Virtual brake system
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorsJoseph G. Greenlee, Aleksander S. Wolfe, Jarred R. Callaway, Max A. Metcalf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brake system for maintaining an angular position of a spindle assembly. A pump-powered motor drives rotation of a spindle on the machine. When no rotation is desired, the spindle will slow, then stop at a desired angular orientation. A rotational sensor will determine the clock position, and a controller compares that to a desired angular orientation. If an error tolerance is exceeded, the motor will rotate the spindle back to the desired orientation.
Claims19
A drilling system, comprising:
- a drill frame;
- a spindle assembly comprising:
- a carriage movable along the drill frame;
- and
- a spindle, supported on the carriage and coupled to a drill string, wherein the drill string includes a downhole tool at its terminal end;
- a sensor configured to monitor a position of the spindle assembly;
- and
- a controller to receive the signals from the sensor and provide operational instructions to the spindle assembly;
- and
- wherein the controller is configured to:
- receive the signals;
- detect a discrepancy between the actual position and a desired position of the spindle assembly using the signal;
- adjust the position of the spindle assembly based on the detected discrepancy;
- and
- maintain the desired position of the spindle assembly by continuously adjusting the position of the spindle assembly.
A virtual brake system comprising:
- a sensor, configured to detect a position of a spindle assembly, the spindle assembly carried on a drill frame by a carriage;
- and
- a controller having a first mode and a second mode, wherein:
- when the controller is in the first mode the controller performs steps comprising:
- receiving the position of the spindle assembly from the sensor;
- and
- actuating a motor to maintain the spindle assembly in the position;
- and
- when the controller is in the second mode, the controller does not actuate the motor to maintain the spindle assembly in the position.
A method of using a virtual brake to control a drilling machine, comprising:
- activating a virtual brake;
- at the time the virtual brake is activated, detecting a captured position of a spindle assembly;
- in response to a deviation from the captured position while the virtual brake is activated, causing the spindle assembly to return to the captured position;
- deactivating the virtual brake;
- and
- thereafter, moving the spindle assembly from the captured position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.