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US 6,581,682 B1Granted
Expandable borehole packer
AssigneeSolinst Canada Limited
InventorsJohn Howard Parent, James G. Pianosi, Jamieson Edward Champ
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The borehole packer is for sealing the annular space around a pipe in a borehole. The packer is pre-manufactured, in-factory. To give the packer the rigidity it needs for handling and transport, the packer is built around an inner sleeve of rigid (metal) mesh. Alternatively, the packer may be built around a cardboard tube, which is discarded as the packer is assembled onto the pipe. When the packing material is bentonite, the bentonite may be compression-moulded into annular-rings, and the packer is built up from the rings.
Claims32
Pre-manufactured packer apparatus, wherein:
- the apparatus as a whole comprises a structure that is structurally suitable for fitment over and around a long pipe;
- for securement to the pipe at a pre-determined location along the length of the pipe;
- and, when secured to the pipe, for installation from the ground surface down into a borehole in the ground and under water in the borehole;
- the apparatus consists of components;
- the apparatus does not include the pipe, in that the pipe is not one of the components of the apparatus;
- an operable securement means, which is effective, when operated, to secure the apparatus to the pipe, comprises one of the components of the apparatus;
- an inner cylindrical-sleeve and an outer cylindrical-sleeve comprise components of the apparatus, which are so arranged as to form an annular chamber therebetween;
- first and second end-closure-means comprise components of the apparatus, which are effective to close respective axial ends of the annular chamber;
- a body of packer material comprises one of the components of the apparatus, which is located inside the annular chamber, in that the body is physically contained, radially-annularly and axially, between the inner and outer sleeves and the end-closure-means;
- the outer sleeve is perforate, to the extent that water can enter, and can make contact with the packer material, through apertures in the outer sleeve, when the securement means is operated to secure the apparatus to the pipe, and placed in water;
- a structural-robustness-member comprises one of the components of the apparatus, which is of cylindrical form, and which extends over substantially the whole axial length of the annular chamber;
- the structural-robustness-member is of such structural robustness in itself, and is so integrated with the other components of the apparatus, as to provide robust structural support to the apparatus as a whole, thereby giving the apparatus enough rigidity and robustness for the apparatus to be handled and transported, and to survive at least minor knocks and abuse.
9 more elements
Apparatus combining a long length of pipe, and a plurality of packers, wherein:
- each one of the packers is so structured that it can be assembled over an end of the length of pipe, and can be moved lengthwise along the pipe;
- the apparatus includes an operable lock, which is effective, when operated, to fix the packers to the pipe at pre-determined locations along the length of the pipe;
- the apparatus is so structured, upon the packers being fixed to the pipe, as to be capable of being lowered down into a water-containing borehole in the ground;
- in respect of each one of the packers:
- the packer includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, which are so arranged as to form an annular chamber therebetween;
- the packer includes upper and lower end-closures, which are effective to close the axial ends of the annular chamber;
- the packer includes a body of packer material, which is located inside the annular chamber, in that the body is physically contained, radially-annularly and axially, between the inner and outer sleeves and the upper and lower end-closures;
- the outer sleeve is perforate, to the extent that water can enter, and can make contact with the packer material, through apertures in the outer sleeve, when the packer is placed in water;
- the packer includes a structural-robustness-member;
- the structural-robustness-member is of cylindrical form;
- the structural-robustness-member extends over substantially the whole axial length of the annular chamber;
- the structural-robustness-member is of such structural robustness in itself, and is so integrated with the other components of the packer, as to provide robust structural support to the packer as a whole, thereby giving the packer enough rigidity and robustness for the packer to be handled and transported, when physically separated from the pipe, and to survive at least minor knocks and abuse.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.