IP Library Granted Patent US 11,492,878
Granted Patent B2
US 11,492,878 · App. 16/636,571 · Granted Nov 8, 2022

Modular initiator

Inventors: Christopher Brian Sokolove (Midlothian, TX); Chenghua Han (Sugar Land, TX); Faraidoon Pundole (Sugar Land, TX); Jason Hoang Mai (Houston, TX)
Assignee: Hunting Titan, Inc.
E21B43/1185F42B3/121F42B3/182
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,492,878
App. No.
16/636,571
Granted
Nov 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A modular initiator assembly comprising a receptacle and connector combination adapted to shunt the electrical contacts of the initiator as a default condition and to only unshunt the electrical contacts coupled to the initiator when the receptacle and connector establish a fully seated connection.

Claims (39)

1. A modular initiator assembly comprising:

a receptacle having a first portion and an extending connection portion having a pair of pincer electrical contacts, and a wedge shaped protrusion located in between the pair of electrical contacts; and

a connector adapted to accept the connection portion of the receptacle and having a plurality of electrically conductive blades therethrough, each blade having a side springing extension that contacts each other, wherein the installation of the receptacle into the connector causes the pincer electrical contacts to first electrically couple the corresponding blades to the receptacle, which are shunted due to the springing extensions, and then second, when fully inserted, the wedge shaped protrusion separates the springing extension to electrically unshunt the initiator, wherein modular initiator assembly is used to initiate a perforating gun.

2. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 further comprising a shell coupled to the connector and having an initiator located within the shell, wherein the initiator is activated via an electrical signal from the plurality of conductors coupled to the receptacle.

3. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 wherein the shell contains a resistor based bridgewire initiator.

4. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 wherein the shell contains an exploding bridge wire initiator.

5. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 wherein the shell contains an exploding foil initiator.

6. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 wherein the shell contains a high explosive.

7. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of resistors within the shell.

8. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 further comprising a circuit board, wherein the receptacle is hard mounted to the circuit board.

9. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 further comprising a circuit board, wherein the receptacle is connected to the circuit board with a plurality of conductors.

10. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 wherein modular initiator assembly is used to initiate a cutter.

11. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 wherein modular initiator assembly is used to initiate a setting tool.

12. The modular initiator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the removal of the initiator from the receptacle automatically shunts the initiator before the initiator is electrically disconnected from the receptacle.

13. A gun string assembly comprising:

a first perforating gun suspending from a wireline;

a switch tandem having an inner bore, coupled to and located downhole from the first perforating gun; and

a modular initiator assembly disposed in the inner bore of the switch tandem further comprising:

a receptacle having a first portion and an extending connection portion having a pair of pincer electrical contacts, and a wedge shaped protrusion located in between the pair of electrical contacts; and

a connector adapted to accept the connection portion of the receptacle and having a pair of electrically conductive blades therethrough, each blade having a side springing extension that contacts each other, wherein the installation of the receptacle into the connector causes the pincer electrical contacts to first electrically couple the corresponding blades to the receptacle, which are shunted due to the springing extensions, and then second, when fully inserted, the wedge shaped protrusion separates the springing extension to electrically unshunt the initiator.

14. The gun string assembly of claim 13 further comprising a shell coupled to the connector and having an initiator located within the shell, wherein the initiator is activated via an electrical signal from the plurality of conductors coupled to the receptacle.

15. The gun string assembly of claim 13 wherein the shell contains a resistor based bridgewire initiator.

16. The gun string assembly of claim 13 wherein the shell contains an exploding bridge wire initiator.

17. The gun string assembly of claim 13 wherein the shell contains an exploding foil initiator.

18. The gun string assembly of claim 13 wherein the shell contains a high explosive.

19. The gun string assembly of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of resistors within the shell.

20. The gun string assembly of claim 13 further comprising a circuit board, wherein the receptacle is hard mounted to the circuit board.

21. The gun string assembly of claim 13 further comprising a circuit board, wherein the receptacle is connected to the circuit board with a plurality of conductors.

22. The modular initiator assembly of claim 13 wherein the first portion is adapted to couple a plurality of conductors.

23. The modular initiator assembly of claim 13 further including a second perforating gun coupled to and located downhole from the switch tandem.

24. The modular initiator assembly of claim 13 , wherein the removal of the initiator from the receptacle automatically shunts the initiator before the initiator is electrically disconnected from the receptacle.

25. A modular initiator assembly comprising:

a receptacle having a first portion and an extending connection portion having a pair of pincer electrical contacts, and a wedge shaped protrusion located in between the pair of electrical contacts; and

a connector adapted to accept the connection portion of the receptacle and having a plurality of electrically conductive blades therethrough, each blade having a side springing extension that contacts each other, wherein the installation of the receptacle into the connector causes the pincer electrical contacts to first electrically couple the corresponding blades to the receptacle, which are shunted due to the springing extensions, and then second, when fully inserted, the wedge shaped protrusion separates the springing extension to electrically unshunt the initiator, wherein modular initiator assembly is used to initiate a cutter.

26. The modular initiator assembly of claim 25 , wherein the removal of the initiator from the receptacle automatically shunts the initiator before the initiator is electrically disconnected from the receptacle.

27. A modular initiator assembly comprising:

a receptacle having a first portion and an extending connection portion having a pair of pincer electrical contacts, and a wedge shaped protrusion located in between the pair of electrical contacts; and

a connector adapted to accept the connection portion of the receptacle and having a plurality of electrically conductive blades therethrough, each blade having a side springing extension that contacts each other, wherein the installation of the receptacle into the connector causes the pincer electrical contacts to first electrically couple the corresponding blades to the receptacle, which are shunted due to the springing extensions, and then second, when fully inserted, the wedge shaped protrusion separates the springing extension to electrically unshunt the initiator, wherein modular initiator assembly is used to initiate a setting tool.

28. The modular initiator assembly of claim 27 , wherein the removal of the initiator from the receptacle automatically shunts the initiator before the initiator is electrically disconnected from the receptacle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2020
From: SOKOLOVE, CHRISTOPHER BRIAN; HAN, CHENGHUA; PUNDOLE, FARAIDOON; MAI, JASON HOANG
To: HUNTING TITAN, INC.
Reel/Frame 052011/0494 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62630048 · Feb 13, 2018
Provisional Application 62542152 · Aug 7, 2017
Related Publication 20210164331A1 · Jun 3, 2021
Cited By (3)
US 12,286,867 US 12,338,718 US 12,385,728