Wellbore Cleaning Devices

Abstract

Non-rotating tubular wellbore cleaning devices are described which include a central tool mandrel with radially surrounding stabilizers and a cleaning member subassembly. A rotational bearing is provided that is partially radially recessed, thereby improving the overall strength of the cleaning device.

1 . A wellbore cleaning device comprising:
 a tool mandrel having a shaft portion;   at least one cleaning member mounted to said mandrel for cleaning a surrounding tubular member;   a rotation interface between the cleaning member and said mandrel to permit the mandrel to rotate with respect to the cleaning member, the rotation interface comprising:
 an indentation within and said mandrel; and 
 a bearing at least partially disposed within the indentation, the bearing allowing the mandrel to rotate inside said cleaning member, the bearing including a to rotation sleeve radially surrounding and rotatable with respect to the shaft portion. 
   
   
   
       2 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein the bearing comprises a roller bearing set comprising:
 a radially inner bearing race that is seated within the indentation, the inner bearing race being formed of multiple race portions that are assembled within the indentation to form a complete annular bearing race;   an outer bearing race radially surrounding the inner bearing race and the roller; and   at least one roller disposed between the inner and outer bearing races to permit the inner and outer bearing races to rotate with respect to each other.   
   
   
       3 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein the bearing comprises an annular bushing. 
   
   
       4 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 1  further comprising a stabilizer rotationally mounted on the shaft portion of the tool mandrel. 
   
   
       5 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a cleaning member housing that radially surrounds the shaft portion of the tool mandrel and has a cleaning member window defined therein; and   the cleaning member being disposed radially within the housing with a portion of the cleaning member being biased radially outwardly through the window.   
   
   
       6 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 4  wherein the rotation sleeve is not secured to the cleaning member housing by a fastener. 
   
   
       7 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 6  wherein the rotation interface further comprises a locking interengagement between the rotation sleeve and the cleaning member housing, the interengagement allowing the shaft portion to rotate inside the rotation sleeve and cleaning member housing. 
   
   
       8 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 7  wherein the locking interengagement comprises:
 a radially outwardly-facing engagement surface on the rotation sleeve; and   a radially inwardly-facing engagement surface on the cleaning member housing that is shaped and sized to be generally complimentary to the engagement surface of the rotation sleeve.   
   
   
       9 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 8  wherein the inwardly and outwardly facing engagement surfaces each comprise a plurality of engagement flats. 
   
   
       10 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein there are a plurality of indentations and a plurality of bearings, each of the bearings being disposed within a different indentation. 
   
   
       11 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 1  further comprising one or more spacers radially surrounding the shaft portion to secure the bearing in place upon the shaft portion. 
   
   
       12 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein the cleaning member comprises a scraper blade. 
   
   
       13 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 1  wherein the cleaning member comprises a brush. 
   
   
       14 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 12  wherein the scraper blade is biased radially outwardly from the rotation sleeve by a spring. 
   
   
       15 . A wellbore cleaning device comprising:
 a tool mandrel having a shaft portion;   a cleaning member subassembly radially surrounding the shaft portion, the subassembly having at least one cleaning member for cleaning a surrounding tubular member;   a rotation interface between the scraper blade subassembly and shaft portion to permit the tool mandrel to rotate within the scraper blade subassembly, the rotation interface comprising:
 an indentation within the shaft portion; and 
 a bearing set at least partially disposed within the indentation, the roller bearing set allowing the shaft portion to rotate within the cleaning member subassembly, the roller bearing set comprising:
 a radially inner bearing race that is seated within the indentation, the inner bearing race being formed of multiple race portions that are assembled within the indentation to form a complete annular bearing race; 
 an outer bearing race radially surrounding the inner bearing race and being in contact with the cleaning member subassembly so that the cleaning member subassembly rotates with the outer bearing race; and 
 at least one bearing member disposed between the inner and outer bearing race to permit the inner and outer bearing races to rotate with respect to each other. 
 
   
   
   
       16 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 15  wherein the cleaning member subassembly comprises:
 a cleaning member housing that radially surrounds the shaft portion of the tool mandrel and has a cleaning member window defined therein; and   a cleaning member that is disposed radially within the housing with a portion of the cleaning member being biased radially outwardly through the window.   
   
   
       17 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 16  wherein the rotation interface further comprises:
 a rotation sleeve radially surrounding the shaft portion and rotatable with respect to the shaft portion; and   a locking interengagement between the rotation sleeve and the cleaning member housing, the interengagement causing the shaft portion to rotate within the rotation sleeve and cleaning member housing.   
   
   
       18 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 16  wherein the locking interengagement comprises:
 a radially outwardly-facing engagement surface on the rotation sleeve; and   a radially inwardly-facing engagement surface on the cleaning member housing that is shaped and sized to be generally complimentary to the engagement surface of the rotation sleeve.   
   
   
       19 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 18  wherein the inwardly-facing and outwardly-facing engagement surfaces each comprise a plurality of engagement flats. 
   
   
       20 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 15  further comprising one or more spacers radially surrounding the shaft portion to secure the roller bearing set in place upon the shaft portion. 
   
   
       21 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 15  further comprising a plurality of stabilizers rotationally mounted on the shaft portion of the tool mandrel. 
   
   
       25 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 15  further comprising a plurality of stabilizers rotationally mounted upon the tool mandrel. 
   
   
       26 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 17  wherein the rotation sleeve is made up of a plurality of sleeve portions that are assembled about the shaft portion within an indentation to form a substantially complete annular sleeve. 
   
   
       27 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 17  wherein the rotation sleeve is not affixed to the cleaning member housing. 
   
   
       28 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 15  wherein the bearing member of the bearing set comprises an annular bushing. 
   
   
       29 . The wellbore cleaning device of  claim 15  wherein the bearing member of the bearing set comprises a roller element. 
   
   
       30 . A wellbore cleaning device comprising:
 a tool mandrel having a shaft portion;   at least one cleaning member mounted to said mandrel for cleaning a surrounding tubular member;   a rotation interface between the cleaning member and said mandrel to permit the mandrel to rotate with respect to the cleaning member, the rotation interface comprising:
 an indentation within the shaft portion of said mandrel; and 
 a bearing at least partially disposed within the indentation, the bearing allowing the mandrel to rotate inside said scraper blade, the bearing including a rotation sleeve radially surrounding and rotatable with respect to the shaft portion. 
   
   
   
       31 . The cleaning device of  claim 30  wherein the cleaning member comprises a scraper blade. 
   
   
       32 . The cleaning device of  claim 31  wherein the cleaning member is a brush. 
   
   
       33 . The cleaning device of  claim 30  wherein:
 the mandrel presents a threaded connection portion for attachment of the mandrel to an adjoining sub, the connection portion having a first diameter; and   the indentation has a second diameter which is less than the first diameter, thereby permitting the cleaning device to have a greater tool strength.