Pivotable Wellbore Anchoring Arms Wedge Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anchoring devices for downhole tools in wellbores face limitations in radial expansion, complexity, and the need for specific grooves, making them unsuitable for arbitrary location anchoring and high-force applications.
Innovation Solution
A system with pivotable arms that radially expand and contract, utilizing a wedge component to engage and anchor the tool to the surrounding wellbore wall, allowing for significant radial movement and high anchoring strength without requiring special grooves or complex designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If anchor slips are used to support large forces, then anchoring strength is improved, but radial expansion capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring device employs dynamic arms that can pivot between a retracted position (for passage through restrictions) and an expanded position (for anchoring). This dynamic transformation allows the device to adapt its radial dimension based on operational requirements, resolving the contradiction between maintaining strength and achieving versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchoring device is divided into multiple independent arms that can be individually controlled. Each arm can be independently positioned and controlled, allowing selective expansion of only the necessary segments while keeping others retracted, thus achieving both strength and adaptability.
2Strength
If dogs are used to extend from tool body into grooves, then anchoring strength is improved, but device complexity and requirement for special grooves increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable arms can engage with various wellbore geometries without requiring specific groove features. The same basic anchoring mechanism can adapt to different wellbore conditions (cased, uncased, restricted, featureless), eliminating the need for specialized grooves and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the wellbore to have specific groove features that the dogs engage with, the invention inverts the approach by having the arms create their own engagement points through pivoting action against the wellbore wall, eliminating the requirement for pre-formed grooves.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pistons are used to expand radially outward, then anchoring capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex piston-cylinder linkage mechanism from the design and replaces it with simpler pivotable arms that achieve radial expansion through direct pivoting action. This extraction maintains the anchoring capability while significantly reducing mechanical complexity.
4Strength
If linkages are used to expand against surrounding tubular, then anchoring strength is improved, but device complexity and restriction passage capability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The device transitions from a static expanded state to a dynamic system where arms can pivot between retracted and expanded positions. This dynamic capability allows the arms to be pulled back into the tool body to pass through restrictions, then deployed for anchoring, resolving both the strength and complexity contradictions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables secure anchoring of tools at arbitrary locations with high anchoring strength and flexibility, allowing passage through restrictions and use in featureless tubing of varying diameters, while maintaining a large opening ratio.
Implementation Method 1
A wedge component is positioned to selectively engage the arm or arms. When relative axial movement is caused between the wedge component and the one or more arms, the arm/arms are pivoted to a desired radial position.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique enables anchoring of a tool in a wellbore. The technique utilizes one or more arms pivotably mounted to a structure for movement between a radially inward position and radially outward position that anchors the tool to a surrounding wall. A wedge component is positioned to selectively engage the arms. When relative axial movement is caused between the wedge component and the arms, the arms are pivoted to a desired radial position.