Actuation apparatus of a directional drilling module
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorDaniel Martin Winslow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An actuation apparatus includes a housing comprising a housing bore extending through the housing, an adjustment shaft comprising an adjustment shaft bore extending through the adjustment shaft, the adjustment shaft positioned at least partially within housing bore, and a steering shaft positioned at least partially within the adjustment shaft bore and rotatable with respect to the adjustment shaft.
Claims20
An actuation apparatus for use with a directional drilling system that includes a drill bit, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing comprising a housing bore extending through the housing;
- an adjustment shaft comprising an adjustment shaft bore extending through the adjustment shaft, the adjustment shaft positioned at least partially within the housing bore;
- a steering shaft positioned at least partially within the adjustment shaft bore and rotatable with respect to the adjustment shaft;
- a sleeve positioned about and axially moveable with respect to the steering shaft and rotational linked to the adjustment shaft such that the sleeve and the adjustment shaft rotate together;
- and
- wherein axial movement of the sleeve relative to the steering shaft rotates the sleeve and the adjustment shaft with respect to the steering shaft to adjust a drilling angle of the drill bit.
A method to drill with a directional drilling system, the method comprising:
- rotating an adjustment shaft with respect to a steering shaft by moving a sleeve axially with respect to the steering shaft, the steering shaft positioned within an adjustment shaft bore of the adjustment shaft and the sleeve rotationally linked to the adjustment shaft such that the sleeve and the adjustment shaft rotate together;
- and
- adjusting a drilling angle of a drill bit operably coupled to the steering shaft as the adjustment shaft rotates with respect to the steering shaft.
A directional drilling system, comprising:
- a cam assembly comprising:
- an outer ring comprising an outer ring eccentric hole formed therethrough;
- and
- an inner ring comprising an inner ring eccentric hole formed therethrough, the inner ring rotatably positioned within the outer ring eccentric hole;
- an adjustment shaft comprising an adjustment shaft bore extending through the adjustment shaft, the adjustment shaft coupled to one of the outer ring or the inner ring to rotate the outer ring with respect to the inner ring;
- a steering shaft positioned at least partially within the adjustment shaft bore and rotatable with respect to the adjustment shaft, the steering shaft extending through the inner ring eccentric hole;
- a drill bit operably coupled to the steering shaft;
- a sleeve positioned about and axially moveable with respect to the steering shaft and rotationally linked to the adjustment shaft such that the sleeve and the adjustment shaft rotate together;
- and
- wherein axial movement of the sleeve relative to the steering shaft rotates the sleeve and the adjustment shaft with respect to the steering shaft to adjust a drilling angle of the drill bit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.