Method and apparatus for automatic arming of perforating gun

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12546194-B2
Application number	US-202418795013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2024
Priority date	Aug 4, 2023
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A perforating gun may include a first housing, a charge holder positioned within the first housing and configured to receive a shaped charge, an initiator, a detonating cord configured to detonate the shaped charge, and a first spring positioned within the first housing. A relative position of the initiator and the detonating cord may be movable between a first position in which the perforating gun is ballistically unarmed and a second position in which the perforating gun is ballistically armed. The first spring may bias the initiator and the detonating cord to the first position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A perforating gun comprising:
a first housing; a charge holder provided within the first housing and configured to receive a shaped charge; an initiator holder coupled to the charge holder; an initiator at least partially positioned within the initiator holder; a detonating cord coupled to the initiator holder; and a first spring positioned within the initiator holder; wherein: a relative position of the initiator and the initiator holder is movable between a first position in which the perforating gun is ballistically unarmed and a second position in which the perforating gun is ballistically armed; and the first spring biases the initiator and the initiator holder to the first position.

2 . The perforating gun of claim 1 , further comprising a retainer coupled to the initiator holder.

3 . The perforating gun of claim 2 , wherein the initiator is in a fixed positional relationship with the retainer.

4 . The perforating gun of claim 2 , wherein the retainer comprises:
a first retainer portion formed in a cylindrical shape and having a first diameter; a second retainer portion formed in a cylindrical shape and having a second diameter, the second retainer portion being axially adjacent to the first retainer portion; and a retainer end plate axially adjacent to the first retainer portion opposite the second retainer portion, the retainer end plate being formed in an annular shape defining a retainer hole therethrough, wherein the second diameter is larger than the first diameter.

5 . The perforating gun of claim 2 , wherein the initiator comprises:
an initiator head; and an initiator shell extending from the initiator head; wherein at least a portion of the initiator shell is disposed within the initiator holder; and the initiator head is disposed within the retainer.

6 . The perforating gun of claim 5 , wherein, in the first position, the initiator shell is axially displaced from the detonating cord; and
in the second position, the initiator shell is adjacent the detonating cord.

7 . The perforating gun of claim 5 , wherein:
the initiator holder further comprises an initiator channel; the first spring is positioned within the initiator channel; and the first spring abuts the initiator shell.

8 . The perforating gun of claim 2 ,
the initiator holder comprises:
a guide groove;
a guide groove lip provided at an end of the guide groove; and
the retainer comprises a guide tab; wherein the guide tab is coupled to the guide groove; and the guide groove lip is configured to prevent the first spring from pushing the retainer off of the initiator holder.

9 . The perforating gun of claim 1 , wherein:
the initiator holder further comprises an initiator channel; and the first spring is positioned within the initiator channel.

10 . A method of using a perforating gun, the method comprising:
providing a perforating gun comprising:
a first housing;
a charge holder positioned within the first housing and configured to receive a shaped charge;
an initiator;
a detonating cord configured to detonate the shaped charge; and
a first spring positioned within the first housing; wherein:
a relative position of the initiator and the detonating cord is movable between a first position in which the perforating gun is ballistically unarmed and a second position in which the perforating gun is ballistically unarmed; and
the first spring biases the initiator and the detonating cord to the first position;
ballistically arming the perforating gun by coupling a second toolstring component to the first housing, wherein the second toolstring component abuts the initiator and provides sufficient force so as to transition the relative position of the initiator and the detonating cord from the first position to the second position; and deploying the perforating gun to a wellbore.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
removing the perforating gun from the wellbore; and disarming the perforating gun by disconnecting the second toolstring component from the first housing so that the biasing force of the first spring returns the relative position of the initiator and the initiator holder to the first position.

Assignees

• DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH

Inventors

• Eitschberger Christian

Classifications

• E21B43/1185

  Ignition systems · CPC title

• E21B43/117 Primary

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