Crawler system for an earth boring system

• US 8,353,354 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatek IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: David R. Hall
• Inventors: Hall, David R., Dahlgren, Scott S., Marshall, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): GAY, JENNIFER HAWKINS
• Application Number:
  US12/836,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20120012337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 166/381, 166/212, 166/206, 175/98, 175/230
• US Class Current: 166/381
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/18 Anchoring or feeding in the borehole

Abstract

A crawler system for an earth boring system comprises at least two expandable tools along a common axis and spaced apart from each other along the common axis by a piston cylinder device. The at least two expandable tools comprise a mandrel comprising a tubular body and an outer diameter, a plurality of blades, and a slidable sleeve capable of manipulating the plurality of blades into collapsed and expanded positions. The plurality of blades of one of the at least two expandable tools expand to an expanded position and engage a borehole wall. The piston cylinder device anchors against the engagement between the borehole wall and one of the at least two expandable tools to axially translate the other of the at least two expandable tools.

Claims

1. A crawler system for an earth boring system, comprising:

at least two expandable tools disposed along a common axis spaced apart from each other along the common axis;

wherein each of the at least two expandable tools comprises a mandrel comprising a tubular body and an outer diameter, a plurality of blades, and a slidable sleeve capable of manipulating the plurality of blades into collapsed and expanded positions;

wherein when the plurality of blades of one of the at least two expandable tools is in an expanded position the plurality of blades engage a borehole wall;

further comprising a piston cylinder device disposed between the at least two expandable tools which anchors against the engagement between the borehole wall and one of the at least two expandable tools to axially translate the other of the at least two expandable tools; and

wherein the piston cylinder device comprises a cylinder connected to the mandrel of at least one of the expandable tools and a piston connected to the mandrel of another of the expandable tools.

2. The tractor system of claim 1, wherein each blade of the plurality of blades comprises a peripheral surface which engages the borehole wall when in an expanded position.

3. The tractor system of claim 2, wherein the combined peripheral surfaces of the plurality of blades engage a complete circumference of the borehole wall.

4. The tractor system of claim 2, wherein each peripheral surface comprises at least one traction component.

5. The tractor system of claim 4, wherein each fraction component comprises a ramp.

6. The tractor system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fins extending from the outer diameter of the mandrel of at least one of the expandable tools, a plurality of channels disposed on at least one fin of the plurality of fins, a plurality of channels disposed on the slidable sleeve of the expandable tool, and a plurality of channels disposed on at least one blade of the plurality of blades of the expandable tool.

7. The tractor system of claim 6, wherein the manipulating the plurality of blades comprises engaging a plurality of channels on an interior surface of at least one blade with the plurality of channels on the at least one fin and engaging a plurality of channels on an exterior surface of the at least one blade with the plurality of channels on the slidable sleeve.

8. The tractor system of claim 1, wherein the piston cylinder device comprises pressure chambers disposed on two sides of a piston to axially translate at least one of the expandable tools.

9. A method of translating at least two expandable tools, comprising:

providing first and second expandable tools disposed along a common axis spaced apart from each other along the common axis and each comprising a mandrel comprising a tubular body and an outer diameter, a plurality of blades, and a slidable sleeve capable of manipulating the plurality of blades into collapsed and expanded positions;

providing a piston cylinder device between the at least two expandable tools comprising a cylinder connected to a mandrel of one of the expandable tools and a piston connected to a mandrel of another of the expandable tools;

engaging a borehole wall by expanding the plurality of blades of the first expandable tool;

translating the mandrel of the second expandable tool axially;

engaging the borehole wall by expanding the plurality of blades of the second expandable tool; and

translating the mandrel of the first expandable tool axially.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein translating the mandrel of the first expandable tool axially or the second expandable tool axially causes the plurality of blades of either the first expandable tool or the second expandable tool to collapse from engagement with the borehole wall.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a drill bit and translating the drill bit axially.