# US 10,370,907 B2 · Disconnect and other devices for downhole assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,907 B2 - Document ID: US10370907B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/118,745 - Filed: 2015-02-13 - Published: 2017-02-16 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-14 - Assignees: Intelligent Drilling Tools Limited - Applicants: Intelligent Drilling Tools Limited - Inventors: Andrew Ollerenshaw; James Hardy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370907B2 ## CPC - E21B 17/06: Releasing-joints, e.g. safety joints - E21B 21/103: {Down-hole by-pass valve arrangements, i.e. between the inside of the drill string and the annulus (valves specifically for maintaining circulation of drilling fluid while connecting or disconnecting tubular joints E21B21/019)} - E21B 47/007: Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing (for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09) - G01P 15/00: Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration - E21B 2200/06: Sleeve valves - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) ## Abstract A downhole tool for incorporation in a drill pipe for selective operation of the tool from surface level when the tool is in a wellbore. The tool comprises a controller electrically powered by a power source separate from surface level, a first sensor of the controller to detect a dynamic variable of the tool in the wellbore and produce an output signal dependent thereon; a second sensor of the controller to detect a mechanical signal transmitted from an operator at surface level; a motor driven by the power source under the control of the controller when said mechanical signal is received; and an actuator driven by the motor to actuate the tool; wherein the controller switches between at least two states in response to changes in said dynamic variable, only in said second state the controller being receptive to said mechanical signal from the operator to drive the motor. The tool may be a disconnect device and/or a circ sub. A disconnect device has axially displaceable die retention sleeve preventing radial movement of dies that lock between the dies and a mandrel. When the retention sleeve is moved so that the dies can move, the disconnect is actuated. A circsub has a body having a throughbore receiving a piston movable between open and closed positions to control ports in the body selectively connecting the throughbore with the wellbore, said motor driving said actuator to enable or disable movement of the piston to said open position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A disconnect tool for incorporation in a drill string between a downhole assembly and a drill pipe to selectively disconnect the downhole assembly from the drill pipe, said disconnect tool comprising: a controller electrically powered by a power source separate from surface level; a first sensor of the controller to detect a dynamic variable of the tool in the wellbore and produce an output signal dependent thereon; a second sensor of the controller to detect a mechanical signal transmitted from an operator at surface level; a first motor driven by the power source under the control of the controller when said mechanical signal is received; and a first actuator driven by the first motor to actuate the tool; wherein the controller being switchable between at least a first state and a second state in response to changes in said dynamic variable, only in said second state the controller being receptive to said mechanical signal from the operator to drive the first motor, characterised in that the downhole tool further comprises a second motor and a second actuator driven by the second motor, said second actuator comprising a mechanical brake having an engaged position and a disengaged position, said mechanical brake being configured to prevent actuation of the tool when in said engaged position, wherein, once the controller receives the mechanical signal from the operator to drive the first motor the controller is configured to sequentially: drive the second motor to move said mechanical brake from the engaged position to the disengaged position; and drive the first motor to actuate the tool and disconnect the downhole assembly from the drill pipe. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 1, said disconnect tool comprising: a first part for connection to said drill pipe and a second part for connection to said downhole assembly; a disengagement apparatus to release connection between said first and second parts; wherein said controller is adapted to change the tool from an active state to a disconnect state when said at least one output signal has satisfied at least one criterion indicating that the tool is stuck, and said controller is adapted, when in said disconnect state, to actuate said disengagement apparatus to disconnect the tool when a disconnect operator signal is received by said second sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein prior to entering said disconnect state, the tool enters a listening state; said tool changing from said listening state to said disconnect state when the tool has been in said listening state after a first period of time and dependent upon receipt or non-receipt of a transfer operator signal by said second sensor in said first period of time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein said controller actuates said disengagement apparatus to disconnect the tool when said disconnect operator signal is received by said second sensor during a period of time following the controller entering said disconnect state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the or each operator signal is a compression of the drill string and said at least one second sensor is a compression sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at least one sensor is an accelerometer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 1, in which the dynamic variable includes rotational acceleration which, when the rotational acceleration ceases because a bottom hole assembly (BHA) becomes stuck in the wellbore, serves to switch the tool between an active mode and a disconnect mode, in the latter of which, the tool awaits signals from the surface that instruct the tool to disconnect. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 7, in which the mechanical signals are compressive forces on the drill string detected as compressions by proximity sensors or strain gauges in the tool. ### Claim 9 A disconnect tool for incorporation in a drill string between a downhole assembly and a drill pipe to selectively disconnect the downhole assembly from the drill pipe when the downhole assembly is stuck in a wellbore, said disconnect tool comprises: a disengagement apparatus and first and second parts, the first and second parts each being coupled to the disengagement apparatus such that the first and second parts are releasably connected to one another by the disengagement apparatus, one of said first and second parts being adapted for connection to said drill pipe and the other of said first and second parts being adapted for connection to said downhole tool, wherein said disengagement apparatus comprises a first actuator and first and second coupling elements, the first coupling element comprising: a die retention sleeve, axially movable in the first part from an operational position towards a disconnect position of the disengagement apparatus; a clutch housing, disposed within said die retention sleeve, said clutch housing being axially and rotationally fixed in the first part; windows in said clutch housing circumferentially spaced around the clutch housing; and radially displaceable capture dies housed in said windows, and the second coupling element comprising: an interface of said second part adapted to be engaged by said capture dies, wherein, the first actuator moves the retention sleeve between the operational and disconnect positions, so that when the first and second parts are engaged with one another and the retention sleeve is in the operational position, the capture dies bear against both the die retention sleeve and said interface of the second part to lock said first and second coupling elements and parts together, and when the retention sleeve is moved to the disconnect position, the capture dies can move radially to disengage from said interface so that said coupling is unlocked and said parts can separate, wherein said first actuator comprises the sleeve being screw threaded on said first part and having a circumferential rack driven by a pinion of a first motor, whereby screwing of the sleeve on the first part moves the sleeve axially between said operational and disconnect positions, characterised in that said pinion is fixed to an output shaft so that relative axial movement between the pinion and the output shaft is prevented, the disconnect tool further comprising a second motor and a second actuator controlled by said second motor, said second actuator comprising a mechanical brake having an engaged position and a disengaged position, said mechanical brake being configured to prevent screwing of the sleeve when said mechanical brake is in said engaged position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein said mechanical brake comprises a plurality of teeth configured to engage said circumferential rack, said second motor being configured to move said plurality of teeth axially between said engaged position in which said teeth engage said circumferential rack and said disengaged position in which said teeth do not engage said circumferential rack. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The disconnect device of claim 9 wherein said sleeve comprises a first, retaining sleeve and a second, intermediate sleeve, said first sleeve being screw threaded on said first part and said second sleeve having said circumferential rack, wherein said first sleeve is provided with internal or external splines configured to engage corresponding external or internal splines on said second sleeve, whereby rotation of one of said first and second sleeves is transmitted to the other sleeve, and some relative axial motion between said first and second sleeves is permitted. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The disconnect device of claim 11 further comprising a motion sensor configured to detect relative axial motion between said first and second sleeves. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein said capture dies comprise a series of grooves and ridges and said interface and said die retention sleeve have surfaces that are each complimentary to said series of grooves and ridges, and preferably wherein the complimentary ridges of the capture dies and die retention sleeve are part-cylindrical lands adapted to seat on each other in said operational position of the disengagement apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein said windows comprise abutment elements that abut ledges on said capture dies to restrict inward radial movement thereof; and/or wherein compressive forces are transferred between said first part to said second part through shoulder elements on said first and second parts; and/or wherein tensile forces are transferred between said first part to said second part through said disengagement apparatus; and/or wherein torque forces are transferred between said first part to said second part through a splined connection between said first and second parts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein said interface has an extension above and below said disengagement apparatus that is sealed to said first part to define a chamber enclosing said disengagement apparatus between said first and second parts, said chamber being filled with oil to lubricate said disengagement apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a controller to control actuation of said disengagement apparatus, the controller comprising: at least one first sensor that detects at least one dynamic variable and produces at least one output signal based thereon; at least one second sensor that is adapted to receive signals from an operator at the surface; wherein said controller is adapted to actuate said disengagement apparatus to disconnect the tool when a predetermined series of output signals are produced and a predetermined series of signals are received from the operator at the surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 16, wherein said second sensor comprises said motion sensor configured to detect relative axial motion between said first and second sleeves and said predetermined series of signals comprises a predetermined series of movements of the drill string that cause a predetermined series of relative movements between said first and second sleeves. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 16, wherein said first sensor comprises at least one accelerometer for measuring the acceleration of the device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The disconnect tool as claimed in claim 16, wherein said tool has at least one compression sensor for measuring compression of the drill string.