Abstract
In one embodiment, a wear band comprises a rotating element having a bore receivable on a tubular, the bore comprising first and second bore portions slidably receiving first and second sleeve bearings. Outer surfaces of the sleeve bearings slidably engage the bore portions and the bores of the sleeve bearings slidably engage the tubular. A first and a second stop collars may be received on the tubular to together straddle the rotating element and sleeve bearings to longitudinally secure the rotating element in a position on the tubular. The tubular may be included within a tubular string run into a borehole or into the bore of an installed casing, such as in casing while drilling. The rotating element provides stand-off between a tubular and the wall of a bore, reduces frictional resistance to longitudinal sliding and also to rotation of the tubular string within the bore.
Claims
1. A stop collar for attachment to a tubular, the stop collar comprising: a base configured to be disposed around the tubular, the base having a first axial end and a second axial end, wherein the base defines a plurality of slots extending radially entirely through the base and generally axially from the first axial end towards the second axial end such that a plurality of arcuate segments are defined circumferentially between the plurality of slots; and a sleeve configured to be disposed around the tubular and to slide axially over the plurality of arcuate segments, wherein, when the sleeve is positioned around the plurality of arcuate segments, the sleeve and the tubular entrain the plurality of arcuate segments therebetween and restrict the base from rotating relative to, and from axially translating relative to, the tubular and the sleeve.
2. The stop collar of claim 1, wherein the plurality of arcuate segments are connected together by a portion of the base that is axially between the plurality of slots and the second axial end.
3. The stop collar of claim 2, wherein the portion of the base has a first outside diameter, and wherein the plurality of arcuate segments define a second outside diameter, the first outside diameter being larger than the second outside diameter.
4. The stop collar of claim 3, wherein the base comprises a shoulder extending radially from the first outside diameter to the second outside diameter.
5. The stop collar of claim 4, wherein the shoulder provides a stop wall that bears against an end of the sleeve when the sleeve is fully received around the plurality of arcuate segments.
6. The stop collar of claim 2, wherein the portion of the base and the plurality of arcuate segments are integrally formed.
7. The stop collar of claim 2, wherein the portion of the base and the plurality of arcuate segments are separately formed and coupled together.
8. The stop collar of claim 1, wherein the base defines a gap that extends axially from the first axial end to the second axial end.
9. The stop collar of claim 1, wherein the plurality of arcuate segments each comprise a beveled end and a curved outer surface extending from the beveled end, the curved outer surface of each of the plurality of arcuate segments extending along at least a majority of an axial length of the arcuate segment, and wherein the curved outer surface defines a substantially constant outer diameter as proceeding axially along the arcuate segment.
10. An apparatus for securing to a tubular, the apparatus comprising: means for gripping the tubular, the means for gripping the tubular comprising a base having a plurality of arcuate segments extending axially, the plurality of arcuate segments being separated apart by a plurality of slots extending at least partially axially across the base and radially entirely through the base; and means for pressing the means for gripping into engagement with the tubular, the means for pressing comprising a sleeve configured to be slid over the plurality of arcuate segments so as to press the plurality of arcuate segments into engagement with the tubular.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for gripping comprises means for allowing the plurality of arcuate segments to contract radially inwards.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of arcuate segments extend axially from an end of the base, and wherein the plurality of axially-extending slots do not extend entirely axially across the base.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of arcuate segments are integrally formed with a remainder of the base.
14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sleeve is configured to press the plurality of arcuate segments radially inwards when slid over the plurality of arcuate segments.
15. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising means for stopping the sleeve from sliding past the plurality of arcuate segments.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for stopping comprises a stop wall that extends radially outwards from the plurality of arcuate segments.
17. A stop collar apparatus, comprising: a base having a bore configured to be disposed around a tubular; a plurality of arcuate segments coupled to or integral with the base and extending axially therefrom, wherein the plurality of arcuate segments are separated apart by a plurality of slots that extend radially entirely through the base, and wherein a radial-inside surface of the plurality of arcuate segments is configured to engage the tubular; and a sleeve configured to be slid axially onto the plurality of arcuate segments, to press the radial-inside surface of the plurality of arcuate segments radially inwards, to grip the tubular.
18. The stop collar apparatus of claim 17, wherein the base defines a first outside diameter and the plurality of arcuate segments define a second outside diameter, the second outside diameter being smaller than the first outside diameter.
19. The stop collar apparatus of claim 18, wherein the base comprises an axial face that extends between the first and second outside diameters.
20. The stop collar apparatus of claim 19, wherein the axial face provides a stop wall against which the sleeve is configured to bear, to prevent the sleeve from sliding further in at least one axial direction relative to the plurality of arcuate segments.
21. The stop collar apparatus of claim 17, wherein the base and the plurality of arcuate segments are integrally formed, and wherein at least one of the plurality of slots does not extend across the base.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of a wear band and a tubular on which the wear band is being assembled.
(2) FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a wear band and a tubular on which the wear band is being assembled.
(3) FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a stop collar component of the embodiment of the wear band of FIG. 1.
(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rotating element and the first and second sleeve bearings of the embodiment of the wear band of FIG. 1.
(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the wear band of FIG. 1 after assembly on the tubular.
(6) FIG. 5 is an elevation cross-section view of the embodiment of the assembled wear band of FIG. 4.
(7) FIG. 6 is an elevation cross-section view of an alternate embodiment of an assembled wear band having a single sleeve bearing secured within the bore of a rotating element.
(8) FIG. 7 is an elevation cross-section view of an alternate embodiment of an assembled wear band having a single sleeve bearing with an upset portion engaging the bore of the rotating element.
(9) FIG. 8 is an alternative stop collar having a widened gap to accommodate collapse to reduce the outer diameter.
(10) FIG. 9 is an elevation cross-section view of an alternative rotating element with a bore aligned between two stop collars in a collapsed mode to facilitate insertion into the bore of the rotating element.
(11) FIG. 10 is an elevation cross-section view of the rotating element of FIG. 9 with the two stop collars received within the bore of the rotating element and then allowed to expand into an interior groove in the bore of the rotating element.
(12) FIG. 11 is a elevation cross-section view of the rotating element and stop collars of FIG. 10 received on a tubular between two sleeves.
(13) FIG. 12 is the elevation cross-section view of FIG. 11 with the two sleeves installed on the sets of fingers extending from the stop collars to secure the rotating element in a position on the tubular.
(14) FIG. 13 is a second alternative stop collar comprising two separate portions to facilitate step-wise installation within the interior groove of the rotating element of FIGS. 9-12.
(15) FIG. 14 is a third alternative stop collar comprising a second set of fingers, extending in a direction opposite the first set of fingers, generally aligned with the bore of a rotating element.
(16) FIG. 15 is a elevation cross-section view of the stop collar of FIG. 14 received in the interior groove of the bore of the rotating element of FIG. 14 and received on a tubular between two sleeves.
(17) FIG. 16 is the elevation cross-section view of FIG. 15 with the sleeves installed on the fingers to secure the rotating element in a position on the tubular.
(18) FIG. 17 is an elevation section view of a non-rotating embodiment of a wear band.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
(19) FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a wear band and a tubular on which the wear band may be assembled. The components of the wear band of FIG. 1 are arranged aligned with or received on a tubular 8 in a sequence that facilitates assembly of the components into the wear band discussed below.
(20) The embodiment of the wear band of FIG. 1 includes a rotating element 12 (e.g., sleeve) having a plurality of optional fluid channels 12A in the radially outwardly disposed wear surface 12B, a first sleeve bearing 18 and a second sleeve bearing 118, a first stop collar 22, having a plurality of fingers 23 extending in a first direction, and a second stop collar 122, having a plurality of fingers 123 extending in a second direction opposite the first direction. The depicted first stop collar 23 further includes a first sleeve 24, a stop wall 25 and a bearing spacer 26 extending in the second direction and terminating at a bearing face 27, and the depicted second stop collar 123 further includes a second sleeve 124, a stop wall 125 and a bearing spacer 126 extending in the first direction and terminating at a bearing face 127.
(21) FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a wear band and a tubular on which the wear band is being assembled. Again, the components of the wear band of FIG. 1A are arranged aligned with or received on a tubular 8 in a sequence that facilitates assembly of the components into the wear band discussed below. FIG. 1 (and in subsequent FIGS. 4-7 and 9-12) illustrates embodiments of a stop collar 22 with fingers 23 extending in a direction away from the rotating element 12 to be rotatably secured on a tubular 8 by securing the stop collar 22 to the tubular 8 using a sleeve 24 received on the fingers 23 in an interference-fit. In an alternate embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1A, it is within the scope of the claims that follow to position at least one such stop collar 22 on the tubular 8 with the fingers 23 extending in a direction toward the rotating element 12, and receiving a sleeve 24 on the fingers 23 in an interference-fit. It is also within the scope of the claims that follow to provide a bearing spacer 26 and/or bearing face 27 on the sleeve 24 instead of on the stop collar 22.
(22) FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the first stop collar 22 of FIG. 1 removed from the tubular 8 (not shown in FIG. 2) for improved illustration. The first stop collar 22 and the second stop collar 122 (see FIG. 1) may, in some embodiments, be substantially identical in structure. FIG. 2 illustrates the first stop collar 22 as including the fingers 23, each having an exterior bevel 23A at the end to assist in guiding the sleeve 24 (not shown in FIG. 2see FIG. 1) onto the fingers 23 to capture the fingers 23 intermediate the bore of the sleeve 24 and the tubular 8 (not shown in FIG. 2see FIG. 1). FIG. 2 also illustrates the bearing spacer 26 extending from the stop collar 22 to a bearing face 27 to engage a sleeve bearing.
(23) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rotating element 12 and the first and second sleeve bearings 18 and 118 of the wear band illustrated in FIG. 1. The rotating element 12 is rotated from its position in FIG. 1 and the tubular 8 (not shown in FIG. 3) and the sleeve bearings 18 and 118 are removed from the bore of the rotating element 12 to reveal a radially inwardly disposed shoulder 37 separating a bore first portion 34 adjacent a first bearing face 38 and a bore second portion 35 adjacent a second bearing face 39 that is on the opposite side of the rotating element 12 (e.g., the shoulder 37 thereof) from the first bearing face 38. In the assembled wear band (to be discussed later in relation to FIG. 4), the first bearing face 38 and second bearing face 39 of the (e.g., radially inwardly) disposed shoulder 37 slidably engage inward end 18A of the first sleeve bearing 18 and inward end 118A of the second sleeve bearing 118, respectively, when the first and second sleeve bearings 18 and 118 are received within the bore first portion 35 and the bore second portion 34, respectively, of the rotating element 12. The outward bearing faces 18B and 118B are directed outwardly to engage, upon assembly, e.g., as shown in FIG. 1, the bearing face 27 on the bearing spacer 26 extending from the first stop collar 22 and the bearing face 127 on the bearing spacer 126 extending from the second stop collar 122, respectively. Upon assembly, and further upon rotation of the rotating element 12 relative to a tubular 8 (e.g., within a borehole or within the bore of an installed casing) the outer surfaces 18C and 118C of the first and second sleeve bearings 18 and 118 will slide against the first bore portion 34 and the second bore portion 35 (see FIG. 3), respectively, and the inner surfaces 18D and 118D of the first and second sleeve bearings 18 and 118 (see FIG. 3) will slide against the tubular 8 (not shown in FIG. 4see FIGS. 1 and 4).
(24) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled wear band 10 of FIG. 1, e.g., after installation on the tubular 8 as may be done prior to the tubular 8 being made-up into a tubular string and run into a borehole or a bore of an installed casing, e.g., to turn a drill bit coupled to the end of the tubular string to extend a borehole. The assembly of FIG. 4 may be used, for example, in casing while drilling applications. The rotating element 12 is illustrated in FIG. 4 as received onto the tubular 8 and secured in its position on the tubular 8 by a first stop collar 22 and second stop collar 122 together straddling the sleeve bearings 18 and 118 (not shown in FIG. 4see FIGS. 1 and 3). At least a portion of the bearing spacers 26 and 126 (not shown in FIG. 4see FIGS. 1 and 2) of the first stop collar 22 and the second stop collar 122 are received into the bore first portion 34 (not shown in FIG. 4see FIG. 3) and the bore second portion 35 (same) of the rotating element 12. In one embodiment, the outward ends of the bore first portion and the bore second portion, within the first end 12C and the second end 12D of the rotating element 12, may be flared radially outwardly to guide the first and/or second sleeve bearings upon assembly. The range of movement of the first and second sleeve bearings 18 and 118 (not shown in FIG. 4see FIG. 3) received within the bore first portion and bore second portions 34 and 35 (same) and the rotating element 12, if any, may be determined by the separation distance between the bearing spacers 26 and 126 (not shown in FIG. 4see FIG. 2), the width of the shoulder 37 (same), the length of the first and second bore portions 34 and 35 and the length of the first and second sleeve bearings 18 and 118 (which is, in the embodiment shown, less than the lengths of the first and second bore portions 34 and 35). A range of movement of the rotating element 12 on the tubular 8 may be limited or prevented by purposefully coordinating the dimensions of these components.
(25) FIG. 5 is an elevation cross-section view of the wear band of FIG. 4. The rotating element 12 is retained in its position relative to the first and second stop collars 22 and 122 by the interaction between the bearing faces 38 and 39 (of the shoulder 37) with the inward bearing faces 18A and 118A of the first and second sleeve bearings 18 and 118, and also by the interaction between the outward bearing faces 18B and 118B of the first and second sleeve bearings 18 and 118 and the bearing faces 27 and 127 of the bearing spacers 26 and 126 extending from the first and second stop collars 22 and 122. The rotating element 12 may be sized to prevent unwanted frictional resistance to rotation by limiting the radial thickness of the shoulder 37 to less than the thickness of the adjacent sleeve bearings 18 and 118 to prevent unwanted engagement by the shoulder 37 with the tubular 8, and also by preventing the first end 12C and the second end 12D of the rotating element 12 from engaging the stop walls 25 and 125 of the first and second stop collars 22 and 122. The depicted bearing spacers 26 and 126 of the first stop collar 22 and the second stop collar 122, respectively, are depicted as protruding into the bore first portion 34 and bore second portion 35, respectively, and have a radial thickness less than the thickness of the adjacent sleeve bearing 18 and 118. This relative sizing prevents frictional contact between the straddling first and second stop collars 22 and 122 and the rotating element 12, thereby isolating all frictional engagement on the rotating element 12 to the first and second sleeve bearings 18 and 118.
(26) The rotating element 12 coupled to the tubular 8 facilitates rotation of the tubular 8 relative to the rotating element 12, but also to substantially reduce friction (e.g., axially and rotationally) between the tubular 8 and the wall of a borehole (e.g., bore of a casing) in which the tubular 8 is run. The rotating element 12 is, as seen in the section view of FIG. 5, includes a radially inward taper at the first end 12C and the second end 12D to minimize hanging or catching, and the outer wear surface 12B may comprise a friction-reducing material.
(27) Additional friction reduction may be achieved by polishing, treating, lining, coating, lubricating, impregnating or otherwise conditioning contact surfaces such as, for example, at least one of the first and second bore portions 34 and 35, the exterior surface of the tubular 8, and the outer surface of the rotating element. Such surface conditioning may preferably be directed to the rotating element, e.g., to the first and second bore portions 34 and 35.
(28) In the embodiments of the wear band illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the sleeve bearings 18 and 118 may be rotatable relative to the rotating element 12 and also rotatable relative to the tubular 8 on which the wear band is installed. This arrangement may decrease the relative rotational speed and the relative number of rotations between two components that are in sliding engagement one with the other. For example, a single rotation of the rotating element 12 on the tubular 8 may cause the sleeve bearings 18 and 118 to revolve once within the first and second bore portions 34 and 35 of the rotating element 12, respectively. Alternately, as another example, a single rotation of the rotating element 12 on the tubular 8 may cause the sleeve bearings 18 and 118 to revolve once relative to the tubular 8 and to remain unrotated relative to the first and second bore portions 34 and 35 of the rotating element 12. Alternately, as another example, a single rotation of the rotating element 12 may cause the sleeve bearings 18 and 118 to revolve only one-half of a revolution within the first and second bore portions 34 and 35, respectively, in addition to revolving only one-half of a revolution on the tubular 8.
(29) FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 merely illustrate one type of stop collar that may be used to install an embodiment of a wear band on tubular, and other stop collars, including stop collars securable using set screws, nuts and bolts, clamps, or epoxy adhesives, may also be used to install embodiments of the wear band on a tubular. It should be understood that any holding device that can provide the needed holding force to prevent longitudinal movement of the wear band along the tubular and that has a positive outer diameter (POD) that is less than the POD of rotating element can be used to position and hold the wear band illustrated in FIGS. 1-5.
(30) Other embodiments of the wear band may provide similar advantages. For example, FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the wear band comprising a single sleeve bearing 17 within the bore 33 of the rotating element 12. The sleeve bearing 17 may be connected, e.g., adhesively secured, secured by a connector (e.g., screw, bolt, etc.) and/or received in an interference fit along interface 12E within the bore 33 of the rotating element 12. Alternately, the sleeve bearing 17 may be secured within the bore of the rotating element by alignment of a pre-drilled hole and/or depression with a catch, dog and/or spring operated ball (i.e., a detent). The illustrated sleeve bearing 17 comprises a first end 17A and a second end 17B that cooperate with bearing spacers 26 and 126 extending from straddling stop collars 22 and 122 in the same manner as the embodiment described in connection with FIGS. 1-5.
(31) Another embodiment of the wear band illustrated in FIG. 7 has a single sleeve bearing 19 having a first end 19A, a second end 19B, and an upset portion 19C there between. The upset portion 19C of the sleeve bearing 19 in FIG. 7 is rotatable within an interior groove 12F of the rotating element 12 formed by coupling a rotating sleeve first portion 12 to a rotating sleeve second portion 12 to rotatably couple the rotating element 12 to the sleeve bearing 19. The rotating sleeve first portion 12 to a rotating sleeve second portion 12 may be coupled using an adhesive, using interlocking rotating element portions, fasteners, or some combinations of these. For example, but not by way of limitation, a tubular 8 to be run into a borehole may have an outside diameter of 8.63 inches (21.92 mm) to receive a single sleeve bearing 19 thereon with an inner diameter of 8.64 inches (21.95 mm)(within all of the first end 19A, the second end 19B, and the upset portion 19C therebetween). The single sleeve bearing 19 may have an outer diameter, at the first end 19A and the second end 19B, of 8.85 inches (22.48 mm), and the upset portion 19C therebetween may have an outer diameter of 9.2 inches (23.37 mm) for being received within an interior groove 12F formed by assembly of two or more portions of a rotating element 12 around the single sleeve bearing 19 to rotatably secure the single sleeve bearing 19 within a bore of the assembled rotating element 12.
(32) FIG. 8 is an alternative stop collar 42 having a widened gap 40 to accommodate elastic collapse to reduce the outer diameter to facilitate installation within a bore of a rotating element (not shown in FIG. 8see FIGS. 9-11). The stop collar of FIG. 8 also comprises a set of fingers 46 distributed about a bore 48 and separated by slots 47, a retainer portion 44, and a spacer 43 therebetween. A first stop wall 45A is disposed intermediate the retainer portion 44 and the spacer 43 and a second stop wall 45B is disposed intermediate the spacer 43 and the fingers 46. The fingers 46 may comprise an exterior bevel 49 to facilitate installation of a sleeve (not shown in FIG. 8see FIG. 9-11) thereon.
(33) FIG. 9 is an elevation cross-section view of an alternative rotating element 52 with a bore 53 aligned between two stop collars 42 and 142. The stop collars 42 and 142 may include narrowed gaps (e.g., 40 and 140 in FIG. 8) to allow the stop collars 42 and 142 to be elastically collapsed to facilitate insertion into the bore 53 of the rotating element 52. The depicted rotating element 52 comprises an interior groove 54 within the bore wall 53A and between first and second groove edges 54A and 54B to receive and position the retainer portions 44 and 144 of the stop collars 42 and 142 therewithin.
(34) FIG. 10 is an elevation cross-section view of the rotating element 52 with the retainer portions 44 and 144 of the stop collars 42 and 142 of FIG. 9 received within the bore 53 of the rotating element 52 and extending into the interior groove 54 of the rotating element 52. The retainer portions 44 and 144 of the stop collars 42 and 142 are sized to together occupy a substantial portion of the groove 54 with the first stop wall 45A of the first stop collar 42 and the second stop wall 145A of the second stop collar 142 engaging the first and second groove edges 54A and 54B to rotatably secure the rotating element 52 relative to the adjacent first and second stop collars 42 and 142. The rotating element 52 and the stop collars 42 and 142 may be slid along a tubular (not shown in FIG. 10see FIGS. 11 and 12) to the desired installation position.
(35) FIG. 11 is an elevation cross-section view of the rotating element 52 and stop collars 42 and 142 of FIG. 10 received onto a tubular 8 between two sleeves 41 and 141 disposed on the tubular 8 adjacent the set of fingers 46 of the first stop collar 42 and the set of fingers 146 of the second stop collar 142. The depicted sleeves 41 and 141 comprise interior bevels 41A and 141A to cooperate with exterior bevels 49 and 149 on the fingers 46 and 146 to facilitate installation of the sleeves 46 and 146 onto the fingers 46 and 146.
(36) FIG. 12 is the elevation cross-section view of FIG. 11 with the sleeves 41 and 141 installed on the fingers 46 and 146 extending from stop collars 42 and 142 to secure the rotating element 52 in a position on the tubular 8 so that it will rotate relative to the stop collars 42 and 142 and the tubular 8 on which they are installed.
(37) FIG. 13 is a second alternative stop collar 62 comprising three separate portions 62A, 62B and 62C to facilitate installation of the stop collar 62 within the interior groove 54 of the rotating element 52 (not shown in FIG. 13see FIGS. 9-12). The stop collar 62 of FIG. 13 comprises a set of fingers 66, a retainer portion 64, a first stop wall 65A and a second stop wall 65B. The portions 62A, 62B and 62C are positioned in FIG. 13 one relative to the other, separated by gaps 60A, 60B and 60C, as they may be positioned when installed within the interior groove 54 of the rotating element 52 (not shown in FIG. 13see FIGS. 9-12). Separating the stop collar 62 into portions 62A, 62B and 62C enables the stop collar 62 to be installed within the interior groove 54 one portion at a time as an alternative to the use of an elastically collapsible stop collar, as discussed in reference to FIG. 9.
(38) FIG. 14 is a third alternative stop collar 82 comprising three separate portions 82A, 82B and 82C to facilitate installation of the stop collar 82 within the interior groove 54 of the rotating element 52. The stop collar 82 comprises a retainer portion 84 and a second set of fingers 86B, extending in a direction opposite a first set of fingers 86A, and generally aligned with the bore 54 of a rotating element 52. Separating the stop collar 82 of FIG. 14 into portions 82A, 82B and 82C enables the stop collar 82 to be installed within the bore 54 of the rotating element 52 one portion at a time as an alternative to the use of an elastically collapsible stop collar. Accordingly, the retainer portion 84 of the stop collar 82 is received within the interior groove 54 as axially limited by stop walls 81A and 81B of the stop collar 82 engaging with groove edges 54A and 54B (groove edge 54A not shown in FIG. 14see FIG. 10).
(39) FIG. 15 is a elevation cross-section view of the stop collar 82 of FIG. 14 received within the interior groove 54 of the rotating element 52 of FIG. 14 and received on a tubular 8 between two sleeves 41 and 141 disposed on the tubular 8 adjacent the first set of fingers 86A, having exterior bevels 89A, and the second set of fingers 86B, having exterior bevels 89B. The sleeves 41 and 141 comprise interior bevels 41A and 141A, respectively, to cooperate with exterior bevels 89A and 89B, respectively, to facilitate installation of the sleeves 41 and 141 onto the fingers 86A and 86B to secure the rotating element 52 in a position on the tubular 8.
(40) FIG. 16 is the elevation cross-section view of FIG. 15 with the sleeves 41 and 141 installed on the first and second sets of fingers 86A and 86B, respectively, to secure the stop collar 82 and to rotatably secure the rotating element 52 in a position on the tubular 8. The stop walls 81A and 81B of the stop collar 82 engage the groove edges 54A and 54B to position the rotating element 52 relative to the stop collar 82.
(41) FIG. 17 is an elevation section view of an alternate embodiment of a wear band 51 installed on a tubular 8 and having no rotating element or other component that rotates relative to the tubular 8. The wear band 51 comprises a first set of fingers 96A received in an interference fit between a first sleeve 41 and the tubular 8 and a second set of fingers 93B received in an interference fit between a second sleeve 141 and the tubular 8. The wear band 51 comprises a wear surface 51A that may be coated, treated, impregnated or otherwise modified to reduce sliding friction between the wear band 51 and the wall of a borehole (not shown).
(42) Tubular, as that term is used herein, refers to drill pipe, casing pipe or any tubular pipe that may be used to form a tubular string that can be run into a borehole. A stop collar, as that term is used herein, may comprise any collar, sleeve, upset portion, tubular connection or other feature disposed on a tubular string that may be used, in conjunction with an opposing stop collar, to limit or prevent the longitudinal movement of a sleeve bearing along the tubular. The terms comprising, including, and having, as used in the claims and specification herein, shall be considered as indicating an open group that may include other elements not specified. The terms a, an, and the singular forms of words shall be taken to include the plural form of the same words, such that the terms mean that one or more of something is provided. The term one or single may be used to indicate that one and only one of something is intended. Similarly, other specific integer values, such as two, may be used when a specific number of things is intended. The terms preferably, preferred, prefer, optionally, may, and similar terms are used to indicate that an item, condition or step being referred to is an optional (not required) feature of the invention.
(43) The term stop collar, as used herein, refers to a collar to limit the range of axial movement of a centralizer movably received on a tubular segment, and that the use of the modifier stop within the term stop collar should not be considered as limiting the use of the device to secure only stationary or fixed devices. The term rotatably secured, as used herein, means axially secured in a manner that permits rotation of one or more components or elements, such as a rotating element, relative to the tubular to which the component or element is secured. The term rotatably coupled, as used herein, means axially secured in a manner that permits rotation of one or more components or elements, such as a rotating element, relative to the stop collar to which the component or element is secured.
(44) Interior, when used to refer to a bevel, means radially inwardly disposed and exterior, when used to refer to a bevel, means radially outwardly disposed.
(45) U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/287,665 filed on Dec. 17, 2009, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/237,202 filed on Aug. 26, 2009, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/221,716 filed on Jun. 30, 2009, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/167,482 filed on Apr. 7, 2009, from which this application depends, are incorporated into this disclosure by reference.
(46) While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.
