Overmolded shaped charge and methods of use
One example apparatus includes a shaped charge, and an overmold that includes one or more layers surrounding a portion of the shaped charge. The overmold may contact, and conform to, a case within which the shaped charge is received, and the overmold may further contact, and conform to, a cartridge wall within which the shaped charge and the overmold are positioned. An electrical or electronic component may be partly embedded in the overmold.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a liner;
a case;
a shaped charge positioned between the liner and the case;
a detonator located below one end of the case; and
an overmold surrounding a portion of the shaped charge, and the overmold, the detonator, the shaped charge, the case, and the liner, are coaxial with each other.
2 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , where the overmold comprises two layers, and a portion of a component is embedded between the two layers.
3 . The apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein the component comprises an electrical device and/or an electronic device.
4 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the detonator is completely disposed within an interior of the overmold.
5 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a cartridge within which a portion of the overmold is disposed, and the cartridge is configured and arranged to be removably received within a barrel of a perforation gun.
6 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a burst disk with which the overmold cooperates to hermetically seal the shaped charge from an external environment.
7 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the overmold comprises on or more layers, and one of the layers comprises a polymer, plastic, resin materials, glass, composite, or metal material.
8 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be placed directly into a barrel for firing, and the apparatus comprises a rim configured to be engaged by an extractor for removal of the apparatus from the barrel after the apparatus has been fired.
9 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the overmold defines an interior, and a portion of the interior of the overmold has a tapered configuration that surrounds and contacts a tapered bottom portion of the case.
10 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a propellant, a primer, and a fuse, that are all positioned within a cartridge wall below the shaped charge and the overmold, and the cartridge wall has a hollow cylindrical configuration.
11 . An apparatus comprising:
a perforation gun including a reusable gun body that comprises a barrel and a hole that is aligned with the barrel, and the hole is open to an external environment; and
a shaped charge assembly configured to be removably received in the barrel, and the shaped charge assembly comprises a shaped charge at least partly contained by an overmold comprising one or more layers, and the overmold defines an interior, and a portion of the interior of the overmold has a tapered configuration that surrounds and contacts a tapered portion of the bottom of the case.
12 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a bulkhead within which respective portions of the detonator and a detonator stem are received, and the bulkhead is at least partly disposed within, and directly contacts, the overmold.
13 . The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , further comprising an electrical conductor that passes through the detonator and the detonator stem, and contacts the shaped charge.
14 . The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein the detonator stem extends from the detonator to a bottom of a cartridge in which the overmold is received.
15 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the shaped charge assembly comprises a propellant, a primer, and a fuse, that are all positioned within a cartridge wall below the shaped charge and the overmold, and the cartridge wall has a hollow cylindrical configuration.
16 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the shaped charge is contained in an enclosure that is sealed at one end by a burst disk.
17 . The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein
the overmold is non-metallic.
18 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein further comprising a cartridge configured to hold the overmold, but no additional instances of the overmold.
19 . The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the shaped charge assembly comprises an impact fuse.
20 . An apparatus with a post-firing configuration, comprising:
a cartridge that is open at one end;
a partial overmold disposed within the cartridge so that a curved upper surface of the overmold is exposed to an external environment;
a bulkhead disposed within the overmold and extending upward to the upper surface of the overmold;
a detonator disposed within the bulkhead and extending upward to the upper surface of the overmold; and
a detonator stem disposed within the bulkhead and extending up to the detonator.