Drilling downhole regulating devices and related methods

A downhole regulating device for use in a drill string, the downhole regulating device comprising:

• a helical coupling between a lower portion and an upper portion of the downhole regulating device and structured to allow relative axial and rotational movement between the lower portion and the upper portion;
• and
• a bi-directional biasing device that resists movement between the lower portion and the upper portion in both axial extension and contraction directions and is arranged such that a neutral position of the bi-directional biasing device is between fully extended and fully contracted positions of the helical coupling;
• wherein the bi-directional biasing device is structured to resist movement between the lower portion and the upper portion, by shortening under compression and elongating under tension, when moving away from the neutral position;
• and
• wherein the bi-directional biasing device comprises a plurality of helical springs that act in parallel or series.

A downhole regulating device for use in a drill string, the downhole regulating device comprising:

• a helical coupling between a lower portion and an upper portion of the downhole regulating device and structured to allow relative axial and rotational movement between the lower portion and the upper portion;
• and
• a bi-directional biasing device that resists movement between the lower portion and the upper portion in both axial extension and contraction directions and is arranged such that a neutral position of the bi-directional biasing device is between fully extended and fully contracted positions of the helical coupling;
• wherein the bi-directional biasing device is structured to resist movement between the lower portion and the upper portion, by shortening under compression and elongating under tension, when moving away from the neutral position;
• wherein the bi-directional biasing device comprises a helical spring that functions in torsion, compression, and tension;
• and
• wherein the helical coupling has a right-hand thread and the bi-directional biasing device comprises a plurality of helical springs, with a left-hand coil direction, that are rigidly connected to the lower portion and rigidly connected to the upper portion and function in combined torsion, compression, and tension.

A downhole regulating device for use in a drill string, the downhole regulating device comprising:

• a helical coupling between a lower portion and an upper portion of the downhole regulating device and structured to allow relative axial and rotational movement between the lower portion and the upper portion;
• and
• a bi-directional biasing device that resists movement between the lower portion and the upper portion in both axial extension and contraction directions and is arranged such that a neutral position of the bi-directional biasing device is between fully extended and fully contracted positions of the helical coupling;
• wherein the bi-directional biasing device is structured to resist movement between the lower portion and the upper portion, by shortening under compression and elongating under tension, when moving away from the neutral position;
• and
• wherein:
• the bi-directional biasing device comprises a first biasing element and a second biasing element;
• the second biasing element comprises a compressive spring;
• the second biasing element modifies a spring rate or increases a stroke length in the contraction direction of the bi-directional biasing device;
• and
• the first and second biasing elements of the bi-directional biasing device work together in the same direction to extend the downhole regulating device between a contracted position and the neutral position.

A downhole regulating device for use in a drill string, the downhole regulating device comprising:

• a helical coupling between a lower portion and an upper portion of the downhole regulating device and structured to allow relative axial and rotational movement between the lower portion and the upper portion;
• and
• a bi-directional biasing device that resists movement between the lower portion and the upper portion in both axial extension and contraction directions and is arranged such that a neutral position of the bi-directional biasing device is between fully extended and fully contracted positions of the helical coupling;
• wherein the bi-directional biasing device is structured to resist movement between the lower portion and the upper portion, by shortening under compression and elongating under tension, when moving away from the neutral position;
• and
• further comprising a second biasing device comprising a compression spring that is not in a load path of the bi-directional biasing device and works in parallel with the bi-directional biasing device, wherein the second biasing device is not acting to extend the regulating device while the regulating device is at the neutral point.