# US 8,739,860 B2 · Mechanical actuator with electronic adjustment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,739,860 B2 - Document ID: US8739860B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/809,454 - Filed: 2008-12-16 - Published: 2011-11-10 - Granted: 2014-06-03 - Earliest claimed: 2007-12-19 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Donald Leon Crawford; Daniel F. Dorffer - Inventors: Donald Leon Crawford; Daniel F. Dorffer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739860B2 ## CPC - E21B 41/00: Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 - E21B 23/00: Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells (setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract An actuation apparatus includes an electronics module (102), an actuator module (104) coupled to the electronics module and electrically communicating with the electronics module, and a motor (112) in the actuator module coupled to a drive member (106), the drive member moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the movement of the drive member between the first and second positions is adjustable in response to a signal from the electronics module. In some embodiments, the electronics module is operable to adjust a speed of the drive member. The motor may be a brushless direct current motor. In other embodiments, the actuation apparatus (300) includes a processor and a memory, the adjustable drive member is engaged with an actuatable tool (200), the processor receives feedback from the drive member and the tool, and the processor is operable to create a signature in response to the movement of the drive member and compare the signature to a baseline. A method of actuating a tool in a well bore is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A downhole actuation apparatus comprising: an electronics module; an actuator module coupled to the electronics module and electrically communicating with the electronics module; and a motor in the actuator module coupled to a drive member, the drive member moveable between a first position and a second position; wherein the movement of the drive member between the first and second positions is adjustable while the drive member is in motion in response to a signal from the electronics module. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronics module is operable to adjust a speed of the drive member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a single movement between the first and second positions includes at least two speeds of the drive member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the motor is a brushless direct current motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronics module is operable to receive a feedback from the motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the feedback includes a force on the drive member calculated from a current in the motor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a tool engaged with the drive member and actuatable in response to movement of the drive member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrical connector coupling the electronics module and the actuator module. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronics module further includes a processor and a memory. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the processor communicates with a surface of a well, and the signal is communicated from the surface to the motor via the processor to adjust the movement. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the signal is stored in the memory and communicated to the motor via the processor to adjust the movement. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the processor is operable to create a signature in response to the movement and compare the signature with a baseline stored in the memory. ### Claim 13 A downhole actuation apparatus comprising: an electronics module having a processor and a memory; an actuator module coupled to the electronics module and electrically communicating with the electronics module; an adjustable drive member moveably supported by the actuator module between a first position and a second position; and an actuatable tool engaged with the drive member, the actuatable tool moveable in response to movement by the drive member; wherein the processor is operable to create a signature of the movement of the actuatable tool while the actuatable tool is in motion in response to the movement of the drive member and compare the signature to a baseline movement of the actuatable tool. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 further including a brushless direct current motor coupled to the drive member, and wherein the signature is a force response in the actuatable tool derived from an operating current of the brushless direct current motor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the baseline is stored in the memory or at a surface of the well. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processor is operable to adjust the movement of the drive member in response to the comparison. ### Claim 17 A method of actuating a tool in a well bore comprising: lowering an actuator coupled to the tool into the well bore; moving a drive member in the actuator; adjusting the movement of the moving drive member while in motion; and actuating the tool in response to the moving and the adjusting. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the adjusting comprises changing a speed of the drive member during the moving of the drive member to optimize the actuating of the tool. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the adjusting comprises changing a force of the drive member during the moving of the drive member to optimize the actuating of the tool. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving a feedback from the moving of the drive member before adjusting the moving of the drive member. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising: capturing a signature of the tool in response to the actuating; and comparing the signature to a baseline of the tool. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 further comprising adjusting the moving in response to the comparison of the signature to the baseline.