Helical drilling apparatus, systems, and methods
AssigneeLongyear TM, Inc.
InventorsMichael D. Rupp, Christopher L. Drenth, Christian M. Lambert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A down-the-hole assembly includes a housing having a central axis and a mechanical gear box positioned within the housing. The mechanical gear box is coupled to the housing such that rotation of the housing at a first rotational rate provides a rotary input to the mechanical gear box. A rotary cutting bit is coupled to the mechanical gear box. The mechanical gear box is configured to rotate said rotary cutting bit at a second rotational rate in response to that rotary input from the housing. The second rotational rate is greater than the first rotational rate. The mechanical gear box is also further configured to cause the rotary cutting bit to orbit about the central axis of the housing.
Claims24
A down-the-hole assembly, comprising:
- a down-the-hole motor;
- a mechanical gear box coupled to the down-the-hole motor, the mechanical gear box being adapted to receive a rotational input of a first rotational rate from the down-the-hole motor, the mechanical gear box comprising:
- a ring gear;
- a bit gear operatively associated with the ring gear;
- and
- at least one orbital gear operatively associated with the ring gear;
- and
- a rotary cutting bit coupled to the mechanical gear box, the mechanical gear box being configured to rotate the rotary cutting bit at a second rotational rate in response to the rotational input from the down-the-hole motor, the second rotational rate varying from the first rotational rate;
- a grounding ring operatively associated with at least one of the bit gear and an orbital gear of the at least one orbital gear;
- and
- an isolation assembly configured to separate rotation of the ring gear from the grounding ring.
A down-the-hole drilling assembly, comprising:
- a housing;
- a down-the-hole motor coupled to the housing, the down-the-hole motor being configured to rotate the housing at a first rotational rate;
- a ring gear formed on an inner surface of the housing;
- a first gear adapted to intermesh with the ring gear;
- a second gear adapted to intermesh with the first gear;
- and
- a rotary cutting bit coupled to the first gear;
- a grounding ring operatively associated with at least one of the first gear and the second gear;
- and
- an isolation mechanism configured to separate the rotation of the ring gear from the grounding ring,
- wherein rotation of the housing at the first rotational rate causes the rotary cutting bit to rotate at a second rotational rate while orbiting the housing, the second rotational rate differing from the first rotational rate.
A method of drilling, comprising:
- coupling a helical drilling device to a down-the-hole motor, the helical drilling device comprising a mechanical gear box positioned within an internally geared housing and a rotary cutting bit coupled to the mechanical gear box, wherein the mechanical gear box comprises:
- a ring gear;
- a bit gear operatively associated with the ring gear;
- and
- at least one orbital gear operatively associated with the ring gear;
- operatively associated a grounding ring with at least one of the bit gear and an orbital gear of the at least one orbital gear;
- and
- activating the down-the-hole motor to rotate the internally geared housing at a first rotational rate thereby providing a rotary input to the mechanical gear box;
- wherein the rotary input causes the mechanical gear box to rotate a rotary cutting bit at a cutting rotational rate differing from the input rotational rate, and
- wherein the helical drilling device further comprises an isolation mechanism configured to separate the rotation of the ring gear from the grounding ring.
A down-the-hole assembly, comprising:
- a housing;
- a down-the-hole motor coupled to the housing, the down-the-hole motor being configured to rotate the housing at a first rotational rate;
- a rotary cutting bit;
- a mechanical gear box comprising a first gear and one or more secondary gears, wherein the first gear is coupled to the housing and configured to rotate with the housing, and wherein at least one secondary gear is coupled to the rotary cutting bit;
- a grounding ring operatively associated with at least one secondary gear of the plurality of gears of the mechanical gear box;
- and
- a bearing configured to at least partially isolate the grounding ring from rotation of the housing,
- wherein the mechanical gear box is configured to rotate the rotary cutting bit at a second rotational rate, wherein the second rotational rate is different than the first rotational rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.