Modular shank assembly for an earth-boring tool, earth-boring tools including modular shanks assemblies, and related methods

Abstract

A shank assembly includes a neck portion, a shank portion defining a cylindrical aperture extending therethrough, and an anchor tube secured to the neck portion and extending through the shank portion, the anchor tube and the shank portion defining an annular cavity therebetween, and an electronics module disposed within the annular cavity. The annular cavity is formed to maximize space for electronics while maintaining structural integrity of a crown and shank of an earth-boring tool. A method includes disposing the anchor tube of a shank assembly through the cylindrical aperture and securing the anchor tube to a neck portion of the shank assembly, disposing the electronics module within the annular cavity, and disposing the shank portion and anchor tube of the shank assembly at least partially within a crown of the earth-boring tool such that annular cavity extends into the crown in an axial direction a distance that is between about 10% and about 80% of an overall axial length of the crown.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shank assembly, comprising:
 a neck portion;   a shank portion extending from the neck portion and defining a cylindrical aperture extending longitudinally therethrough;   at least one sealing ring disposed at an interface between the neck portion and the shank portion;   an anchor tube secured to the neck portion and extending through the shank portion, the anchor tube and the shank portion defining an annular cavity therebetween; and   an electronics module disposed within the annular cavity and comprising at least one of an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and a temperature sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The shank assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shank portion is secured to the neck portion via a press-fit. 
     
     
         3 . The shank assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics module comprises one or more sensors mounted directly to one or more of an outer surface of the anchor tube and an inner surface of the shank portion. 
     
     
         4 . The shank assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a cross-sectional area of material defined by the shank portion and the anchor portion extending through a plane to which a longitudinal axis of the shank assembly is orthogonal and an overall cross-sectional area defined by an outer diameter of the shank portion is within a range of 0.50 and about 0.90. 
     
     
         5 . The shank assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the neck portion comprises:
 a central bore extending through the neck portion; and   an end-cap at least partially disposed within the central bore of the neck portion and comprising:
 a first flange; and 
 a second flange; and 
 a body portion extending between the first flange and the second flange, wherein an annular chamber is defined between the body portion of the end-cap and an interior wall of the central bore of the neck portion. 
   
     
     
         6 . The shank assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one additional electronics module disposed within the annular chamber of the neck portion. 
     
     
         7 . The shank assembly of  claim 5 , wherein a ratio of a volume of the annular chamber and the annular cavity is within a range of about 1.25 and about 0.75. 
     
     
         8 . The shank assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the anchor tube and the end cap form a single integral unit. 
     
     
         9 . An earth-boring tool, comprising:
 a shank assembly, comprising:
 a neck portion; 
 a shank portion extending from the neck portion and defining a cylindrical aperture extending longitudinally therethrough; 
 an anchor tube secured to the neck portion and extending through the shank portion, the anchor tube and the shank portion defining an annular cavity therebetween; and 
 an electronics module disposed within the annular cavity configured to measure one or more of an annular pressure, a bore pressure, weight-on-bit, torque-on-bit, or a temperature; and 
   a crown secured to the shank portion and the anchor portion, wherein the annular cavity extends into the crown in an axial direction a distance that is between about 10% and about 80% of an overall axial length of the crown.   
     
     
         10 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 9 , wherein the neck portion of the shank assembly comprises:
 a central bore extending through the neck portion; and   at least one end-cap at least partially disposed within the central bore of the neck portion and comprising:
 a first flange; 
 a second flange; and 
 a body portion extending between the first flange and the second flange, wherein an annular chamber is defined between the body portion of the end-cap and an interior wall of the central bore of the shank. 
   
     
     
         11 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one additional electronics module disposed within the annular chamber of the neck portion. 
     
     
         12 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 10 , wherein a ratio of a volume of the annular chamber and the annular cavity is within a range of about 1.25 and about 0.75. 
     
     
         13 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 9 , wherein the shank assembly further comprises at least one sensor integral with a wall of the shank portion of the shank assembly and configured to measure weight-on-bit, torque-on-bit, bore pressure, or annular pressure. 
     
     
         14 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 9 , wherein the shank portion and the neck portion form a single integral unit. 
     
     
         15 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 9 , wherein the shank portion and the neck portion comprise separate and distinct parts. 
     
     
         16 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 9 , wherein the anchor tube maintains an at least substantially uniform diameter throughout a length of the anchor tube extending through the shank portion and into the crown. 
     
     
         17 . A method of forming an earth-boring tool, the method comprising:
 disposing an anchor tube of a shank assembly through a cylindrical aperture of a shank portion of the shank assembly and securing the anchor tube to a neck portion of the shank assembly;   disposing an electronics module within an annular cavity defined between an inner surface of the shank portion and an outer surface the anchor tube of the shank assembly; and   disposing the shank portion and anchor tube of the shank assembly at least partially within a crown of the earth-boring tool such that annular cavity extends into the crown in an axial direction a distance that is between about 10% and about 80% of an overall axial length of the crown.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising securing the anchor tube of the shank assembly to the crown of the earth-boring tool. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising securing the shank portion of the shank assembly to a neck portion of the shank assembly, the neck portion comprising:
 a central bore extending through the neck portion; and   at least one end-cap at least partially disposed within the central bore of the neck portion and comprising:
 a first flange; 
 a second flange; and 
 a body portion extending between the first flange and the second flange, wherein an annular chamber is defined between the body portion of the end-cap and an interior wall of the central bore of the shank. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising disposing at least one additional electronics module within the annular chamber of the neck portion.