Symmetrical seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9988850-B2
Application number	US-201214654788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2012
Priority date	Dec 31, 2012
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A downhole seal system for roller cone drill bits includes a seal gland having a width larger than it depth. In one implementation, the seal gland includes a protrusion along its base on which a seal element seats. The seal element is a single, annular seal element with a recess formed therein so as to define two lobes. The seal element seats in the gland so that the recess engages the protrusion. The lobes function as separate seal elements, although they are a single unitary seal element disposed in a single gland.

First claim

We claim:

1. A drill bit for drilling a wellbore, the drill bit comprising:
a gland formed by a single circumferential groove including opposing sides surfaces and a base surface extending therebetween, said gland defining an overall gland width (GW) and an overall gland depth (GD), the gland further comprising a protrusion formed along base surface between the opposing side surfaces;
a single, annular seal element disposed within the gland, the seal element having an overall cross-sectional seal width SW and an overall cross-sectional seal height SH; and
a pressure compensation system disposed to deliver a pressurized fluid to the seal element;
wherein the seal element is characterized by a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface and an outer surface and having an annular recess formed along the outer surface so as to define a first lobe and a second lobe along outer surface;
wherein the seal element further comprises at least two lobes formed on the inner surface with a void formed therebetween;
wherein the pressure compensation system includes a channel that connects to the gland at the void formed between the at least two lobes formed on the inner surface.

2. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the overall gland width GW is equal to or greater than the overall gland depth GD.

3. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion has a height and the height is between approximately 5-25% of the overall gland depth.

4. The drill bit of claim 1 wherein the base surface includes a first portion having a first gland width and a first gland depth and a second portion having a second gland width and a second gland depth, the protrusion being formed at the intersection of the first and second portions.

5. The drill bit of claim 4 , wherein the first gland width is different than the second gland width.

6. The drill bit of claim 4 , wherein the first gland depth is different than the second gland depth.

7. The drill bit of claim 4 , wherein the first gland width is different than the second gland width and the first gland depth is different than the second gland depth.

8. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein recess is shaped to engage the protrusion of the gland.

9. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the first lobe has a first seal element width and a first seal element depth and the second lobe has a second seal element width and a second seal element depth, the recess being formed at the intersection of the first and second lobes.

10. The drill bit of claim 9 , wherein the first seal element width is different than the second seal element width.

11. The drill bit of claim 9 , wherein the first seal element depth is different than the second seal element depth.

12. The drill bit of claim 9 , wherein the first seal element width is different than the second seal element width and the first seal element depth is different than the second seal element depth.

13. The drill bit of claim 9 , wherein the base surface includes a first portion having a first gland width and a first gland depth and a second portion having a second gland width and a second gland depth, the protrusion being formed at the intersection of the first and second portions.

14. The drill bit of claim 13 , wherein the first and second gland depths are the same as one another and the first and second seal element depths are different from one another.

15. The drill bit of claim 13 , wherein the first and second gland depths are different from one another and the first and second seal elements depths are different from one another.

16. The drill bit of claim 1 , further comprising
a drill bit body having a plurality of arms, each arm having a journal pin with an outer journal surface;
a plurality of cones, each having an inner surface, wherein each arm rotatingly supports a cone,
wherein the gland is disposed in the outer journal surface or the inner cone surface.

17. The drill bit of claim 1 , further comprising a second annular seal element disposed within the gland adjacent the other seal element, wherein the protrusion extends partially between the two seal elements.

18. A drill bit for drilling a wellbore, the drill bit comprising:
a gland having an overall gland width (GW) and an overall gland depth (GD), wherein the overall gland width GW is equal to or greater than the overall gland depth GD, the gland further comprising opposing side surfaces and a base surface extending therebetween with a protrusion formed along base surface, wherein the base surface includes a first portion having a first gland width and a first gland depth and a second portion having a second gland width and a second gland depth, the protrusion being formed at the intersection of the first and second portions;
a single, annular seal element having an overall cross-sectional seal width SW and an overall cross-sectional seal height SH, wherein the seal element includes a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface and an outer surface and having an annular recess formed along the outer surface so as to define a first lobe and a second lobe along outer surface, wherein the first lobe has a first seal element width and a first seal element depth and the second lobe has a second seal element width and a second seal element depth, the recess being formed at the intersection of the first and second lobes; and
a pressure compensation system disposed to deliver a pressurized fluid to the seal element;
wherein the seal element further comprises at least two lobes formed on the inner surface with a void formed therebetween;
wherein the pressure compensation system includes a channel that connects to the gland at the void formed between the at least two lobes formed on the inner surface.

19. The drill bit of claim 18 , wherein the first seal element height is greater than the second seal element height.

20. The drill bit of claim 18 , wherein the protrusion has a height and the height of the protrusion is no more than 50% of the overall gland depth.

21. An assembly for a wellbore, the assembly comprising:
a first body having a first surface;
a second body, movable relative to the first body, the second body having a second surface adjacent the first surface;
a gland having an overall gland width (GW) and an overall gland depth (GD), wherein the overall gland width GW is equal to or greater than the overall gland depth GD, the gland further comprising opposing side surfaces and a base surface extending therebetween with a protrusion formed along base surface, wherein the base surface includes a first portion having a first gland width and a first gland depth and a second portion having a second gland width and a second gland depth, the protrusion being formed at the intersection of the first and second portions;
a single, annular seal element having an overall cross-sectional seal width SW and an overall cross-sectional seal height SH, wherein the seal element includes a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface and an outer surface and having an annular recess formed along the outer surface so as to define a first lobe and a second lobe along outer surface, wherein the first lobe has a first seal element width and a first seal element depth and the second lobe has a second seal element width and a second seal element depth, the recess being formed at the intersection of the first and second lobes; and
a pressure compensation system disposed to deliver a pressurized fluid to the seal element;
wherein the seal

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Crawford Micheal B
• Williams Mark E
• Lee Young H
• Duckworth David P
• Shan Zhaohui

Classifications

• E21B10/25 Primary

  characterised by sealing details · CPC title

• E21B2010/225

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic