US 12,454,866 B2
Rotational guidance device for a drilling tool and associated method
François Guy Jacques René Millet, Antony (FR)
Assigned to BREAKTHROUGH DESIGN, Antony (FR)
Filed by BREAKTHROUGH DESIGN, Antony (FR)
Filed on Dec. 7, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/532,543.
Claims priority of application No. 2212987 (FR), filed on Dec. 8, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0191583 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
Int. Cl. E21B 17/10 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 17/1057 (2013.01) 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for guiding a drilling tool in rotation, the device comprising:
a tubular longitudinal element;
a transmission shaft passing longitudinally through the tubular longitudinal element, the transmission shaft being rotatably mounted in the tubular longitudinal element in order to rotate the drilling tool and to transmit axial forces thereto; and
a plurality of bearing blocks mounted between the tubular longitudinal element and the transmission shaft, each of the bearing blocks being attached to at least one attachment region on the transmission shaft, at least one of the bearing blocks including at least one tapered bore spherical roller bearing forming one of a pivot linkage, a sliding pivot linkage, a ball joint linkage, and a linear annular linkage between the tubular longitudinal element and the transmission shaft, the at least one tapered bore spherical roller bearing having a tapered inner bore,
wherein, at least in the at least one attachment region, the transmission shaft has one or more of: (i) a taper less than or equal to 1:12 and (ii) at least one annular or helical shallow U-shape groove with a fillet radii greater than 1/12th of the outer diameter of the transmission shaft,
wherein at least one of the bearing blocks includes at least one abutment having a cylindrical outer surface and a tapered inner bore, and
wherein at least one of the bearing blocks includes at least one split tapered ring received on the at least one annular or helical shallow U-shape groove, the at least one split tapered ring having a bore with a shape matching the at least one annular or helical groove and a tapered outer surface on which the at least one abutment is mounted, the at least one annular or helical groove being recessed in the transmission shaft.