Stepped-Bore Winch Assembly for Fast Pipelayer Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Accessing and replacing winches on pipelayer machines is complex, time-consuming, and requires specialized tooling due to the difficulty in disassembling and removing them from the machine frame, leading to significant machine downtime.
Innovation Solution
A winch assembly with a frame featuring stepped bores that allows the winch to be inserted and removed as a single unit without disconnecting it from the machine or disassembling it, utilizing co-axial bores of different diameters to facilitate easy installation and removal, and tie elements connecting the winch components for secure mounting and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the frame is disconnected from the pipelayer machine and the winch is disassembled into multiple sections for removal, then the winch can be accessed and removed from the frame, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming, requiring specialized tooling and causing significant machine downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is designed with multiple sets of bores (first set and second set) that are spatially segmented and functionally independent. Each set of bores can accommodate a winch, allowing for modular installation and removal without affecting other components or requiring complete disassembly of the frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The winch is designed with nested flanges (first flange on gear housing, second flange on input housing) that fit through sequentially arranged bores of decreasing diameter. The smaller second flange passes through the smaller second bore, while the larger first flange remains accessible at the first bore, enabling the winch to be installed or removed as a complete unit through the stepped bore configuration.
2Reliability
If the winch is mounted securely to the frame, then the winch operates reliably, but accessing or removing the winch requires complex disassembly procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system transitions from a permanent fixed state to a dynamically removable state through the stepped bore design. The winch can be quickly transitioned between mounted and removed states by simply passing it through the bores, eliminating the need for complex fastening or disassembly operations while maintaining operational reliability when mounted.
Solution Approach 2:
The winch extraction process is simplified by designing the frame with dedicated bores that accommodate the winch dimensions. The winch can be directly extracted from the frame through the first bore without removing any frame components or specialized fasteners, as the bore configuration inherently provides the removal pathway.
3Ease of repair
If specialized tooling is used for winch removal, then the winch can be removed from the frame, but the process requires additional equipment and becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The frame structure itself provides the removal mechanism through its stepped bore configuration. The bores act as built-in extraction pathways that guide the winch out of the frame without requiring external specialized tools or equipment. The structure serves its dual function of both securing the winch during operation and facilitating its removal when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A winch assembly may include a frame including a first plate and a second plate separated from the first plate. The frame may have a set of stepped bores including a first bore in the first plate and a second bore, co-axial with the first bore, in the second plate. The first bore may be larger than the second bore. The winch assembly may include a winch disposed in the frame through the first bore and the second bore. The winch may include a first housing with a first flange extending from the first housing, the first flange connected at an outward surface of the first plate. The winch may include a second housing with a second flange extending from the second housing, the second flange connected at an inward surface of the second plate. The winch may include a drum between the first housing and the second housing.