Initiator assemblies for a perforating gun

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11313653-B2
Application number	US-202117153701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2021
Priority date	Jan 20, 2020
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

An initiator assembly for a perforating gun includes a detonator configured to detonate a shaped charge of the perforating gun when ballistically coupled to the shaped charge, wherein the detonator includes a detonator housing that receives an explosive material and a detonator electrical connector extending from the detonator housing, and a switch assembly configured to detonate the detonator after receiving a firing signal, wherein the switch assembly includes a switch housing and a switch electrical connector received in the switch housing, wherein one of the detonator electrical connector and the switch electrical connector is insertable into the other of the detonator electrical connector and the switch electrical connector to form an electrical connection between the detonator and the switch assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An initiator assembly for a perforating gun, comprising:
a detonator configured to detonate a shaped charge of the perforating gun when ballistically coupled to the shaped charge, wherein the detonator comprises a detonator housing having a central axis and comprising an internal chamber and an outer cylindrical surface having an annular groove formed thereon, an explosive material positioned within the internal chamber, and a first portion of an electrical circuit comprising an initiator positioned within the internal chamber and a detonator electrical connector extending from the detonator housing and both physically and electrically connected to the initiator; and
a switch assembly configured to detonate the detonator after receiving a firing signal, wherein the switch assembly comprises a switch housing having a central axis that is offset from the central axis of the detonator housing and including a detonator receptacle configured to couple with the detonator housing whereby a majority of the detonator housing is located external the switch housing when the detonator housing is coupled with the detonator receptacle, and a second portion of the electrical circuit comprising a switch electrical connector positioned in the switch housing, wherein the detonator receptacle comprises an inner cylindrical surface having an annular ridge formed thereon and configured to interlock with the annular groove of the detonator housing to retain the detonator housing with the detonator receptacle;
wherein one of the detonator electrical connector and the switch electrical connector comprises a pair of electrical terminals that are insertable into the other of the detonator electrical connector and the switch electrical connector to complete the electrical circuit whereby the switch electrical connector is both physically and electrically connected to the initiator, and wherein the pair of electrical terminals are configured to detonate the explosive material in response to being electrically energized.

2. The initiator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the detonator electrical connector is insertable into the switch electrical connector to complete the electrical circuit.

3. The initiator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the detonator electrical connector comprises the pair of electrical terminals which extend from the detonator housing.

4. The initiator assembly of claim 3 , wherein each of the pair of electrical terminals extends along a rectilinear central axis.

5. The initiator assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pair of electrical terminals are receivable within a plurality of electrical sockets of the switch electrical connector.

6. The initiator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the detonator electrical connector slidably electrically contacts the switch electrical connector when the detonator electrical connector is electrically connected to the switch electrical connector.

7. The initiator assembly of claim 1 , wherein an uninterrupted electrical connection is formed between the pair of electrical terminals and at least one electrical resistor positioned within the detonator housing in response to the completion of the electrical circuit.

8. The initiator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of electrical terminals extend into the detonator housing when the electrical circuit is completed.

9. The initiator assembly of claim 1 , wherein an uninterrupted electrical connection is formed between the initiator and the detonator electrical connector prior to the completion of the electrical circuit.

10. An initiator assembly for a perforating gun, comprising:
a detonator configured to detonate a shaped charge of the perforating gun when ballistically coupled to the shaped charge, wherein the detonator comprises a detonator housing having a central axis and comprising an internal chamber and an outer cylindrical surface having an annular groove formed thereon, an explosive material positioned within the internal chamber, and a first portion of an electrical circuit comprising an initiator positioned within the internal chamber and a detonator electrical connector extending from the detonator housing and both physically and electrically connected to the initiator; and
a switch assembly configured to detonate the detonator after receiving a firing signal, wherein the switch assembly comprises a switch housing having a central axis that is offset from the central axis of the detonator housing and including a detonator receptacle configured to couple with the detonator housing whereby a majority of the detonator housing is located external the switch housing when the detonator housing is coupled with the detonator receptacle, and a second portion of the electrical circuit comprising a switch electrical connector positioned in the switch housing, wherein the detonator receptacle comprises an inner cylindrical surface having an annular ridge formed thereon and configured to interlock with the annular groove of the detonator housing to retain the detonator housing with the detonator receptacle;
wherein the detonator electrical connector slidably electrically contacts the switch electrical connector when the detonator electrical connector is electrically connected to the switch electrical connector to complete the electrical circuit whereby the switch electrical connector is both physically and electrically connected to the initiator, and wherein one of the detonator electrical connector and the switch electrical connector comprises a pair of electrical terminals configured to detonate the explosive material in response to being electrically energized.

11. The initiator assembly of claim 10 , wherein the detonator electrical connector comprises the pair of electrical terminals which extend from the detonator housing.

12. The initiator assembly of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of terminals extends along a rectilinear central axis.

13. The initiator assembly of claim 11 , wherein the pair of electrical terminals are receivable within a plurality of electrical sockets of the switch electrical connector.

14. The initiator assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the initiator of the first portion of the electrical circuit comprises a plurality of electrical resistors, each resistor having a lead electrically connected to one of the pair of electrical terminals; and
each of the pair of electrical terminals is mechanically connected to one of the leads of the resistors.

15. The initiator assembly of claim 10 , wherein one of the detonator electrical connector and the switch electrical connector is insertable into the other of the detonator electrical connector and the switch electrical connector to complete the electrical circuit.

16. The initiator assembly of claim 10 , wherein an uninterrupted electrical connection is formed between the pair of electrical terminals and at least one electrical resistor positioned within the detonator housing in response to the formation of the electrical connection between the detonator and the switch assembly.

17. The initiator assembly of claim 10 , wherein the pair of electrical terminals extend into the detonator housing when the electrical circuit is completed.

18. The initiator assembly of claim 10 , wherein an uninterrupted electrical connection is formed between the initiator and the detonator electrical connector prior to the completion of the electrical circuit.

19. A method of assembling an initiator assembly for a perforating gun, comprising:
(a) forming a detonator configured to detonate a shaped charge of

Assignees

• G&H Diversified Mfg Lp

Inventors

• Kash James Edward
• Knight Benjamin Vascal
• Ward Ryan

Classifications

• E21B43/1185

  Ignition systems · CPC title

• F42B3/103 Primary

  Mounting initiator heads in initiators; Sealing-plugs · CPC title

• F42B3/198

  of electric initiator heads {e.g., testing, machines} · CPC title