Valve assembly for inflatable packer
First Claim
1. A valve assembly for controlling the flow of fluid from within casing into a bladder element of an inflatable packer for use in a wellbore, the bladder element having bladder port means, the valve assembly mountable within a single cavity in a body member in the wall of casing or a casing coupling, the body member having casing port means communicating with the cavity for communicating casing fluid to the bladder port means so that the casing fluid can flow through the bladder port means to inflate the bladder element and the body member having overpressure port means communicating with the cavity for communicating part of the fluid flowing into the bladder element back to the cavity and to the valve assembly,the valve assembly comprisingcontrol piston means movably mounted within the cavity, the control piston means movable from a first position in which the control piston means closes off the casing port means and the bladder port means to the flow of casing fluid, to a second position in which casing fluid flows through the casing port means and bladder port means into the bladder element,restraint means for insuring that the control piston means initially moves only when the pressure of the casing fluid reaches a predetermined level, andclosing piston means movably mounted within the cavity and responsive to the pressure of the fluid in the bladder element, a portion of the fluid in the bladder element communicating with the closing piston means through the overpressure port means, so that when the pressure of the fluid in the bladder element reaches a predetermined level the closing piston means moves to contact and push the control piston means back into the first position, closing off the casing port means and sealing the casing fluid within the casing and closing off the bladder port means thereby maintaining the pressure of the fluid in the bladder element, andthe control piston means and the closing piston movable about stem means disposed in the cavity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-function valve assembly for controlling fluid flow through a single cavity, the valve assembly being particularly suited for use with an inflatable packer in a well bore. The valve assembly includes a control valve sliding piston in one end of a cavity such as a cavity in an inflatable packer, the cavity communicating between the interior of a tubular (such as well casing) and an annulus between the tubular and a wellbore in which the tubular is positioned. The control valve sliding piston isolates the packer until a certain predetermined pressure is reached, at which point it moves in response to the pressure of the fluid in the casing, thereby permitting flow of fluid from the casing into an inflatable bladder in the packer. An over-pressure piston disposed in the same cavity senses the packer inflation pressure and moves the control valve piston to close the valve, halting further inflation. A balancing locking stem is mounted within the cavity and both the control valve piston and the overpressure piston move in the cavity about this stem. The stem moves into the recess of an annulus gland in response to the action of the control valve piston.
40 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A valve assembly for controlling the flow of fluid from within casing into a bladder element of an inflatable packer for use in a wellbore, the bladder element having bladder port means, the valve assembly mountable within a single cavity in a body member in the wall of casing or a casing coupling, the body member having casing port means communicating with the cavity for communicating casing fluid to the bladder port means so that the casing fluid can flow through the bladder port means to inflate the bladder element and the body member having overpressure port means communicating with the cavity for communicating part of the fluid flowing into the bladder element back to the cavity and to the valve assembly,
the valve assembly comprising control piston means movably mounted within the cavity, the control piston means movable from a first position in which the control piston means closes off the casing port means and the bladder port means to the flow of casing fluid, to a second position in which casing fluid flows through the casing port means and bladder port means into the bladder element, restraint means for insuring that the control piston means initially moves only when the pressure of the casing fluid reaches a predetermined level, and closing piston means movably mounted within the cavity and responsive to the pressure of the fluid in the bladder element, a portion of the fluid in the bladder element communicating with the closing piston means through the overpressure port means, so that when the pressure of the fluid in the bladder element reaches a predetermined level the closing piston means moves to contact and push the control piston means back into the first position, closing off the casing port means and sealing the casing fluid within the casing and closing off the bladder port means thereby maintaining the pressure of the fluid in the bladder element, and the control piston means and the closing piston movable about stem means disposed in the cavity.
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16. A valve assembly for controlling fluid flow through a single cavity in a body member, said valve assembly disposed within said single cavity and comprising:
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controlling means for controlling the flow of a first fluid under pressure flowing into said cavity through a first inlet disposed in said body member communicating with said cavity and flowing out of said cavity through a first outlet disposed in said body member communicating with said cavity, said controlling means responsive to the pressure of said first fluid so that it is activated to permit flow of the first fluid through the first inlet and out of the first outlet only when the pressure of the first fluid reaches a predetermined level, said controlling means comprising control piston means movable in said cavity to close off or to open the first inlet and the first outlet, said control piston means movable about a stem means disposed in said cavity and closing means coacting with said controlling means for closing off said first inlet and said first outlet, said closing means responsive to the pressure of said first fluid which has flowed through the first outlet so that said closing means is activated when the pressure of said first fluid which has flowed through said first outlet reaches a predetermined level, said closing means comprising closing piston means movable in said cavity to contact and move said control piston means to close off the first inlet and the first outlet, said control piston means movable about said stem means. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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29. A valve assembly for controlling fluid flow through a single cavity in a body member, said valve assembly disposed within said single cavity and comprising:
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controlling means for controlling the flow of a first fluid under pressure flowing into said cavity through a first inlet in said body member communicating with said cavity and flowing out of said cavity through a first outlet in said body member communicating with said cavity, said controlling means responsive to the pressure of said first fluid so that it is activated to permit flow of the first fluid through the first inlet and out of the first outlet only when the pressure of the first fluid reaches a predetermined level, said controlling means comprising control piston means movable in said cavity about stem means disposed in said cavity, closing means coacting with said controlling means for closing off said first inlet and said first outlet, said closing means responsive to the pressure of said first fluid which has flowed through the first outlet so that said closing means is activated when the pressure of said first fluid which has flowed through said first outlet reaches a predetermined level, said closing means comprising closing piston means movable in said cavity about the stem means, said closing piston means movable in said cavity to contact and move said control piston means to close off the first inlet and the first outlet, said stem means extending partially within said control piston means, partially within said closing piston means, and partially within gland means mounted in said cavity, said closing piston means secured to said stem means by closing shear means and said stem means is secured to said gland means by opening shear means so that the force required to shear the opening shear means is a predetermined force and is less than the force required to shear the closing shear means and the effect of the pressure of the first fluid is transmitted to said opening shear means to shear it, the force transmitted through said control piston means in contact with said closing piston means which is connected to said stem means, said closing piston means movable to contact and move said control piston means when the pressure of said first fluid having flowed through said first outlet has reached a predetermined level, at which level the force of said first fluid shears said closing shear means freeing said closing piston means, closing locking means for locking said control piston means in such a position that the first inlet and the first outlet are closed off, and stem locking means for locking said stem means in position with said gland means.
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Specification