IP Library Granted Patent US 10,550,674
Granted Patent B2
US 10,550,674 · App. 16/294,625 · Granted Feb 4, 2020

Internal valve plunger

Inventors: Mitchell A. Boyd (Haslet, TX); Garrett S. Boyd (Godley, TX); David Robert Dahlgren (Brighton, CO)
Assignee: FlowCo Production Solutions, LLC
E21B43/121E21B33/068F04B47/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,550,674
App. No.
16/294,625
Filed
Mar 6, 2019
Granted
Feb 4, 2020
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3672
USPC
166/68
Abstract

A bypass plunger includes a plunger body that includes a head portion located at one end of the plunger body and a tail portion located at an opposite end of the plunger body. The head portion includes at least one flow port, and the tail portion includes at least one passageway. A valve component is disposed within an internal bore of the plunger body and is movable between an open position and a closed position. At least one plug is located within a respective one of the flow ports and/or a respective one of the passageways, and is configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway.

Claims (28)

1. A bypass plunger, comprising:

a plunger body including a head portion located at one end of the plunger body and having at least one flow port, and a tail portion located at an opposite end of the plunger body and having at least one passageway;

a valve component disposed within an internal bore of the plunger body and moveable between an open position and a closed position; and

at least one plug each located within a respective one of the at least one flow port or the at least one passageway and configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway,

wherein in the open position, the valve component is located between the at least one flow port and a head end of the plunger body and, in the closed position, the valve component is located on an opposite side of the at least one flow port and restricts flow from the at least one passageway to the at least one flow port.

2. The bypass plunger of claim 1 , wherein the at least one plug is fastened to the respective flow port or the respective passageway via a retaining ring, thread, set screw, or detent.

3. The bypass plunger of claim 1 , wherein the at least one plug is fastened to the respective flow port or the respective passageway via welding or adhesive.

4. The bypass plunger of claim 1 , wherein the at least one plug is fastened to the respective flow port or the respective passageway via interference fit.

5. The bypass plunger of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow port is at least two flow ports, and at least one of the at least two flow ports does not include a plug therein.

6. The bypass plunger of claim 1 , wherein the plunger body includes an end cap connected to the tail portion.

7. The bypass plunger of claim 6 , wherein the end cap includes the at least one passageway.

8. The bypass plunger of claim 6 , wherein relative rotation between the end cap and the plunger body is locked by at least one crimple detent.

9. The bypass plunger of claim 8 , wherein the at least one crimple detent includes a dent formed in a wall of the plunger body or a wall of the end cap, and the dent extends radially inward into the wall of the other of the end cap or plunger body.

10. A bypass plunger, comprising:

a plunger body including a head portion and a tail portion;

at least one flow port in the head portion;

at least one passageway in the tail portion;

a ball located within an internal bore of the plunger body and moveable along a length of the internal bore between an open position and a closed position; and

at least one plug each located within a respective one of the at least one flow port and the at least one passageway, and configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway,

wherein in the open position, the ball is located between the at least one flow port and a head end of the plunger body and, in the closed position, the ball is located on an opposite side of the at least one flow port and restricts flow from the at least one passageway to the at least one flow port.

11. The bypass plunger of claim 10 , wherein the at least one plug is fastened to the respective flow port or the respective passageway via a retaining ring, thread, set screw, or detent.

12. The bypass plunger of claim 10 , wherein the at least one plug is fastened to the respective flow port or the respective passageway via welding or adhesive.

13. The bypass plunger of claim 10 , wherein the at least one plug is fastened to the respective flow port or the respective passageway via interference fit.

14. The bypass plunger of claim 10 , wherein the at least one flow port is at least two flow ports, and at least one of the at least two flow ports does not include a plug therein.

15. The bypass plunger of claim 10 , wherein plunger body includes an end cap connected to the tail portion.

16. The bypass plunger of claim 15 , wherein the end cap includes the at least one passageway.

17. The bypass plunger of claim 15 , wherein relative rotation between the end cap and the plunger body is locked by at least one crimple detent.

18. The bypass plunger of claim 17 , wherein the at least one crimple detent includes a dent formed in a wall of the plunger body or a wall of the end cap, and the dent extends radially inward into the wall of the other of the end cap or plunger body.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2024
From: FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: PATRIOT ARTIFICIAL LIFT LLC; FPS LOGISTICS, L.L.C.; SPM COMPLETION SYSTEMS, LLC; FPS PROPERTIES LLC; GAS LIFT PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS LLC; INDUSTRIAL VALVE MANUFACTURING LLC; FLOWCO PRODUCTIONS LLC (AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, L.L.C.)
Reel/Frame 068387/0879 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2024
From: ESTIS COMPRESSION, LLC; FLOWCO PRODUCTIONS LLC; PATRIOT ARTIFICIAL LIFT, LLC; INDTRIAL VALVE MANUFACTURING LLC DBA JMI MANUFACTURING; FLOGISTIX, LP
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068762/0857 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2020
From: DAHLGREN, DAVID ROBERT
To: FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 053860/0354 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2020
From: BOYD, MITCHELL A.; BOYD, GARRETT S.
To: FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 053763/0333 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2020
From: FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, L.L.C.; PATRIOT ARTIFICIAL LIFT LLC; FPS LOGISTICS, L.L.C.; SPM COMPLETION SYSTEMS, LLC; FPS PROPERTIES LLC; GAS LIFT PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS LLC; INDUSTRIAL VALVE MANUFACTURING LLC
To: FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053760/0930 →
Cited By (4)
US 12,497,873 US 12,612,847 US 12,680,428 US 12,680,430