Resilient foam debris barrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8939201-B2
Application number	US-201314066377-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2013
Priority date	Jan 14, 2010
Publication date	Jan 27, 2015
Grant date	Jan 27, 2015

Abstract

A space filler material is used to prevent accumulation of debris that could later foul the operation of adjacent moving parts. In one application a void space that is subsequently closed by actuated parts is initially filled with a material that is highly compressible and has voids that allow it to compress without undue resistance to part movement when the void volume is reduced. Ideally, the pores or voids in the material itself are small enough to keep most if not all the debris from entering and making the space filling material too rigid to collapse under part movement. In an alternative application, the material can be in an annular space such as a seal bore and it can keep debris from getting past the seal bore while allowing hydrostatic pressure across itself thereby helping it to maintain its position until moved such as by shifting of an inner string to which it is attached.

First claim

I claim:

1. A debris barrier for a subterranean tool having relatively movable components, comprising:
a housing having a passage therein;
at least two relatively movable components that are relatively movable with respect to each other internal to said housing and selectively movable into at least two positions during operation of the tool;
said components defining at least one variable volume exposed to fluid in said passage of said housing as determined by the relative posi…

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• O'Malley Edward J

Classifications

• E21B41/00 Primary

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B34/06

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B33/12 Primary

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B43/082 Primary

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic