Drilling System and Method of Operation for Same

Abstract

A drilling system includes a drilling assembly and a control assembly. The control assembly is operably connected to the drilling assembly such that simultaneous movement of multiple portions of the drilling assembly is enabled.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A drilling system comprising:
 a base;   a drilling assembly coupled to the base, the drilling assembly including:
 a boom defining a first boom pivot axis and a second boom pivot axis offset with respect to the first boom pivot axis, the boom including a boom body, and the boom being coupled to the base such that: 1) the boom body is pivotable relative to the base about the first boom pivot axis and 2) the boom body is pivotable relative to the base about the second boom pivot axis; and 
 a feed defining a first feed pivot axis and a second feed pivot axis offset with respect to the first feed pivot axis, the feed including a feed body, the feed being coupled to the boom such that: 1) the feed body is pivotable relative to the boom about the first feed pivot axis and 2) the feed body is pivotable relative to the boom about the second feed pivot axis; and 
   a control assembly operably connected to the drilling assembly, the control assembly including:
 a first control mechanism configured to be actuated in a first direction and a second direction, the first control mechanism operably connected to the boom such that: 1) actuation of the first control mechanism along the first direction pivots the boom body relative to the base about the first boom pivot axis and 2) actuation of the first control mechanism along the second direction pivots the boom body relative to the base about the second boom pivot axis; and 
 a second control mechanism configured to be actuated in a third direction and a fourth direction, the second control mechanism operably connected to the feed such that: 1) actuation of the second control mechanism along the third direction pivots the feed body relative to the boom about the first feed pivot axis and 2) actuation of the second control mechanism along the fourth direction pivots the feed body relative to the boom about the second feed pivot axis, 
   wherein the control assembly is configured to simultaneously 1) pivot the boom body about at least one of the first boom pivot axis and the second boom pivot axis in response to an input from the first control mechanism, and 2) pivot the feed body about at least one of the first feed pivot axis and the second feed pivot axis in response to an input from the second control mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the boom defines a boom proximal end, a boom distal end, and a boom longitudinal axis, the boom body extends from the boom proximal end to the boom distal end such that the boom body is elongate along the boom longitudinal axis, the boom distal end is translatable relative to the base along the boom longitudinal axis; and   the first control mechanism is configured to be actuated in a fifth direction such that actuation of the first control mechanism in the fifth direction translates the boom body relative to the base along the boom longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         3 . The drilling system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the feed defines a third feed pivot axis offset to both the first feed pivot axis and the second feed pivot axis, and the feed further defines a feed longitudinal axis, the feed body includes a portion that is elongate along the feed longitudinal axis; and   the second control mechanism is configured to be actuated in a sixth direction such that actuation of the second control mechanism in the sixth direction pivots the feed body relative to the boom about the third feed pivot axis, and the second control mechanism is further configured to be actuated in a seventh direction such that actuation of the second control mechanism in the seventh direction translates the portion relative to the boom along the feed longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         4 . The drilling system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the drilling assembly further includes a drifter that defines a drifter axis, the drifter includes a drifter body that has a drill bit elongate along the drifter axis, the drifter being coupled to the feed such that: 1) the drill bit is rotatable relative to the feed about the drifter axis and 2) the drill bit is translatable relative to the feed along the drifter axis; and   the control assembly further includes a third control mechanism configured to be actuated in an eighth direction and a ninth direction, the third control operably connected to the drifter such that: 1) actuation of the third control mechanism along the eighth direction rotates the drifter body relative to the feed about the drifter axis and 2) actuation of the third control mechanism along the ninth direction translates the drifter body relative to the feed along the drifter axis.   
     
     
         5 . The drilling system of  claim 4 , wherein the first control mechanism is devoid of a direction that the first control mechanism may be actuated in to pivot the feed body relative to the boom. 
     
     
         6 . The drilling system of  claim 5 , wherein the second control mechanism is devoid of a direction that the second control mechanism may be actuated in to pivot the boom body relative to the base. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling system of  claim 6 , wherein the first control mechanism is a first two axis joystick, and the second control mechanism is a second two axis joystick. 
     
     
         8 . The drilling system of  claim 7 , wherein the third control mechanism is a third two axis joystick, and the third two axis joystick is devoid of both: 1) a direction that the third control mechanism may be actuated in to pivot the boom body relative to the base and 2) a direction that the third control mechanism may be actuated in to pivot the feed body relative to the boom. 
     
     
         9 . A drilling system comprising:
 a base;   a drilling assembly coupled to the base, the drilling assembly including:
 a boom defining a boom proximal end, a boom distal end, a boom pivot axis and a boom longitudinal axis offset with respect to the boom pivot axis, the boom including a boom body extending from the boom proximal end to the boom distal end such that the boom body is elongate along the boom longitudinal axis, the boom being coupled to the base such that: 1) the boom body is pivotable relative to the base about the boom pivot axis and 2) the distal end of the boom body is translatable relative to the base along the boom longitudinal axis; and 
 a feed defining a feed pivot axis and a feed longitudinal axis offset with respect to the feed pivot axis, the feed including a feed body including a portion that is elongate along the feed longitudinal axis, the feed being coupled to the boom such that: 1) the feed body is pivotable relative to the boom about the feed pivot axis and 2) the feed body is translatable relative to the boom along the feed longitudinal axis; and 
   a control assembly operably connected to the drilling assembly, the control assembly including:
 a first control mechanism configured to be actuated in a first direction and a second direction, the first control mechanism operably connected to the boom such that: 1) actuation of the first control mechanism along the first direction pivots the boom body relative to the base about the boom pivot axis and 2) actuation of the first control mechanism along the second direction translates the boom body relative to the base along the boom longitudinal axis; and 
 a second control mechanism configured to be actuated in a third direction and a fourth direction, the second control mechanism operably connected to the feed such that: 1) actuation of the second control mechanism along the third direction pivots the feed body relative to the boom about the feed pivot axis and 2) actuation of the second control mechanism along the fourth direction translates the feed body relative to the boom along the feed longitudinal axis, 
   wherein the control assembly is configured to simultaneously 1) pivot the boom body about the boom pivot axis or translate the boom body along the boom longitudinal axis in response to an input from the first control mechanism, and 2) pivot the feed body about the feed pivot axis or translate the feed body along the feed longitudinal axis in response to an input from the second control mechanism.   
     
     
         10 . The drilling system of  claim 9 , wherein the boom pivot axis is a first boom pivot axis, the boom defines a second boom pivot axis offset with respect to the first boom pivot axis, and the first control mechanism is configured to be actuated in a fifth direction such that actuation of the first control mechanism in the fifth direction pivots the boom body relative to the base about the second boom pivot axis. 
     
     
         11 . The drilling system of  claim 10 , wherein the feed pivot axis is a first feed pivot axis, the feed defines a second feed pivot axis offset with respect to the first feed pivot axis, the feed further defines a third feed pivot axis offset with respect to both the first feed pivot axis and the second feed pivot axis, the second control mechanism is configured to be actuated in a sixth direction such that actuation of the second control mechanism in the sixth direction pivots the feed body relative to the boom about the second feed pivot axis, and the second control mechanism is further configured to be actuated in a seventh direction such that actuation of the second control mechanism in the seventh direction pivots the feed body relative to the boom about the third feed pivot axis. 
     
     
         12 . The drilling system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the drilling assembly further includes a drifter that defines a drifter axis, the drifter includes a drifter body that has a drill bit elongate along the drifter axis, the drifter being coupled to the feed such that: 1) the drill bit is rotatable relative to the feed about the drifter axis and 2) the drill bit is translatable relative to the feed along the drifter axis; and   the control assembly further includes a third control mechanism configured to be actuated in an eighth direction and a ninth direction, the third control operably connected to the drifter such that: 1) actuation of the third control mechanism along the eighth direction rotates the drifter body relative to the feed about the drifter axis and 2) actuation of the third control mechanism along the ninth direction translates the drifter body relative to the feed along the drifter axis.   
     
     
         13 . The drilling system of  claim 12 , wherein the first control mechanism is devoid of a direction that the first control mechanism may be actuated in to pivot the feed body relative to the boom. 
     
     
         14 . The drilling system of  claim 13 , wherein the second control mechanism is devoid of a direction that the second control mechanism may be actuated in to pivot the boom body relative to the base. 
     
     
         15 . A method for operating a drilling system, the drilling system comprising a base, drilling assembly coupled to the base, and a control assembly operably connected to the drilling assembly, the drilling assembly including a boom and a feed, the boom defining a first boom pivot axis and a second boom pivot axis offset from the first boom pivot axis, the boom including a boom body, and the boom being coupled to the base such that the boom body is both pivotable relative to the base about the first boom pivot axis and pivotable relative to the base about the second boom pivot axis, the feed defining a first feed pivot axis and a second feed pivot axis that is offset to the first feed pivot axis, the feed including a feed body, the feed being coupled to the boom such that the feed body is both pivotable relative to the boom about the first feed pivot axis and pivotable relative to the boom about the second feed pivot axis, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) actuating a first control mechanism of the control assembly in a first direction, thereby pivoting the boom body about the first boom pivot axis;   (b) actuating the first control mechanism in a second direction, thereby pivoting the boom body about the second boom pivot axis;   (c) actuating a second control mechanism of the control assembly in a third direction, thereby pivoting the feed body relative to the boom body about the first feed pivot axis; and   (d) actuating the second control mechanism in a fourth direction, thereby pivoting the feed body relative to the boom body about the second feed pivot axis;   wherein at least one of steps (a) and (c), steps (a) and (d), steps (b) and (c), and steps (b) and (d) are performed simultaneously.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of:
 (e) actuating the first control mechanism in a fifth direction, thereby translating the boom body along a boom longitudinal axis that is offset from both the first boom pivot axis and the second boom pivot axis.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
 (f) actuating the second control mechanism in a sixth direction, thereby pivoting the feed body relative to the boom body along a third pivot axis that is offset from both the first feed pivot axis and the second feed pivot axis.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein steps (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) are performed simultaneously. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
 (f) actuating the second control mechanism in a sixth direction, thereby translating the feed body relative to the boom body along a feed longitudinal axis that is offset from both the first feed pivot axis and the second feed pivot axis.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein steps (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) are performed simultaneously.