Spinner Assembly Four-Bar Linkage Linear Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spinners in the oil and gas industry often cause misalignment of tubulars due to the arcuate path of their arms, leading to improper contact between rollers and the upper tubular during threading operations.
Innovation Solution
A spinner assembly with a jaw assembly and a four-bar linkage system that moves rollers along a straight parallel path, ensuring proper alignment and contact with tubulars through actuation, preventing misalignment by maintaining a linear plane during opening and closing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the spinner arms move along an arcuate path, then the rollers can contact the upper tubular during rotation, but the upper tubular is pushed out of alignment with the spinner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the reverse of this principle by using straight-line motion instead of curved arcuate paths. The four-bar linkage mechanism constrains the rollers to move in a straight line parallel to the tubular axis, eliminating the curved path that causes misalignment while still allowing effective roller contact during rotation
2Speed
If the rollers contact the upper tubular prior to other rollers during arcuate movement, then rotation can be initiated, but misalignment occurs between the tubular and spinner axes
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing the curved arcuate path with a straight-line path parallel to the tubular axis, the patent ensures that all rollers contact the tubular simultaneously or in a controlled sequence without creating lateral forces that would cause misalignment between the spinner and tubular axes
Solution Approach 2:
The four-bar linkage mechanism dynamically adjusts the roller positions during actuation, maintaining parallel motion that adapts to the rotational movement while keeping the rollers aligned with the tubular axis throughout the operation
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A spinner assembly including a jaw assembly having a first portion and a second portion, and a linkage assembly coupled to the first and second portions of the jaw assembly. The linkage assembly comprises a first bar coupled to a pivot point, a second bar coupled to the first bar by a first pin, a third bar coupled to the second bar by a second pin, and a pair of links coupled to the pivot point and the third bar. The linkage assembly is configured to move the first and second portions along a substantially linear plane.