Service Loop Guide Bodies for Compact Drilling Rig Line Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional service loops for drilling rigs are complex, prone to entanglement, and difficult to maintain, with a large minimum radius and weight, making them inefficient and costly to repair, especially when only one line is defective.

Innovation Solution

A line routing apparatus with a flexible high-tensile strength carrying strand and pivotable guide bodies that hold lines in a receiving region, eliminating the need for a load-bearing outer hose and allowing for easy maintenance and replacement of individual lines, featuring a compact and lightweight design with elastic buffers for shock absorption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a reinforced rubber hose with casting material is used to support lines, then the lines are protected and supported, but subsequent repair and maintenance becomes considerably more difficult and the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveline support and protectionVSAvoidline replacement difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The service loop is divided into separate functional components: a flexible outer hose for protection and support, and individual lines that can be independently accessed and replaced. The guide bodies are also segmented into outer parts and inner parts that can be separated, allowing lines to be removed and replaced without replacing the entire hose assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lines are extracted from the casting material enclosure and allowed to run freely within the flexible outer hose, guided by guide bodies. This extraction allows lines to be individually accessed, removed, and replaced without disturbing the outer hose structure or casting material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If a large diameter reinforced rubber hose is used, then lines are well protected, but the minimum radius of the loop increases and the structure becomes heavier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveline protectionVSAvoidservice loop weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible outer hose is designed as a lighter, more replaceable component compared to heavy reinforced rubber hoses. While the hose provides necessary protection, its lighter construction reduces overall weight, and it can be replaced more easily if needed, trading some durability for weight reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

A flexible outer hose replaces the rigid, heavy reinforced rubber hose structure. The flexible hose provides adequate protection for the lines while being significantly lighter and allowing for smaller loop radii due to its flexibility and reduced stiffness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Strength

If a chain-like line routing apparatus with flexible load strands is used, then very high tensile forces are accommodated and good protection is provided, but the structural space required is large making it unsuitable for service loops

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetensile force capacityVSAvoidstructural space required

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The guide bodies combine multiple functions into a single component: they guide the lines, provide structural support, and maintain the loop geometry. This integration eliminates the need for separate chain-like structures with multiple discrete components, reducing the overall structural space required while maintaining tensile strength through the flexible outer hose and guide body assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Stability of the object's composition

If adjacent guide bodies are made fixed and rigid, then structural stability is improved, but the ability to accommodate movement and prevent entanglement is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveguide body stabilityVSAvoidline movement freedom

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide bodies are designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing them to move relative to each other along the flexible outer hose. This dynamic capability enables the guide bodies to accommodate line movement and prevent entanglement while maintaining sufficient structural stability through their attachment to the flexible hose structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

The solution simplifies assembly and maintenance, prevents entanglement, and reduces the minimum radius of the loop, enabling efficient and cost-effective operation of service loops in drilling rigs and other applications by distributing weight and stress effectively.

Implementation Method 1

each guide body (14) has on its outside an elastic buffer (19) for shock absorption

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11774006B2Line guiding device for hanging applications, particularly as a service loop for a drilling rig

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 IGUS SE & CO KG

AI summary

A line routing device for guiding a plurality of lines, such as cables, hoses, or the like, particularly for hanging applications, such as supplying a vertically traveling power head of a drill. The line routing device has a flexible carrying strand and a plurality of guide bodies arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the carrying strand. According to the invention, adjacent guide bodies can be deflected spatially toward each other and each guide body has a central part having a center axis, which extends coaxially to the carrying strand, and an outer part having at least one circumferential element. The outer part delimits a receiving region, which is open in the axial direction, for the lines, radially to the outside.