High torque, flexible, dual, constant velocity, ball joint assembly for mud motor used in directional well drilling
First Claim
1. A flexible, dual ball joint assembly for increasing the wear life of a mud motor used in oil and gas directional drilling, the ball joint assembly comprising:
- a drive shaft having a drive shaft hollow ball joint, an outer circumference of the hollow ball joint having drive shaft ball bearings therearound, an inner circumference inside the hollow ball joint having drive shaft grooves therearound;
a torque coupler having a torque coupler ball joint, an outer circumference of the torque coupler ball joint having torque coupler ball bearings therearound, the torque coupler ball bearings received in the drive shaft grooves for providing lateral movement between the drive shaft and the torque coupler, an outer circumference of the torque coupler having torque coupler lobes therearound; and
a torque sleeve received around the drive shaft hollow ball joint and around the torque coupler ball joint, an inner circumference of the torque sleeve having torque sleeve grooves therearound, the drive shaft ball bearings and the torque coupler lobes received in the torque sleeve grooves.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible, dual ball joint assembly used for increasing the wear life of a mud motor. The ball joint assembly includes an drive shaft with a drive shaft hollow ball joint. An outer circumference of the hollow ball joint includes a plurality of equally spaced apart drive shaft ball bearings. An inner circumference, inside the hollow ball joint, includes a plurality of equally spaced apart drive shaft grooves. Also, the ball joint assembly includes an annular shaped torque coupler with a torque coupler ball joint. An outer circumference of the torque coupler ball joint includes a plurality of equally spaced apart torque coupler ball bearings. The torque coupler ball bearings are received in the drive shaft grooves for providing lateral movement between the drive shaft and the torque coupler. An outer circumference of the torque coupler next to the torque coupler ball joint includes a plurality of torque coupler lobes equally spaced apart therearound. Further, the ball joint assembly includes a sliding torque sleeve used to secure the drive shaft to the torque coupler during the operation of the ball joint assembly.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A flexible, dual ball joint assembly for increasing the wear life of a mud motor used in oil and gas directional drilling, the ball joint assembly comprising:
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a drive shaft having a drive shaft hollow ball joint, an outer circumference of the hollow ball joint having drive shaft ball bearings therearound, an inner circumference inside the hollow ball joint having drive shaft grooves therearound; a torque coupler having a torque coupler ball joint, an outer circumference of the torque coupler ball joint having torque coupler ball bearings therearound, the torque coupler ball bearings received in the drive shaft grooves for providing lateral movement between the drive shaft and the torque coupler, an outer circumference of the torque coupler having torque coupler lobes therearound; and a torque sleeve received around the drive shaft hollow ball joint and around the torque coupler ball joint, an inner circumference of the torque sleeve having torque sleeve grooves therearound, the drive shaft ball bearings and the torque coupler lobes received in the torque sleeve grooves. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A flexible, dual ball joint assembly for increasing the wear life of a mud motor used in oil and gas directional drilling, the ball joint assembly comprising:
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a drive shaft having a first end with a drive shaft hollow ball joint, an outer circumference of the hollow ball joint having a plurality of equally spaced apart drive shaft ball bearings therearound, an inner circumference inside the hollow ball joint having a plurality of equally spaced apart drive shaft grooves therearound, the drive shaft grooves parallel to the length of the drive shaft; a torque coupler having a first end with a torque coupler solid ball joint, an outer circumference of the torque coupler solid ball joint having a plurality of equally spaced apart torque coupler ball bearings therearound, the torque coupler ball bearings received in the drive shaft grooves for providing lateral movement between the drive shaft and the torque coupler, an outer circumference of the torque coupler next to the solid ball joint having a plurality of semi-circular torque coupler lobes equally spaced apart therearound; and a torque sleeve received around the first end of the drive shaft and around the first end of the torque coupler, an inner circumference of the torque sleeve includes equally spaced apart torque sleeve grooves therearound, the drive shaft ball bearings received in the torque sleeve grooves for providing additional lateral movement between the drive shaft and the torque coupler, the torque coupler lobes received in the torque sleeve grooves, whereby the torque sleeve is used to secure the drive shaft to the torque coupler during the operation of the ball joint assembly. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A flexible, dual ball joint assembly for increasing the wear life of a mud motor used in oil and gas directional drilling, the ball joint assembly comprising:
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a drive shaft having a first end with a drive shaft hollow ball joint, an an outer circumference of the hollow ball joint having at least eight spaced drive shaft ball bearings therearound, an inner circumference inside the hollow ball joint having at least eight equally spaced apart drive shaft grooves therearound, the drive shaft grooves parallel to the length of the drive shaft; a torque coupler having a first end with a torque coupler ball joint, an outer circumference of the torque coupler solid ball joint having at least eight equally spaced apart torque coupler ball bearings therearound, the torque coupler ball bearings received in the drive shaft grooves for providing lateral movement between the drive shaft and the torque coupler, an outer circumference of the torque coupler next to the solid ball joint having a at least eight semi-circular torque coupler lobes equally spaced apart therearound; and a torque sleeve received around the first end of the drive shaft and around the first end of the torque coupler, an inner circumference of the torque sleeve includes at least eight equally spaced apart torque sleeve grooves therearound, the drive shaft ball bearings received in the torque sleeve grooves for providing additional lateral movement between the drive shaft and the torque coupler, the torque coupler lobes received in the torque sleeve grooves, the torque sleeve having a plurality of set screws for securing the drive shaft to the torque coupler during the operation of the ball joint assembly. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification