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US 9,353,615 B2Granted
Down hole surveying tool
AssigneeImdex Global B.V.
InventorRichard John Parfitt
Life of this patent
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AssigneeImdex Global B.V.
InventorRichard John Parfitt
Estimating the term…
A down hole surveying tool (10) is for directional surveying of boreholes. The tool (10) includes a body (11) which accommodates a two-axis gyroscope (13) and a two-axis accelerometer (15). The gyroscope (13) and accelerometer (15) are rigidly fixed with respect to each other to provide a composite sensor device (17). The sensor device (17) is supported in a rotary mount (31) for rotation about an indexing axis (4). The sensor device (17) can be indexed about the indexing axis between two indexing positions which are 180 degrees apart. An indexing mechanism (70) is provided for selectively indexing the sensor device (17) about the indexing axis (4). The indexing mechanism (70) includes a drive portion (71) and a driven portion (72) adapted for selective interaction to impart indexing motion to the sensor device (17). The driven portion (72) is movable into and out of engagement with the drive portion (71) upon rotation of the rotary mount (31) about a pitch axis (1) using a pitch drive mechanism (51).
An apparatus for indexing a device about an indexing axis, the apparatus comprising a base, a support for supporting the device for rotation about the indexing axis, the support comprising a rotary mount supported on the base for rotation about a pitch axis transverse to the indexing axis, an indexing drive mechanism for indexing the device about the indexing axis, the indexing drive mechanism comprising a drive portion and a driven portion, the drive portion being provided on the base and the driven portion being provided on the rotary mount and drivingly connected to device, the drive portion comprising a drive element mounted eccentrically for rotation about a drive axis, the driven portion being movable into and out of engagement with the drive portion upon rotation of the rotary mount about the pitch axis, whereby the driven portion when in engagement with the drive portion is adapted to receive drive therefrom to cause indexing of the device about the indexing axis.
A down hole surveying tool comprising a sensor device rotatable about an indexing axis, a base, a support for supporting the sensor device for rotation about the indexing axis, the support comprising a rotary mount supported on the base for rotation about a pitch axis transverse to the indexing axis, a pitch drive mechanism for selectively rotating the rotary mount about the pitch axis, and an indexing drive mechanism for indexing the sensor device about the indexing axis, the indexing drive mechanism comprising a drive portion and a driven portion, the drive portion being provided on the base and the driven portion being provided on the rotary mount and drivingly connected to the sensor device, the drive portion comprising a drive element mounted eccentrically for rotation about a drive axis, the driven portion being movable into and out of engagement with the drive portion upon rotation of the rotary mount about the pitch axis, whereby the driven portion when in engagement with the drive portion can is adapted to receive drive therefrom to cause indexing of the sensor device about the indexing axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.