Gripper assembly for downhole tools
AssigneeWWT International, Inc.
InventorsDuane Bloom, Norman Bruce Moore, Rudolph Ernst Krueger, V
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gripper assembly for anchoring a tool within a downhole passage and for possibly assisting movement of the tool within the passage. The gripper assembly includes an elongated mandrel and flexible toes that can be radially displaced to grip onto the surface of the passage. The toes are displaced by the interaction of a driver slidable on the mandrel and a driver interaction element on the toes. In one embodiment, the toes are displaced by the interaction of rollers and ramps that are longitudinally movable with respect to one another. In another embodiment, the toes are displaced by the interaction of toggles that rotate with respect to the toes.
Claims9
A tool for use within a passage, the tool comprising:
- an elongated body;
- and
- an elongated gripper portion having opposing ends pivotably secured to elements of the tool;
- a slider element that is longitudinally movable with respect to the body;
- and
- a toggle having a first end engaged with the gripper portion in a manner allowing the toggle to rotate with respect to the gripper portion, the toggle having a second end engaged with the slider element in a manner allowing the toggle to rotate with respect to the slider element;
- wherein longitudinal movement of the slider element with respect to the body varies an angle of the toggle with respect to the body, which in turn varies a radial position of a portion of the gripper portion.
A gripper assembly for anchoring a tool within a passage, the gripper assembly having a movement-limiting mode in which the gripper assembly substantially prevents movement between the gripper assembly and an inner surface of the passage, and a movement-permissive mode in which the gripper assembly permits substantially free relative movement between the gripper assembly and the inner surface of the passage, the gripper assembly comprising:
- an elongated mandrel configured to be longitudinally movably engaged with an elongated body of a tool;
- an elongated gripper portion having opposing ends pivotably secured to elements of the gripper assembly;
- a slider element that is longitudinally movable with respect to the mandrel;
- and
- a toggle having a first end engaged with the gripper portion in a manner allowing the toggle to rotate with respect to the gripper portion, the toggle having a second end engaged with the slider element in a manner allowing the toggle to rotate with respect to the slider element;
- wherein longitudinal movement of the slider element with respect to the mandrel varies an angle of the toggle with respect to the mandrel, which in turn varies a radial position of a portion of the gripper portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.