US 2014/0110171 A1 · DOWNHOLE TOOL AND CONTROL MODULE

Abstract

Described herein is a reamer tool (100) having a body (105) with bays (115) in which cutter arms (110) are mounted for deployment between a stowed position and a deployed position. A deployment mechanism is provided for deploying the cutter arms from their stowed position to their deployed position that maintains each cutter arm in a position that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the body (105) whilst in its stowed position and in its deployed position as well as during its deployment from its stowed position to its deployed position. A control module (300) is also described for controlling the deployment of the cutter arms (110). The control module (300) comprises a motor (310), a gearing mechanism (315) and a moveable element (320) that closes a port (385) in a first position and opens the port (385) in a second position. Fluid flow enters a chamber (340) behind a piston (170) through the port (385) to allow pressure to build up before actuating the piston (170) and thereby the deployment mechanism for the cutter arms (170).

Claims33

Dependent claims

A downhole tool (100) comprising:

a substantially hollow body (105) having a longitudinal axis (180) and including an external wall (325, 335) having a first outer diameter;
at least one arm bay (115) formed in a portion (335) of the external wall (325) around the periphery of the body (105);
at least one expandable arm (110) located in an associated arm bay (115) and mounted for expansion between a retracted position within the body (105) and an expanded position in which each expandable arm (110) describes a second outer diameter which is greater than the first outer diameter;
and
at least one expansion mechanism (125, 130, 135) for expanding an associated expandable arm (110) between the retracted and expanded positions;
characterised in that each expansion mechanism (125, 130, 135) comprises two elongate links (125, 130) pivotally connected to the associated expandable arm (110) at one end position (140, 145) and to its associated arm bay (115) at another end position (155, 160), each expandable arm (110) being pivotally mounted at the two end positions (155, 160) with respect to its associated arm bay (115) so that each expandable arm (110) is maintained substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (180) in both the retracted and expanded positions, and, during its expansion and retraction between the retracted and expanded positions.

3 more elements

A reamer tool (100) having a longitudinal axis (180), the reamer tool comprising at least one expandable cutter arm (110;

205, 210), each expandable cutter arm having a plurality of cutting elements (215, 220, 225, 230, 235, 240, 245, 250, 255, 260, 265) arranged to form at least a front cutting blade (205) and a back cutting blade (210), one of the cutting elements (215) on the front cutting blade (205) and one of the cutting elements (240) on the back cutting blade (210) providing respective attack points (270;
275) for their associated cutting blades (205, 210);
characterised in that the attack point (270) for the front cutting blade (205) and the attack point (275) for the back cutting blade (210) are equi-spaced from a plane (280) extending through the longitudinal axis (180).

A control module (300) for a downhole tool (100), the downhole tool including a substantially hollow body (105) having a longitudinal axis (180), at least one arm bay (115) formed around the periphery of the substantially hollow body (105), at least one expandable arm (110) located in an associated arm bay (115) and mounted for expansion between a retracted position within the substantially hollow body (105) and an expanded position in which the expandable arm (110) describes a second outer diameter which is greater than the first outer diameter, at least one expansion mechanism (125, 130, 135) for expanding an associated expandable arm (110) between the retracted and expanded positions, and a piston (170) for operating each expandable arm (110), the control module comprising:

an element (320) mounted within the body (105) which is moveable between a first position and second position;
a motor (310) controlling the movement of the element (320);
and
a gearing mechanism (315) associated with the motor (310) for transferring drive from the motor (310) to the element (320);
characterised in that the control module further comprises a chamber (340) and a port (385), the chamber (340) being associated with the piston (170) and the port (385) having an open position and a closed position, the open and closed position being determined by the second and first positions respectively of the element (320);
and in that the port (385), in its open position, allows fluid to flow into the chamber (340) and to increase the pressure therein for operation of the piston (170) to expand each expandable arm (110).

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Downhole tool and control module

Life of this patent

Downhole tool and control module

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33