SYSTEM OF ANCHORING BY SELF-LOCKING OF WOVEN FIBER SLEEVES

Abstract

The present invention proposes a solution for anchoring systems, which can be applied to connect a robotic system with its power supply structure (for example, umbilical cables), or then separate the same into several modules, each containing a pair of anchors.

The objective is achieved when the sleeve (4) is tensioned, by pulling the ring against its stop and, thus, performing a self-locking. The self-locking occurs because the friction force generated at the lace interface is greater than the sleeve tensioning force. Also, allied to this, so that there is an initial friction force, the mesh is tightened by threading the stop of the conventional ring in the house of the conventional ring.

The proposed solution takes up little space for the anchoring system, and can be applied in pipes of reduced internal diameter, still being a robust tension anchoring solution. It can be applied to any part of the robot and as many times as necessary, not being limited to the connection with the umbilical.

Claims

1. A SYSTEM OF ANCHORING BY SELF-LOCKING OF WOVEN FIBER SLEEVES, characterized in that it has a conventional anchoring system, which comprises a conventional ring (1), a conventional ring house (2), a conventional ring stop (3), a woven sleeve (4), and an inverted anchoring system, which comprises an inverted ring (5), an inverted ring house (6), an inverted ring stop (7), and a woven sleeve (4).

2. THE SYSTEM OF ANCHORING BY SELF-LOCKING OF WOVEN FIBER SLEEVES according to claim 1, characterized in that the woven sleeve (4) laces the conventional ring (1), so that, when the sleeve (4) is tensioned, it pulls the conventional ring (1) against its stop (3) and thus performs a self-locking.

3. THE SYSTEM OF ANCHORING BY SELF-LOCKING OF WOVEN FIBER SLEEVES according to claim 2, characterized in that an initial friction force is generated in the system by tightening the mesh, threading the stop of the conventional ring (3) in the house of the conventional ring (2).

4. THE SYSTEM OF ANCHORING BY SELF-LOCKING OF WOVEN FIBER SLEEVES according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the inverted anchoring configuration, when the sleeve (4) is tensioned, it pulls the inverted ring (5) against the house of the inverted ring (6) thus performing a self-locking.

5. THE SYSTEM OF ANCHORING BY SELF-LOCKING OF WOVEN FIBER SLEEVES according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the conventional anchoring configuration, the initial tightening is done by threading the stop of the conventional ring (3) and, in the inverted anchor configuration, this is done by tightening the four screws (8).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] The present invention will be described in more detail below, with reference to the attached figures which, in a schematic form and not limiting the inventive scope, represent examples of its embodiment. In the drawings, there are:

[0020] FIG. 1, which illustrates a sectional view of the conventional anchoring solution of the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 2, which illustrates an application of the conventional anchoring solution of the present invention for testing;

[0022] FIG. 3, which illustrates a sectional view of the inverted anchoring solution of the present invention;

[0023] FIG. 4, which illustrates an application of the inverted anchoring solution of the present invention in a robot connection;

[0024] FIG. 5, which illustrates the assembly of the inverted anchoring solution of the present invention in a connection with the robot;

[0025] FIG. 6, which illustrates a test carried out to validate the two applications (conventional and inverted) of the solutions of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] There follows below a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, by way of example and in no way limiting. Nevertheless, it will be clear to a technician skilled on the subject, from reading this description, possible further embodiments of the present invention still comprised by the essential and optional features below.

[0027] The solution found by the present application seeks to solve the problems of anchoring in pipes with reduced internal diameter. In FIGS. 1 and 2, there can be seen a representation of the assembled conventional anchor and the assembly sequence, respectively. In FIG. 1, the four components of the invention are represented: on the outside, with a female thread, there is the stop of the conventional ring (3); inside, a woven sleeve (4) of aramid threads (which can be any fiber mesh: glass, carbon, basalt, for example) lacing the conventional ring (1) and, internally, the house of the conventional ring (2). The purpose of the sleeve lace under the ring is that, when the sleeve is tensioned, it pulls the conventional ring against its stop and thus performs a self-locking. The self-locking occurs because the friction force generated at the lace interface is greater than the sleeve tension force. Further allied to the self-locking, so that there is an initial friction force, the mesh is tightened, by threading the stop of the conventional ring (3) in the house of the conventional ring (2).

[0028] In FIG. 3, there can be seen a representation of the invention, although with the direction of the sleeve inverted, where in the image there are the four components of the invention: on the outside, the house of the inverted ring (6); internally, the woven sleeve (4) lacing the inverted ring (5), and in the lower part of the system, the inverted ring stop (7). In this configuration, the web comes out of the upper part of the system, thus being able to house components inside the mesh. As with conventional anchoring, when tensioning the mesh, it pulls the ring against the stop, promoting the self-locking. The screws (8) seen in the image provide the initial tightening. The main difference between the configurations of the invention is that in the first (conventional) one, a reversal of the direction of the sleeve is made, and in the other (inverted) one, two changes of direction are made. This allows the woven sleeve to wrap components within the same, being fixed at last, because the exposed fixed end can be pulled to perform the circumference alignment. The second (inverted) configuration also allows the initial tightening to be performed differently. In the first (conventional) configuration, this is done by screwing the conventional ring stop (3); in the second (inverted) configuration of the invention, this is done by tightening the four screws (8) seen in FIG. 3.

[0029] In FIG. 4, there is shown the application of the invention of conventional anchoring, where on the left side there will be connected the load cell used in the robot and, on the right side, there is the application of the inverted anchoring to interconnect the robot with the umbilical cable connector that powers the same.

[0030] There can also be seen in FIGS. 2 and 5 the assembly processes performed in each of the (conventional and inverted) anchors, as well as their tensile test for system validation, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0031] It is important to emphasize that the application of pre-tightening in the system ensures that it has an initial friction force.

[0032] The invention described herein is capable of enabling and simplifying the application of systems tensioned by fiber meshes when in restricted dimensional environments. It is capable of reducing production costs, because the assembly of the system does not depend on the application of resins. It also reduces assembly time, since resins take time to fully cure. It is easy to maintain, as the system is demountable. Another advantage with the application of the invention is the reduction of workers' exposure to volatile resin compounds used to anchor the sleeve elements.