IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,066,894
Granted Patent B2
US 11,066,894 · App. 16/431,348 · Granted Jul 20, 2021

Spring loaded inner diameter opening ball seat

Inventor: Matthew Stone (Humble, TX)
Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
E21B33/12E21B34/063E21B34/10E21B43/26E21B2200/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,066,894
App. No.
16/431,348
Granted
Jul 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A frac sleeve assembly for use in a downhole operation and method of use are disclosed. The frac sleeve assembly includes a sleeve movable within a housing and a ball seat movable within the sleeve. The sleeve includes a pin adjusting element. The ball seat includes a seat tooth disposed at a fluid passage of the ball seat for seating a ball, and a pin associated with the seat tooth. Motion of the ball seat within the sleeve causes the pin adjusting element to move the pin to adjust the seat tooth to release the ball.

Claims (22)

1. A frac sleeve assembly for use in a downhole operation, comprising:

a sleeve movable within a housing, the sleeve including a pin adjusting element; and

a ball seat movable within the sleeve, the ball seat comprising:

a radial through passage formed therein;

a seat tooth disposed at a fluid passage of the ball seat for seating a ball, and

a pin associated with the seat tooth and disposed within the radial through passage, the pin having an end in contact with an inner surface of the sleeve, wherein motion of the ball seat within the sleeve causes the pin adjusting element to move the pin through the radial through passage to adjust the seat tooth to release the ball.

2. The frac sleeve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seat tooth is disposed at a ridge of a funnel section of the ball seat in order to receive the ball.

3. The frac sleeve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spring for exerting a radial force on the pin in the radial through passage.

4. The frac sleeve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seat tooth includes two tooth components and the pin moves in a radially outward direction to separate the two tooth components to release the ball.

5. The frac sleeve assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pin adjusting element is a recess in the sleeve and the ball seat moves along a longitudinal axis of a sleeve to engage the pin with the recess to allow the pin to move radially outward.

6. The frac sleeve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pin moves radially inward to expand a circumference of the seat tooth.

7. The frac sleeve assembly of claim 6 , wherein the pin adjusting element is a protrusion in the sleeve and the ball seat moves along a longitudinal axis of a sleeve to engage the pin with the protrusion to move the pin radially inward to expand the opening of the seat tooth.

8. The frac sleeve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a shear pin that retains the ball seat at a selected location.

9. A method of operating a frac system, comprising:

receiving a ball at a seat tooth disposed at a fluid passage of a ball seat, the ball seat having a radial through passage formed therein, the seat tooth having an associated pin disposed within the radial through passage, the pin having an end in contact with an inner surface of a sleeve; and

moving the ball seat within the sleeve to a location at which a pin adjusting element of the sleeve moves the pin through the radial through passage to adjust the seat tooth to release the ball.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising exerting a radial force on the pin via a spring.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the seat tooth includes two tooth components, further comprising moving the pin in a radially outward direction to separate the two tooth components to release the ball.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the pin adjusting element is a recess in the sleeve, further comprising moving the ball seat moves along a longitudinal axis of a sleeve to engage the pin with the recess to move the pin radially outward to separate the two tooth components to release the ball.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising moving the pin radially inward to expand a circumference of the seat tooth.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pin adjusting element is a protrusion in the sleeve, further comprising moving the ball seat along a longitudinal axis of a sleeve to engage the pin with the protrusion to move the pin radially inward to expand the opening of the seat tooth.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising breaking a shear pin that retains the ball seat at a selected location in order to move the ball seat with respect to the sleeve.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2019
From: STONE, MATTHEW
To: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 049365/0674 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200386069A1 · Dec 10, 2020