Downhole Tool Having an Extendable Component with a Pivoting Element
First Claim
5-1. The extendable component of claim 1, in which a set of springs couples the driven element to the drive element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An extendable component for use in a downhole tool for traversing subsurface formations includes a drive element that defines an axis and has a distal end, and an abutment that is spaced radially from a distal end of the drive element. A driven element defines a driven element axis, is flexibly coupled to the drive element, and includes a proximal end disposed adjacent to the drive element and a distal end. A tilt arm is coupled to the driven element, is disposed at an angle with respect to the driven element axis, and is configured to engage the abutment. The driven element is moveable between a normal position and a tilted position. A contact head is coupled to the driven element distal end and is adapted to engage the wellbore wall.
28 Citations
25 Claims
-
5-1. The extendable component of claim 1, in which a set of springs couples the driven element to the drive element.
-
11. A downhole tool for use in a wellbore traversing subsurface formations and defining a wellbore wall, the downhole tool comprising:
-
an elongate housing defining a longitudinal axis; an extendable component associated with the housing, the extendable component including; a drive element slidably coupled to the housing and defining a drive element axis substantially perpendicular to the housing longitudinal axis, the drive element being movable along the drive element axis between a retracted position and an extended position, the drive element having a proximal end disposed inside the housing and a distal end; an abutment spaced radially outwardly from the drive element distal end; a flexible coupling coupled to the shaft distal end; a driven element coupled to the flexible coupling and defining a driven element axis; a tilt arm coupled to the driven element and defining a leading contact point and a trailing contact point, the leading and trailing contact points being aligned along a contact reference line disposed at a tilt angle with respect to the driven element axis and configured to engage the abutment, wherein the driven element is movable from a normal position, in which the driven element axis is substantially parallel to the drive element axis, and a tilted position, in which the leading and trailing contact points engage the abutment so that the driven element axis is disposed at an angle with respect to the drive element axis; and a contact head coupled to a distal end of the driven element and adapted to engage the wellbore wall. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method of disengaging a contact head of an extendable component of a downhole tool from a wall of a wellbore traversing a subsurface formation, the method comprising:
-
rotating a portion of the contact head away from the wellbore wall by tilting a driven element coupled to the contact head to leave a reduced surface area of the contact head that engages the wellbore wall; and retracting the driven element in a radially inward direction to separate the reduced surface area of the contact head from the wellbore wall. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification