Thermal ratchet system
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorMitchel Stretch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal ratchet system includes a ratchet housing, a ratchet mandrel, a first ratchet, and a second ratchet. The first ratchet is disposed at a position generally fixed with respect to the ratchet housing and is urgeable with respect to the ratchet mandrel in an axial direction by a change in environmental temperature in a first direction. The second ratchet is disposed at a position generally fixed with respect to the ratchet housing and is urgeable with respect to the ratchet mandrel in the axial direction by a change in environmental temperature in a second direction opposite to the first direction. At least one of the first ratchet and the second ratchet is engaged with the ratchet mandrel.
Claims10
A thermal ratchet system, comprising:
- a ratchet housing defining a first locking profile and a second locking profile, the ratchet housing comprising a material exhibiting a first coefficient of thermal expansion;
- a ratchet mandrel defining a first ratcheting profile and a second ratcheting profile, wherein the first ratcheting profile and the second ratcheting profile each define a plurality of ridges canted in a first direction, the ratchet mandrel comprising a material exhibiting a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion;
- a first ratchet defining a locking profile operably associated with the first locking profile of the ratchet housing and a ratcheting profile operably associated with the first ratcheting profile of the ratchet mandrel;
- and
- a second ratchet defining a locking profile operably associated with the second locking profile of the ratchet housing and a ratcheting profile operably associated with the second ratcheting profile of the ratchet mandrel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.