Drill bits for drilling while driving foundation components
AssigneeOjjo, Inc.
InventorsRyan Woodward, TYRUS HUDSON, Steven Kraft
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Drill bits are provided for a drilling while driving machine. In some cases, the drill bit is a multi-stage bit capable of selectively cutting at two different diameters. In others, the bit is an expanding bit that can be passed through a foundation component while its being driven. The bit has a pair of cutting wings that can move between a retracted orientation where the bit's diameter is narrower than the inner diameter of the driven component, to a splayed orientation where the diameter is equal to or larger than the driven component's outside diameter.
Claims17
A two-stage drill bit for a drilling while driving a foundation component comprising:
- an elongated body portion;
- a first cutting portion at a leading edge of the elongated body portion;
- at least one second cutting portion along a length of the body portion away from the leading edge, the at least one second cutting portion movable from a first passive orientation to a second active orientation when the drill bit is extended out of a leading edge of the foundation component sufficiently far for the at least one second cutting portion to clear the leading edge, the at least one second cutting portion cutting a wider diameter bore than the first cutting portion.
A system for driving a foundation component with drill assist comprising:
- a rotary driver operable to travel along a machine mast and to impart rotational torque and downforce to the head of the foundation component to drive it into underlying ground;
- a drilling tool positioned on the mast above the rotary driver and extending a drill rod through the rotary driver and the foundation component;
- a drill bit attached to the end of the drill rod, the drilling tool operable to actuate the drill bit through the foundation component during driving;
- and
- an automated controller controlling operation of the rotary driver and drilling tool, wherein the controller is programmed to cause the drilling tool to partially extend the drill bit out of an open lower end of the foundation component, to monitor at least one performance metric of either the rotary driver or drilling tool while actuating the drill bit through the rotary drive, and to cause the drilling tool, to extend the drill bit further out of the foundation component in response to a change in the at least one performance metric.
A method of performing a drilling while driving operation to drive a foundation component into underlying ground, the method comprising:
- applying torque and downforce to a first end of the structural member to drive it into underlying ground with a rotary driver;
- applying torque and downforce to a drill bit extending partially through the foundation component via a drill shaft connected to a drilling tool to enable a first cutting surface at a leading end of the drill bit to drill ahead of a leading end of the structural member, the first cutting surface having a first drilling diameter;
- monitoring at least one performance metric of the operation with an automated controller;
- and
- in response to a detected change in the at least one performance metric, extending the drill bit further through the foundation component to enable a second cutting surface along a length of the drill bit to exit the foundation component, the second cutting surface having a second drilling diameter larger than the first drilling diameter.
A drill bit for drilling while driving comprising:
- a body portion;
- a pair of cutting wings hingedly attached to a cutting end of the body portion;
- and
- a spring retained within the body portion, wherein the spring is segmented into two independently movable portions that are oppositely deformed by respective ones of the cuttings wings when the wings are compressed inward towards the body portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.