Wheel assembly
A wheel assembly configured to detachably connect to a downhole tool to thereby reduce friction between the downhole tool and a sidewall of a wellbore through which the downhole tool is conveyed. The wheel assembly may include an axle configured to contact a sidewall of the downhole tool, wherein the axle comprises a bore extending therethrough, a wheel rotatably connected to the axle such that the wheel extends around at least a portion of the axle and the bore, and a fastener configured to be disposed at least partially within the bore and extend out of the bore into the sidewall of the downhole tool to detachably connect the axle to the downhole tool.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a wheel assembly configured to detachably connect to a downhole tool to thereby reduce friction between the downhole tool and a sidewall of a wellbore through which the downhole tool is conveyed, wherein the wheel assembly comprises:
an axle configured to contact a sidewall of the downhole tool, wherein the axle comprises a plurality of bores extending therethrough;
a wheel rotatably connected to the axle such that the wheel extends around at least a portion of the axle and the plurality of bores; and
a plurality of fasteners each configured to be disposed at least partially within a corresponding bore of the plurality of bores and extend out of that bore into the sidewall of the downhole tool to detachably connect the axle to the downhole tool.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each fastener of the plurality of fasteners comprises a threaded fastener configured to threadedly engage a corresponding threaded bore extending into the sidewall of the downhole tool to detachably connect the axle to the downhole tool.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the axle comprises a cylindrical geometry.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the axle comprises a cylindrical geometry having a first central axis, wherein each bore of the plurality of bores has a second central axis, and wherein the first central axis and each of the second central axes are parallel.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the axle comprises:
a first outer face configured to contact the sidewall of the downhole tool;
a second outer face; and
an outer circumferential surface extending between the first outer face and the second outer face, wherein each bore of the plurality of bores extends through the axle between the first outer face and the second outer face, and wherein each fastener of the plurality of fasteners is configured to extend out of a corresponding bore of the plurality of bores past the first outer face.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first outer face and the second outer face each comprise a circular geometry.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the circumferential surface comprises a cylindrical geometry.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the axle comprises an outer diameter, wherein the wheel comprises an outer diameter, and wherein the outer diameter of the wheel is larger than the outer diameter of the axle.
9. An apparatus comprising:
a wheel assembly configured to detachably connect to a downhole tool to thereby reduce friction between the downhole tool and a sidewall of a wellbore through which the downhole tool is conveyed, wherein the wheel assembly comprises:
an axle configured to contact a sidewall of the downhole tool, wherein the axle comprises a plurality of bores extending therethrough, and wherein each bore is configured to accommodate a corresponding fastener; and
a wheel rotatably connected with the axle, wherein the wheel comprises a bore extending therethrough, and wherein rotation of the wheel with respect to the axle moves the bore of the wheel one at a time into alignment with each bore of the axle.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising each corresponding fastener, wherein each corresponding fastener is disposed at least partially within and extending out of a corresponding bore of the plurality of bores of the axle, and wherein each corresponding fastener is configured to extend into the sidewall of the downhole tool to detachably connect the axle to the downhole tool.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each corresponding fastener comprises a bolt having external threads, and wherein each corresponding fastener is configured to threadedly engage a corresponding threaded bore of the downhole tool to connect the axle to the downhole tool.
12. The wheel assembly of claim 9 wherein the bore of the wheel is configured to accommodate each corresponding fastener therethrough when the bore of the wheel is aligned with one of the bores of the axle.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the bores of the axle and the bore of the wheel are each offset from an axis of rotation of the wheel.
14. An apparatus comprising:
a wheel assembly configured to detachably connect to a downhole tool to thereby reduce friction between the downhole tool and a sidewall of a wellbore through which the downhole tool is conveyed, wherein the wheel assembly comprises:
an axle comprising:
a first outer face configured to contact a sidewall of the downhole tool;
a second outer face;
an outer circumferential surface extending between the first outer face and the second outer face; and
a plurality of bores each extending through the axle between the first outer face and the second outer face;
a wheel rotatably connected to the axle such that the wheel extends around at least a portion of the axle and the plurality of bores; and
a plurality of fasteners each configured to be disposed at least partially within a corresponding bore of the plurality of bores and extend out of that bore past the first outer face and into the sidewall of the downhole tool to detachably connect the axle to the downhole tool.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each fastener of the plurality of fasteners comprises a threaded fastener configured to threadedly engage a corresponding threaded bore extending into the sidewall of the downhole tool to detachably connect the axle to the downhole tool.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the axle comprises a cylindrical geometry.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:
the axle comprises a cylindrical geometry having a first central axis;
each bore of the plurality of bores has a second central axis; and
the first central axis and each of the second central axes are parallel.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first outer face and the second outer face each comprise a circular geometry.
19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the circumferential surface comprises a cylindrical geometry.
20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:
the axle comprises an outer diameter;
the wheel comprises an outer diameter; and
the outer diameter of the wheel is larger than the outer diameter of the axle.