US 12,234,694 B2
Innovative multifunction manipulator for manipulating drilling elements in a drilling rig and related drilling rig
Andrea Tiberi, Magnolia, TX (US); and Adolfo Basile, The Woodlands, TX (US)
Assigned to DRILLMEC S.P.A., Gariga di Podenzano (IT)
Appl. No. 18/246,511
Filed by DRILLMEC S.P.A., Gariga di Podenzano (IT)
PCT Filed Sep. 22, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/058623
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 23, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/064372, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 31, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000022483 (IT), filed on Sep. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0366277 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. E21B 19/15 (2006.01); E21B 19/00 (2006.01); E21B 19/16 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 19/155 (2013.01) [E21B 19/008 (2013.01); E21B 19/161 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multifunction manipulator for manipulating drilling elements in a drilling rig for assembling, disassembling and moving a stand of drilling elements;
said manipulator comprising:
a carriage:
an articulated arm comprising at least two operating configurations;
a robotic apparatus;
a manipulation head;
a control system;
said robotic apparatus being adapted to move said manipulation head with at least three degrees of freedom;
said manipulator being configured to move said manipulation head with at least five degrees of freedom;
said carriage comprising:
at least one sliding block;
a pulley-type hoisting system comprising a winch;
an emergency braking system adapted to prevent the carriage from moving in the event of a malfunction of the hoisting system;
said pulley-type hoisting system being adapted to cause said carriage to slide vertically along a first axis parallel to a longitudinal extension of a mast in the drilling rig;
said at least one sliding block of the carriage is adapted to slide along guides on the mast;
said guides are positioned in a front part of the mast and are configured to allow the carriage to slide along the entire longitudinal extension of said mast;
said guides are parallel to second guides, the second guides permit moving a drill head of the drilling rig along said mast;
said carriage, said hoisting system and said guides are configured to be free of interfering with the drill head;
said emergency braking system is adapted to act on said guides on the mast;
said articulated arm having a monolithic body and being constrained, at one end thereof, to said carriage, so that said articulated arm is rotatable about a horizontal axis; and being constrained, at a second end thereof, to a first end of said robotic apparatus, so that said articulated arm is rotatable about another horizontal axis;
said manipulation head being connected to the second end of the robotic apparatus;
said articulated arm comprising:
a first actuator adapted to move the articulated arm to allow moving the robotic apparatus along at least one second axis perpendicular to said first axis, to achieve said at least two operating configurations;
a second actuator adapted to move the articulated arm to allow keeping the first end of the robotic apparatus in line with an axis parallel to said first axis;
said articulated arm and said robotic apparatus comprising only electric actuators;
said control system being adapted to independently control all the electric actuators in said articulated arm and in said robotic apparatus.