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US 12,584,378 B2Granted
Dart and clutch assembly
AssigneeEpic Lift Systems
InventorsRobert G. Roycroft, Shannon Freeman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein are embodiments of systems and apparatuses that include a dart and/or a clutch for a dart plunger. In an exemplary embodiment, the dart plunger includes a dart adapted to move between a first position and a second position and also between a maximum closed position and a minimum closed position. Varying diameters of the dart enable the clutch to variably retard movement of the dart between its first, second, maximum, and minimum positions.
Claims60
A dart plunger for removing liquids in a well, comprising:
- a body having a bore there-through;
- a dart having a shaft, where the dart is mounted in the bore to move between a first open position and a first closed position, where a flow from the well travels through the bore in the first open position, and the flow from the well does not travel through the bore in the first closed position;
- and
- a clutch having a height;
- wherein the dart's shaft has a first end, a second end, a first area of increased diameter between the first end and the second end, and a distance between the first end and the first area of increased diameter;
- wherein the distance between the first end of the shaft and the first area of increased diameter is longer than the height of the clutch;
- wherein the dart has a maximum closed position, a minimum closed position, and a distance between the maximum closed position and the minimum closed position, where the dart blocks the flow through the bore in the maximum closed position, and the dart allows the flow through the bore in the minimum closed position;
- wherein the clutch engages the dart's shaft for retarding movement of the dart such that the clutch retards movement of the dart more at the first area of increased diameter than between the dart's first end and the first area of increased diameter;
- and
- wherein the distance between the maximum closed position and the minimum closed position is substantially the same as a difference between the height of the clutch and the distance between the dart's first end and the first area of increased diameter.
7 more elements
A dart plunger for descending and ascending in a well to remove liquids in the well, comprising:
- a body having a bore there-through;
- a dart having a shaft, where the dart is mounted in the bore to move between a first open position and a first closed position, where a flow from the well travels through the bore in the first open position, and the flow from the well does not travel through the bore past the dart in the first closed position;
- and
- a clutch having a height;
- wherein the dart's shaft has a first end, a second end, a first area of increased diameter between the first end and the second end, and a distance between the first end and the first area of increased diameter;
- wherein the distance between the first end of the shaft and the first area of increased diameter is longer than the height of the clutch;
- wherein the dart has a maximum closed position, a minimum closed position, and a distance between the maximum closed position and the minimum closed position, where the dart blocks the flow through the bore in the maximum closed position, and the dart allows the flow through the bore in the minimum closed position;
- wherein the clutch engages the dart's shaft for retarding movement of the dart such that the clutch retards movement of the dart more at the first area of increased diameter than between the dart's first end and the first area of increased diameter, and
- wherein the dart is mounted in the bore such that, as the plunger ascends in the well, the dart moves between the maximum closed position and the minimum closed position in response to pressure fluctuations in the well.
6 more elements
A dart plunger for descending and ascending in a well to remove liquids in the well, comprising:
- a body having a bore there-through;
- a dart having a shaft, where the dart is mounted in the bore to move between a first open position and a first closed position, where a flow from the well travels through the bore in the first open position, and the flow from the well does not travel through the bore past a closed end of the dart in the first closed position;
- and
- a clutch;
- wherein the dart's shaft has a first end, a second end, and a first area of increased diameter between the first end and the second end;
- wherein the dart has a maximum closed position and a minimum closed position, where the dart blocks the flow through the bore past the closed end of the dart in the maximum closed position, and the dart allows the flow through the bore in the minimum closed position;
- wherein the clutch engages the dart's shaft for retarding movement of the dart such that the clutch retards movement of the dart more at the first area of increased diameter than between the dart's first end and the first area of increased diameter;
- and
- wherein the dart is mounted in the bore such that, as the plunger ascends in the well, the dart moves between the maximum closed position and the minimum closed position in response to pressure fluctuations in the well.
6 more elements
A dart plunger for descending and ascending in a well to remove liquids in the well, comprising:
- a body having a bore there-through;
- a dart mounted in the bore to move between a first open position and a first closed position, where a flow from the well travels through the bore in the first open position, and the flow from the well does not travel through the bore in the first closed position;
- wherein the dart is mounted in the bore to move between a maximum closed position and a minimum closed position, where the dart blocks flow through the bore in the maximum closed position, and the dart allows flow through the bore in the minimum closed position;
- and
- wherein the dart is mounted in the bore such that, as the plunger ascends in the well, the dart moves between the maximum closed position and the minimum closed position in response to pressure fluctuations in the well.
2 more elements
A dart plunger for descending and ascending in a well to remove liquids in the well, comprising:
- a body having a bore there-through;
- a dart mounted in the bore to move between a first open position and a first closed position, where a flow from the well travels past the dart and through the bore in the first open position, and the flow from the well does not travel past the dart and through the bore in the first closed position;
- wherein the dart is mounted in the bore to move between a maximum closed position and a minimum closed position, where the dart blocks flow past the dart and through the bore in the maximum closed position, and the dart allows flow past the dart and through the bore in the minimum closed position;
- and
- wherein the dart is mounted in the bore such that, as the plunger ascends in the well, the dart moves between the maximum closed position and the minimum closed position in response to pressure fluctuations in the well.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.