Boring or penetrating the earth – Automatic control
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-25
2004-07-27
Neuder, William (Department: 3672)
Boring or penetrating the earth
Automatic control
C175S027000, C175S045000, C340S853400, C340S853600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06766869
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of underground boring and, more particularly, to a system and method of altering operation of an underground boring system, including disabling drill string movement and fluid flow through the drill string, from a location remote from the boring system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Horizontal drilling machines are routinely used for installing a wide variety of utilities underground, without the need for digging a trench and disrupting the ground surface. These machines, and associated methods of use, result in the drilling machine being located a significant distance from the terminating end of its associated drill string, typically several hundred feet, and in certain cases thousands of feet. This trenchless technique for installing utilities is especially useful in areas where ground conditions are congested, and thus it is not unusual for the terminating end of the drill string to be out of the line of sight of the drilling machine.
A typical horizontal drilling process involves the production of a pilot bore, wherein the drill string is advanced from an entry point along a predetermined bore path to an exit point. The process includes significant rotational power and significant thrust force applied to the drill string. In addition, a significant amount of fluid is typically pumped through the drill string to aid in the cutting process.
At the exit point, the drill string is directed out of the ground, the originally installed drill bit is removed, and a reamer and swivel are installed. The swivel is attached to the drill string on one end and to the product being installed on the other end. Once these connections are made, the drilling machine retracts the drill string while rotating to provide final sizing of the hole, while at the same time pulling-in the product.
Systems that provide remote control of mobile equipment are known in the industry for remotely controlling many types of equipment. These include remote control of cranes, remote control of some agricultural equipment, etc. Such systems have also been developed for horizontal directional drilling machines. These systems generally utilize one-way communication, typically by use of a transmitter in a remote unit held by the operator stationed near the termination end of the drill string, wherein the drilling machine includes a receiver. A suggested approach to addressing the potential hazards facing operators at the exit location of a bore involves the use of a device that permits a worker at the exit location to terminate advancement or rotation of the drill string/cutting head. Although such an approach would appear to allow the operator to terminate drill string/cutting head advancement and/or rotation, this and other known approaches to addressing the problem of unintended drill string/cutting head movement at the exit location fail to provide unambiguous assurance to the operator at the exit location that the instruction to terminate drill string/cutting head advancement/rotation has been received by the drilling machine.
Such conventional and suggested approaches also fail to provide unambiguous assurance to the operator at the exit location that the steps required to disable drill string/cutting head advancement/rotation at the drilling machine have been successfully completed. Further, such conventional and suggested approaches fail to provide unambiguous assurance to the worker that all drill string/cutting head advancement/rotation will remain disabled, particularly in circumstances where the drilling machine engine is intentionally or unintentionally shut-off and then turned-on or where communication connectivity between the operator and the drilling machine is suspect or lost. Moreover, the potential hazard of dispensing high-pressure drilling fluid at the exit location remains unaddressed by such conventional and suggested approaches.
There exists a need in the excavation industry for an apparatus and methodology for preventing drill string/cutting head movement and, in addition, disabling cutting fluid flow by an operator situated remotely from the drilling machine. There exists the further need for such an apparatus and methodology that provides unambiguous assurance to the operator that all drill string/cutting head movement and fluid flow will remain disabled until such time as there is intentional re-enabling of the drilling machine for normal operation. There exists yet an additional need for such an apparatus and methodology that prevents unintended shutdown of machine operation under circumstances in which machine disablement is neither requested nor appropriate. The present invention fulfills these and other needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system and method for remotely altering operation of a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine through use of a remote lock-out signaling protocol. According to system embodiments of the present invention, a remote lock-out system is employed with a drilling machine which includes a control system, a driving apparatus coupled to a drill string, and a cutting head or reamer coupled to the drill string. The remote lock-out system includes a remote lock-out override controller capable of interrupting a drilling operation of the drilling machine. The remote lock-out override controller includes a transmitter and a receiver. The system also includes a remote lock-out controller is capable of issuing a lock-out signal and a run signal, wherein the lock-out signal, when received by the HDD machine, initiates suspension of the HDD machine drilling operation, and the run signal initiates enablement of the HDD machine drilling operation. The remote lock-out controller includes a transmitter and a receiver. The HDD machine drilling operation generally includes displacing and rotating the drill string, and can further include supplying a drilling fluid through the drill string.
In one implementation, the signal transmitted by the remote lock-out override controller is utilized as a handshake signal by the remote lock-out controller. In one approach, the drilling machine operation is enabled only if the handshake signal is detected as between the remote lock-out override controller and remote lock-out controller. In another approach, the remote lock-out controller does not indicate a lock-out condition unless the handshake signal generated by the remote lock-out override controller is continuously received by the remote lock-out controller. In a further approach, the remote lock-out controller does not indicate a run condition unless the handshake signal is repeatedly received by the remote lock-out controller. In yet another approach, the remote lock-out override controller transmits a notification signal to the remote lock-out controller and the HDD machine remains in a current operating state in response to loss of lock-out signal detection by the remote lock-out override controller. The current operating state can be one of a lock-out state or a run state.
In one configuration, each of the remote lock-out override controller and remote lock-out controller is embodied as a module separate from the control system of the HDD machine. The remote lock-out override controller includes an interface for communicatively coupling to the HDD machine control system. Alternatively, the remote lock-out override controller is integrated as part of the control system of the HDD machine.
In accordance with another embodiment, a system for remotely altering operation of a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) system includes a remote lock-out controller capable of transmitting a lock-out signal or a run signal, and a remote lock-out override module capable of controlling primary and secondary power transmission components of the horizontal drilling system. At least one sensor on the drilling machine is capable of providing input that corresponds to transmission of power to the drill string or mud system. The remote lock-out override module disrupts power transmi
Austin Gregg A.
Brand Ivan R.
Kelpe Hans
Kilborn Scott
Crawford & Maunu PLLC
Neuder William
Vermeer Manufacturing Company
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