Method and apparatus for concentrated energy drilling, core drilling, automated mining and tunneling

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for creating core samples, including a core bit; and a high-energy source disposed at a perimeter of the cutting head. That system, method, and apparatus allows removing much less material using much less energy than the current state of the art. A reason for this is that prior attempts tried to accomplish this via drilling just from the surface with a very large device or to send down hole a very large device. This invention makes it feasible to send high energy down hole is a relatively tiny device such as an optical fiber with a laser beam to cut the peripheral part of the hole to remove an intact center core or to bore a very small hole without a center core. With this invention it is feasible to drill a very small hole such as 0.25 inches diameter hundreds of feet through rock, or a 4 inch hole with less than 0.5 inch outer part of the hole being destroyed leaving a core in the center than can be removed. This invention has many more capabilities beyond these.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to provisional application: Ser. No. 63 / 034,408 filed Jun. 4, 2020, entitled “A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATED ENERGY DRILLING, CORE DRILLING, AUTOMATED MINING AND TUNNELING” the disclosures of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entireties. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein, is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY[0002]The disclosure relates generally to the field of drilling, core drilling, and mining.BACKGROUND[0003]There are many ways to drill or bore through material. Currently core drilling of rock, concrete, etc. is done via diamond core drills, which are hollow pipes, studded with diamonds that leave a “core” inside the pipe. Diamond core...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]An apparatus and method for creating a core sample. The apparatus includes a coring bit that removes material with concentrated energy not mechanical force and allows for the energy source to be disposed on the outside of the borehole, if so desired, for cutting of materials. Lasers being an example of how the energy source can be on the outside of desired core and the material and the concentrated energy beams can be transported long distances via a channel such as laser or optical fibers to the cutting face. The method for creating core samples includes cutting of materials with concentrated energy beams on the periphery of the borehole only, greatly reducing the material destruction required for the same sized hole and at the same time greatly reducing the energy required to bore. In one embodiment, a laser drill pipe can be zippered so that cores can be removed at the surface easily and storage space can be greatly reduced for the laser drill pipe by making the laser drill pipe roll flat outside of the borehole. With such a roll flat zippered drill pipe it is feasible to have 1,000 feet of drill pipe in a roll that can fit in the bed of a pickup truck.

[0011]The method and apparatus to protect the exit point of the concentrated energy beams such as a laser beam exiting a bare optical fiber or lens with an engulfing fluid flow so that debris, vapors, etc, do not damage of contaminate the exit surface. For example if a laser beam exit point gets smudged or chipped it can reflect back or heat to the point of melting if the laser beam is restricted from exiting by such damage causing more damage and possible failure of this drilling device. An engulfing fluid flow such as high pressure dry air or water is used by this invention to not allow blow-back to reach the exit surface. This works for a single point such as a single laser fiber surrounded with an engulfing fluid flow or for a circular pipe with beams exiting with an engulfing inner and outer fluid flow that prevents blow-back from reaching the exit surface. It also works for cutting sheets which could be square shaped or just a flat sheet. With fluid flow on both sides the cutting sheets exit surface can be protected.

Problems solved by technology

Diamond core drilling of rock as used to explore for ore bodies or for geologic knowledge is generally the slowest form of drilling.

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