Modular Earth-Boring Tool Drive Unit for Rapid Maintenance

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional expandable reamers for enlarging subterranean boreholes require complex designs and time-consuming assembly and maintenance processes due to numerous moving components and dynamic fluid seals, making them costly and labor-intensive to repair and service.

Innovation Solution

A self-contained module with a drive unit is integrated into the earth-boring tool, allowing for easy attachment and detachment from the tool body, enabling the actuation of reamer blades without disassembling the bottom-hole assembly, using a decentralized compartment and a drive element that moves actuatable elements parallel to the tool's longitudinal axis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional expandable reamers use numerous moving components and dynamic fluid seals to enable blade actuation, then the reamer can effectively enlarge boreholes, but the assembly and maintenance processes become time-consuming and complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade actuation effectivenessVSAvoidnumber of moving components and fluid seals

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reamer is divided into modular segments including a body, replaceable blade assemblies, and a drive mechanism. Each blade assembly can be independently removed and replaced without disassembling the entire reamer, allowing maintenance personnel to service individual components rather than the whole device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drive mechanism is extracted as a separate, self-contained unit that can be removed from the reamer body. This allows the drive system to be serviced, repaired, or replaced independently of the blade assemblies and body structure, significantly reducing maintenance complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If conventional expandable reamers are designed with complex internal mechanisms for blade actuation, then the reamer can perform enlargement functions, but repair and servicing require highly trained technicians and extensive disassembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenlargement function performanceVSAvoidtechnician training requirement and disassembly extent

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The reamer is divided into modular segments including a body, replaceable blade assemblies, and a drive mechanism. Each blade assembly can be independently removed and replaced without disassembling the entire reamer, allowing maintenance personnel to service individual components rather than the whole device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drive mechanism is designed to be manually operable through the drive shaft without requiring complex hydraulic systems or specialized tools. This simplifies the actuation process and enables field servicing with minimal training requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of repair

If conventional reamers require extensive disassembly for module replacement, then component servicing can be performed, but productivity is reduced due to time-consuming reassembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent servicing capabilityVSAvoidassembly and disassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The reamer is divided into modular segments including a body, replaceable blade assemblies, and a drive mechanism. Each blade assembly can be independently removed and replaced without disassembling the entire reamer, allowing maintenance personnel to service individual components rather than the whole device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Blade assemblies are pre-configured with cutting elements and actuation mechanisms already installed and adjusted. This preliminary preparation allows for quick replacement of complete functional units in the field without requiring on-site assembly or adjustment procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10829998B2Modular earth-boring tools, modules for such tools and related methods

Publication Date: 2020.11.10 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

A self-contained module for actuating an element of an earth-boring tool comprises a drive unit configured to be coupled to at least one actuatable element of the earth-boring tool. The drive unit is configured to be disposed at least partially within a compartment of a body of the earth-boring tool. The compartment is radially decentralized within the earth-boring tool. The drive unit includes a drive element configured to be coupled to the at least one actuatable element. The drive unit is configured to move the drive element in a manner moving the at least one actuatable element from a first position to a second position in a direction having a component parallel with a longitudinal axis of the earth-boring tool. The self-contained module is configured to be repeatedly attached to and detached from the earth-boring tool. Such a module may be attached to a tool body carrying extendable elements to form an earth-boring tool for borehole enlargement or stabilization within an enlarged section of the borehole.