Detonator positioning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12203350-B2
Application number	US-202217738184-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2022
Priority date	Jul 18, 2013
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

A detonator positioning device for use with a detonator in a perforating gun assembly is described. The detonator positioning device may be configured for electrically contactably forming an electrical connection within the perforating gun housing by contact. The detonator positioning device may include a body having a first end, a second end, and a central bore extending between the first and second ends. The central bore may be adapted for receiving one or more electrically contactable components of a detonator. The detonator positioning device can align at least one of the one or more electrically contactable components to form an electrical connection with a bulkhead assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A detonator positioning device for positioning a detonator in a perforating gun housing of a perforating gun assembly, comprising:
a hollow body adapted for receiving the detonator; and
at least one leg adapted to hold a first end of the hollow body in the perforating gun housing;
wherein, when inserted within the perforating gun housing, the detonator positioning device is configured to provide at least one wireless electrical contact configured for electrical connection merely by physically touching an electrical component within the perforating gun housing, and
wherein the hollow body further comprises a lip, the at least one leg is configured to matingly extend through an inner cavity of an end plate disposed within the perforating gun housing and abut a second end plate end of the end plate, and the lip is configured to abut a first end plate end of the end plate within the perforating gun housing.

2. The detonator positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wireless electrical contact comprises a biasing member.

3. The detonator positioning device of claim 2 , wherein the biasing member is formed of electrically conductive metal material.

4. The detonator positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wireless electrical contact is configured to complete a grounding loop via contact.

5. The detonator positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the detonator positioning device is configured for electrical communication between the perforating gun assembly and an adjacent perforating gun assembly.

6. The detonator positioning device of claim 5 , wherein the electrical communication between the perforating gun assembly and the adjacent perforating gun assembly comprises the at least one wireless electrical contact.

7. The detonator positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wireless electrical contact comprises at least two wireless electrical contacts.

8. The detonator positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one leg comprises at least two legs.

9. The detonator positioning device of claim 8 , wherein each of the at least two legs are resilient, and the detonator comprises a wired detonator or a wireless detonator.

10. A perforating gun assembly, comprising:
a hollow housing configured to hold at least one shaped charge;
an end plate disposed within the hollow housing; and
a detonator positioning device comprising:
a hollow body adapted for receiving a detonator; and
at least one leg adapted to hold a first end of the hollow body in the hollow housing, wherein:
the end plate comprises a first end plate end, a second end plate end, and an inner cavity configured for insertion of the at least one leg of the detonator positioning device,
the first end plate end is closer to the detonator positioning device than the second end plate end,
the hollow body further comprises a lip adapted to abut the first end plate end of the end plate when the at least one leg is inserted into the inner cavity of the end plate and abuts the second end plate end,
the detonator positioning device is configured to position the detonator entirely within the hollow housing when the at least one leg is inserted into the inner cavity of the end plate,
when disposed within the hollow housing, the detonator positioning device is configured for electrically contactably forming at least one wireless electrical connection by contact with an electrical component of the perforating gun assembly, and
the detonator positioning device is configured for electrical communication between the perforating gun assembly and an adjacent perforating gun assembly.

11. The perforating gun assembly of claim 10 , wherein the at least one wireless electrical connection comprises at least two wireless electrical connections, and a first wireless electrical connection of the at least two wireless electrical connections is configured to complete a grounding loop via contact through the hollow housing.

12. The perforating gun assembly of claim 10 , further comprising an electronic circuit board configured to allow for selective detonation of the detonator, wherein the electronic circuit board is disposed entirely within the hollow housing when the at least one leg of the detonator positioning device is inserted into the inner cavity of the end plate.

13. The perforating gun assembly of claim 10 , wherein the detonator positioning device is configured to align the at least one wireless electrical connection to form a contactable electrical connection with a bulkhead assembly.

14. A method for positioning a detonator in a perforating gun housing, the method comprising:
positioning the detonator within a detonator positioning device, wherein the detonator positioning device includes a hollow body and at least one leg, the hollow body being adapted for receiving the detonator;
inserting the detonator positioning device within the perforating gun housing,
wherein inserting the detonator positioning device within the perforating gun housing forms at least one wireless electrical connection by physically touching an electrical component within the perforating gun housing,
wherein an end plate is disposed within the perforating gun housing, the end plate comprising a first end plate end, a second end plate end, and an inner cavity configured to receive the at least one leg of the detonator positioning device, and
wherein the first end plate end is closer to the detonator positioning device than the second end plate end; and
inserting the detonator positioning device comprises inserting the at least one leg of the detonator positioning device into the inner cavity of the end plate to form the at least one wireless electrical connection, wherein the at least one leg of the detonator positioning device abuts the second end plate end.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the at least one wireless electrical connection comprises completing a ground loop via communication with the perforating gun housing.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the at least one wireless electrical connection comprises forming at least two wireless electrical contact connections.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the at least one wireless electrical connection comprises deforming a biasing member upon insertion of the detonator positioning device into the perforating gun housing.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the detonator positioning device further comprises a lip configured to abut the end plate within the perforating gun housing; and
inserting the detonator positioning device further comprises placing the lip into abutment with the first plate end of the end plate.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least one leg comprises two legs, wherein the two legs are flexible and are configured to assist in holding the detonator positioning device in the inner cavity of the end plate, and the method further comprises:
holding the detonator positioning device in place within the perforating gun housing by action of the two legs in concert with the lip.

Assignees

• DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH

Inventors

• Eitschberger Christian
• Burmeister Gernot Uwe
• Bradfield Thomas Keller
• Preiss Frank Haron
• Scharf Thilo
• Mcnelis Liam

Classifications

• F42B3/10

  Initiators therefor (percussion fuzes F42C7/00; percussion caps F42C19/10; electric primers F42C19/12) · CPC title

• F42B3/26

  Arrangements for mounting initiators; Accessories therefor, e.g. tools · CPC title

• F42B3/103

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

• E21B43/117

  Shaped-charge perforators (E21B43/118 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/116

  Gun or shaped-charge perforators · CPC title