US 12,435,585 B1
Hydraulic control apparatus and method for a downhole tool
Jinjun Wang, Houston, TX (US); Chris Cheng, Houston, TX (US); Jiaqing Yu, Houston, TX (US); Hems Mada, Houston, TX (US); Kevin Waddell, Houston, TX (US); Xiongwen Yang, Beijing (CN); Xu Zhao, Beijing (CN); Ming Yi, Beijing (CN); Xin Zhang, Beijing (CN); Yanping Zhang, Beijing (CN); Yong Luo, Beijing (CN); Fuxiang Hou, Beijing (CN); and Tito Zabala, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to CNPC USA Corporation, Houston, TX (US); Beijing Huamei, Inc., Beijing (CN); and China National Petroleum Corporation, Beijing (CN)
Filed by CNPC USA Corporation, Houston, TX (US); BEIJING HUAMEI, INC., Beijing (CN); and CHINA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION, Beijing (CN)
Filed on Aug. 13, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/803,182.
Int. Cl. E21B 23/00 (2006.01); E21B 10/32 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 23/006 (2013.01) [E21B 10/322 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hydraulic control apparatus for activating and deactivating a downhole tool at a downhole location in a borehole, comprising:
a piston being comprised of a front piston portion, a back piston portion opposite said front piston end, and a cam portion between said front piston portion and said back piston portion,
wherein said front piston portion has a front distal end with a front outlet with an opened position and a closed position, and
wherein said back piston portion has a back distal end;
a housing having a first housing end, a second housing end opposite said first housing end, and an interior chamber between said first housing end and said second housing end,
wherein said cam portion, said back piston portion, and at least a portion of said front piston portion are contained within said interior chamber,
wherein said interior chamber has a front chamber portion, a back chamber portion opposite said front chamber portion, and a cam chamber portion between said front chamber portion and said back chamber portion, said front piston portion being moveable within said front chamber portion and said cam chamber portion, said cam portion being moveable within said cam chamber portion, said back piston portion being moveable within said back chamber portion and said cam chamber portion
a coil spring around said back piston portion and in contact with said cam portion so as to exert pressure back and forth against cam portion,
wherein said cam portion is comprised of an outer cam surface, a continuous slotted groove along said outer cam surface so as to circumscribe said cam portion, a slide member within the slotted groove, and a force member in contact with said slide member so as to exert back and forth between said force member and said slide member, and
wherein said slide member has a forward contact surface and a blocking surface adjacent said forward contact surface; and
a guide pin mounted to said housing and extended into the slotted groove,
wherein the slotted groove has a first point,
wherein said guide pin at said first point corresponds to said front outlet in said closed position,
wherein the slotted groove has a first pathway from said first point to said forward contact surface of said slide member,
wherein said guide pin in said first pathway corresponds to said front outlet switching from said closed position to said opened position,
wherein the slotted groove has a second pathway from said blocking surface of said slide member to a second point,
wherein said guide pin in said second pathway and at said second point corresponds to said front outlet in said opened position,
wherein the slotted groove has a third pathway from said second point to a third point,
wherein said guide pin in said third pathway corresponds to said front outlet switching from said opened position to said closed position, and
wherein said guide pin at said third point is analogous to said first point so as to correspond to said front outlet in said closed position.