Pipe Clamping Apparatus Radial Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe handling and holding apparatuses in offshore oil drilling technology face challenges in achieving secure and reliable clamping and positioning of pipe segments, particularly in ensuring axis-parallel orientation and preventing tipping or tilting of clamping elements during assembly and disassembly of drill pipes.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates movably arranged clamping elements with sliding surfaces that transform vertical motion into radial movement, combined with a positioning element that prescribes radial positioning, using actuators like pressure medium cylinders for generating holding forces and ensuring large surface contact, and includes a mounting support with actuators for axial positioning, along with a segmented construction for adaptability to different pipe diameters and easy assembly/disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clamping elements are made movable to achieve secure clamping, then clamping reliability is improved, but positioning precision deteriorates due to tipping or tilting during movement
Solution Approach 1:
A positioning element is introduced as an intermediary component between the clamping element and the device body. This positioning element prescribes the radial positioning of the clamping element during its axial movement, ensuring that the clamping element moves precisely without tipping or tilting, thus maintaining positioning precision while achieving secure clamping.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces simple mechanical guidance with a more sophisticated positioning mechanism involving the positioning element that actively prescribes the movement path. This substitution ensures precise radial positioning during axial movement, preventing orientation deviations while maintaining the movability needed for secure clamping.
2Manufacturing precision
If clamping elements are oriented axis-parallel to achieve parallel clamping contact, then clamping precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional positioning mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning element serves multiple functions: it guides the radial movement of the clamping element, prescribes the positioning path, and ensures axis-parallel orientation. By combining these functions into a single component, the patent achieves precise clamping without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning function is merged with the clamping mechanism by integrating the positioning element into the overall clamping assembly. This merging allows the positioning and clamping functions to work together seamlessly, achieving precise axis-parallel clamping contact without requiring separate complex positioning systems.
3Force
If actuators are added to ensure large surface contact and reliable positioning, then holding force is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning element and clamping element are designed to work together in a self-positioning manner. The positioning element passively guides the clamping element into the correct radial position through its geometric configuration, eliminating the need for additional active positioning actuators while still achieving reliable positioning and large surface contact.
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
This solution provides secure, reliable, and adaptable pipe handling, preventing tipping or tilting of clamping elements, allowing for efficient assembly and disassembly of drill pipes while accommodating various pipe diameters with a compact and robust design.
Implementation Method 1
each clamping element (6) includes at least one sliding surface (7) on a side of the clamping element (6) facing toward the device body (1), which sliding surface (7) is arranged neighboring or adjacent to at least one actuating surface (9) with which the sliding surface (7) cooperates, so that a vertical or axial movement of the clamping element (6) is at least partially transformed into a horizontal or radial movement component of the clamping element (6)
Implementation Method 2
the apparatus (1) further includes at least one positioning element (8) that is vertically movably guided by the device body (1), such that a vertical or axial movement of the positioning element (8) at least partially or section-wise prescribes a horizontal or radial positioning of the clamping element (6)
Implementation Method 3
using actuators like pressure medium cylinders for generating holding forces
Data Source
AI summary
For handling and clamping a pipe, an apparatus includes plural clamping elements movably arranged in a device body configured as an annular shell. A positioning element is vertically movably arranged in the device body, and includes an obliquely sloping actuating surface that cooperates with a sliding surface of the clamping elements, so that a vertical or axial motion of the positioning element at least partially causes a horizontal or radial motion of the clamping elements. Also, a vertical or axial motion of the clamping elements is at least partially converted into a horizontal or radial motion thereof.