Guide Wheel for Carbon Armor Wire Winding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional installations for laying carbon armor wires around tubular cores are inefficient, leading to misfitting and breakage of carbon threads at increased winding speeds, which complicates the production of flexible tubular conduits for hydrocarbon transport and increases costs.

Innovation Solution

A guide wheel with a central recess and internal circular border, featuring guide devices with peripheral and central return members connected by a rectilinear guide member, forming a doubly curved passage path to securely guide carbon armor wires, reducing curvature stress and allowing adjustable angles for better fit and rigidity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional guide members are used to lay carbon armor wires, then the installation can handle steel armor wires, but the carbon threads do not fit correctly and tend to break at increased winding speeds

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewinding speedVSAvoidcarbon thread integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The guide member is divided into multiple independent guide devices, each comprising a peripheral return member and a central return member that can be independently adjusted. This segmentation allows each guide device to be optimized for carbon thread guidance while maintaining overall system functionality at high winding speeds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide devices incorporate adjustable elements that allow dynamic adaptation to different winding speeds and carbon thread specifications. The peripheral and central return members can be positioned to optimize the guidance path, enabling the system to maintain reliability across varying operational conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If traditional guide members are used to lay carbon armor wires, then the installation structure remains simple, but the carbon threads misfit and break at higher speeds

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewinding speedVSAvoidguide wheel structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide wheel is segmented into multiple guide devices distributed around its circumference, each handling individual carbon threads. This modular approach allows the complex functionality to be achieved through repetition of standardized components, managing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each guide device serves multiple functions: guiding the carbon thread, preventing misfitting, and reducing breakage risks. This multi-functionality consolidates several requirements into a single component design, managing complexity while achieving multiple objectives.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If carbon armor wires are laid at increased speeds to reduce production costs, then productivity improves, but the carbon threads break more frequently

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelaying speedVSAvoidcarbon thread placement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The guide devices provide continuous guidance and support to the carbon threads throughout their path from the guide wheel to the tubular core. This ongoing intervention ensures precise placement accuracy is maintained even at higher laying speeds where inertial effects might otherwise cause misfitting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The peripheral and central return members act as intermediary elements that mediate between the high-speed motion and the precise placement requirement. They provide a controlled path that allows rapid laying while maintaining accuracy through their geometric configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3019328B1Guide wheel for assemblies for fitting layers of armor wires, and associated mounting method
Publication Date: 2019.08.28 TECH FRANCE SA
  • EP3019328B1 patent drawingFigure 1~8
  • EP3019328B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3019328B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a guide wheel (26) for fitting a layer of carbon armor wires around a tubular core (24). Said guide wheel (26) has a central cavity (32), an internal circular edge (34), and a peripheral circular edge (38) that extends coaxially at a distance from said internal circular edge (34), said guide wheel (26) comprising a plurality of guiding devices (46), each of which is capable of guiding in translation a plurality of carbon armor wires, the guiding devices being mounted around said central cavity (32). The guiding device (46) comprises a peripheral redirecting member (50) in order to be able to guide the carbon armor wires to the internal circular edge (34), and a central redirecting member (52) in order to be able to guide said carbon armor wires through a second curved passageway.