Hydraulic system for electronically controlled pressure activated downhole testing tool
First Claim
1. A downhole tool apparatus responsive to changes in pressure in a well annulus comprising:
- a tool housing;
a power piston slidably disposed in said tool housing, said piston having a first side and a second side;
a first pressure conducting passage means, defined in said tool housing, for communicating said well annulus with said first side of said power piston;
reference pressure means, disposed in said tool housing, for providing a reference pressure communicated with said second side of said power piston, so that a change in well annulus pressure creates a pressure differential across said power piston to move said power piston between a first position and a second position relative to said tool housing; and
selectively operable deactivating means for temporarily deactivating said power piston so that said power piston is no longer responsive to changes in well annulus pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An annulus pressure responsive tool is temporarily deactivated so as to no longer be responsive to changes in well annulus pressure. The tool includes a tool housing with a power piston slidably disposed in the housing. A first pressure conducting passage in the housing communicates the well annulus to one side of the power piston. A reference pressure means is disposed in the housing for providing pressure to the second side of the power piston. Thus, a pressure differential is created across the power piston. Also, a selectively operable temporary deactivating means is provided so that the power piston is no longer responsive to changes in the well annulus pressure.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A downhole tool apparatus responsive to changes in pressure in a well annulus comprising:
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a tool housing; a power piston slidably disposed in said tool housing, said piston having a first side and a second side; a first pressure conducting passage means, defined in said tool housing, for communicating said well annulus with said first side of said power piston; reference pressure means, disposed in said tool housing, for providing a reference pressure communicated with said second side of said power piston, so that a change in well annulus pressure creates a pressure differential across said power piston to move said power piston between a first position and a second position relative to said tool housing; and selectively operable deactivating means for temporarily deactivating said power piston so that said power piston is no longer responsive to changes in well annulus pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A downhole tool apparatus, comprising:
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an operating means for operating said apparatus in response to changes in well annulus pressure; and deactivation means for repeatedly selectively deactivating said operating means so that said operating means is no longer responsive to changes in well annulus pressure and for subsequently reactivating said operating means so that said operating means is again responsive to changes in well annulus pressure. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A downhole tool apparatus, comprising:
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a cylindrical tool housing having a recess defined in an outer cylindrical surface thereof; an operating assembly disposed in said housing; a control system operably associated with said operating assembly; and a control system framework means for housing said control system, said framework means being pivotally attached to said housing and pivotal between a normal operating position wherein said framework means is substantially completely received in said recess of said housing and a service position wherein a substantial portion of said framework means is pivoted out of said recess to provide access to said control system. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A downhole tool apparatus, comprising:
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a cylindrical tool housing having a recess defined in an outer cylindrical surface thereof; an operating assembly disposed in said housing; a control system means, operably associated with said operating assembly, for detecting and responding to command signals transmitted as changes in well annulus pressure; and a control system framework means for housing said control system means, said framework means being received in said recess and detachably attached to said housing so that said framework means and said control system means can be completely separated from said tool housing without breaking apart a threaded joint of said housing. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method of controlling the operation of a downhole tool of the type having an operating mechanism normally operated in response to changes in well annulus pressure, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) transmitting a command signal; (b) detecting said command signal at said tool; (c) temporarily deactivating said operating mechanism of said tool in response to detection of said command signal so that said operating mechanism is no longer responsive to changes in well annulus pressure. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. Downhole tool apparatus responds to the changes in pressure in a well annulus comprising:
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a tool housing; a power piston slidably disposed in said tool housing, said piston having a first side and a second side; a first pressure conducting passage means, defined in said tool housing, for communicating said well annulus with said first side of said power piston; reference pressure means, disposed in said tool housing, for providing a reference pressure communicated with said second side of said power piston, so that a change in well annulus pressure creates a pressure differential across said power piston to move said power piston between a first position and a second position relative to said tool housing; a selective operable bypass means for temporarily bypassing changes in well annulus pressure around said reference pressure means, said bypass means including; a bypass passage means, defined in said tool housing, for communicating said well annulus with said second side of said power piston;
bypass valve means, disposed in said bypass passage means, for selectively opening and closing said bypass passage means as said bypass valve means is moved between an open position and a closed position; andcontrol means for moving said bypass valve means between its open and closed positions, wherein said control means is further characterized as being responsive to changes in well annulus pressure and said bypass valve means is an electric motor operated bypass valve means; and
said control means includes;
a pressure sensor means for detecting changes in well annulus pressure; and
microprocessor means for controlling said electric motor operated bypass valve means in response to a predetermined change in well annulus pressure detected by said pressure sensor means. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A downhole tool apparatus responsive to changes in pressure in a well annulus comprising:
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a tool housing; a power piston slidably disposed in said tool housing, said power piston having a first side and a second side;
a first pressure conducting passage means to find in said tool housing, for communicating said well annulus pressure with said first side of said power piston;
a second pressure conducting passage means, defined in said housing, for communicating said well annulus with said second side of said power piston;a second pressure conductivity passage means, defined in said tool housing, for communicating said well annulus with said second side with said power piston; reference pressure means, disposed in said tool housing, for providing a reference pressure communicated with said second side of said power piston, so that a change in well annulus pressure creates a pressure differential across said power piston to move said power piston between a first position and a second position relative to said tool housing, wherein said reference pressure means includes a retarding means, disposed in said second pressure conducting passage means, for delaying communication of a sufficient portion of a change in well annulus pressure to said second side of said power piston for a sufficient time to allow a pressure differential across said power piston to move said power piston between a first position and a second position relative to said housing; and selectively operable deactivating means for temporarily deactiving said power piston so that said power piston is no longer responsive to changes in well annulus pressure. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A downhole tool apparatus responsive to changes in pressure in a well annulus comprising:
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a tool housing; a power piston slidably disposed in said tool housing, said piston having a first side and a second side; a first pressure conducting passage means, defined in said tool housing, for communicating said well annulus with said first side of said power piston; reference pressure means, disposed in said tool housing, for providing a reference pressure communicated with said second side of said power piston, so that a change in well annulus pressure creates a pressure differential across said power piston to move said power piston between a first position and a second position relative to said tool housing; and selectively operable deactivating means for temporarily deactivating said power piston so that said power piston is no longer responsive to changes in well annulus pressure and wherein said deactivating means is further characterized as requiring electrical power to selectively move said deactivating means between an activated and deactivated position thereof, so that said deactivating means will remain in either its activated or deactivated position without continued application of electrical power thereto.
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40. A downhole tool apparatus, comprising:
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an operating means for operating said apparatus in response to changes in well annulus pressure; and deactivating means for repeatedly selectively deactivating said operating means so that said operating means is no longer responsive to changes in well annulus pressure and for subsequently reactivating said operating means so that said operating means is again responsive to changes in well annulus pressure, wherein said deactivation means further includes; an electrical battery power supply; and
control means for causing said deactivation means to move to or remain in a predetermined one of a deactivated position and a reactivated position upon sensing of a low power state of said power supply.
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41. A method of controlling the operation of a downhole tool of the type having an operating mechanism normally operated in response to changes in well annulus pressure, said operating mechanism being of the type having a power piston with a first side openly communicated with well annulus pressure and a second side communicated with well annulus pressure through a passage having a metering orifice disposed therein, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) transmitting a command signal; (b) detecting said command signal at said tool; and (c) temporarily deactivating said operating mechanism of said tool in response to detection of said command signal so that said operating mechanism is no longer responsive to changes in well annulus pressure by bypassing said metering orifice and placing said second side of said power piston in an open communication with well annulus pressure.
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Specification