Pipe Transport Trolley Switching in Confined Shaft Joining

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pipe joining methods in pipeline construction shafts require significant time and effort to lift and transfer transport trolleys and remove couplers due to interference from pipes and limited space, making the process inefficient.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using a switching device to disengage transport trolleys from couplers without interfering with the pipes, allowing for remote operation and reducing the effort required to separate trolleys, and utilizing lifting jigs to manage pipe positioning and coupler removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the first transport trolley is drawn to the near side of the first pipe and transferred into the second pipe on the second transport trolley, then the pipe joining process can be completed, but it takes much time and effort to lift and transfer the heavy transport trolley

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepipe joining efficiencyVSAvoidtime for trolley transfer
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the transport trolley from the manual lifting and transferring process by introducing a lifting device that automatically draws the first transport trolley to the near side of the first pipe and transfers it into the second pipe. This mechanical extraction eliminates the time-consuming manual operation while maintaining the necessary trolley transfer function for pipe joining completion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If the coupling bar is removed to separate the first and second transport trolleys, then the trolleys can be independently positioned, but the pipes may interfere with the removal of coupling pins making the process difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoupler removal easeVSAvoidoperation complexity due to interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces an intermediary mechanism - the switching device with engagement pin - that mediates between the coupling bar and the transport trolleys. This switching device allows the coupling bar to be released without direct manual intervention near the pipes, as the engagement pin can be switched to disengage the coupling bar from the trolleys, eliminating the interference problem while maintaining the ability to separate trolleys independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3943709B1Pipe joining method inside pipeline construction shaft
Publication Date: 2023.09.13 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3943709B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3943709B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3943709B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A first transport trolley 12 on which a first pipe 11 is loaded and a second transport trolley 15 on which a second pipe 14 is loaded are moved forward and one end 19 of the first pipe 11 is joined to the other end 20 of the rearmost pipe 4 in a pipeline 2; the other end 20 of the first pipe 11 is lifted; the first transport trolley 12 and the second transport trolley 15 are moved back and the first transport trolley 12 is removed to the front side from under the first pipe 11; a connection member 28 is removed and the first transport trolley 12 and the second transport trolley 15 are separated; the first transport trolley 12 is moved back and pulled in under the second pipe 14 that is loaded on the second transport trolley 15; the second transport trolley 15 is moved forward with the first transport trolley 12 and the one end 19 of the second pipe 14 on the second transport trolley 15 is joined to the other end 20 of the first pipe 11 that is joined to the rearmost pipe 4.