A drill string tool has a control mechanism to switch the tool between an inactive condition and an active condition in response to operator-performance of a predefined trigger sequence comprising variations in a drilling fluid pressure differential. The trigger sequence comprises multiple cycles of
A drill string tool has a control mechanism to switch the tool between an inactive condition and an active condition in response to operator-performance of a predefined trigger sequence comprising variations in a drilling fluid pressure differential. The trigger sequence comprises multiple cycles of (a) raising the predefined trigger sequence into, but not above, a predefined pressure range, and (b) lowering the predefined trigger sequence below a lower threshold of the pressure range. Raising of the pressure difference above an upper pressure range threshold results in automatic interruption and resetting of the predefined trigger sequence.
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1. An apparatus comprising: a body configured for incorporation in a drill string to convey drilling fluid along an interior of the body;a control mechanism connected to the body and configured for coupling to a drill string tool to switch the drill string tool from an inactive condition to an activ
1. An apparatus comprising: a body configured for incorporation in a drill string to convey drilling fluid along an interior of the body;a control mechanism connected to the body and configured for coupling to a drill string tool to switch the drill string tool from an inactive condition to an active condition in response to occurrence of a predefined trigger sequence in variations in a fluid pressure differential between the interior and an exterior of the body, the predefined trigger sequence comprising multiple cycles of increasing the fluid pressure differential into, but not above, a predefined intermediate pressure range, andsubsequently lowering the predefined trigger sequence below the predefined intermediate pressure range;wherein the control mechanism is further configured to be disposed between: a repeat mode in which the drill string tool is again switched to the active condition upon raising of the fluid pressure differential above the predefined intermediate pressure range, without performance of the predefined trigger sequence; anda reset mode in which again switching the drill string tool to the active condition is conditional on performance of the predefined trigger sequence. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a lower threshold of the predefined intermediate pressure range is between 150 and 250 psi. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein an upper threshold of the predefined intermediate pressure range is between 650 and 850 psi. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control mechanism further comprises: an activation component that is axially displaceable along the interior of the body, the activation component being configured to effect switching of the drill string tool to the active condition responsive at least in part to axial movement of the activation component to an activation position;a biasing mechanism operatively coupled to the activation component and configured to urge the activation component axially away from its activation position and towards a default position; anda staged hydraulic actuation mechanism configured to cause axial displacement of the activation component from its default position to an intermediate position, against operation of the biasing mechanism, in response to the fluid pressure differential being within the predefined intermediate pressure range, and to keep the activation component substantially stationary in the intermediate position while the pressure differential is within the predefined intermediate pressure range, the hydraulic actuation mechanism further configured to cause axial displacement of the activation component from the intermediate position to the activation position, against operation of the biasing mechanism, in response to the fluid pressure differential being greater than the predefined intermediate pressure range. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the activation component is angularly displaceable relative to the body, the control mechanism further comprising a rotation mechanism configured to displace the activation component angularly from an unprimed condition in which the activation component is angularly misaligned with a trigger component of a tool activation mechanism, to a primed condition in which the activation component is angularly aligned with the trigger component, responsive to performance of the predefined trigger sequence. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control mechanism further comprises: a carriage member carrying the activation component for axial and rotational displacement with the carriage member relative to the body, the carriage member configured for axial displacement caused by the staged hydraulic actuation mechanism;a rotational bias mechanism configured to apply a rotational bias to the carriage member, to urge the carriage member rotationally towards an initial unprimed condition and away from a primed condition in which the activation component is angularly aligned with a trigger component of a tool activation mechanism;a cam mechanism operatively connected to the carriage member and configured to translate reciprocating axial displacement of the carriage member responsive to performance of the predefined trigger sequence to staged rotation of the carriage member from the initial unprimed condition to the primed condition, andto resist rotation of the carriage member under the bias of the rotational bias mechanism while the fluid pressure differential is lower than the predefined intermediate pressure range. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cam mechanism comprises: an automatic reset component configured automatically to permit rotation of the carriage member to the initial unprimed condition under the bias of the rotational bias mechanism responsive to actuated axial displacement of the carriage member past an axial position corresponding to an upper threshold of the predefined intermediate pressure range before the carriage member is rotated to the primed condition, anda non-return component to resist rotation of the carriage member under the bias of the rotational bias mechanism responsive to raising of the fluid pressure differential above the predefined intermediate pressure range when the carriage member is in the primed condition. 8. A drill tool assembly comprising: a generally tubular body configured for incorporation in a drill string to convey drilling fluid along an interior of the body;a drill string tool mounted on the body and being disposable between an active condition and an inactive condition; anda control mechanism mounted on the body and coupled to the drill string tool, the control mechanism configured to switch the drill string tool from the inactive condition to the active condition in response to occurrence of a predefined trigger sequence in variations in a fluid pressure differential between the interior and an exterior of the body, the predefined trigger sequence comprising multiple cycles of increasing the fluid pressure differential into, but not above, a predefined intermediate pressure range, andsubsequently lowering e predefined trigger sequence below the predefined intermediate pressure range;wherein the control mechanism is further configured to to be disposed between: a repeat mode in which the drill string tool is in the inactive condition and is returnable to the active condition by raising the fluid pressure differential above the predefined intermediate pressure range, without intermediate performance of the defined trigger sequence; anda reset mode in which the drill string tool is in the inactive condition and return of the drill string tool to the active condition is conditional on performance of the predefined trigger sequence. 9. A drill tool assembly of claim 8, wherein the drill string tool comprises one or more reamer cutting elements mounted on the body and configured for displacement between the active condition, in which the one or more reamer cutting elements project radially outwards from the body for borehole reaming, and the inactive condition in which the one or more reamer cutting elements are retracted. 10. A drilling installation comprising: an elongated drill string extending longitudinally along a borehole, the drill string having an elongated body having a hollow interior to convey drilling fluid along the drill string;a drill string tool forming part of the drill string and configured to be disposable between an active condition and an inactive condition;a control mechanism connected to the body and coupled to the drill string tool to switch the drill string tool from the inactive condition to the active condition in response to occurrence of a predefined trigger sequence in variations in a fluid pressure differential between the interior and an exterior of the body, the predefined trigger sequence comprising multiple cycles of increasing the fluid pressure differential into, but not above, a predefined intermediate pressure range, andsubsequently lowering the predefined trigger sequence below the predefined intermediate pressure range;wherein the control mechanism is further configured to be selectively disposed between: a repeat mode in which the drill string tool is in the inactive condition and is returnable to the active condition by raising the fluid pressure differential above the predefined intermediate pressure range, without intermediate performance of the predefined trigger sequence; anda reset mode in which the drill string tool is in the inactive condition and return of the drill string tool to the active condition is conditional on performance of the predefined trigger sequence. 11. The drilling installation of claim 10, wherein the predefined trigger sequence comprises a predefined minimum number of the cycles that are to be performed without, at any time after initiation of the predefined trigger sequence, raising the fluid pressure differential above the predefined intermediate pressure range. 12. The drilling installation of claim 11, wherein the control mechanism further comprises: a carriage member axially displaceable along the body and configured to switch the drill string tool to the active condition responsive at least in part to actuated axial movement of the carriage member to an operational zone subsequent to performance of the predefined trigger sequence;an axial bias mechanism operatively coupled to the carriage member to urge the carriage member axially away from its operational zone and towards a default position; anda staged hydraulic actuation mechanism configured to cause axial displacement of the carriage member from its default position to an intermediate position, against operation of the axial bias mechanism, in response to the fluid pressure differential being within the predefined intermediate pressure range, and to keep the carriage member substantially stationary in its intermediate position while the pressure differential is within the predefined intermediate pressure range, the hydraulic actuation mechanism further being configured to actuate axial displacement of the carriage member from the intermediate position to the operational zone, against operation of the axial bias mechanism, in response to fluid pressure differentials greater than an upper threshold of the predefined intermediate pressure range. 13. The drilling installation of claim 12, wherein the carriage member is rotatable relative to the body, the control mechanism further comprising: a rotational bias mechanism coupled to the carriage member and configured to apply a rotational bias to the carriage member; anda cam mechanism operatively coupled to the carriage member and configured to translate reciprocating axial displacement of the carriage member in response to performance of the predefined trigger sequence to step-wise rotation of the carriage member, against the bias of the rotational bias mechanism, from an initial unprimed angular orientation to a primed angular orientation, andto resist reverse rotation of the carriage member under the bias of the rotational bias mechanism during performance of the predefined trigger sequence. 14. The drilling installation of claim 13, wherein the cam mechanism comprises: an automatic reset component configured automatically to allow rotation of the carriage member to the initial unprimed angular orientation under the bias of the rotational bias mechanism in response to actuated axial displacement of the carriage member past an axial position corresponding to an upper threshold of the predefined intermediate pressure range while the carriage member is not in the primed angular orientation; anda non-return component to resist rotation of the carriage member under the bias of the rotational bias mechanism in response to raising of the fluid pressure differential above the predefined intermediate pressure range when the carriage member is in the primed condition. 15. A method of controlling a drill string tool incorporated in a drill string within a borehole, the drill string having a body defining a hollow interior to convey drilling fluid along the drill string, the method comprising: applying a predefined trigger sequence in variations in fluid pressure differential between the interior and an exterior of the body, the predefined trigger sequence comprising multiple cycles of increasing the fluid pressure differential into, but not above, a predefined intermediate pressure range, andsubsequently lowering the predefined trigger sequence below the predefined intermediate pressure range,wherein the drill string comprises a control mechanism mounted in the body and configured to automatically switch the drill string tool from an active condition to an inactive condition in response to application of the predefined trigger sequence trigger sequence;interrupting the predefined trigger sequence in response to the pressure differential being raised above the predefined intermediate pressure range before a predefined minimum number of the cycles are completed, so that subsequent performance of at least the minimum number of the cycles are required to switch the drill string tool to the active condition; andperforming respective fluid-pressure control sequences to selectively dispose the control mechanism, after activation of the drill string tool, between: a repeat mode in which the drill string tool is in the inactive condition and is returnable to the active condition by raising the fluid pressure differential above the redefined intermediate pressure range, without intermediate performance of the predefined trigger sequence; anda reset mode in which the drill string tool is in the inactive condition and return of the drill string tool to the active condition is conditional on performance of the predefined trigger sequence. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein applying the predefined trigger sequence comprises performing the predefined minimum number of the cycles without, after starting the predefined trigger sequence, raising the fluid pressure differential above the predefined intermediate pressure range. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the drill string tool comprises a reamer.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (2)
Cendre Andr (Cosne sur Loire FRX) Fay Jean-Baptiste (Paris FRX) Amaudric du Chaffaut Benoit (Voisins le Bretonneux FRX), Actuating device associated with a drill string and comprising a hydrostatic drilling fluid circuit, actuation method an.
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