System and method for monitoring one or more parameters of a top drive with a single sensor
AssigneeLarry G. Keast
InventorsLarry G. Keast, Stephen Lee Gerhauser, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A top drive system comprising a drilling rig, and a top drive unit operatively associated with the drilling rig. The top drive includes a top drive housing, and a rotatable member having a first member portion within the top drive housing, and a second member portion extending outward from the top drive housing. There is a sensor assembly disposed within the top drive housing, the assembly comprising a sensor configured to provide an output signal associated with an at least one parameter of the top drive. The first member portion is configured with a profile sensed by the sensor assembly.
Claims18
A top drive system comprising:
- a drilling rig;
- a top drive unit operatively associated with the drilling rig, the top drive further comprising:
- a top drive housing;
- and
- a rotatable member having a first member portion within the top drive housing,
- and a second member portion extending outward from the top drive housing;
- a monitoring module comprising:
- an eddy current sensor assembly disposed within the top drive housing, the assembly comprising an eddy current sensor configured to provide an output signal associated with an at least one parameter of the top drive;
- a converter unit operable to receive and convert the output signal into a sawtooth wave signal, and transfer to the sawtooth wave signal to a workstation;
- wherein the first member portion is configured with a profile sensed by the eddy current sensor assembly.
A top drive system comprising:
- a drilling rig;
- a top drive unit operatively associated with the drilling rig, the top drive further comprising:
- a top drive housing;
- and
- a rotatable member having a first member portion within the top drive housing,
- and a second member portion extending outward from the top drive housing;
- a monitoring module comprising:
- an eddy current sensor assembly disposed within the top drive housing, the assembly comprising an eddy current sensor configured to provide an output signal associated with an at least one parameter of the top drive;
- wherein the first member portion is configured with a profile sensed by the eddy current sensor assembly.
A top drive system comprising:
- a drilling rig;
- a top drive unit operatively associated with the drilling rig, the top drive further comprising:
- a top drive housing;
- and
- a rotatable member having a first member portion within the top drive housing, and a second member portion extending outward from the top drive housing;
- a sensor assembly disposed within the top drive housing, the assembly comprising a sensor configured to generate an output signal associated with an at least one parameter of the top drive;
- wherein the first member portion is generally cylindrical, and further comprising:
- a top side;
- a bottom side;
- and an outer side surface, wherein the outer side surface is configured with the profile that comprises in lateral cross-section:
- a first edge having a radius r1, a second edge having a radius r2, and a null having a radius rnull, wherein r2>r1>rnull.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.