Changing the state of a switch through the application of power

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9520249-B2
Application number	US-201114119310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2011
Priority date	Jun 2, 2011
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

A switch includes a spring. The switch further includes a collapsing element. The spring has a first spring state in which it is being held in tension by a restraining element and a second spring state in which it is not being held in tension because the restraining element has failed. The collapsing element is situated such that when sufficient power is applied to the collapsing element heat from the collapsing element will cause the restraining element to fail. The switch further includes a first contact coupled to the spring. The switch further includes a second contact coupled to the spring. The first contact and the second contact have a first 1-2 electrical connection state when the spring is in the first spring state. The first contact and the second contact have a second 1-2 electrical connection state different from the first 1-2 electrical connection state when the spring is in the second spring state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A switch comprising:
a spring;
a collapsing element;
the spring having a first spring state in which it is being held in tension by a restraining element;
the spring having a second spring state in which it is not being held in tension because the restraining element has failed;
the collapsing element being situated such that when sufficient power is applied to the collapsing element heat from the collapsing element will cause the restraining element to fail;
a first A contact coupled to the spring;
a second A contact coupled to the spring;
the first A contact and the second A contact having a first 1-2 electrical connection state when the spring is in the first spring state; and
the first A contact and the second A contact having a second 1-2 electrical connection state different from the first 1-2 electrical connection state when the spring is in the second spring state;
wherein:
the spring is C-shaped, having a first end, a second end, and an arced element coupled to and between the first end and the second end;
the first contact is coupled to the first end of the spring;
the second contact is coupled to the second end of the spring;
a first elongated tension element is provided that has a proximate end coupled to the first end of the spring;
a second elongated tension element is provided that has a proximate end coupled to the second end of the spring;
a first B contact is coupled to a distal end of the first elongated tension element;
a second B contact is coupled to a distal end of the second elongated tension element, such that the first B contact is coupled to the second B contact when the spring is in the first spring state and the first B contact is not coupled to the second B contact when the spring is in the second spring state;
moving the distal end of the first elongated tension element toward the distal end of the second elongated element causes the first end of the spring to separate from the second end of the spring; and
the restraining element is coupled between the distal end of the first elongated tension element and the distal end of the second elongated tension element such that the first end of the spring is separated from the second end of the spring.

2. The switch of claim 1 wherein the restraining element is selected from a group consisting of a tie-wrap, a eutectic substance, and the collapsing element.

3. The switch of claim 1 further comprising:
a third contact coupled to the spring;
a fourth contact coupled to the spring;
the third contact and the fourth contact having a first 3-4 electrical connection state when the spring is in the first state; and
the third contact and the fourth contact having a second 3-4 electrical connection state different from the first 3-4 electrical connection state when the spring is in the second state.

4. The switch of claim 3 wherein:
the first contact is electrically connected to the second contact in the first 1-2 electrical connection state;
the first contact is electrically isolated from the second contact in the second 1-2 electrical connection state;
the third contact is electrically connected to the fourth contact in the first 3-4 electrical connection state;
the third contact is electrically isolated from the fourth contact in the second 3-4 electrical connection state.

5. The switch of claim 1 wherein:
a portion of the first end of the spring adjacent to where the first contact is coupled is non-conductive to electricity; and
a portion of the second end of the spring adjacent to where the second contact is coupled is non-conductive to electricity.

6. The switch of claim 1 further comprising:
a voltage barrier coupled to the first contact.

7. The switch of claim 6 wherein the voltage barrier comprises a spark gap.

8. The switch of claim 1 further comprising:
a verification device coupled to the first contact.

9. The switch of claim 8 wherein the verification device is selected from the group consisting of a fuse and a resistor, the resistance of the resistor being much greater than the resistance of the collapsing element.

10. A method comprising:
coupling a first switch to a Power-in line, the first switch comprising:
a spring;
a collapsing element;
the spring having a first spring state in which it is being held in tension by a restraining element;
the spring having a second spring state in which it is not being held in tension because the restraining element has failed;
the collapsing element being situated such that, when sufficient current of a first polarity is applied to the collapsing element, heat from the collapsing element will cause the restraining element to fail;
a first A contact coupled to the spring;
a second A contact coupled to the spring;
the first A contact and the second A contact having a first 1-2 electrical connection state when the spring is in the first spring state;
the first A contact and the second A contact having a second 1-2 electrical connection state different from the first 1-2 electrical connection state when the spring is in the second spring state;
the first A contact coupled to a first switch Attach line;
the first switch Attach line coupled to the Power-in line;

wherein:
the spring is C-shaped, having a first end, a second end, and an arced element coupled to and between the first end and the second end;
the first A contact is coupled to the first end of the spring;
the second A contact is coupled to the second end of the spring;
a first elongated tension element is provided that has a proximate end coupled to the first end of the spring;
a second elongated tension element is provided that has a proximate end coupled to the second end of the spring;
a first B contact is coupled to a distal end of the first elongated tension element;
a second B contact is coupled to a distal end of the second elongated tension element, such that the first B contact is coupled to the second B contact when the spring is in the first spring state and the first B contact is not coupled to the second B contact when the spring is in the second spring state;
moving the distal end of the first elongated tension element toward the distal end of the second elongated element causes the first end of the spring to separate from the second end of the spring; and
the restraining element is coupled between the distal end of the first elongated tension element and the distal end of the second elongated tension element such that the first end of the spring is separated from the second end of the spring; and

applying sufficient power of the first polarity through the Power-in line to the first switch Attach line that the restraining element fails and the spring moves from the first spring state to the second spring state.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
coupling the second contact to a second switch Attach line on a second switch; and
after applying sufficient power of the first polarity through the Power-in line to the first switch Attach line, directing current of a second polarity opposite the first polarity through the first contact and the second contact to:
a perforating gun; and
the second switch Attach line, the second switch being constructed the same as the first switch except that the second switch requires sufficient power of the second polarity to cause a spring in the second switch to change from a first spring state to a second spring state.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
coupling the second contact to a second switch Attach line on a second switch; and
after applying sufficient power of the first polarity through the Power-

Assignees

• Bonavides Clovis Satyro
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Bonavides Clovis Satyro

Classifications

• H01H2037/763

  the spring being a blade spring · CPC title

• H01H3/30

  using spring motor · CPC title

• H01H85/46

  Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the protective device · CPC title

• H01H5/04 Primary

  Energy stored by deformation of elastic members (by deformation of bimetallic element in thermally-actuated switches H01H37/54) · CPC title

• H01H37/76

  Contact member actuated by melting of fusible material, actuated due to burning of combustible material or due to explosion of explosive material · CPC title