Back to results
US 2012/0083944 A1Published application
Remote Controlled Vehicle
AssigneeSoutheast Directional Drilling, LLC
InventorJohn M. Heieie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of directional drilling includes forming first and second pits on corresponding first and second sides of a barrier, forming a pilot bore from the first pit to the second pit, enlarging the pilot bore to a final bore, and extending a cable through the final bore between the first and second pits by attaching the cable to a remote controlled vehicle and driving the remote controlled vehicle through the final bore from one of the pits to the other pit. The method also includes pulling a pipeline through the final bore using the cable.
Claims40
A method of directional drilling, the method comprising:
- forming first and second pits spaced from each other;
- forming a pilot bore from the first pit to the second pit;
- enlarging the pilot bore to a final bore;
- extending a cable through the final bore between the first and second pits by attaching the cable to a remote controlled vehicle and driving the remote controlled vehicle through the final bore from one of the pits to the other pit;
- and
- pulling a pipeline through the final bore using the cable.
3 more elements
A remote controlled vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
- a drive system supported by the chassis;
- and
- a controller communicating drive commands to the drive system, the controller receiving the drive commands from an external communicator;
- wherein the chassis has a length of between about 80 inches and about 160 inches, a width of between about 10 inches and about 30 inches, and a height of between about 10 inches and about 30 inches for moving through tunnels;
- and
- wherein the remote controlled vehicle has a center of gravity disposed within a volume having a length of between about ⅛ and about ½ of the length of the chassis, a width of between about ⅛ and about ½ of the width of the chassis, and a height of between about ⅛ and about ½ of the height of the chassis, the volume centered and sitting on the chassis.
4 more elements
A remote controlled vehicle comprising:
- a chassis comprising:
- first and second supports spaced parallel from each other and extending from a front portion of the chassis to a rear portion of the chassis;
- and
- a platform connected between the first and second supports;
- front and rear axle supports disposed on the respective front and rear portions of the chassis;
- a pull cable receiver disposed on the chassis;
- front and rear axles rotatably supported by the respective front and rear axle supports;
- at least one wheel coupled to each axle;
- a hydraulic power unit supported by the chassis;
- front and rear hydraulic drives each supported by the chassis and driven by the hydraulic power unit;
- and
- a controller communicating drive commands to each hydraulic drive, the controller receiving the drive commands from an external communicator;
- wherein the hydraulic power unit, hydraulic drives, and controller are each sealed watertight to operational while submerged in water.
10 more elements
A remote controlled vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
- front and rear axles mounted on respective front and rear portions of the chassis;
- at least one wheel coupled to each axle;
- front and rear hydraulic drives disposed on the respective front and rear portions of the chassis, the front hydraulic drive driving the front axle and the rear hydraulic drive driving the rear axle independently of the front hydraulic drive;
- front and rear control valves in fluid communication with the corresponding front and rear hydraulic drives for regulating at least one of a fluid direction and a fluid flow through each control valve to each corresponding hydraulic drive;
- a motor driving a fluid pump in fluid communication with the hydraulic drives;
- a reservoir in fluid communication with the fluid pump;
- and
- a controller communicating drive commands to each hydraulic drive, the controller receiving the drive commands from an external communicator;
- wherein the controller, the reservoir, the motor and the pump are disposed in series along the chassis, the chassis having a width substantially equal to the widest width of the reservoir and the motor.
7 more elements
A remote controlled vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
- a drive system supported by the chassis;
- and
- a controller communicating drive commands to the drive system, the controller receiving the drive commands from an external communicator;
- wherein a width of the chassis is less than or equal to a length of the chassis and a height of the chassis is less than or equal to ⅙ the length of the chassis.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.