Joint and joint parts for drill string components and components

Abstract

A joint for joining together drill string components of a drill string for percussion drilling, the joint including a male part and a female part, wherein a first impact surface is arranged to co-operate with a second impact surface. When the drill string is in operation, relative axial movement is allowed between the male and the female parts when the first and the second impact surfaces are adjacent to each other. The invention also concerns a male joint part, a female joint part, a drill rod, a shank adapter, a drill head, a drill bit and a drill string component.

1 . Joint for joining together drill string components for percussion drilling, wherein each drill string component extends along an axial direction, and wherein, in operation, impact shock waves and rotation torque are arranged to be transferred via the joint, the joint including a male part and a female part having meeting impact surfaces, wherein
 that the male part exhibits:
 i. first rotation torque transfer means, and 
 ii. first axial coupling means, 
   that the female part exhibits:
 iii. second rotation torque transfer means, and 
 iv. second axial coupling means, 
   wherein the first and second rotation torque transfer means extend on the respective male and female parts such, and   wherein the first and second axial coupling means are positioned such,   
       that when the drill string is subjected to rotation torque for drilling, relative axial movement is allowed between the male and the female parts when being in an interconnected state of co-operation between the first and second rotation torque transfer means. 
     
     
         2 . Joint according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second rotation torque transfer means are mating splines having contacting surfaces that extend in parallel with said axial direction on the respective male and female parts or extend helically on the respective male and female parts, at a helix angle (α) between 0° and 20° to the axial direction. 
     
     
         3 . Joint according to  claim 2 , wherein the first and second axial coupling means include axial engagement means formed by radially directed protrusions on one of the male and the female parts. 
     
     
         4 . Joint according to  claim 3 , wherein the axial engagement means includes radially directed protrusions in the form of hook elements or abutments on one of the male and the female parts for engagement with abutment surface portions on the other one of the male and the female parts. 
     
     
         5 . Joint according to  claim 3 , wherein when the male and the female parts are interconnected, the axial engagement means are arranged to engage in forward rotation of the drill string and/or reverse rotation of the drill string and thereby limit relative axial movement between the male and the female part. 
     
     
         6 . Joint according to  claim 2  wherein one of the first and second axial coupling means, is constituted by end surfaces of splines on the male or female part. 
     
     
         7 . Joint according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second axial coupling means include axial security coupling means. 
     
     
         8 . Joint according to  claim 7 , wherein the axial security coupling means includes a thread coupling or a bayonet coupling. 
     
     
         9 . Joint according to  claim 7 , wherein second axial security coupling means in the form of outside threads are positioned at a distal portion of a sleeve-shaped or rod-shaped element extending centrally of the female part and that mating first axial security coupling means in the form of inside threads are positioned at a distal portion of the male part. 
     
     
         10 . Joint according to  claim 1 , wherein the female part includes an inner and an outer wall, together defining an annular compartment for the reception of a sleeve-formed male part. 
     
     
         11 . Joint according to  claim 10 , wherein the first rotation torque transfer means is positioned on one of the inside and the outside of the sleeve-formed male part. 
     
     
         12 . Joint according to  claim 10 , wherein the first axial coupling means is positioned on one of the inside and the outside of the sleeve-formed male part. 
     
     
         13 . Joint according to  claim 1 , where a sealing arrangement is positioned at an inside opening slot formed between the male and the female parts, as seen in an operative position with the first and second impact surfaces close to each other. 
     
     
         14 . Joint according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second impact surfaces are arranged for one from the group: shoulder drive, bottom drive and dual drive. 
     
     
         15 . Joint according to  claim 14 , wherein the first and second impact surfaces are arranged for shoulder drive, wherein outside surfaces of meeting drill string components, at least in the region of the joint, form an essentially continuous envelope surface. 
     
     
         16 . Joint according to  claim 1 , wherein the female part is sleeve-shaped having both the second rotation torque transfer means and the second axial coupling means being oriented on an inside sleeve wall. 
     
     
         17 . Joint according to  claim 1 , wherein an angle (β) between a radius (R) of the joint parts and a flank direction (f) forming a right angle against a main surface of the rotation torque transfer means is 60°-90° and more preferably 70°-90°. 
     
     
         18 . Joint according to  claim 1 , wherein the male part externally has a proximal, cylindrical guide portion for co-operation with an internal, cylindrical guide surface at a distal portion of the female part. 
     
     
         19 . Joint according to  claim 1 , wherein the male part at a distal region has part cylindrical outside guide surfaces for co-operation with an internal, cylindrical guide surface at a proximal portion of the female part. 
     
     
         20 . Male part of a joint for joining together drill string components for percussion drilling, wherein each drill string component extends along an axial direction, and wherein, in operation, impact shock waves and rotation torque are arranged to be transferred via the joint, wherein the male part is part of a first drill string component and is arranged to co-operate with a female part of a second drill string component, and wherein an impact surface on the male part is arranged to co-operate with an impact surface on the female part,
 wherein
 that the male part exhibits:
 i. first rotation torque transfer means, and 
 ii. first axial coupling means, 
 
   for co-operation with
 iii. second rotation torque transfer means, and 
 iv. second axial coupling means, 
   on the female part,
 wherein the first rotation torque transfer means for contacting the second rotation torque transfer means extend on the male part such, and 
 wherein the first axial coupling means for co-operation with the second axial coupling means is positioned such, 
 that when the drill string is subjected to rotation torque for drilling, relative axial movement is allowed between the male and the female parts when being in an interconnected state of co-operation between the first and second rotation torque transfer means. 
   
     
     
         21 . Female part of a joint for joining together drill string components for percussion drilling, wherein each drill string component extends along an axial direction, and wherein, in operation, impact shock waves and rotation torque are arranged to be transferred via the joint, wherein the female part is part of a second drill string component and is arranged to co-operate with a male part of a first drill string component, wherein a second impact surface on the female part is arranged to co-operate with a first impact surface on the male part,
 characterized in wherein
 that the female part exhibits:
 i. second rotation torque transfer means, and 
 ii. second axial coupling means, 
 
   for co-operation with
 iii. first rotation torque transfer means, and 
 iv. first axial coupling means, 
   on the male part,
 wherein the second rotation torque transfer means for contacting the first rotation torque transfer means extends on the female part such, and 
 wherein the second axial coupling means for co-operation with the first axial coupling means is positioned such, 
 that, when the drill string is subjected to rotation torque for drilling, relative axial movement is allowed between the male and the female parts when being in an interconnected state of co-operation between the first and second rotation torque transfer means. 
   
     
     
         22 . Drill rod for percussion rock drilling, wherein the drill rod includes at least one male part of a joint according to  claim 20 . 
     
     
         23 . Drill rod for percussion rock drilling, wherein the drill rod includes at least one female part of a joint according to  claim 21 . 
     
     
         24 . Drill rod according to  claim 22 , wherein the first and second impact surfaces are arranged for shoulder drive, wherein outside surfaces of joint parts of co-operating drill rods are formed such that at least in the region of the joint they form an essentially continuous envelope surface. 
     
     
         25 . Shank adapter for a rock drilling machine, wherein the shank adapter includes a male part of a joint according to  claim 23 . 
     
     
         26 . Shank adapter according to  claim 25 , wherein the shank adapter is provided with axial engagement means that are arranged to engage in forward as well as reverse rotation of the drill string and thereby limit relative axial movement relative to an attached and engaged drill string component. 
     
     
         27 . Method for joining together drill string components for percussion drilling, wherein each drill string component extends along an axial direction, and wherein, in operation, impact shock waves and rotation torque are transferred via a joint, including the steps of:
 initiating axial insertion of a male part of a first drill string component into a female part of a second drill string component,   rotate the first drill string component relative to the second drill string component to ensure engagement of axial security coupling means in the form of a thread coupling or a bayonet coupling,   continue axial insertion of the male part into the female part a determined distance whereby the first drill string component is allowed to rotate relative to the second drill string component to ensure engagement of axial engagement means and to ensure engagement of first and second rotation torque transfer means arranged on the respective male and female part.