# US 10,767,440 B2 · Wiper dart with reinforced drive element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,767,440 B2 - Document ID: US10767440B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/091,426 - Filed: 2016-05-16 - Published: 2019-05-02 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-16 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Todd Anthony Stair; Gary Joe Makowiecki; Carlos Alejandro Valdez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767440B2 ## CPC - E21B 33/126: with fluid-pressure-operated elastic cup or skirt (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) - E21B 33/16: using plugs for isolating cement charge; Plugs therefor {(stage cementing E21B33/146; spacer compositions C09K8/424)} - E21B 33/14: for cementing casings into boreholes - E21B 33/165: {Cementing plugs specially adapted for being released down-hole (cementing heads E21B33/05)} - E21B 37/10: Well swabs - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A wiper dart includes one or more wiper elements disposed about a mandrel, each wiper element comprising a wiper cup that extends radially outward and rearwardly relative to the mandrel, and a nose assembly coupled to the mandrel. A drive element is disposed about the mandrel and includes a shoe and a cup coupled to the shoe. The cup extends radially outward and rearwardly from the shoe and exhibits a maximum diameter less than or equal to a maximum diameter of the one or more wiper elements, and the shoe provides at least one of axial and radial support to the cup. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wiper dart, comprising: one or more wiper elements disposed about a mandrel, each wiper element comprising a wiper cup that extends radially outward and rearwardly relative to the mandrel; a nose assembly coupled to the mandrel; and a drive element disposed about the mandrel and including a shoe and a cup coupled to the shoe, wherein the cup of the drive element extends radially outward and rearwardly from the shoe and exhibits a maximum diameter less than or equal to a maximum diameter of the one or more wiper elements, wherein the shoe provides at least one of axial and radial support to the cup, wherein the cup of the drive element provides an inner cup surface and an outer cup surface, wherein the outer cup surface provides a reinforced section that engages an end wall defined by the shoe, and wherein the end wall extends at a first angle offset from a longitudinal axis of the drive, the first angle ranging between 1° and 90° to provide radial support to the cup of the drive element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wiper dart of claim 1, wherein the drive element axially interposes the one or more wiper elements and the nose assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wiper dart of claim 1, further comprising a central orifice defined axially through the shoe to receive the mandrel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wiper dart of claim 1, wherein the cup of the drive element comprises a flexible material selected from the group consisting of an elastomer, a thermoplastic, a thermoset, polyurethane, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wiper dart of claim 1, wherein the shoe comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a plastic, a high-strength thermoplastic, a phenolic, a composite material, a glass, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wiper dart of claim 1, wherein the shoe defines a trough and the cup of the drive element is bonded to the shoe at the trough. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wiper dart of claim 6, further comprising a central orifice defined axially through the shoe to receive the mandrel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The wiper dart of claim 1, wherein the outer cup surface further comprises an exposed section adjacent the reinforced section, wherein the exposed section of the outer cup surface extends at a second angle offset from the longitudinal axis of the drive, the second angle ranging between 10° and 45°. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The wiper dart of claim 1, wherein the cup of the drive element provides an inner cup surface that extends at a first angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the drive element and an outer cup surface that extends at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis and dissimilar to the first angle. ### Claim 10 A well system, comprising: a work string extended within a wellbore and coupled to a wellbore liner; and a wiper dart conveyed into the work string to hydraulically force a fluid through the work string and into the wellbore liner, the wiper dart including: one or more wiper elements disposed about a mandrel and each comprising a wiper cup that extends radially outward and rearwardly relative to the mandrel to sealingly engage an inner wall of the work string; a nose assembly coupled to the mandrel; and a drive element disposed about the mandrel and including a shoe and a cup coupled to the shoe, wherein the cup of the drive element extends radially outward and rearwardly from the shoe and exhibits a maximum diameter less than or equal to a maximum diameter of the one or more wiper elements, and wherein the shoe provides at least one of axial and radial support to the cup, wherein the cup of the drive element provides an inner cup surface and an outer cup surface, wherein the outer cup surface provides a reinforced section that engages an end wall defined by the shoe, and wherein the end wall extends at a first angle offset from a longitudinal axis of the drive, the first angle ranging between 1° and 90° to provide radial support to the cup of the drive element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The well system of claim 10, wherein a portion of the wellbore is lined with casing and the wellbore liner comprises a liner coupled to and extending from the casing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The well system of claim 10, further comprising a downhole tool releasably coupled to a lower end of the work string to receive the wiper dart. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The well system of claim 10, wherein the drive element interposes the one or more wiper elements and the nose assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The well system of claim 10, wherein the shoe defines a trough and the cup of the drive element is bonded to the shoe at the trough. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The well system of claim 14, wherein the wiper dart further comprises a central orifice defined axially through the shoe to receive the mandrel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The well system of claim 10, wherein the outer cup surface further comprises an exposed section adjacent the reinforced section, wherein the exposed section of the outer cup surface extends at a second angle offset from the longitudinal axis of the drive, the first angle ranging between 10° and 45°. ### Claim 17 A method, comprising: pumping a fluid into a work string extended within a wellbore and coupled to a wellbore liner; pumping a wiper dart into the work string, the wiper dart including one or more wiper elements disposed about a mandrel, a nose assembly coupled to the mandrel, and a drive element disposed about the mandrel and including a shoe and a cup coupled to the shoe, wherein the cup exhibits a maximum diameter less than or equal to a maximum diameter of the one or more wiper elements, wherein the cup of the drive element provides an inner cup surface and an outer cup surface, wherein the outer cup surface provides a reinforced section that engages an end wall defined by the shoe, and wherein the end wall extends at an angle offset from a longitudinal axis of the drive, the angle ranging between 1° and 90° to provide radial support to the cup of the drive element; engaging an inner wall of the work string with the one or more sealing elements as the wiper dart advances downhole and thereby hydraulically forcing the fluid into the wellbore liner; propelling the wiper dart through a reduced diameter section defined in the work string with the drive element; and providing at least one of axial and radial support to the cup with the shoe as the wiper drive element propels the wiper dart through the reduced diameter section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the shoe defines a trough and the cup is bonded to the shoe at the trough, the method further comprising providing axial support to the cup with the cup bonded to the shoe at the trough. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the wiper dart further comprises a central orifice defined axially through the shoe to receive the mandrel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, the method further comprising providing axial and radial support to the cup by engaging the reinforced section against the end wall defined by the shoe.