Fluid Rotary Type Patents (Class 175/107)
  • Patent number: 9400232
    Abstract: A measuring rod capable of receiving a plurality of instrumentation cables transmitting data to a data processing device, includes a section of epicycloidal shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Jeremy Giordan
  • Patent number: 9377056
    Abstract: There is provided a method of assembling a bearing assembly, having the steps of mounting a bearing stack on an inner mandrel, the bearing stack having a plurality of inner and outer races, compressing the plurality of inner races between first and second inner shoulders to within a predetermined range of compressive loads, the first and second inner shoulders being carried by the inner mandrel, inserting the inner mandrel and bearing stack into an outer housing, compressing the plurality of outer races between first and second outer shoulders to within a predetermined range of compressive loads, the first and second outer shoulders being carried by the housing, wherein at least one of the first outer shoulder and the second outer shoulder comprises a deformable shim that follows a deformation curve having at least a plastic deformation component when compressed across the predetermined range of compressive loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Cathedral Energy Services Ltd.
    Inventor: Dean Norman Foote
  • Patent number: 9366100
    Abstract: A vibrator apparatus to be positioned onto a pipe string is disclosed. The apparatus is comprised of a tubular housing, a tubular stator having a radial fluid opening, and a rotating rotor shaft with a longitudinally extending fluid bore and at least one radially extending fluid passage that intermittently aligns with the stator fluid opening. A rotation generator is provided to rotate the rotor shaft in response to fluid flow. Fluid flow through the fluid bore of the rotor shaft is discharged from the radially extending fluid passage of the rotor as it rotates in response to fluid flow and is intermittently interrupted by the stator as the rotor is rotated past the radial fluid opening in the stator thereby creating pulses in the fluid column and vibrating the pipe string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: KLX Energy Services LLC
    Inventor: Toby Scott Baudoin
  • Patent number: 9359821
    Abstract: A drill bit comprises a plurality of annular blades coupled to a bit body. A plurality of gauge pads is coupled to the bit body and defines an outer cutting diameter. A circumferentially continuous gauge ring is coupled to the bit body and defines an inner cutting diameter. An inner cutting structure is coupled to the bit body and has a cutting diameter substantially equal to the inner cutting diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Richard J. Sauvageau
  • Patent number: 9322218
    Abstract: A borehole cutting assembly for directional cutting in a borehole, the assembly comprising an input pipe and a cutting head rotatably mounted on the input pipe such that the orientation of the cutting head relative to the input pipe can be altered to determine the direction of cutting of the borehole. A cutting tool and cutting tool motor are mounted on the cutting head to enable the cutting tool to be rotatably driven relative to the cutting head so that when the cutting tool is loaded in use the cutting head is subject to a tool reaction torque that acts to rotate the cutting head to change the orientation of the cutting head. The cutting head is rotatably mounted on the input pipe by a controlled torque coupling comprising a progressive cavity pump having a rotor and a stator each provided with drive formations arranged to define a fluid flow cavity therebetween. Rotation of the rotor relative to the stator forces fluid flow through the cavity to counteract the tool reaction torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Inventors: Michael King Russell, Michael Andrew Yuratich
  • Patent number: 9303686
    Abstract: A bearing assembly has a bearing chamber, an inner mandrel having a first load bearing shoulder and an outer housing having an second load bearing shoulder. The first and second load bearing shoulders are opposed and are within the bearing chamber. Seals retain a bearing lubricant within the bearing chamber. A cylindrical stack of bearings are positioned between the first and second load bearing shoulders. Each row of bearings has an inner race supporting the first load bearing shoulder and an outer race supporting the second load bearing shoulder. The bearing assembly may be incorporated into a downhole tool. The downhole tool may continue to be operated after the seals fail by flowing a working fluid through the bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Cathedral Energy Services Ltd.
    Inventors: Dean Foote, Randy Pustanyk
  • Patent number: 9279289
    Abstract: A mud motor radial bearing, a combination flow diverter and integral radial mud motor bearing, and a mud motor bearing assembly including the combination. The flow diverter includes a body defining threaded box ends, a concentric longitudinal bore, a generally cylindrical outer surface, and a longitudinal axis. The longitudinal bore fluidly connects the first and second threaded box ends. The first threaded box end connects to a pin of a transmission of a mud motor rotor, and the second threaded box end connects to a pin of a mandrel. A portion of the generally cylindrical outer surface of the body in a region of the second threaded box end has bonded thereto a bearing material. The bearing material includes a plurality of tungsten carbide portions surrounded by a hard metal alloy matrix binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: RENEGADE MANUFACTURING, LLC
    Inventor: Scott Kerstetter
  • Patent number: 9267539
    Abstract: A mud motor bearing assembly for use in drilling a hydrocarbon well. The bearing assembly includes a bearing section containing stationary bearing rigs and rotating bearing rings in stacked arrangement. The bearing rings have wedge-shaped projections. The wedge-shaped projections of two adjacent stationary bearing rings form a recess to accommodate the projection of a rotating bearing ring in sliding engagement. The bearing assembly is capable of bearing both radial and axial loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Ashmin, LC
    Inventors: Gunther HH Von Gynz-Rekowski, William C. Herben, Daryl E. Bolejack
  • Patent number: 9228584
    Abstract: Reinforced directional drilling assemblies and methods of forming reinforced directional drilling assemblies are provided. Strengthening materials may be incorporated into a resilient layer and/or a polymer-based composite material within a directional drilling assembly to improve the durability and performance of a power section within the directional drilling assembly. Inclusion of strengthening materials within a directional drilling assembly may provide a method to detect the status of a power section and send a signal from downhole upon detecting status of the power section. Inclusion of strengthening materials also may provide a method to collect data about operating conditions, including pressure, temperature, torque, RPM, stress level, shock, vibration, downhole weight on bit, and/or equivalent circulating density to send to the surface or to MWD/LWD systems. The strengthening materials may collect data by themselves or in conjunction with a sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hossein Akbari, Geraint Jones
  • Patent number: 9222309
    Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus for forming a borehole is provided that in one embodiment may include a first milling device configured to rotate at a first rotational speed in a first direction, and a second milling device around the first milling device configured to rotate at a second rotational speed in a second direction, wherein the rotational first speed is greater than the second rotational speed. In another aspect, the first and the second milling devices may be configured to rotate in the same direction at different speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Hayden V. Fagg
  • Patent number: 9222512
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention relate to bearing assemblies, apparatuses and motor assemblies that include geometric features configured to impart a selected amount of heat transfer and/or hydrodynamic film formation. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly may include a plurality of superhard bearing pads distributed circumferentially about an axis. At least some of the plurality of superhard bearing pads may include a plurality of sub-superhard bearing elements defining a bearing surface. At least some of the plurality of sub-superhard bearing elements may be spaced from one another by one or more voids to impart a selected amount of heat transfer and hydrodynamic film formation thereon during operation. The bearing assembly may also include a support ring that carries the plurality of superhard bearing pads. In addition, at least a portion of the sub-superhard bearing elements may extend beyond the support ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy N. Sexton, Craig H. Cooley, Cody W. Knuteson
  • Patent number: 9181756
    Abstract: A drill bit and method of drilling a wellbore. The drill bit includes a pad configured to extend and retract from a surface of the drill bit, and a force application device configured to extend and retract the pad. The force application device includes a screw driven by an electric motor that linearly moves a drive unit to extend and retract the pad from the drill bit surface. The drill bit may be conveyed by a drill string and the pad may be extended from the drill bit face to drill the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Thorsten Schwefe, Dan Raz, Gregory Rinberg
  • Patent number: 9169694
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a tool string positionable in a wellbore that includes a spur gear driven by a source of input rotation, a planetary gearbox having an attachment structure to connect to the spur gear. The gearbox includes a central sun gear, a collection of planet gears disposed in a planet gear carrier disposed around the central sun gear, and a ring gear disposed around the planet gears and planet gear carrier. The attachment structure drives a hydraulic pump or electrical generator at a rotational speed different than a rotational speed of the source of input rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Martin Winslow
  • Patent number: 9163457
    Abstract: In an oil-sealed bearing assembly in the bearing section of a mud motor, in which a mandrel is rotatably disposed within a cylindrical housing, a cylindrical sleeve is disposed coaxially and rotatably around the mandrel, with the sleeve being non-rotatably mounted to an inner surface of the housing, thereby forming an annular piston chamber forming part of a generally annular oil reservoir. The sleeve provides radial support to the mandrel along the length of the piston chamber by virtue of the flexural stiffness of the sleeve. The mandrel rotates within the sleeve, with a radial bearing being provided between the sleeve and the mandrel. An annular piston is axially movable within the piston chamber in response to variations in the volume of oil in the reservoir. The piston slides within the piston chamber without rotation relative to either the housing or the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventor: Nicholas Marchand
  • Patent number: 9140070
    Abstract: The disclosure of this application is directed to a downhole tool comprising a central element/member and a sleeve that is rotatably and orbitally disposed around the central element/member. The sleeve rotates and orbits around the central element/member responsive to fluid flowing through the downhole too. The disclosure is also related to a method of advancing the downhole tool in a well by flowing fluid through the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Thru Tubing Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Schultz, Brock Watson, Andy Ferguson
  • Patent number: 9127708
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to bearing apparatuses in which one bearing surface of the bearing apparatus includes diamond, while another bearing surface includes a non-diamond superhard material (e.g., silicon carbide). For example, a bearing apparatus may include a bearing stator assembly and a bearing rotor assembly. The bearing stator assembly and bearing rotor assembly each include a support ring and one or more superhard bearing elements generally opposed to one another. The bearing surface(s) of the rotor or stator may include diamond, while the bearing surface(s) of the other of the rotor or stator do not include diamond. Another bearing apparatus may include both thrust- and radial bearing components. The generally opposed thrust-bearing elements may include diamond, while the generally opposed radial bearing elements may not include diamond, but include a non-diamond superhard material, such as silicon carbide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jair J Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 9109397
    Abstract: Rock drilling equipment and drill string components (2;18) for top hammer drilling and down-the-hole drilling for positioning between a drill rig and a drill bit include a pipe-shaped element (3;19), which is arranged for transferring only rotational movements from the drill rig to the drill hit. A vibration-damping structure (12) is arranged adjoining to at least a part of an inside (11) of the pipe-shaped element in a space (41) formed inwardly of the inside (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Secoroc AB
    Inventors: Jimmy Carlsson, Göran Stenberg, Alexander Beronius, Mattias Göthberg, Samuel Enblom
  • Patent number: 9103175
    Abstract: A drill bit includes a pad configured to extend and retract from a surface of the drill bit. A force application device extends and retracts the pad. The force application device includes a hydraulically-operated rotating member coupled to a speed reduction device configured to apply a force on drive unit that applies a force on the pad to cause the pad to extend from the drill bit face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Thorsten Schwefe
  • Patent number: 9091123
    Abstract: A pressure pulse generating method and apparatus for use with a drill string includes a top and bottom subs for attaching the apparatus within the drill string; a rotor/stator; a drive assembly; and a nozzle sub which includes a nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle holder and a replaceable nozzle; and a nozzle housing having pulse openings. The nozzle holder has fluid ports which periodically align with the pulse openings as the nozzle holder rotates within the nozzle housing to achieve a desired pulse amplitude, frequency and waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Cougar Drilling Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tom Gust
  • Patent number: 9080384
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a wellbore includes a motor having a stator and a rotor. The rotor has an output shaft connected to a cutting structure. The stator and rotor are spaced radially outwardly of the axis of rotation of the rotor such that at least one of the stator and the rotor had an access bore extending through the motor to adjacent the cutting structure. A further object can pass therethrough, without obstruction. The further object comprises a further cutting. A flow diverter is disposed in the motor proximate a connection between the motor and a wellbore tubular, and has a first fluid outlet in fluid communication with a power section of the motor, and a second fluid outlet in fluid communication with the access bore. The flow diverter is coupled to the stator such that axial loading created by fluid pressure is substantially transferred to the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Deep Casing Tools, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomasz J Walerianczyk, Edward D. Scott, Wojciech Buczak
  • Patent number: 9045941
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for use in a down-hole drilling apparatus includes a bearing housing configured for connection to a drill string and a mandrel disposed at least partially within the bearing housing. The mandrel is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis extending therethrough. A hybrid thrust bearing package is provided and disposed radially between the bearing housing and the mandrel. The hybrid thrust bearing package includes a plurality of ball bearings movable through at least one race, an annular stator supported by the bearing housing and an annular rotor ring supported on and rotatable with the mandrel. The annular stator and rotor rings define first and second flat PDC bearing surfaces engaged with one another at a bearing interface oriented generally orthogonally with respect to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: SCIENTIFIC DRILLING INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Mark Chustz
  • Publication number: 20150136490
    Abstract: A steerable dual drilling bit having an outer reamer bit defining a central opening and having an inner core removal bit being rotatably driven by a mud motor that is supported within a tubular housing by the outer reamer bit. The dual drilling bit is capable of being threaded to the bit box of a rotary drill string or a straight or bent housing drilling system. The dual drilling mechanism is of sufficiently limited length that it is capable is being efficiently steered for directional drilling. The reamer and core removal bits are arranged to continuously cut away a formation core and to employ the core for rotational stabilization of the reamer bit during drilling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: EDWIN J. BROUSSARD, JR.
  • Publication number: 20150129314
    Abstract: A downhole motor having a motor section, a drive shaft section, and an output shaft section. The output shaft section has a rotatable output shaft with a first end and a second end. A first thrust bearing assembly proximal to the first end of the output shaft, a second thrust bearing assembly proximal to second end to said output shaft. A radial bearing assembly disposed between the first and second thrust bearing assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Keith A. Bullin
  • Publication number: 20150114722
    Abstract: To obtain technical result—creation of a new downhole screw motor ensuring a higher efficiency and increasing performance coefficient of a motor and motor operational life, improving of drilling efficiency—in a downhole screw motor comprising a stator having an internal screw surface, a rotor placed inside a stator having external screw surface, a sealing system, a spindle assembly, as per the invention as a sealing system the following system is used: a system, which contains a contact elastic, multilayered sealing agent, moreover a tough straps making layers in a sealing agent, have close ring-like shapes and are similar to the surface, to which they are fixed; the quantity of layers of a sealing agent is not more than six; in the layers separately gas and/or liquid is used as sealing media; a sealing system contains a separation joint of drilling mud flow, an electrogenerating turbine, a pumping unit for drill mud, regulating units of movement direction of sealing media and drill mud, a mud hopper, automat
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Alibi AKHMEJANOV
  • Publication number: 20150114721
    Abstract: A rotary fluid drive has first and second bodies 20, 120. The second body 120 is rotatable relative to and inside of the first body 20 defining a working fluid space 40 there between. Gates 130 are supported by the first body 20 and lobes 124 are provide on the second body 120. Gate pockets 26 are formed in the first body 20 into which the gates swing when contacted by the lobes 124. The gates 130 and the gate pockets 26 are configured to form a debris chamber 27 there between capable of temporarily accommodating solid debris. Each gate 130 has a plurality of projections 136A with intervening gaps 136B. The gaps form a gate pocket flow path 141. Working fluid flows via each gate pocket flow path 141 into the working fluid space 40 when the associated gate 130 is maximally deflected into its associated gate pocket 26.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Nicholas Ryan Marchand, Jeffery Ronald Clausen, Jonathan Ryan Prill
  • Patent number: 9004194
    Abstract: A method of translating a member through a bore involving moving fluid through a tubular member such as a drill string, and generating impulses on the member by varying the passage of fluid through the member using a valve which opens at a first rate and closes at a different second rate to urge the member to advance in a selected direction. The valve may close quickly and open slowly, or may close slowly and open quickly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Alan Martyn Eddison, David Anderson Coull, Derek James Stuart
  • Publication number: 20150096809
    Abstract: A mud motor radial bearing, a combination flow diverter and integral radial mud motor bearing, and a mud motor bearing assembly including the combination. The flow diverter includes a body defining threaded box ends, a concentric longitudinal bore, a generally cylindrical outer surface, and a longitudinal axis. The longitudinal bore fluidly connects the first and second threaded box ends. The first threaded box end connects to a pin of a transmission of a mud motor rotor, and the second threaded box end connects to a pin of a mandrel. A portion of the generally cylindrical outer surface of the body in a region of the second threaded box end has bonded thereto a bearing material. The bearing material includes a plurality of tungsten carbide portions surrounded by a hard metal alloy matrix binder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: RENEGADE MANUFACTURING, LLC
    Inventor: SCOTT KERSTETTER
  • Publication number: 20150096807
    Abstract: A flow control valve for use with a downhole motor includes a housing with at least one port and a sleeve with at least one opening. The sleeve is movable within the housing to align and offset the ports and openings. A first biasing member associated with a first portion of the sleeve and a second biasing member associated with a second portion of the sleeve bias the sleeve in a first direction, while pressure applied to the sleeve due to fluid flow moves the sleeve in an opposing second direction. Movement of the sleeve in the second direction compresses the first and second biasing members, disengages the first portion of the sleeve from the first biasing member, and aligns the openings with the ports to permit transmission of the pressure through the openings and ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Bico Drilling Tools, Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan Strilchuk
  • Publication number: 20150083500
    Abstract: A longer-lasting, lower cost, more powerful, all metal, mud motor than the presently available progressing cavity type mud motors for drilling boreholes into the earth. A mud motor apparatus possessing one single drive shaft that turns a rotary drill bit, which apparatus is attached to a drill pipe which provides high pressure mud to the mud motor, wherein the drive shaft receives at least a first portion of its rotational torque from any high pressure mud flowing through a first hydraulic chamber within the apparatus, and receives at least a second portion of its rotational torque from any high pressure mud flowing through a second hydraulic chamber within the apparatus. The mud motor apparatus possesses two hydraulic chambers, each having its own power stroke, and return stroke, and acting together in a controlled fashion, provide continuous power to a rotary drill bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: William Banning Vail, III, Tomislav Skerl, Damir S. Skerl
  • Publication number: 20150068810
    Abstract: A separation catch mechanism disposed above a power section of a motor prevents full separation of lower components of the motor from upper components and an attached drillstring. An extension of the mechanism has a first end coupled to the rotor and has a second end disposed in a housing member beyond a seat. An expandable shoulder, such as a washer, disposed on the second end of the extension can be expanded thereon to engage the seat should housing components separate from one another on the motor. To expand the washer after being inserted during assembly past the seat, the second end of the extension has a tapered head on which the washer is disposed. The outside diameter of the washer is expanded on the tapered head by tightening a nut against the washer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.
    Inventor: Gregory Richard Altimas
  • Publication number: 20150068811
    Abstract: A downhole motor rotary drive system including a housing, a rotor rotatably and coaxially disposed within the housing, and an annular space between the rotor and housing. The rotor includes first and second ends, a bore extending between the first and second ends, an inlet port extending from the bore to the annular space, and an outlet port extending from the annular space to the bore. A plurality of gates are disposed within the annular space, each configured to engage the rotor and the housing, and a plurality of lobes extend within the annular space such that the lobes and the gates divide the annular space into a plurality of chambers. A flow path is defined by the annular space between the inlet and outlet ports, and the rotor is configured to rotate relative to the housing when a fluid is circulated along the flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Nicholas Ryan Marchand, Jeffery Ronald Clausen, Jonathan Ryan Prill
  • Publication number: 20150060143
    Abstract: An apparatus for use downhole is disclosed that, in one configuration includes a downhole tool configured to operate in an active position and an inactive position and an actuation device, which may include a control unit. The apparatus includes a telemetry unit that sends a first pattern recognition signal to the control unit to move the tool into the active position and a second pattern recognition signal to move the tool into the inactive position. The apparatus may be used for drilling a subterranean formation and include a tubular body and one or more extendable features, each positionally coupled to a track of the tubular body, and a drilling fluid flow path extending through a bore of the tubular body for conducting drilling fluid therethrough. A push sleeve is disposed within the tubular body and coupled to the one or more features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Steven R. Radford, Khoi Q. Trinh, Jason R. Habernal, R. Keith Glasgow, John G. Evans, Bruce Stauffer, Johannes Witte
  • Patent number: 8967299
    Abstract: A downhole motor having a motor section, a drive shaft section, and an output shaft section. The output shaft section has a rotatable output shaft with a first end and a second end. A first thrust bearing assembly is located proximal to the first end of the output shaft, and a second thrust bearing assembly is located proximal to the second end of the output shaft. A radial bearing assembly is disposed between the first and second thrust bearing assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Inventor: Keith A. Bullin
  • Publication number: 20150053485
    Abstract: A bottom hole assembly for a drill string has a mud motor and a mandrel. The motor has a rotor driven by drilling fluid flow, and the rotor defines a bore for passage of fluid flow and/or conductors. The mandrel has a bore for passage of the conductors and/or fluid flow, and rotation of the mandrel rotates a drill bit. A shaft and universal joints transfer the drive of the rotor to the mandrel. To pass the conductors from a sonde uphole of the motor to electronics disposed with the mandrel and/or to conduct fluid flow, inner beams dispose in a bore of the shaft to seal at the ends of the shaft coupled to the first and second universal joints. Each beam has an internal passage for the conductors and/or fluid flow. One of the universal joints and inner beams compensate for eccentricity in motion of the rotor, while the other second universal joint and inner beam compensate for a bend in the downhole assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory Richard Altimas, Rishi Shankar Gurjar, Andrew Went
  • Patent number: 8960331
    Abstract: A bottom hole assembly for a drill string has a mud motor and a mandrel. The motor has a rotor and a stator, and the rotor defines a bore for passage of conductors. The mandrel has a bore for passage of the conductors and for drilling fluid, and rotation of the mandrel rotates a drill bit. A shaft and universal joints covert orbital motion at the rotor to rotational motion at the mandrel. To pass the conductors from a sonde uphole of the motor to electronics disposed with the mandrel, an inner beam disposes in a bore of the shaft. This inner beam has an internal passage for the conductors, and seal caps dispose on each end of the inner beam to seal inside the universal joints. The inner beam and seal caps prevent drilling fluid passing from the motor and around the shaft from communicating in the shaft's bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal S. Yambao, Dan A. Marson
  • Patent number: 8944185
    Abstract: A drilling system includes a magnetic coupling and an oscillation absorber. The magnetic coupling has a rotor that rotates about an axis of rotation. The oscillation absorber is in operable communication with the magnetic coupling and includes an outer layer coupled to a separator layer of the magnetic coupling to form an enclosed area. An absorber shaft of the oscillation absorber is at least partially within the enclosed area and is coupled to the rotor. The absorber further includes an outer mover arranged such that rotation of the absorber shaft causes the outer mover to rotate due to interaction of inner absorber shaft magnets and outer mover magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Eckard Scholz, Helge Brand
  • Patent number: 8915312
    Abstract: Enhancements to a drill motor include a bearing pack assembly, a balancing piston, a recording transducer package (RTP), and a latch rod assembly for a drill motor to improve performance and reliability of a drill motor. The bearing pack assembly includes a bearing housing coupled to an end cap and a drive shaft extending into the end cap and the bearing housing. The bearing pack assembly also includes a thrust bearing disposed within the bearing housing, wherein the thrust bearing separates the drive shaft and the bearing housing, and a bearing sleeve disposed within the bearing housing, wherein a radial bearing is placed between the bearing sleeve and the drive shaft. The balancing piston includes a first and second hydrodynamic seal. The recording transducer package is self powered and gathers data from a plurality of sensors in the downhole tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Multishot LLC
    Inventors: Gilbert Villarreal, Allen Richard Young
  • Patent number: 8899351
    Abstract: A downhole drilling motor for well drilling operations includes a tubular housing and a stator disposed in the tubular housing. The stator defines an internal cavity passing therethrough, wherein the stator includes one or more lobes defining at least a portion of the cavity. A rotor is operatively positioned in the internal cavity to cooperate with the one or more lobes of the stator. At least a portion of the stator or of the rotor comprises a memory material adapted to expand or contract when heat is applied by a localized heating module to the memory material. A fluid escape gap between the rotor and stator is adjusted by applying heat to the rotor and/or stator. At least one controller is adapted to receive input data and provide output signals increasing and/or decreasing electrical current applied to the at least one localized heating module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Thomas Hay, Robello Samuel
  • Patent number: 8893824
    Abstract: A steerable system comprises a fluid powered motor 10 having a rotor 16 and a stator 18, and a bias arrangement having a plurality of bias pads 34 connected to the stator 18 so as to be rotatable therewith, the bias pads 34 being moveable to allow the application of a side load to the steerable system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Geoff Downton
  • Publication number: 20140332275
    Abstract: A moving cavity motor or pump, such as a mud motor, comprising: a rotor, a stator, and one or more apparatus for constraining (i.e., controlling or limiting) the movement of the rotor relative to the stator, where the apparatus for constraining is operable with the rotor catch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: William Murray, Lance D. Underwood, Peter Thomas Cariveau, Brian P. Jarvis, Nigel Wilcox, Brian Williams, Geoffrey Downton, Lawrence Lee, Shun'etsu Onodera, Daniel Alvarado, Maxim Pushkarev, Gokturk Tunc, Andrei Plop
  • Patent number: 8851204
    Abstract: A downhole tool having a progressive cavity mud motor with an impact generator disposed within the mud motor rotor or bearing assembly. In one embodiment, the impact generator includes a mud turbine connected to a eccentric ring that encircles and periodically strikes an anvil surface of a percussion shaft. The eccentric ring is pivotable between an engaged striking position and a disengaged non-striking position. The percussion shaft is coupled to a drill bit though a splined connector that provides limited slip for transmitting rotation of the mud motor rotor to the drill bit and for transmitting percussion strikes against the anvil to the drill bit without the need to accelerate the entire drill string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ulterra Drilling Technologies, L.P.
    Inventors: Craig Knull, Justin Forbes
  • Publication number: 20140262530
    Abstract: An adjustable housing assembly is provided, which includes a splined housing and an adjusting ring which contain a splined mandrel. The splined mandrel is moveable axially within the housing assembly when disengaged from upstream and downstream portions of a drill string to disengage the mandrel from the splined housing. The splined mandrel is rotatable with the adjusting ring to alter angled interfaces between the components to change the bend angle in the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Mostar Directional Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: John PETROVIC, Victor PETROVIC
  • Publication number: 20140251689
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a body having a central axis, a fluid inlet coupled to the body, the fluid inlet being adapted to receive a flow of a fluid, and a fluid outlet coupled to the body. The fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are substantially coaxially aligned so as to define a flow axis through the apparatus, and the flow axis is laterally offset from and perpendicular to the central axis of the body. A rotating blade assembly is disposed within said body and includes a plurality of blades, wherein the rotating blade assembly is adapted to be controllably rotated about the central axis so as to control a fluid level of the flow of fluid entering the fluid inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Robert Larson
  • Patent number: 8827009
    Abstract: A drilling pressure intensifying device includes a device housing, a device shaft mounted for rotation in the device housing, at least one fluid conduit in the device shaft and a fluid pressure intensifying assembly in the fluid conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Inventor: Robert E. Rankin, III
  • Publication number: 20140246240
    Abstract: A directional drilling tool includes a housing defining a central cavity for enabling the transmission of drilling fluid through the drill string. A motor contained in the housing includes a rotor-stator assembly, and produces eccentric motion of the rotor. An inverter or shock absorbing assembly disposed along the housing upstream from the motor functions to expend and contract the central cavity in response to fluid pressure changes produced by the drilling fluid flow. A valve assembly, comprising a multi-port flow head that rotates under influence of the motor and a multi-port flow restrictor, creates a varying pattern of pressure spikes in the drilling fluid as the ports of the flow head move into and out of alignment with the ports of the flow restrictor, which in turn induces a percussive effect and axial movement in the drill string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventors: Troy LORENSON, Dave NICHOLSON, Petr MACEK
  • Publication number: 20140231143
    Abstract: In an oil-sealed bearing assembly in the bearing section of a mud motor, in which a mandrel is rotatably disposed within a cylindrical housing, a cylindrical sleeve is disposed coaxially within the mandrel with the sleeve being non-rotatably mounted to an inner surface of the mandrel, thereby forming an annular piston chamber forming part of a generally annular oil reservoir. An annular piston is axially movable within the piston chamber without rotation relative to either the mandrel or the sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventor: Nicholas Marchand
  • Patent number: 8807245
    Abstract: A reaming tool for use in reaming a bore includes a body adapted for location in a bore. The body defines a rotor of a rotary drive arrangement. A shaft adapted for location is disposed in the body. The shaft defines a stator of the rotary drive arrangement. A seal element is disposed between the shaft and the body. The seal element defines a bearing surface for permitting sealed relative rotation of the rotary drive arrangement. The tool includes a reaming member, wherein relative rotation between the body and the shaft facilitates reaming of the bore by the reaming member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Deep Casing Tools, Ltd.
    Inventors: Edward D. Scott, Lance S. Davis
  • Publication number: 20140224545
    Abstract: A driveshaft for a downhole motor has a longitudinal axis and includes a first end. In addition, the driveshaft includes a second end opposite the first end. The first end has a radially outer surface including a first connection lug. The outer surface also includes a second connection lug uniformly circumferentially-spaced from the first connection lug. The first connection lug and the second connection lug each include a cylindrical surface concentrically disposed about a first pivot axis oriented orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.
    Inventor: Michael Eric Nicol-Seto
  • Patent number: 8800688
    Abstract: In aspects, the disclosure provides a drilling motor that includes a lubricating unit that selectively supplies a lubricant to the drilling fluid before the drilling fluid passes through the drilling motor so as to lubricate the stator and/or the rotor to reduce friction between the stator and the rotor and to reduce wear of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Hendrik John, Harald Grimmer
  • Patent number: 8776916
    Abstract: In an aspect, a drilling motor is provided that in one embodiment includes a stator and a rotor configured to be disposed in the stator, wherein the rotor includes a lobe member having an elastically deformable surface configured to provide an interference seal between the stator and the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Aaron J. Dick