Parallel Tube Winding Reel With Guided Dual-Tube Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing winding machines require manual handling and mechanical fastening of two separate rolls of tubes before winding, which is inefficient and complex, especially in the geothermal sector where tubes need to be joined for drilling rigs.
Innovation Solution
A machine that automatically winds pairs of tubes parallel to each other by using a pulling device with endless belts, a tube-guiding device, and an engaging mechanism to retain and release the tubes during the winding process, allowing for synchronized movement and precise alignment without external fastening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If two separate rolls of tubes are used and manually handled, then the tubes can be supplied to the winding machine, but the handling complexity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two separate tube rolls into a single compound roll structure where two tubes are wound side-by-side on one reel. This combining approach allows both tubes to be handled as a single unit, eliminating the need for separate manual handling of two rolls, reducing installation complexity, and improving overall productivity in geothermal applications.
2Reliability
If mechanical fastening devices are used to join tubes before winding, then the tubes can be secured, but the device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming grooves in the reel structure that guide and position the two tubes during winding. This preliminary structural preparation eliminates the need for complex mechanical fastening devices, as the grooves themselves provide the necessary positioning and retention functionality, simplifying the overall system while maintaining reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If tubes are wound independently on separate reels, then each tube can be wound optimally, but the space requirement and handling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two independent winding operations into a single compound reel structure. Each tube maintains its own winding path and quality control, while the unified reel structure improves handling ease by reducing two separate reels to one manageable unit, optimizing both manufacturing precision and operational convenience.
4Ease of manufacture
If adhesive tape or external fastenings are used to join tubes, then the tubes can be mechanically joined, but the production complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the joining function from external materials (adhesive tape, fastenings) and integrates it directly into the reel structure through grooves and guiding features. This eliminates the need for additional joining materials, reducing material loss and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining ease of tube joining.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for winding pairs of tubes which are parallel to an advancing direction (Y-Y) and independent of each other in the longitudinal direction (X-X) of rotation of a reel connected to the machine comprising an apparatus for feeding and guiding the pair of tubes, formed by: a suitable pulling device arranged upstream of the reel in the direction of advancing movement of the tubes and intended to feed the two tubes in the transverse direction (Y-Y) as far as the point of entry thereof onto the winding reel; a tube-guiding device which is arranged in-line and downstream of the pulling device in the direction of advancing movement of the tubes and the internal seat of which is able to contain the two tubes arranged alongside each other in the advancing direction (Y-Y) and guided in the radial direction (Z-Z).