Setting Sleeve

Abstract

A packer has a tubular body and a setting sleeve disposed around the tubular body, where the setting sleeve has an upper end, a lower end, and a slot formed through a wall of the setting sleeve. The slot has a perimeter defining a shape of the slot, the perimeter having a top wall with a positively sloping portion extending to a top peak. The slot shape also includes a first axial extension extending axially along the sleeve from a first upper portion to a first lower portion, a second axial extension circumferentially spaced apart from the first extension and extending axially along the sleeve from a second upper portion to a second lower portion, and a lateral extension extending from the first upper portion to the second upper portion. A load pin is directly or indirectly connected to the tubular body and extends through the slot. p

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packer tool, comprising:
 a tubular body;   one or more expansion components disposed around the tubular body; and   a sleeve disposed around the tubular body, the sleeve comprising:
 an upper end; 
 a lower end opposite the upper end; and 
 a slot formed in a wall of the sleeve, wherein the slot has a perimeter defining a shape comprising:
 a first axial extension extending axially along the sleeve from a first upper portion to a first lower portion; 
 a second axial extension circumferentially spaced apart from the first extension and extending axially along the sleeve from a second upper portion to a second lower portion, where the second lower portion is closer to the lower end of the sleeve than the first lower portion; 
 a lateral extension extending from the first upper portion to the second upper portion, the lateral extension comprising:
 a positively sloping extension defined by an upper positively sloping wall of the perimeter and a lower positively sloping wall of the perimeter; and 
 a negatively sloping extension having a varying width measured between an upper negatively sloping wall of the perimeter and a lower negatively sloping wall of the perimeter, 
 wherein the upper positively sloping wall and upper negatively sloping wall extend to a top peak, 
 wherein the lower positively sloping wall and the lower negatively sloping wall extend to a lower peak, and 
 wherein the top peak is circumferentially offset from the lower peak a distance around a circumference of the sleeve; and 
 
 
   a load pin directly or indirectly connected to the tubular body and extending through the slot, wherein the distance between the top peak and lower peak is greater than a width of the load pin.   
     
     
         2 . The packer tool of  claim 1 , wherein the shape of the slot further comprises:
 a third axial extension abutting the second axial extension and extending axially along the sleeve from a third upper portion to a third lower portion, the third lower portion being closer to the lower end of the sleeve than the second lower portion;   a fourth axial extension extending axially along the sleeve from a fourth upper portion to a fourth lower portion, the fourth lower portion being closer to the upper end of the sleeve than the second and third lower portions; and   a second positively sloping extension extending from the third upper portion to the fourth upper portion.   
     
     
         3 . The packer tool of  claim 2 , wherein the perimeter of the second lower portion comprises a negatively sloping wall. 
     
     
         4 . The packer tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first axial extension, second axial extension, and positively sloping extension each have a substantially constant width. 
     
     
         5 . The packer tool of  claim 4 , wherein the distance between the top peak and lower peak is greater than the substantially constant width. 
     
     
         6 . The packer tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first upper portion is at substantially the same axial position along the sleeve as the second upper portion. 
     
     
         7 . A packer tool, comprising:
 a tubular body;   a sleeve disposed around the tubular body, the sleeve comprising:
 an upper end; 
 a lower end opposite the upper end; and 
 a slot formed in the sleeve, the slot comprising:
 a perimeter defining a shape of the slot, the perimeter comprising a top wall having a positively sloping portion extending to a top peak; 
 a first axial extension extending axially along the sleeve from a first upper portion to a first lower portion; 
 a second axial extension circumferentially spaced apart from the first extension and extending axially along the sleeve from a second upper portion to a second lower portion; and 
 a lateral extension extending from the first upper portion to the second upper portion, 
 wherein the top wall forms portions of the perimeter of the lateral extension, and 
 wherein the top peak is axially closer to the upper end of the sleeve than the first upper portion and the second upper portion; and 
 
   a load pin directly or indirectly connected to the tubular body and extending through the slot.   
     
     
         8 . The packer tool of  claim 7 , wherein the top wall further comprises a negatively sloping portion extending from the top peak to the second upper portion. 
     
     
         9 . The packer tool of  claim 7 , wherein the top peak is located along the lateral extension and is between the first and second axial extensions. 
     
     
         10 . The packer tool of  claim 7 , wherein the first axial extension is located circumferentially between the top peak and the second axial extension. 
     
     
         11 . The packer tool of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a third axial extension abutting the second axial extension and extending axially along the sleeve from a third upper portion to a third lower portion, the third lower portion being closer to the lower end of the sleeve than the second lower portion;   a fourth axial extension extending axially along the sleeve from a fourth upper portion to a fourth lower portion; and   a positively sloping extension extending from the third upper portion to the fourth upper portion,   wherein the top wall further forms portions of the perimeter of the positively sloping extension and the fourth upper portion.   
     
     
         12 . The packer tool of  claim 11 , wherein the portion of the top wall forming the perimeter of the fourth upper portion is at an axial location along the sleeve that at least partially overlaps with the axial location of the top peak. 
     
     
         13 . The packer tool of  claim 11 , wherein the first lower portion is at an axial location along the sleeve that at least partially overlaps with the axial location of the fourth lower portion. 
     
     
         14 . A method of positioning a packer within a wellbore, comprising:
 inserting the packer into the wellbore, the packer comprising:
 a tubular body; 
 a load pin directly or indirectly connected with the body, where movement of the load pin corresponds with movement of the body; and 
 a sleeve having a slot formed therein, wherein the load pin extends through the slot, and wherein the slot has a shape comprising:
 a plurality of axial extensions, each axial extension extending axially along the sleeve, wherein the plurality of axial extensions comprises:
 a first axial extension; and 
 a second axial extension circumferentially spaced apart from the first axial extension; and 
 
 at least one lateral extension, comprising:
 a first lateral extension extending from a first upper portion of the first axial extension to a second upper portion of the second axial extension, wherein the first lateral extension comprises a top peak spaced apart from the first and second axial extensions; 
 
 
   manipulating the tubular body to move the load pin to a set position to set the packer in the wellbore, the manipulating comprising rotating the tubular body in a single rotational direction and pushing the tubular body downward;   unsetting the packer, the unsetting comprising pulling the tubular body upward to move the load pin into a neutral position; and   repositioning the packer, repositioning comprising pushing the tubular body downward without rotating the tubular body in an opposite rotational direction from the single rotational direction to move the load pin into the first extension.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the neutral position is at the top peak, and wherein prior to manipulating the tubular body to set the packer, the tubular body is pulled upward and rotated in the single rotational direction to move the load pin from the first lower position to the neutral position. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the slot further comprises:
 a third axial extension abutting the second extension and extending axially along the sleeve from a third upper portion to a third lower portion; and   a fourth axial extension spaced apart from the third axial extension and extending axially along the sleeve from a fourth upper portion to a fourth lower portion; and   a second lateral extension extending in a positively sloping direction from the third upper portion to the fourth upper portion.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein prior to manipulating the tubular body to set the packer, the tubular body is pulled upward to move the load pin from the fourth lower position to the fourth upper portion. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein unsetting the packer further comprises rotating the tubular body in the single rotational direction during pulling the tubular body upward. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein repositioning further comprises rotating the tubular body in the single rotational direction during pushing the tubular body downward. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising resetting the packer in the wellbore after the packer is repositioned, the resetting comprising pulling the tubular body upward to move the load pin into the neutral position.