IP Library Granted Patent US 10,266,093
Granted Patent B2
US 10,266,093 · App. 15/337,110 · Granted Apr 23, 2019

Pipe deployment trailer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,266,093
App. No.
15/337,110
Filed
Oct 28, 2016
Granted
Apr 23, 2019
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3654
USPC
242/557
Abstract

A trailer is provided having a trailer base and a trailer bed mounted to the trailer base. The trailer includes at least one actuator coupled to the trailer bed and the trailer base that raises and lowers the trailer bed. When the at least one actuator is extended, the trailer bed is raised to a vertical orientation. When the at least one actuator is retracted, the trailer bed is in the horizontal orientation. The trailer includes a lifting head protruding outwardly from the trailer bed. The position of the lifting head is adjustable along a longitudinal axis of the trailer bed.

Claims (40)

1. A trailer, comprising:

a trailer base;

a trailer bed mounted to the trailer base;

a lifting head protruding in an outwardly direction from the trailer bed and the trailer base when the lifting head is in a first orientation, wherein a position of the lifting head is adjustable along a longitudinal axis of the trailer bed, and wherein the lifting head is coupled to a track extending along the longitudinal axis of the trailer bed when the lifting head is in the first orientation, and wherein the lifting head engages with and is movable along the track to adjust the position of the lifting head on the trailer bed; and

at least one actuator coupled to the trailer base,

wherein, when the at least one actuator is in an actuated state, the lifting head is raised to a second orientation by the at least one actuator, and when the at least one actuator is in a non-actuated state, the lifting head is in the first orientation.

2. The trailer of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator is coupled to the lifting head,

and when the at least one actuator is in the actuated state, the lifting head is raised to the second orientation apart from the trailer base and the trailer bed.

3. The trailer of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator is coupled to the trailer bed, and when the at least one actuator is in the actuated state, the trailer bed is raised together with the lifting head to the second orientation.

4. The trailer of claim 1 , wherein the lifting head comprises one or more arm members that protrude from the trailer bed.

5. The trailer of claim 4 , wherein the lifting head comprises more than one arm member, and wherein the arm members adjustable about a central axis extending outwardly from the trailer bed and through the lifting head.

6. The trailer of claim 1 , further comprising a slide table with a set of rollers affixed to the slide table, wherein the slide table is connected to the trailer bed.

7. The trailer of claim 1 , further comprising a set of rollers disposed along the trailer bed, wherein the set of rollers extend along the trailer bed in a radial direction from a central reference point located a distance along a length of the trailer bed, the length of the trailer bed extending along the longitudinal axis of the trailer bed from a base edge at an end of the trailer bed to an upper edge at an opposite end of the trailer bed, wherein the distance is greater than a radius of a coil of pipe.

8. The trailer of claim 1 , further comprising a turntable, wherein the lifting head comprises one or more arms protruding outwardly from the turntable.

9. The trailer of claim 1 , further comprising a retention component coupled to the trailer and an energizing mechanism configured to apply a force to the retention component.

10. The trailer of claim 9 , wherein the energizing mechanism is a hydraulic arm, energized by pressurized hydraulic fluid.

11. A method for manipulating a coil of pipe, comprising: providing a trailer, comprising:

a trailer bed mounted to a trailer base; and

a lifting head disposed on the trailer bed, the lifting head comprising one or more arms protruding in an outwardly direction from the trailer bed, wherein the lifting head is coupled to a track extending along the longitudinal axis of the trailer bed when the lifting head is in the first orientation, and wherein the lifting head engages with and is movable along the track to adjust the position of the lifting head on the trailer bed;

positioning the coil of pipe on the lifting head, wherein the coil of pipe and the trailer bed are in a vertical orientation, positioning comprising: adjusting a position of the lifting head along the trailer bed to align the one or more arms of the lifting head with an interior channel extending through the coil of pipe; and

inserting the one or more arms of the lifting head through the interior channel of the coil of pipe;

lowering the trailer bed to a horizontal orientation while the coil of pipe is positioned on the lifting head, wherein the coil of pipe is wound on a reel such that the interior channel of the coil of pipe is concentric with a central bore of the reel, and wherein during the positioning of the coil of pipe on the lifting head, the vertical position of the lifting head is adjusted to align the one or more arms of the lifting head with the central bore of the reel, and the one or more arms of the lifting head is inserted through the central bore of the reel.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

deploying pipe from the coil of pipe, the deploying comprising pulling an end of the pipe from the coil of pipe to unwind the coil of pipe.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

deploying pipe from the coil of pipe, the deploying comprising moving the trailer away from an end of the pipe, wherein the coil of pipe rotates about the lifting head during deploying to unwind the coil of pipe as the trailer moves away from the end of the pipe.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

deploying pipe from the coil of pipe, the deploying comprising unwinding pipe from the coil of pipe; and

engaging a retention component with an outer diameter of the coil of pipe during deploying, wherein an energizing mechanism applies a force to the retention component to engage the retention component with the outer diameter of the coil of pipe during deploying.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

deploying pipe from the coil of pipe, the deploying comprising unwinding pipe from the coil of pipe; and

providing tension to the coil of pipe to control a speed of the unwinding mechanism to provide tension and control the speed of pipe deployed and/or to stop deployment.

16. A method for spooling pipe, comprising: providing a trailer, comprising:

a trailer base;

a trailer bed mounted to the trailer base;

a lifting head protruding in an outwardly direction from the trailer bed and the trailer base when the lifting head is in a first orientation, wherein a position of the lifting head is adjustable along a longitudinal axis of the trailer bed, and wherein the lifting head is coupled to a track extending along the longitudinal axis of the trailer bed when the lifting head is in the first orientation, and wherein the lifting head engages with and is movable along the track to adjust the position of the lifting head on the trailer bed; and

at least one actuator coupled to the trailer base for moving the lifting head to a second orientation;

securing an end of the pipe to the lifting head; and

rotating the lifting head to wind the pipe around the lifting head.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein a motor is disposed at a base of the lifting head, wherein the motor rotates the lifting head.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2025
From: CACTUS WELLHEAD, LLC; FLEXSTEEL USA, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 073804/0497 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 21, 2025
From: FLEXSTEEL PIPELINE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: FLEXSTEEL USA, LLC
Reel/Frame 069964/0367 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 5, 2024
From: TRINITY BAY EQUIPMENT HOLDINGS, LLC
To: FLEXSTEEL PIPELINE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 068326/0846 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 5, 2024
From: TRINITY BAY EQUIPMENT HOLDINGS, LLC
To: FLEXSTEEL PIPELINE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 068327/0863 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 2, 2023
From: TRINITY BAY EQUIPMENT HOLDINGS, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 062926/0460 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2016
From: WHITE, CHRISTOPHER; HELBING, KYLE; WINN, ALEXANDER LEE
To: TRINITY BAY EQUIPMENT HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 040158/0736 →