Resettable downhole torque limiter and related methods of use
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsBenton T. Knobloch, Jr., Todd J. Roy, David J. Tilley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a torque limiter having driver mandrel and driven axially aligned mandrels, a piston movable into and out of an engaged position wherein the driver and driven mandrels are coupled together to transmit torque there between. Hydraulically locking the movable piston in an engaged position. Disengaging the hydraulic lock when during rotation when a specified torque magnitude is exceeded to allow relative rotation between the mandrels. Resetting the torque limiter by hydraulically locking the piston in the engaging position when relative rotation ceases or is reduced.
Claims20
A bearing assembly, comprising:
- a first member telescoped into a tubular member to form an annulus therebetween;
- at least two axially spaced sets of bearings mounted in the annulus in annular grooves in one of the first member and the tubular member;
- and
- at least two bearing races slidably mounted on the other of the first member and the tubular member positioned to engage the at least two axially spaced sets of bearings, each bearing race having an upward-facing race and a downward-facing race;
- wherein the bearings of the at least two axially spaced sets of bearings are in contact with either the upward-facing race or the downward-facing race when in a first position, and are in contact with either the downward-facing race or the upward-facing race when in a second position.
A bearing assembly, comprising:
- first and second members telescoped together to form an annulus therebetween;
- at least two axially spaced bearing assemblies mounted in the annulus to connect the members to rotate with respect to each other;
- each bearing assembly comprising a plurality of spherical balls, an annular groove in one of the members, the groove engaging the balls;
- a bearing race mounted on the other member to move axially with respect to another member, the race engaging the balls;
- and a hydraulic piston reciprocally mounted in a chamber radially offset from the first member and connected to the second member holding the bearing race in axial position with respect to the second member;
- and
- the piston axially positioning the bearing races being connected in fluid communication.
A method of balancing an axial load in a tubing string at a subterranean location in a well, comprising:
- transferring an axial load from one bearing race to at least one other bearing race of a bearing assembly in the tubing string;
- and
- shifting bearings from a first position in contact with one of an upward-facing race and a downward-facie race to a second position in contact with the other of the upward-facing race and the downward-facing race.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.