Positioning stabilizer assembly using shoulder ring

Abstract

A stabilizer assembly using a shoulder ring. The drilling tool may include a housing having one or more external splines disposed along an outer surface of the housing. The drilling tool may also include a rotatable shaft disposed inside the housing, the shaft having a downhole end portion configured to be coupled to a drill bit. The drilling tool may further include a stabilizer assembly movably coupled to the housing. In addition, the drilling tool may include a shoulder ring having one or more internal splines disposed on an inner surface thereof, the shoulder ring disposed around the housing and configured to prevent uphole movement of the stabilizer assembly when the one or more internal splines of the shoulder ring are engaged with the one or more external splines.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drilling tool, comprising:
 a housing having one or more external splines disposed along an outer surface of the housing;   a rotatable shaft disposed inside the housing, the shaft having a downhole end portion configured to be coupled to a drill bit;   a stabilizer assembly movably coupled to the housing; and   a shoulder ring having one or more internal splines disposed on an inner surface thereof, the shoulder ring disposed around the housing and configured to prevent uphole movement of the stabilizer assembly when the one or more internal splines of the shoulder ring are engaged with the one or more external splines.   
     
     
         2 . The drilling tool of  claim 1 , wherein the shoulder ring is configured to allow uphole movement of the stabilizer assembly when the one or more internal splines are disengaged from the one or more external splines. 
     
     
         3 . The drilling tool of  claim 2 , wherein a gripping area of the shaft is accessible when the one or more internal splines are disengaged from the one or more external splines. 
     
     
         4 . The drilling tool of  claim 1 , wherein a gripping area of the shaft is at least partially covered by the stabilizer assembly when the one or more internal splines are engaged with the one or more external splines. 
     
     
         5 . The drilling tool of  claim 1 , wherein the shoulder ring is positioned uphole relative to the stabilizer assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The drilling tool of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more spacers disposed around the housing between the shoulder ring and the stabilizer assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling tool of  claim 6 , wherein lengths of the one or more spacers are varied to change a position of the stabilizer assembly along the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The drilling tool of  claim 6 , wherein an inner diameter of the one or more spacers is greater than an outer diameter of the one or more external splines. 
     
     
         9 . The drilling tool of  claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter of the shoulder ring is greater than an outer diameter of the one or more external splines. 
     
     
         10 . The drilling tool of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more internal splines are configured to pass through one or more gaps between the one or more external splines to position the shoulder ring uphole relative to the one or more external splines. 
     
     
         11 . The drilling tool of  claim 10 , wherein the shoulder ring is configured to allow uphole movement of the stabilizer assembly when the shoulder ring is positioned uphole relative to the one or more external splines. 
     
     
         12 . The drilling tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a blocking ring configured to be engaged with the shoulder ring, wherein the blocking ring comprises:
 a downhole ring configured to abut a downhole end portion of the shoulder ring, wherein each of the downhole ring and the shoulder ring has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the one or more external splines; and   one or more spline arms extending in an axial direction from the downhole ring, wherein an inner diameter of the spline arms is less than an inner diameter of the downhole ring.   
     
     
         13 . The drilling tool of  claim 12 , wherein each spline arm comprises:
 an axial arm coupled to the downhole ring and configured to extend axially under the shoulder ring; and   a block arm extending laterally from the axial arm, wherein the block arm and the axial arm substantially form an L-shape, and wherein the block arm is configured to cover a gap between external splines, and wherein an uphole end portion of each block arm is configured to align with an uphole end portion of each external spline.   
     
     
         14 . A drilling tool, comprising:
 a housing having one or more external splines disposed along an outer surface of the housing;   a rotatable shaft disposed inside the housing, the shaft having a downhole end portion configured to be coupled to a drill bit;   a stabilizer assembly movably coupled to the housing;   one or more spacers disposed around the housing between the shoulder ring and the stabilizer assembly; and   a shoulder ring disposed around the housing and configured (i) to prevent uphole movement of the stabilizer assembly when one or more internal splines of the shoulder ring are engaged with the one or more external splines and (ii) to allow uphole movement of the stabilizer assembly when the one or more internal splines are disengaged from the one or more external splines.   
     
     
         15 . The drilling tool of  claim 14 , further comprising a blocking ring configured to be engaged with the shoulder ring, wherein the blocking ring comprises:
 a downhole ring configured to abut a downhole end portion of the shoulder ring, wherein each of the downhole ring and the shoulder ring has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the one or more external splines; and   one or more spline arms extending in an axial direction from the downhole ring, wherein an inner diameter of the spline arms is less than an inner diameter of the downhole ring.   
     
     
         16 . The drilling tool of  claim 14 , wherein the drilling tool is a turbodrill. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for use with a drilling tool, comprising:
 a shoulder ring having one or more internal splines configured to be engaged with one or more external splines disposed around a housing of a drilling tool; and   a blocking ring configured to be engaged with the shoulder ring, wherein the blocking ring comprises:
 a downhole ring configured to abut a downhole end portion of the shoulder ring, wherein each of the downhole ring and the shoulder ring has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the one or more external splines; and 
 one or more spline arms extending in an axial direction from the downhole ring, wherein an inner diameter of the spline arms is less than an inner diameter of the downhole ring. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein an inner diameter of the shoulder ring is greater than an outer diameter of the one or more external splines. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more internal splines are configured to pass through one or more gaps between the one or more external splines to position the shoulder ring uphole relative to the one or more external splines. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein each spline arm comprises:
 an axial arm coupled to the downhole ring and configured to extend axially under the shoulder ring; and   a block arm extending laterally from the axial arm, wherein the block arm and the axial arm substantially form an L-shape, and wherein the block arm is configured to cover a gap between external splines, and wherein an uphole end portion of each block arm is configured to align with an uphole end portion of each external spline.