Tri-Layer Oil Field Mat End Cap Assembly Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oil field mat end caps lack durability, safety, and ease of installation, fail to prevent oil contamination, and do not maintain the mat's shape under torque, weight, or movement, while also not being slip-resistant and requiring pins for assembly.
Innovation Solution
The development of a tri-layer oil field support mat end cap assembly made from synthetic boards with a slip-resistant surface, using recycled hydrocarbon materials, and featuring a pinless design with a simplistic assembly, that maintains the mat's shape and provides a clear end point to prevent accidents and spills, incorporating yellow and black pigments for visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional end caps are used for oil field mats, then assembly is required with pins, but installation complexity increases and durability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the pins from the end cap assembly system. The end caps are designed to attach to the oil field mat without requiring any pin fasteners, eliminating the complexity of pin insertion and removal while maintaining secure attachment through the mat's structural edges
Solution Approach 2:
The end caps are segmented into modular units that can be individually attached to different sections of the oil field mat. Each end cap is designed as a separate component with specific attachment features that interface with the mat's edge structure, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly without pins
2Reliability
If non-synthetic end caps are used, then cost may be lower, but oil absorption increases and contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The end caps are constructed from composite synthetic materials including recycled hydrocarbon materials that provide oil and contaminant resistance. The synthetic composition prevents absorption of oil field contaminants while maintaining structural integrity and durability in harsh environments
Solution Approach 2:
The material parameters of the end caps are changed from traditional natural materials to synthetic polymers with specific properties including oil resistance, UV stability, and temperature tolerance. These parameter changes enable the end caps to resist contamination while remaining manufacturable through standard plastic molding processes
3Stability of the object's composition
If end caps without shape maintenance features are used, then assembly is simpler, but mat shape stability under torque and weight decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The end caps incorporate local reinforcement features at specific contact points with the mat edges. These localized structural enhancements provide shape maintenance capability where needed (at the attachment points) without requiring the entire end cap structure to be overly complex or heavy
Solution Approach 2:
The end caps are pre-designed with integrated attachment features and structural reinforcement built into the molding process. This preliminary action during manufacturing ensures shape stability under torque and weight loads without requiring additional assembly steps or complex field installation procedures
4Reliability
If end caps without visibility features are used, then material usage is reduced, but safety for personnel decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The end caps incorporate high-visibility color features including yellow and black coloring that enhances personnel safety. These color changes are achieved through standard pigment addition during the plastic molding process, adding minimal material cost while significantly improving visibility and safety in oil field environments
Data Source
AI summary
An end cap assembly for interlocking with an oil field mat usable to support trucks, equipment and personnel around a drilling rig. The end cap assembly having an elongated base layer, a base layer coupler, a top layer, a middle layer, a plurality of holes, a plurality of fasteners and a plurality of coupler fasteners. Each coupler fastener can be disposed through the holes in the board of the end cap assembly to form a base layer coupler to create a tri-layer oil field mat.