Downhole Cutting Arrangement and Method

Abstract

Devices and methods for cleaning or removing cuttings from a cut as cutting is being performed. A pipe cutter includes a housing shaped and sized to be disposed within the tubular member, a rotary cutting blade carried by the housing to cut the tubular member when rotated and an impeller operably associated with the cutting blade to create fluid flow and turbulence proximate a cut being made in the tubular member

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pipe cutter for use in cutting a tubular member and comprising:
 a housing shaped and sized to be disposed within the tubular member;   a rotary cutting blade carried by the housing to cut the tubular member when rotated; and   an impeller operably associated with the cutting blade to create fluid flow and turbulence proximate a cut being made in the tubular member.   
     
     
         2 . The pipe cutter of  claim 1  wherein the impeller comprises one or more paddles which extend radially along the blade. 
     
     
         3 . The pipe cutter of  claim 2  wherein the impeller further comprises an impeller ring from which the one or more paddles extend radially outwardly along the blade. 
     
     
         4 . The pipe cutter of  claim 1  wherein the impeller is affixed to the cutting blade. 
     
     
         5 . The pipe cutter of  claim 1  further comprising a flow housing operably associated with the impeller to direct fluid flow. 
     
     
         6 . The pipe cutter of  claim 5  wherein the flow housing comprises:
 a top plate that lies substantially parallel to the cutting blade; and 
 a circumferential side wall that lies radially outside of the one or more paddles. 
 
     
     
         7 . The pipe cutter of  claim 1  wherein an impeller is disposed upon each axial side of the cutting blade. 
     
     
         8 . A pipe cutter for use in cutting a tubular member and comprising:
 a housing shaped and sized to be disposed within the tubular member;   a rotary cutting blade carried by the housing and mounted upon a spindle to cut the tubular member when rotated; and   an impeller operably associated with the cutting blade to create fluid flow and turbulence proximate a cut being made in the tubular member, the impeller comprising one or more paddles which extend radially along the cutting blade.   
     
     
         9 . The pipe cutter of  claim 8  wherein the impeller further comprises an impeller ring from which the one or more paddles extend radially outwardly along the blade. 
     
     
         10 . The pipe cutter of  claim 8  wherein the impeller is affixed to the cutting blade. 
     
     
         11 . The pipe cutter of  claim 8  further comprising a flow housing operably associated with the impeller to direct fluid flow. 
     
     
         12 . The pipe cutter of  claim 10  wherein the flow housing comprises:
 a top plate that lies substantially parallel to the cutting blade; and 
 a circumferential side wall that lies radially outside of the one or more paddles. 
 
     
     
         13 . The pipe cutter of  claim 8  wherein an impeller is disposed upon each axial side of the cutting blade. 
     
     
         14 . A method of cutting a tubular member comprising the steps of:
 disposing a pipe cutter within the tubular member, the pipe cutter having a housing, a rotary cutting blade carried by the housing, and an impeller operably associated with the cutting blade and having one or more paddles which extend radially along the cutting blade;   rotating the cutting blade to cut the tubular member; and   rotating the impeller to create fluid flow and turbulence proximate the cut to help remove cuttings from the cut.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of rotating the impeller to create fluid flow and turbulence further comprises pushing the fluid with one or more paddles.