IP Library Granted Patent US 11,648,513
Granted Patent B2
US 11,648,513 · App. 16/540,484 · Granted May 16, 2023

Detonator positioning device

Inventors: Christian Eitschberger (Munich, DE); Gernot Uwe Burmeister (Austin, TX); Thomas Keller Bradfield (Austin, TX); Frank Haron Preiss (Bonn, DE); Thilo Scharf (Letterkenny, IE); Liam McNelis (Bonn, DE)
Assignee: DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
B01D65/08B01D61/20B01D63/021B01D63/046B01D65/00E21B43/117E21B43/119B01D2313/02B01D2313/025B01D2313/20B01D2313/21B01D2313/26B01D2313/44B01D2313/54B01D2313/56B01D2315/06B01D2317/04B01D2321/185
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,648,513
App. No.
16/540,484
Granted
May 16, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A detonator positioning device for use with a detonator in a perforating gun assembly is described. The detonator positioning device is configured for electrically contactably forming an electrical connection within the perforating gun housing by contact. The detonator positioning device includes a body having a first end, a second end, and a central bore extending between the first and second ends. The central bore is adapted for receiving one or more electrically contactable components of a detonator. The detonator positioning device aligns at least one of the one or more electrically contactable components to form an electrical connection with a bulkhead assembly.

Claims (54)

1. A detonator positioning device comprising:

a body configured for positioning a detonator, the body comprising a first end, a second end, and a central bore extending between the first end and the second end; and

a plurality of electrical contacts positioned in the body, wherein

the entire body is positioned in a perforating gun housing such that each electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts is configured to form an electrical connection within the perforating gun housing by contact, without using a wired electrical connection,

an explosive component of the detonator is positioned along a longitudinal center axis of the perforating gun housing, and

at least one electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts is a pin connector of a bulkhead assembly that is partially positioned in the perforating gun housing and partially positioned in a tandem seal adapter, the pin connector being in communication with the explosive component of the detonator.

2. The detonator positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection is formed by an electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts contacting other electrical contacting components in the perforating gun housing.

3. The detonator positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to facilitate the electrical connection within the perforating gun housing and the electrical connection places an electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts in communication with a relay to an adjacent perforating gun housing.

4. The detonator positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises:

a first part; and

a second part,

wherein the first part and the second part are configured as halves of the body.

5. The detonator positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the detonator comprises a housing configured to house the explosive component.

6. The detonator positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the detonator is a wireless detonator.

7. A detonator positioning device comprising:

a body configured for positioning an explosive component of a detonator, the body comprising a central bore positioned in the body and the explosive component being positioned in the central bore; and

a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, wherein at least one of the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact includes a spring-loaded electrical contact, and the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are positioned in at least a portion of the body,

wherein the spring-loaded electrical contact includes a pin connector of a bulkhead assembly, the pin connector being in communication with the detonator, and the bulkhead assembly being partially positioned in a perforating gun housing and partially positioned in a tandem seal adapter connected to the perforating gun housing,

at least a first portion of the body is positioned in the perforating gun housing and the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact forms an electrical connection within the perforating gun housing by contact, without using a wired electrical connection, and at least a second portion of the body is positioned in the tandem seal adapter, and the body is configured to facilitate the electrical connection within the perforating gun housing and the electrical connection places the first electrical contact or the second electrical contact in communication with a relay to an adjacent perforating gun housing; and

the entire explosive component of the detonator is positioned within the perforating gun housing such that the explosive component is on a center axis of the perforating gun housing.

8. The detonator positioning device of claim 7 , wherein the spring-loaded electrical contact comprises:

an electrically contactable line-in portion configured to form the electrical connection with the bulkhead assembly.

9. The detonator positioning device of claim 7 , wherein the body comprises:

a first part; and

a second part,

wherein the first part and the second part are configured as halves of the body.

10. The detonator positioning device of claim 7 , wherein the detonator comprises a housing configured to house the explosive component.

11. A perforating gun assembly comprising:

a perforating gun housing;

a detonator positioning device, wherein at least a portion of the detonator positioning device is positioned within the perforating gun housing, the detonator positioning device comprising:

a body configured for positioning an explosive component of a detonator, the body comprising a central bore extending between a first end and a second end, and

a plurality of electrical contacts positioned in the body, the electrical contacts being in communication with an electronic circuit board configured to initiate the explosive component of the detonator, wherein

the electronic circuit board is positioned entirely in the perforating gun housing,

each electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts of the detonator positioning device forms an electrical connection within the perforating gun housing by contact with a corresponding electrical contacting component, without using a wired electrical connection, and

the explosive component is positioned along a longitudinal center axis of the perforating gun housing;

a tandem seal adapter connected to a first end of the perforating gun housing; and

a bulkhead assembly partially positioned in the perforating gun housing and partially positioned in the tandem seal adapter, the bulkhead assembly including a pin connector,

wherein at least one electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts is the pin connector of the bulkhead assembly, and the pin connector is in communication with the detonator, and

wherein the detonator positioning device aligns the detonator with the bulkhead assembly, such that the detonator electrically contactably forms an electrical connection within the bulkhead assembly.

12. The perforating gun assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:

a first electrically contactable biasing member positioned in the bore; and

a second electrically contactable biasing member adjacent the first end or the second end of the body.

13. The perforating gun assembly of claim 12 , wherein

the first electrically contactable biasing member comprises a line-out connector, and

the second electrically contactable biasing member comprises a ground connector.

14. The perforating gun assembly of claim 11 , wherein

one electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts is an electrically contactable line-in portion, and

the pin connector of the bulkhead assembly comprises a line-in contact-initiating pin,

wherein the line-in contact-initiating pin contacts the line-in portion of the detonator to facilitate the electrical connection within the bulkhead assembly.

15. The perforating gun assembly of claim 11 , wherein

the detonator positioning device is configured to be removably positioned in the perforating gun housing, and

the detonator positioning device facilitates the electrical connection within the perforating gun housing and the electrical connection places one electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts in communication with a relay to an adjacent perforating gun housing.

16. The perforating gun assembly of claim 11 , wherein the detonator positioning device is configured to be secured in an end plate positioned in the perforating gun housing.

17. The perforating gun assembly of claim 11 , wherein the detonator is a wireless detonator.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2020
From: DYNAENERGETICS GMBH & CO. KG
To: DYNAENERGETICS EUROPE GMBH
Reel/Frame 051968/0906 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2019
From: PREISS, FRANK H; MCNELIS, LIAM; SCHARF, THILO
To: DYNAENERGETICS GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 050052/0558 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2019
From: EITSCHBERGER, CHRISTIAN; PREISS, FRANK HARON; SCHARF, THILO; MCNELIS, LIAM
To: DYNAENERGETICS GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 050052/0599 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2019
From: BURMEISTER, GERNOT UWE; BRADFIELD, THOMAS KELLER
To: DYNAENERGETICS US, INC.
Reel/Frame 050052/0699 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2019
From: DYNAENERGETICS GMBH & CO. KG
To: DYNAENERGETICS US, INC.; DYNAENERGETICS GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 050052/0836 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2019
From: DYNAENERGETICS US, INC.
To: DYNAENERGETICS GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 050053/0974 →
Priority Claims (1)
CA 2821506 · Jul 18, 2013 · national
Continuity (8)
Continuation 16026431 · Jul 3, 2018
Continuation In Part 15920812 · Mar 14, 2018
Continuation 15617344 · Jun 8, 2017
Division 15287309 · Oct 6, 2016
Continuation 15117228
Division 14904788
Provisional Application 61949939 · Mar 7, 2014
Related Publication 20190366272A1 · Dec 5, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,428,940