Method and apparatus for controlling an orientable connection in a drilling assembly
First Claim
1. In an apparatus of the type comprising a first assembly, a second assembly, an orientable rotatable connection between the first assembly and the second assembly, and a control device associated with the orientable rotatable connection, a method for controlling the actuation of the control device, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a force tending to cause rotation of the first assembly and the second assembly relative to each other;
(b) determining an actual orientation of the second assembly with the control device actuated to prevent rotation of the second assembly relative to the first assembly;
(c) comparing the actual orientation of the second assembly with a target orientation of the second assembly in order to determine if the actual orientation of the second assembly is acceptable;
(d) if the actual orientation of the second assembly is not acceptable, actuating the control device to perform a control device actuation cycle, wherein the control device actuation cycle comprises first actuating the control device to allow rotation of the second assembly relative to the first assembly and second actuating the control device to prevent rotation of the second assembly relative to the first assembly;
(e) determining an updated actual orientation of the second assembly;
(f) comparing the updated actual orientation of the second assembly with the target orientation of the second assembly in order to determine if the updated actual orientation of the second assembly is acceptable;
(g) if the updated actual orientation of the second assembly is not acceptable, repeating (d) through (f), using the updated actual orientation of the second assembly as the actual orientation of the second assembly; and
(h) if the updated actual orientation of the second assembly is acceptable, maintaining the control device actuated to prevent rotation of the second assembly relative to the first assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an apparatus of the type comprising a first assembly, a second assembly, an orientable rotatable connection between the first assembly and the second assembly, and a control device associated with the orientable rotatable connection, a method for controlling the actuation of the control device. Particular embodiments of the method include comparing an actual orientation of the second assembly with a target orientation, actuating the control device to perform a control device actuation cycle if the actual orientation is not acceptable, determining an updated actual orientation of the second assembly, comparing the updated actual orientation with the target orientation, and repeating the control device actuation cycle if the updated target orientation is not acceptable. A first exemplary embodiment of the method represents a target approach to achieving the target orientation. A second exemplary embodiment of the method represents an incremental approach to achieving the target orientation.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. In an apparatus of the type comprising a first assembly, a second assembly, an orientable rotatable connection between the first assembly and the second assembly, and a control device associated with the orientable rotatable connection, a method for controlling the actuation of the control device, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a force tending to cause rotation of the first assembly and the second assembly relative to each other; (b) determining an actual orientation of the second assembly with the control device actuated to prevent rotation of the second assembly relative to the first assembly; (c) comparing the actual orientation of the second assembly with a target orientation of the second assembly in order to determine if the actual orientation of the second assembly is acceptable; (d) if the actual orientation of the second assembly is not acceptable, actuating the control device to perform a control device actuation cycle, wherein the control device actuation cycle comprises first actuating the control device to allow rotation of the second assembly relative to the first assembly and second actuating the control device to prevent rotation of the second assembly relative to the first assembly; (e) determining an updated actual orientation of the second assembly; (f) comparing the updated actual orientation of the second assembly with the target orientation of the second assembly in order to determine if the updated actual orientation of the second assembly is acceptable; (g) if the updated actual orientation of the second assembly is not acceptable, repeating (d) through (f), using the updated actual orientation of the second assembly as the actual orientation of the second assembly; and (h) if the updated actual orientation of the second assembly is acceptable, maintaining the control device actuated to prevent rotation of the second assembly relative to the first assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. In an apparatus of the type comprising a first assembly, a second assembly, an orientable rotatable connection between the first assembly and the second assembly, and a control device associated with the orientable rotatable connection, a method for controlling the actuation of the control device, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a force tending to cause rotation of the first assembly and the second assembly relative to each other; (b) determining an actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly at a current actuation of the control device; (c) comparing the actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly with a target rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly in order to determine if the actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly is acceptable; (d) if the actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly is acceptable, maintaining the current actuation of the control device; (e) if the actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly is not acceptable, actuating the control device to an updated current actuation of the control device; (f) determining an updated actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly at the updated current actuation of the control device; (g) comparing the updated actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly with the target rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly in order to determine if the updated actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly is acceptable; (h) if the updated actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly is not acceptable, repeating (e) through (g), using the updated actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly as the actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly; and (i) if the updated actual rotation rate of the second assembly relative to the first assembly is acceptable, maintaining the updated current actuation of the control device. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification