eliminating physical wire connections while maintaining reliable data transmission. This substitution resolves the contradiction by achieving both reliable communication and ease of installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wireless communication interface as an intermediary between the sensor unit and the monitoring system. This intermediary enables data transmission without direct physical connections, reducing installation complexity and wire damage risks while maintaining reliable communication through standardized wireless protocols.
2Reliability
If a sensor unit is installed on the latch, then latch orientation monitoring is enabled, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic sampling of latch orientation data rather than continuous monitoring. The sensor unit takes measurements at predetermined time intervals and transmits data periodically, which significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining adequate monitoring reliability for safety purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system receives latch orientation data and provides feedback to determine if the latch is in expected positions. This feedback mechanism enables event-driven operation where the system can enter low-power states between monitoring events, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining safety monitoring capability.
3Ease of manufacture
If wireless communication is used, then installation ease improves and wire damage risks are eliminated, but data transmission reliability may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical wired connections with wireless communication technology. The sensor unit communicates latch orientation data wirelessly to the monitoring system, eliminating physical wire connections while maintaining reliable data transmission. This substitution resolves the contradiction by achieving both reliable communication and ease of installation.
4Reliability
If continuous monitoring of latch orientation is implemented, then safety monitoring reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic sampling of latch orientation data rather than continuous monitoring. The sensor unit takes measurements at predetermined time intervals and transmits data periodically, which significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining adequate monitoring reliability for safety purposes.
Data Source
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AI summary
A sensor unit for a fingerboard latch assembly comprising a latch bracket and a latch rotatably mounted on the latch bracket comprises a sensor arranged to sense the orientation of the latch and a wireless, optical or other communication unit arranged to communicate the orientation of the latch sensed by the sensor. The sensor unit may be mountable on the latch and comprise an orientation sensor arranged to take measurements that are dependent on the orientation of the sensor unit, and a processor arranged to derive an orientation signal representing the orientation of the latch from the measurements, the communication unit being arranged to communicate the orientation signal. A monitoring system receives the sensed orientations from plural sensor units.