US3695352A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Retrievable well packer apparatus
Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp
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Filing: 1970-09-21
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Granted: 1972-10-03
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Expires: 1990-09-21
Abstract
Abstract In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a retrievable well packer apparatus includes a body that carries upper and lower packing structures and an anchor for preventing movement in either longitudinal direction in a well bore. Each packing structure includes a settable packing element mounted on a pressure sleeve between a fixed abutment on the sleeve and a movable abutment slidable along the sleeve. A clutch means having cooperative parts on the sleeve and the movable abutment functions to retain compression loading on the packing elements in the event of loss of packing material due to extrusion or the like. A one-way check valve system between each packing structure and the mandrel enables the pressure of fluids in the annulus space between the packing structures to equalize with the lesser pressure of fluids in the well bore above or below the packer apparatus, as the case may be.
Inventors
- 👤 Howard L Mcgill
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:45
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B33/00; E21B33/10; E21B33/12; E21B33/129; E21B33/1294; E21B33/124; E21B33/1291; E21B33/1292
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A well packer apparatus comprising: a body member adapted for connection to a pipe string; a sleeve member sealingly slidable on said body member, said sleeve member having a first abutment means thereon; packing means carried by said sleeve member and having one end engaged by said first abutment means, said packing means being adapted to be compressed and expanded into sealing contact with a well conduit wall, said sleeve member having a transverse cross-sectional area subject to the difference in the pressure of fluids above and below said packing means; a second abutment means adapted to be anchored in a well bore and engaging the other end of said packing means so that movement of said first abutment means toward said second abutment means will effect compression and expansion of said packing means; and releasable clutch means on said sleeve member and said second abutment means for trapping the extent of movement of said first abutment means toward said second abutment means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A well packer apparatus comprising: a body member adapted for connection to a pipe string; a sleeve member sealingly slidable on said body member, said sleeve member having a first abutment means thereon; packing means carried by said sleeve member and having one end engaged by said first abutment means, said packing means being adapted to be compressed and expanded into sealing contact with a well conduit wall, said sleeve member having a transverse cross-sectional area subject to the difference in the pressure of fluids above and below said packing means; a second abutment means adapted to be anchored in a well bore and engaging the other end of said packing means so that movement of said first abutment means toward said second abutment means will effect compression and expansion of said packing means; and releasable clutch means on said sleeve member and said second abutment means for trapping the extent of movement of said first abutment means toward said second abutment means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 1 further including means on said body member for lockiNg said clutch means to prevent movement of said first abutment means away from said second abutment means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 2 wherein said clutch means includes laterally flexible elements on said sleeve member and a laterally expansible and contractible element on said second abutment means, said elements having coengageable latch means for preventing relative longitudinal movement between said sleeve member and said second abutment means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 3 wherein said locking means includes a locking surface on said body member for preventing lateral inward flexure of said elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said clutch means includes laterally flexible fingers on said sleeve member and an expansible and contractible nut member on said second abutment means, said fingers having head portions provided with tooth surfaces cooperable with companion tooth surfaces on said nut member to permit movement of said first abutment means toward said second abutment means but to prevent movement of said first abutment means away from said second abutment means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 5 further including means on said body member for locking said toothed surfaces in engagement with one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 6 wherein said locking means includes an enlarged section of said body member providing a locking surface adapted to be disposed behind said head portions to prevent inward flexure of said fingers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
158 words
A well packer apparatus comprising: a body member adapted for connection to a pipe string, said body member carrying an upper packing assembly, a lower packing assembly and a slip and expander means intermediate said packing assemblies for anchoring against movement in a well casing; each of said packing assemblies including a sleeve member sealingly slidable on said body member and having a first abutment thereon, each packing assembly further including a second abutment adapted to be fixed in a well bore by said slip and expander means; packing means mounted on each sleeve member and adapted to be compressed and expanded into sealing contact with a well conduit wall by movement of said abutments relatively toward each other; and releasable clutch means for trapping the extent of movement of said abutments toward each other to lock compression loading in each respective packing means and thereby retain a leak proof seal with respect to a well conduit wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
158 words
A well packer apparatus comprising: a body member adapted for connection to a pipe string, said body member carrying an upper packing assembly, a lower packing assembly and a slip and expander means intermediate said packing assemblies for anchoring against movement in a well casing; each of said packing assemblies including a sleeve member sealingly slidable on said body member and having a first abutment thereon, each packing assembly further including a second abutment adapted to be fixed in a well bore by said slip and expander means; packing means mounted on each sleeve member and adapted to be compressed and expanded into sealing contact with a well conduit wall by movement of said abutments relatively toward each other; and releasable clutch means for trapping the extent of movement of said abutments toward each other to lock compression loading in each respective packing means and thereby retain a leak proof seal with respect to a well conduit wall.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 8 further including means between each of said sleeve members and body member for equalizing the pressure of fluids in the well bore between said packing assemblies with a lesser pressure of fluids in the well bore above or below said well packer apparatus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 9 wherein said equalizing means comprises seal elements, each seal element having a seal portion for blocking fluid flow in one direction and a relief portion to enable deformation of said seal portion and leakage of fluid in the opposite direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 8 further including means on said body member for locking each of said clutch means to prevent movement of either of said first abutments opposite to their respective directions of displacement due to compression loading.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 11 wherein each of said clutch means includes laterally flexible elements on said sleeve members and laterally expansible and contractible elements on a corresponding second abutment, said corresponding elements having coengageable latch means for preventing relative longitudinal movement therebetween.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 12 wherein each of said locking means includes a locking surface on said body member for preventing lateral inward flexure of said first mentioned elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
77 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of said clutch means includes laterally flexible fingers on a corResponding sleeve member and expansible and contractible nut members on each of said second abutments, said fingers having head portions provided with tooth surfaces cooperable with companion tooth surfaces on a corresponding nut member to permit movement of said first abutments toward said second abutments but to prevent movement of said first abutments away from said second abutments.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 14 further including means on said body member for locking said tooth surfaces in engagement with one another.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The well packer apparatus of claim 15 wherein said locking means include enlarged sections of said body member providing locking surfaces adapted to be disposed behind said head portions to prevent inward flexure of said fingers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-03 | 1976-04-03 | 1976-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-03 | 1980-04-03 | 1980-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-03 | 1984-04-03 | 1984-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |