Lateral isolator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11761271-B2
Application number	US-202017598966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2020
Priority date	Apr 1, 2019
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A lateral isolator ( 200 ) has a tubular body with an upstream end and a downstream end. The lateral isolator ( 200 ) also includes an inner member ( 210 ) having a pivot ring ( 220 ) disposed within the tubular body. A first elastomeric package ( 236 ) is disposed between the tubular body and the inner member ( 210 ) longitudinally between the pivot ring ( 220 ) and the upstream end. A second elastomeric package ( 236 ) is disposed between the tubular body and the inner member ( 210 ) longitudinally between the pivot ring ( 220 ) and the downstream end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lateral isolator comprising:
a housing comprising an upstream end and a downstream end;
an inner member comprising a pivot ring disposed within the housing;
a first elastomeric package disposed between the housing and the inner member, at a position longitudinally between the pivot ring and the upstream end; and
a second elastomeric package disposed between the housing and the inner member, at a position longitudinally between the pivot ring and the downstream end;
wherein the inner member is pivotable, relative to the housing, between an inclined state and a non-deflected state;
wherein, when the inner member is in the inclined state, the inner member is positioned such that a central axis of the inner member is not coaxial with or parallel to a central axis of the lateral isolator; and
wherein, when the inner member is in the non-deflected state, the inner member is positioned such that the central axis of the inner member is coaxial with or parallel to the central axis of the lateral isolator.

2. The lateral isolator of claim 1 , comprising a centralizer sub attached at the upstream end of the housing, the centralizer sub comprising a plurality of compliant fins attached to an outer surface of the centralizer sub and being spaced radially apart from each other about a longitudinal central axis of the lateral isolator.

3. The lateral isolator of claim 2 , wherein the first elastomeric package and the second elastomeric package are configured to collectively respond to a first input force frequency range, wherein the plurality of compliant fins are configured to collectively respond to a second input force frequency range, and wherein the second input force frequency range is different than first input force frequency range.

4. The lateral isolator of claim 2 , wherein each of the compliant fins is configured such that, when a first compliant fin of the compliant fins is radially compressed, an area of an outer face of the compliant fin, which is in contact with a structure in which the lateral isolator is positioned increases to provide a nonlinear stiffening force to the lateral isolator.

5. The lateral isolator of claim 2 , wherein, when the lateral isolator is disposed in a wellbore, the lateral isolator maintains a lateral isolator pressure column through a central bore of the lateral isolator that is pressure independent from a mud flow pressure column between an exterior of the lateral isolator and the wellbore.

6. The lateral isolator of claim 5 , wherein, when an input force is laterally applied to the inner member in a first direction, the lateral isolator is configured such that a first reaction force opposing the input force is reacted through the first elastomeric package, a second reaction force for opposing the first reaction force is reacted through the second elastomeric package, and a fin force opposing the input force is reacted through at least one of the compliant fins.

7. The lateral isolator of claim 1 , wherein the first and second elastomeric packages are pre-compressed in an axial direction.

8. The lateral isolator of claim 1 , wherein the first and second elastomeric packages are configured to bulge and bulk load.

9. The lateral isolator of claim 8 , wherein the bulk loading is in response to a cocking movement of the inner member about the pivot ring towards the inclined position, and wherein the bulk loading provides a soft snub rather than a direct contact.

10. The lateral isolator of claim 1 , wherein the pivot ring comprises a polygonal profile complimentary to a polygonal profile provided within the housing, and wherein the polygonal profiles of the pivot ring and the housing are configured to provide torsional locking between the inner member and the housing.

11. The lateral isolator of claim 10 , wherein the elastomeric packages are configured such that the inner member is rotatably displaceable relative to the housing.

12. The lateral isolator of claim 1 , wherein:
the first elastomeric package is configured to exert, when the inner member is not in the non-deflected state, an upstream reaction force on the inner member;
the second elastomeric package is configured to exert, when the inner member is not in the non-deflected state, a downstream reaction force on the inner member; and
the upstream reaction force and the downstream reaction force are in a direction of movement of the inner member towards the non-deflected state.

13. A lateral isolator comprising:
a housing comprising an upstream end and a downstream end;
an inner member comprising a pivot ring disposed within the housing;
a first elastomeric package disposed between the housing and the inner member, at a position longitudinally between the pivot ring and the upstream end;
a second elastomeric package disposed between the housing and the inner member, at a position longitudinally between the pivot ring and the downstream end; and
a centralizer sub attached at the upstream end of the housing, the centralizer sub comprising a plurality of compliant fins attached to an outer surface of the centralizer sub and being spaced radially apart from each other about a longitudinal central axis of the lateral isolator.

14. The lateral isolator of claim 13 , wherein:
the first elastomeric package and the second elastomeric package are configured to collectively respond to a first input force frequency range;
the plurality of compliant fins are configured to collectively respond to a second input force frequency range; and
the second input force frequency range is different than first input force frequency range; or

wherein each of the compliant fins is configured such that, when a first compliant fin of the compliant fins is radially compressed, an area of an outer face of the compliant fin, which is in contact with a structure in which the lateral isolator is positioned increases to provide a nonlinear stiffening force to the lateral isolator.

15. The lateral isolator of claim 13 , wherein, when the lateral isolator is disposed in a wellbore, the lateral isolator maintains a lateral isolator pressure column through a central bore of the lateral isolator that is pressure independent from a mud flow pressure column between an exterior of the lateral isolator and the wellbore.

16. The lateral isolator of claim 15 , wherein, when an input force is laterally applied to the inner member in a first direction, the lateral isolator is configured such that a first reaction force opposing the input force is reacted through the first elastomeric package, a second reaction force for opposing the first reaction force is reacted through the second elastomeric package, and a fin force opposing the input force is reacted through at least one of the compliant fins.

17. The lateral isolator of claim 13 , wherein:
the pivot ring comprises a polygonal profile complimentary to a polygonal profile provided within the housing; and
the polygonal profiles of the pivot ring and the housing are configured to provide torsional locking between the inner member and the housing.

18. The lateral isolator of claim 17 , wherein the elastomeric packages are configured such that the inner member is rotatably displaceable relative to the housing.

19. A lateral isolator comprising:
a housing comprising an upstream end and a downstream end;
an inner member comprising a pivot ring disposed within the housing;
a first elastomeric package disposed between the housing and the inner member, at a position longitudinally between the pivot ring

Assignees

• Lord Corp

Inventors

• Leicht Zackary
• Keithly Adam
• Ptak Keith R
• O'Connor Timothy

Classifications

• E21B47/01 Primary

  Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like · CPC title

• E21B17/073 Primary

  with axial rotation · CPC title

• E21B47/017

  Protecting measuring instruments · CPC title

• E21B17/042

  Threaded · CPC title

• E21B17/1042

  Elastomer protector or centering means · CPC title