Downhole packer assembly having an auto-retraction mechanism
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsPierre Clery, Stephane Metayer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A downhole packer assembly may include an outer wall, an inflatable bladder, at least one coupling element, and at least one auto-retraction mechanism. The inflatable bladder may be configured to cause the outer wall to expand radially outwardly. The at least one coupling element may be mechanically coupled radially with the outer wall. The at least one auto-retraction mechanism may be configured to mechanically assist the outer wall to retract radially inwardly when the inflatable bladder is deflated from an inflated configuration toward a deflated configuration. The auto-retraction mechanism may include a chassis and a plurality of pistons, each piston having one end coupled to the chassis and another end coupled to a coupling element.
Claims13
A downhole packer assembly having an axis and comprising:
- an outer wall;
- an inflatable bladder configured to cause the outer wall to expand radially outwardly, the inflatable bladder having a first diameter in a deflated configuration and a second diameter in an inflated configuration, the second diameter being greater than the first diameter;
- at least one coupling element mechanically coupled radially with the outer wall;
- and
- at least one auto-retraction mechanism configured to mechanically assist the outer wall to retract radially inwardly when the inflatable bladder is deflated from the inflated configuration toward the deflated configuration, the auto-retraction mechanism comprising a chassis and a plurality of pistons, each piston having one end coupled to the chassis and another end coupled to a coupling element of the at least one coupling element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.