US 12,669,205 B2Granted

Flow regulator assembly for drilling operations

OwnerMitchell Znamenacek, Charles Barberinventors

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Abstract

A flow regulator assembly for regulating a fluid contained within a shell. The shell having an exterior surface and a cavity storing a fluid. The flow regulator assembly includes a body and an inner surface defining a main passage, the main passage is sized to receive a tool configured to form an opening, a connector assembly for connecting the body to the shell, and a flow control device that is selectively positionable, relative to the body, in at least one of an open position, a closed position, and a partially open position. When in the open position the fluid may move through the main passage, in the closed position the fluid is blocked from moving through the main passage, and in the partially open position at least a portion of the main passage is blocked while the tool is disposed within the main passage.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A flow regulator assembly for regulating a fluid contained within a shell, the shell having an exterior surface and a cavity storing the fluid, the flow regulator assembly comprising:

a body including a first end and an opposing second end, the body further including a first inner surface defining a main passage, a second inner surface defining a second passage, and a recess surface, including an angled wall portion, defining a recess wherein the main passage is sized to receive a tool at the first end, the tool configured to form an opening such that when the tool extends through the main passage, the tool engages the exterior surface of the shell;
a connector assembly disposed at the second end of the body and configured to connect the body to the shell, wherein the second passage is positioned at a distance from the connector assembly;
a plunger including a lower angled surface, wherein the plunger is selectively translatable relative to the second passage between an open position and a closed position, wherein when the plunger is arranged in the open position the fluid may move through the main passage, and wherein when the plunger is arranged in the closed position the plunger extends across the main passage and fluid is blocked from moving through the main passage by the plunger and at least a portion of the lower angled surface is positioned within the recess and spaced a distance from the angled wall portion, and at least a portion of the lower angled surface is accessible through the main passage to engage with the tool when the tool is received in the main passage;
and
a biasing element engaged by the plunger and configured to move the plunger from the open position to the closed position.

2 more elements

A flow regulator system comprising:

a tool for forming an opening in a shell configured to contain a fluid, the shell includes an exterior surface;
and
a flow regulator assembly comprising:
a body including a first inner surface defining a main passage extending along an axial direction and a recess surface, including an angled wall portion, defining a recess, wherein the main passage is sized to receive the tool configured to form the opening, wherein the body is arranged such that the tool extends through the main passage along the axial direction and engages the exterior surface of the shell, and wherein a flow moves through the main passage along the axial direction;
and
a plunger including a lower angled surface, wherein the plunger is selectively translatable between an open position and a closed position, wherein when the plunger is arranged in the open position the fluid may move through the main passage, and wherein when the plunger is arranged in the closed position the plunger extends across the main passage and fluid is blocked from moving through the main passage by the plunger and at least a portion of the lower angled is positioned within the recess and spaced a distance from the angled wall portion and at least a portion of the lower angled surface is accessible through the main passage to be engaged by the tool when the tool is received in the main passage.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.