Top connection for electrically ignited power charge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12366121-B2
Application number	US-202218562759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2022
Priority date	Jun 2, 2021
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

A top connection and sub that provides a reliable electrical connection between a perforating gun and a power charge using a housing with a distal protrusion having a hollow opening adapted to receive a power charge and at least one locking mechanism for locking to the end of a power charge, wherein the first end is adapted to be coupled to a perforating gun and the second end is adapted to couple to a setting tool, and the distal protrusion is adapted to twist and lock to a power charge, a contact assembly comprising a contact housing with a contact rod disposed therein and insulated from the contact housing, a retainer nut containing a feed thru contact pin, slideably disposed within the retainer nut and electrically coupled to the contact rod with a spring, for a more reliable electrically ignited power charges in perforating gun strings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical top connector assembly comprising:
a housing with a first end and a second end with a distal protrusion, the distal protrusion having a hollow opening adapted to receive a power charge and at least one locking mechanism for locking to the end of a power charge, wherein the first end is adapted to be coupled to a perforating gun and the second end is adapted to couple to a setting tool, and the distal protrusion is adapted to twist and lock to a power charge;
a contact assembly comprising a contact housing with a contact rod disposed therein and insulated from the contact housing;
a retainer nut containing a feed thru contact pin, slideably disposed within the retainer nut and electrically coupled to the contact rod with a spring.

2. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the first end is a box end adapted to couple to the pin end of a perforating gun.

3. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second end is a pin end adapted to couple to the box end of a setting tool.

4. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a first insulator washer supporting the contact rod within the contact housing.

5. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a second insulator washer supporting the contact rod within the contact housing.

6. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an insulator between the contact rod and the contact housing.

7. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the contact housing is grounded.

8. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the contact rod provides electrical communication for a signal.

9. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one locking mechanism is a j-lock shaped cutout.

10. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one locking mechanism is a cutout adapted to engage a power charge.

11. A perforating gun system comprising:
a first perforating gun having a first end;
an electrical top connector assembly further comprising:
a housing with a first end and coupled to the first end of the first perforating gun, a second end with a distal protrusion, the distal protrusion having a hollow opening adapted to receive a power charge and at least one locking mechanism for locking to the end of a power charge, wherein the first end is adapted to be coupled to a perforating gun and the second end is adapted to couple to a setting tool, and the distal protrusion is adapted to twist and lock to a power charge;
a contact assembly comprising a contact housing with a contact rod disposed therein and insulated from the contact housing; and
a retainer nut containing a feed thru contact pin, slideably disposed within the retainer nut and electrically coupled to the contact rod with a spring; and

a setting tool having a first end coupled to the second end of the electrical top connector assembly;
a power charge having a first end, disposed within the setting tool, and coupled to the distal protrusion of the electrical top connector assembly.

12. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 11 wherein the first end is a box end adapted to couple to a pin end of the perforating gun.

13. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second end is a pin end adapted to couple to the box end of the setting tool.

14. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a first insulator washer supporting the contact rod within the contact housing.

15. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a second insulator washer supporting the contact rod within the contact housing.

16. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 11 , further comprising an insulator between the contact rod and the contact housing.

17. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 11 wherein the contact housing is grounded.

18. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 11 wherein the contact rod provides electrical communication for a signal between the setting tool and the first perforating gun.

19. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 11 wherein the at least one locking mechanism is a j-lock shaped cutout.

20. The electrical top connector assembly of claim 11 wherein the at least one locking mechanism is a cutout adapted to engage a power charge.

Assignees

• Hunting Titan Inc

Inventors

• Taylor Zachary James

Classifications

• F42D1/045

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• E21B43/116

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• E21B17/023 Primary

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