Gantry Robot Automated Charging Magazine for Seismic Units

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Solution Overview

Problem

Seismic data acquisition systems face inefficiencies in storing, charging, and maintaining seismic data acquisition units, leading to potential damage and incomplete maintenance, especially during transfers between vessels, due to the manual labor-intensive nature of these tasks and the need for lower costs and larger receiver counts.

Innovation Solution

A modular system that includes a storage container and an Automated Connection and Charging Magazine (ACCM) container, supported by a gantry robot and top hat extensions, allowing for automated storage, charging, and handling of seismic data acquisition units, enabling efficient and modular operation on vessels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual labor is used for storing, charging, and maintaining seismic data acquisition units, then operational flexibility is maintained, but efficiency is reduced and damage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of storing, charging, and maintaining seismic data acquisition unitsVSAvoidcomplexity of storage and handling system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic self-service operations where the robotic arm autonomously retrieves seismic data acquisition units from storage containers, transports them to charging magazines, establishes electrical connections for charging, and performs maintenance tasks without human intervention, thereby improving efficiency while managing complexity through automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical operations are replaced with an automated robotic system that uses a robotic arm mounted on a movable cart to transport units, and an automated connection system with electrical contacts to establish charging connections, substituting human labor with mechanized automation to improve productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Quantity of substance

If seismic data acquisition units are densely stored in containers, then space utilization is improved, but accessibility for charging and maintenance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of seismic data acquisition units storedVSAvoidease of accessing and handling seismic data acquisition units

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic arm acts as an intermediary between the densely stored seismic data acquisition units in containers and the charging/maintenance operations. It automatically retrieves units from dense storage configurations and delivers them to charging magazines, enabling high-density storage while maintaining ease of access through automated retrieval mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from manual ground-level handling to three-dimensional operations with the robotic arm moving in multiple axes (X, Y, Z dimensions) to access units stacked vertically in containers and transport them to charging positions, enabling dense vertical storage while maintaining accessibility through spatial manipulation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If automated systems are implemented for storing and charging seismic data acquisition units, then labor costs are reduced, but system complexity and initial investment increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomation of storage and charging operationsVSAvoidcomplexity of automated storage and charging system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated system is segmented into modular functional components: storage containers for holding units, a movable cart with robotic arm for transport, charging magazines with electrical contacts for charging, and maintenance stations. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component and simplifies the overall system architecture while achieving automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The robotic arm and movable cart serve multiple functions: retrieving units from storage containers, transporting them to charging magazines, delivering charged units to maintenance stations, and returning empty containers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each operation, managing complexity while achieving comprehensive automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11609350B2Modular seismic unit storage system with gantry robot and charging magazine

Publication Date: 2023.03.21 MAGSEIS FF LLC

AI summary

A modular seismic unit storage and handling system with a gantry robot and charging magazine is provided. The storage and handling system can include a storage container. The storage and handling system can include a top hat and a top hat extension. The storage and handling system can include an automated connection and charging magazine. The top hat can be connected to a gantry robot. The gantry robot can include a robotic arm.