US 12,331,605 B2
Eccentric linkage gripper
Rudolph Ernst Krueger, V, Aliso Viejo, CA (US)
Assigned to WWT North America Holdings, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by WWT North America Holdings, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Jun. 4, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/733,729.
Application 18/733,729 is a continuation of application No. 18/122,985, filed on Mar. 17, 2023, granted, now 12,024,964.
Application 18/122,985 is a continuation of application No. 17/166,339, filed on Feb. 3, 2021, granted, now 11,608,699, issued on Mar. 21, 2023.
Application 17/166,339 is a continuation of application No. 16/186,861, filed on Nov. 12, 2018, granted, now 10,934,793, issued on Mar. 2, 2021.
Application 16/186,861 is a continuation of application No. 15/291,925, filed on Oct. 12, 2016, granted, now 10,156,107, issued on Dec. 18, 2018.
Application 15/291,925 is a continuation of application No. 14/222,310, filed on Mar. 21, 2014, granted, now 9,488,020, issued on Nov. 8, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/954,372, filed on Mar. 17, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/933,755, filed on Jan. 30, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/932,192, filed on Jan. 27, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2025/0003303 A1, Jan. 2, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 23/00 (2006.01); E21B 4/18 (2006.01); E21B 23/01 (2006.01); E21B 23/04 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 23/01 (2013.01) [E21B 4/18 (2013.01); E21B 23/00 (2013.01); E21B 23/042 (2020.05)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for gripping an interior surface of a wellbore, comprising:
positioning a gripper having a body and a grip assembly coupled to the body, the grip assembly including a linkage with a wall engagement portion;
advancing a propulsion system positioned with the body to cause the linkage to expand and the wall engagement portion to extend away from the body to engage the interior surface of the wellbore;
exerting force through the wall engagement portion by the interior surface caused by movement of the linkage, resulting in translation of the body along the wellbore away from a wellbore opening, wherein exerting force on one side of the interior surface of the wellbore with the wall engagement portion positions the body of the gripper eccentrically within the wellbore; and
collapsing the gripper such that a cross-sectional area of the linkage is at least 35% of the cross-sectional area of the collapsed gripper, the latter being defined by the collapsed, throughfit outer diameter (OD) of the gripper.