Overshot Assembly Latching Mechanism Angular Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional overshot assemblies for drilling operations face challenges with material quality, ease of installation, reliability, and corrosion resistance, particularly in achieving proper engagement over a wide range of angular orientations.
Innovation Solution
The overshot assembly features a distal body portion, spindle, and latching assembly, with a sleeve subassembly that can rotate between locked and unlocked positions, allowing for axial advancement and independent movement of components, enhancing engagement reliability and reducing corrosion through robust materials and simplified assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional casting process is used to manufacture spearheads and locking dogs, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but material quality and wear resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing method from casting to machining, fundamentally altering the production parameter to achieve superior material quality and wear resistance while accepting increased manufacturing complexity and cost
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive, durable machined components with cheaper, disposable cast components (spearheads and locking dogs), accepting reduced longevity and wear resistance in exchange for significant cost reduction and manufacturing simplicity
2Device complexity
If conventional spearheads and locking dogs are designed, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but engagement reliability deteriorates due to narrow orientation range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment capability to the locking dog through a cam mechanism, allowing it to adapt its orientation and geometry to match the spearhead across a wide range of angular orientations, thereby achieving reliable engagement without increasing overall design complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The locking dog is segmented into multiple components including the cam mechanism, allowing independent adjustment of different parts to achieve proper engagement geometry across varying orientations while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
3Reliability
If recent overshot assemblies are designed to address material quality and engagement issues, then reliability improves, but device complexity and difficulty of installation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the adjustment mechanism and locking components into an integrated assembly that maintains high reliability through proven design elements while reducing the overall number of discrete parts and simplifying installation procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The locking dog design incorporates multi-functional elements that perform both locking and alignment functions simultaneously, reducing the need for separate adjustment components and thereby decreasing overall device complexity while maintaining engagement reliability
4Ease of operation
If conventional overshot assemblies are used, then ease of installation is maintained, but corrosion resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material construction or protective coatings on the overshot assembly components, combining corrosion-resistant materials with the existing design to maintain ease of installation while significantly improving resistance to corrosive environments
Data Source
AI summary
An overshot assembly for operative coupling to a wireline and a head assembly within a drilling system. The overshot assembly has a proximal body portion, a distal body portion, and a spindle received within the distal body portion. The distal body portion is moveable axially relative to the spindle to effect movement of a latching assembly about and between a deployed position in which the latching assembly extends radially outwardly from the distal body portion and a retracted position in which the latching assembly is received within the distal body portion.