Dual rod directional drilling system
AssigneeVermeer Manufacturing Company
InventorsMichael D. Langenfeld, Jacob Richard Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A coupler includes a main body that has an inner bore. The inner bore has a non-circular profile and a longitudinal axis. The coupler includes a cross aperture disposed in the main body. The cross aperture has an axis that is nonintersecting with the longitudinal axis of the main body. The coupler also includes a sleeve that is positioned around an exterior surface of the main body. The sleeve has at least one drilling fluid flow passage.
Claims24
A coupling system for a dual rod drilling system comprising:
- a coupler comprising:
- an inner bore having a non-circular profile and a longitudinal axis;
- a cross aperture having an axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the cross aperture having a first width;
- an inner member comprising:
- a torque-carrying section having a non-circular profile adapted to mate with the non-circular profile of the inner bore of the coupler;
- a non-torque carrying section having a cross-sectional width smaller than a cross-sectional width of the inner bore of the coupler;
- and
- a groove positioned between the torque-carrying section and the non-torque carrying section, the groove having a width at least equal to the first width of the cross aperture of the coupler and the groove extending circumferentially about an entire circumference of the inner member;
- and
- a pin positioned within the cross aperture of the coupler and within the groove of the inner member so as to secure the inner member at least partially within the coupler;
- wherein the coupler further comprises a collar positioned around an exterior surface, wherein the collar includes at least one axial drilling fluid flow passage.
A coupler for a drill rod, the coupler comprising:
- a main body having an inner bore, the inner bore having a non-circular profile and a longitudinal axis;
- a cross aperture disposed in the main body, the cross aperture having an axis that is nonintersecting with the longitudinal axis of the main body;
- and
- a sleeve positioned around an exterior surface of the main body;
- wherein the sleeve includes a main body and a ring portion, wherein the ring portion has a larger outer diameter than the main body;
- and
- wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of drilling fluid flow passages radially disposed around the periphery of the sleeve in both the ring portion and the main body.
A coupling system for an inner rod of a dual rod drilling system, the dual rod drilling system having a plurality of dual rod assemblies, each dual rod assembly made-up of an inner rod retained within an outer rod having a shoulder defined by a minimum inner diameter, the coupling system comprising:
- a coupler comprising:
- an inner bore having a non-circular profile and a longitudinal axis;
- a portion having an outer diameter that is greater than the minimum inner diameter of the shoulder of the outer rod;
- a cross aperture having an axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the cross aperture having a first width;
- an inner rod comprising:
- a torque-carrying section having a non-circular profile adapted to mate with the non-circular profile of the inner bore of the coupler;
- a non-torque carrying section having a cross-sectional dimension smaller than a cross-sectional dimension of the inner bore of the coupler;
- and
- a groove positioned between the torque-carrying section and the non-torque carrying section, the groove having a width at least equal to the first width of the cross aperture of the coupler;
- and
- a pin positioned within the cross aperture of the coupler and within the groove of the inner rod so as to secure the inner rod at least partially within the coupler, thereby retaining the inner rod within the outer rod.
A coupling system for a dual rod drilling system comprising:
- a coupler comprising:
- an inner bore having a non-circular profile and a longitudinal axis;
- a cross aperture having an axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the cross aperture having a first width;
- an inner member comprising:
- a torque-carrying section having a non-circular profile adapted to mate with the non-circular profile of the inner bore of the coupler;
- and
- a groove spaced from an end of the inner member and adjacent the torque-carrying section, the groove having a width at least equal to the first width of the cross aperture of the coupler and the groove extending circumferentially about an entire circumference of the inner member;
- and
- a pin positioned within the cross aperture of the coupler and within the groove of the inner member so as to secure the inner member at least partially within the coupler;
- wherein the coupler further comprises a collar positioned around an exterior surface, wherein the collar includes at least one axial drilling fluid flow passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.