Packer actuated vent assembly

Claim 2

In a packer assembly adapted to be anchored downhole in a borehole, and having a mandrel axially movable respective to a packer body for setting a packer element against the borehole wall, with a tubing string connected to the mandrel for conducting fluid flow from the borehole located below the packer to the surface of the ground, in combination; a packer actuated vent assembly, said vent assembly having a hollow mandrel extension, a sliding valve means, and a barrel; said mandrel extension, sliding valve means, and barrel being concentrically arranged relative to one another with said sliding valve means slidably engaging a marginal length of said mandrel extension in sealed relationship therewith, and with said barrel being radially spaced from said sliding valve means and from said mandrel; aperture means in said marginal length of said mandrel extension so that a flow path is formed from the interior to the exterior thereof; means by which the upper end of said mandrel extension and barrel, respectively, can be attached to the lower end of the packer mandrel and packer body, respectively; means on said barrel for engaging and moving said sliding valve means from a flow preventing to a flow permitting position when said mandrel extension is moved relative to said barrel; so that when the packer is set by moving the mandrel of the packer relative to the packer body, said mandrel extension is moved relative to said barrel, causing said means on said barrel to move said sliding valve means to the flow permitting position.

Claim 3

The packer actuated vent assembly of claim 1 wherein said sliding valve means is a cylindrical sleeve slidably received in sealed relationship about a marginal length of said mandrel extension, ports formed in said sleeve, said aperture means being aligned with said ports when said sleeve is moved into the flow permitting position, said aperture means being misaligned with said ports when said sleeve is in the flow preventing position; said mandrel extension is provided with longitudinally spaced detents; said sleeve having latch means formed thereon for releasably engaging said spaced detents; the relative position of said spaced detents, said latch means, said ports, and said aperture means being arranged whereby when said latch means is in one of said spaced detents, said valve means is in the flow preventing position, and when said latch means is in the remaining of said detents, said valve means is in the flow permitting position; said means on said barrel for engaging and moving said valve means includes a stop means, said stop means and said sleeve being positioned relative to one another so that the movement of the packer mandrel in setting the packer imparts movement into the mandrel extension for moving the sleeve into the flow permitting position.

Claim 4

The packer actuated vent assembly of claim 1 wherein said sliding valve means is a cylindrical sleeve slidably received in sealed relationship about said marginal length of said mandrel extension, ports formed in said sleeve, said aperture means being aligned with said ports when said sleeve is moved into the flow permitting position, said aperture means being misaligned with said ports when said sleeve is in the flow preventing position.

Claim 5

The packer actuated vent assembly of claim 3 wherein said means on said barrel for engaging and moving said valve means is a stop means, said stop means and said sleeve being positioned relative to one another so that the movement of the packer mandrel in setting the packer imparts movement into the mandrel extension for moving the sleeve into the flow permitting position.

Claim 6

The packer actuated vent assembly of claim 3 wherein said mandrel extension is provided with longitudinally spaced detents; said sleeve having latch means formed thereon for releasably engaging said spaced detents; the relative position of said spaced detents, said latch means, said ports, and said aperture means being arranged whereby when said latch means is in one of said spaced detents, said valve means is in the flow preventing position, and when said latch means is in the remaining of said detents, said valve means is in the flow permitting position.

Claim 7

A packer actuated vent assembly comprising a packer device having a body, a packer element, a hollow mandrel, and means by which the packer device can be anchored downhole in a well bore, said mandrel being movable relative to the packer body for setting the packer element which precludes fluid flow across the packer device; a barrel attached to and extending from the body, a mandrel extension attached to and extending from said hollow mandrel in series flow relationship therewith, aperture means in said mandrel extension forming a flow path from the interior to the exterior thereof; a valve means connected to said mandrel extension for causing a fluid flow path to be formed from without to within said mandrel extension when said valve means is moved from a flow preventing to a flow permitting position; and means responsive to relative movement between said barrel and said mandrel extension for moving said valve means from said flow preventing to said flow permitting position.

Claim 8

A packer actuated vent assembly comprising a packer device having a body, a packer element, a hollow mandrel, and means by which the packer device can be anchored downhole in a well bore, said mandrel being movable relative to the packer body for setting the packer element which precludes fluid flow across the packer device; a barrel attached to and extending from the body, a mandrel extension attached to and extending from said hollow mandrel in series flow relationship therewith, aperture means in said mandrel extension forming a flow path from the interior to the exterior thereof; a valve means connected to said mandrel extension for causing a fluid flow path to be formed from without to within said mandrel extension when said valve means is moved from a flow preventing to a flow permitting position; and means responsive to relative movement between said barrel and said mandrel extension for moving said valve means from said flow preventing to said flow permitting position.

Claim 9

The packer actuated vent assembly of claim 6 wherein said valve means is a cylindrical sleeve slidably received in sealed relationship about a marginal exterior length of said mandrel extension, said aperture means formiNg at least one aperture in said mandrel extension, a port formed in said cylindrical sleeve, said aperture being aligned with said port when said sleeve is moved into the flow permitting position, said aperture being misaligned with said port when said cylindrical sleeve is in the flow preventing position; said mandrel is provided with spaced detents; said cylindrical sleeve having latch means formed thereon for releasably engaging said spaced detents; the relative position of said spaced detents, said latch means, said port, and said aperture being arranged whereby when said latch means is in one of said spaced detents, said valve means is in the flow preventing position, and when said latch means is in the remaining of said detents, said valve means is in the flow permitting position; said means responsive to relative movement between said barrel and said mandrel extension is a stop means located on said barrel, means on said cylindrical sleeve for engaging said stop means, said stop means and said means on said sleeve being positioned relative to one another so that movement of the hollow mandrel while setting the packer device imparts movement into the mandrel extension for moving the cylindrical sleeve into the flow permitting position.

Claim 10

The packer actuated vent assembly of claim 6 wherein said valve means is a cylindrical sleeve slidably received in sealed relationship about a marginal exterior length of said mandrel extension, said aperture means comprising apertures formed in said marginal length of said mandrel extension, ports formed in said cylindrical sleeve, said apertures being aligned with said ports when said cylindrical sleeve is moved into the flow permitting position, said apertures being misaligned with said ports when said cylindrical sleeve is in the flow preventing position.

Claim 11

The packer actuated vent assembly of claim 8 wherein said means responsive to relative movement between said barrel and said mandrel extension is a stop means located on said barrel, means on said cylindrical sleeve for engaging said stop means, said stop means and said means on said cylindrical sleeve being positioned relative to one another so that movement of the hollow mandrel while setting the packer device imports movement into the mandrel extension for moving the cylindrical sleeve into the flow permitting position.

Claim 12

The packer actuated vent assembly of claim 8 wherein said mandrel extension is provided with spaced detents; said cylindrical sleeve having latch means formed thereon for releasably engaging said spaced detents; the relative position of said spaced detents, said latch means, said ports and said apertures being arranged whereby when said latch means is in one of said spaced detents, said valve means is in the flow preventing position, and when said latch means is in the remaining one of said detents, said valve means is in the flow permitting position.

Claim 13

A packer assembly for being anchored downhole in a borehole, and having a hollow mandrel axially movable respective to a packer body for setting a packer element against the borehole wall, with a tubing string being connected to the mandrel for conducting fluid flow from the lower borehole to the surface of the ground, in combination: a packer actuated vent assembly, said vent assembly having a hollow mandrel extension, a sliding valve element, a barrel, and an actuator for said sliding valve element; said mandrel extension, sliding valve element, and barrel being concentrically arranged with said sliding valve element slidably engaging a marginal longitudinally extending length of said mandrel extension is sealed relationship therewith, apertures formed in said mandrel extension, said barrel being radially spaced from said sliding valve means and from said mandrel; an annular area formed between said barrel and said mandrel extension; means by which said mandrel extension and barrel, respectively, can be attached to the packer mandrel and paCker body, respectively; said actuator being an inwardly directed abutment formed on said barrel for engaging and moving said sliding valve element from a flow preventing to a flow permitting position when said mandrel extension is moved relative to said barrel; so that when the packer is set by moving the mandrel of the packer relative to the packer body, said mandrel extension is moved relative to said barrel, causing said abutment on said barrel to move said sliding valve element to the flow permitting position; whereupon fluid flow can occur from the interior of the mandrel extension, through said apertures, and into said annular area.

Claim 14

A packer assembly for being anchored downhole in a borehole, and having a hollow mandrel axially movable respective to a packer body for setting a packer element against the borehole wall, with a tubing string being connected to the mandrel for conducting fluid flow from the lower borehole to the surface of the ground, in combination: a packer actuated vent assembly, said vent assembly having a hollow mandrel extension, a sliding valve element, a barrel, and an actuator for said sliding valve element; said mandrel extension, sliding valve element, and barrel being concentrically arranged with said sliding valve element slidably engaging a marginal longitudinally extending length of said mandrel extension is sealed relationship therewith, apertures formed in said mandrel extension, said barrel being radially spaced from said sliding valve means and from said mandrel; an annular area formed between said barrel and said mandrel extension; means by which said mandrel extension and barrel, respectively, can be attached to the packer mandrel and paCker body, respectively; said actuator being an inwardly directed abutment formed on said barrel for engaging and moving said sliding valve element from a flow preventing to a flow permitting position when said mandrel extension is moved relative to said barrel; so that when the packer is set by moving the mandrel of the packer relative to the packer body, said mandrel extension is moved relative to said barrel, causing said abutment on said barrel to move said sliding valve element to the flow permitting position; whereupon fluid flow can occur from the interior of the mandrel extension, through said apertures, and into said annular area.