Rope Stopper with Arched Back Support for Fibre Rope Gripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions, such as shark jaws and centring devices, are not suited for gripping and securing fibre ropes, which are increasingly used in offshore operations due to their lower specific weight and ease of handling heavy loads, as they are designed for chains and cables rather than fibre ropes.
Innovation Solution
A rope stopper system with a frame and rotary stopper elements arranged radially around a through-running opening, equipped with a back support and contact surfaces that can adjust to different angles and diameters, allowing for secure gripping and easy movement on a vessel's deck, and optionally connected to a motor for controlled rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If shark jaws or centring devices are used, then chains and cables can be gripped and secured, but fibre ropes cannot be properly handled
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surfaces of the stopper elements are designed with adjustable parameters including curvature radius and friction characteristics. The arched back side of the back support changes the geometric parameters to accommodate different fibre rope diameters, enabling reliable gripping across varying rope types while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper elements are designed to rotate about bearing points, allowing dynamic adjustment of the gripping angle and contact pressure. This rotational capability enables the device to adapt to different rope diameters and maintain reliable gripping through controlled movement rather than static positioning
2Reliability
If stopper elements are arranged radially around the fibre rope, then gripping effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping function is divided into multiple independent stopper elements (at least two) that can operate separately but work together to secure the fibre rope. Each stopper element is a simple rotary component with a contact surface, avoiding the need for a complex monolithic gripping mechanism while maintaining high gripping effectiveness through radial arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the fibre rope rotate within a fixed gripping structure, the invention inverts the approach by having fixed stopper elements rotate about bearing points to engage the fibre rope. This inversion simplifies the overall structure by keeping the main body stationary while using simple rotary elements to achieve secure gripping
3Adaptability or versatility
If the back support is designed with an arched back side, then adaptability to different angles and diameters is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The back support is designed with an arched back side featuring a parabolic or spherical curve instead of flat or angular surfaces. This curvature allows the back support to naturally conform to different fibre rope diameters and angles, providing adaptability through geometric form rather than complex adjustable mechanisms, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The arched back side design makes the back support a universal component that can accommodate multiple fibre rope diameters and angles without requiring modification or adjustment. This multi-functional design allows a single back support structure to serve various gripping configurations, simplifying manufacturing by eliminating the need for multiple specialized components
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
The rope stopper system effectively secures fibre ropes of varying diameters, allowing for easy handling and reshackling, and can be used in conjunction with existing equipment like towing pins, providing a versatile and efficient solution for fibre rope management on anchor handling vessels.
Implementation Method 1
The stopper elements have a cylindrical or oval shape with a contact surface for the gripping of the rope
Data Source
AI summary
A rope stopper system for a fiber rope (30) is described, where a rope stopper (10) is placed on a deck of an anchor handling vessel (50) or the like, and is arranged to grip and secure the fiber rope (30), that runs through the rope stopper (10). The rope stopper (10) comprises a frame (12) equipped with at several rotary stopper elements (14), where the stopper elements (14) are arranged in an opening (16) in the frame (12), said opening (16) being a through-running opening to receive the fiber rope (30), and where the stopper elements (14) are placed radially in the opening, and about the through-running fiber rope (30), arranged to lock the fiber rope (30), and the rope stopper (10) is equipped with a back support (22), in where the back support (22) is designed with an arched back side.