Packer/Plug Slip and Cage With Travel Stop

Abstract

A first slip key is integral with an inner surface of a cage. A first travel stop is integral with the slip key. A first cone has a truncated head, a first shallow axial slot in the truncated head, and a first deep axial slot in the truncated head. The first deep axial slot is axially spaced from the first shallow axial slot. The first cone is insertable into the first end of the cage when the first deep axial slot is aligned with the first travel stop. The travel stop prevents the first cone from being extracted from the cage once the first cone is inserted into the first end of the cage and rotated relative to the cage about the longitudinal axis until the first travel stop is aligned with the first shallow axial slot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a cage having:
 a longitudinal axis, 
 an axial axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, 
 a first passage at a first end of the cage, 
 a second passage at a second end of the cage opposite the first end of the cage, 
 a cage outer surface having a radius RO, 
 a cage inner surface having a radius RI, RO>RI, 
 a first cage opening in the cage outer surface, 
 a second cage opening in the cage outer surface longitudinally in line with the first cage opening, 
 a first slip key substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and integral with an inner surface of the cage and having an axial height H measured from the cage inner surface and a width W; 
 a first travel stop integral with the slip key; 
   a first cone having:
 a truncated head, 
 a first shallow axial slot in the truncated head, and 
 a first deep axial slot in the truncated head, the first deep axial slot being axially spaced from the first shallow axial slot, 
 the first cone being insertable into the first end of the cage when the first deep axial slot is aligned with the first travel stop; 
   wherein the travel stop prevents the first cone from being extracted from the cage once the first cone is inserted into the first end of the cage and rotated relative to the cage about the longitudinal axis until the first travel stop is aligned with the first shallow axial slot.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first slip insertable into the cage, the slip having:
 a first raised end; 
 a second raised end opposite the first raised end; and 
 a middle recessed member between the first raised end and the second raised end; 
 
 wherein the first slip is deployable through the first cage opening and the second cage opening when the travel stop is aligned with the shallow axial slot and force is applied pressing the first cone into the cage. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a second slip key positioned in line with the first slip key along the inner surface of the cage and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; 
 the second slip key having a second travel stop; 
 wherein the first travel stop is integral to the first slip key on a portion of the first slip key that is closer to the first end of the cage; and 
 wherein the second travel stop is integral to the second slip key on a portion of the second slip key that is closer to the second end of the cage. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second cone insertable into the second end of the cage.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the travel stop comprises:
 a first ramp; 
 a first surface adjacent the first ramp, the first surface having:
 an axial height H 1  measured from the cage inner surface>H; and 
 a length L 1  substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; 
 
 a second surface adjacent the first surface, the second surface having:
 an axial height H 2  measured from the cage inner surface substantially equal to H; and 
 a length L 2 <L 1 ; 
 
 a third surface adjacent the second surface, the third surface having:
 an axial height H 3  measured from the cage inner surface<H; and 
 a length L 3 , wherein L 3 >L 2 , and L 3 <L 1 ; and 
 
 a last ramp adjacent the third surface. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein:
 the truncated head further comprises:
 a top head surface, 
 a bottom head surface opposite the top head surface, the bottom head surface having a radius RH; wherein RH<RI, and 
 an outer surface between the top head surface and the bottom head surface; 
 
 the deep axial slot has:
 a cavity depth CDASD, and 
 a cavity width CDASW that is greater than W; 
 
 the shallow axial slot has:
 a cavity depth CSASD, where CDASD−(H 2 −H 3 )−0.1<CSASD<CDASD−(H 2 −H 3 ), and 
 a cavity width CSASW greater than W; and 
 
 the first cone further comprises:
 a cone neck integral with the bottom head surface and having a cylindrical surface parallel to the longitudinal axis, the cone neck having:
 a radius<(RI−H 1 ); and 
 a height substantially equal to L 1 ; 
 
 a shoulder integral with the cone neck and substantially parallel to the first ramp, the shoulder having:
 a deep slot longitudinally in line with the shallow axial slot, the deep slot having:
 a cavity depth CDSD substantially equal to H; and 
 a cavity width CDSW greater than to W; and 
 
 
 a bottom end that extends outside of the cage when the truncated head is inserted into the cage. 
 
 
     
     
         7 . A system comprising:
 a packer;   a cage coupled to the packer, the cage having:
 a longitudinal axis, 
 an axial axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, 
 a first passage at a first end of the cage, 
 a second passage at a second end of the cage opposite the first end of the cage, 
 a cage outer surface having a radius RO, 
 a cage inner surface having a radius RI, RO>RI, 
 a first cage opening in the cage outer surface, 
 a second cage opening in the cage outer surface longitudinally in line with the first cage opening, 
 a first slip key substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and integral with an inner surface of the cage and having an axial height H measured from the cage inner surface and a width W; 
 a first travel stop integral with the slip key; and 
   a first cone having:
 a truncated head, 
 a first shallow axial slot in the truncated head, and 
 a first deep axial slot in the truncated head, the first deep axial slot being axially spaced from the first shallow axial slot, 
 the first cone being insertable into the first end of the cage when the first deep axial slot is aligned with the first travel stop; 
   wherein the travel stop prevents the first cone from being extracted from the cage once the first cone is inserted into the first end of the cage and rotated relative to the cage about the longitudinal axis until the first travel stop is aligned with the first shallow axial slot.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a first slip insertable into the cage, the slip having:
 a first raised end; 
 a second raised end opposite the first raised end; and 
 a middle recessed member between the first raised end and the second raised end; 
 
 wherein the first slip is deployable through the first cage opening and the second cage opening when the travel stop is aligned with the shallow axial slot and force is applied pressing the first cone into the cage. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a second slip key positioned in line with the first slip key along the inner surface of the cage and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; and 
 the second slip key having a second travel stop; 
 wherein the first travel stop is integral to the first slip key on a portion of the first slip key that is closer to the first end of the cage; and 
 wherein the second travel stop is integral to the second slip key on a portion of the second slip key that is closer to the second end of the cage. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a second cone insertable into the second end of the cage.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the travel stop comprises:
 a first ramp; 
 a first surface adjacent the first ramp, the first surface having:
 an axial height H 1  measured from the cage inner surface>H; and 
 a length L 1  substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; 
 
 a second surface adjacent the first surface, the second surface having:
 an axial height H 2  measured from the cage inner surface substantially equal to H; and 
 a length L 2 <L 1 ; 
 
 a third surface adjacent the second surface, the third surface having:
 an axial height H 3  measured from the cage inner surface<H; and 
 a length L 3 , wherein L 3 >L 2 , and L 3 <L 1 ; and 
 
 a last ramp adjacent the third surface. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein:
 the truncated head further comprises:
 a top head surface, 
 a bottom head surface opposite the top head surface, the bottom head surface having a radius RH; wherein RH<RI, and 
 an outer surface between the top head surface and the bottom head surface; 
 
 the deep axial slot has:
 a cavity depth CDASD, and 
 a cavity width CDASW that is greater than W; 
 
 the shallow axial slot has:
 a cavity depth CSASD, where CDASD−(H 2 −H 3 )−0.1<CSASD<CDASD−(H 2 −H 3 ), and 
 a cavity width CSASW greater than W; and 
 
 the first cone further comprises:
 a cone neck integral with the bottom head surface and having a cylindrical surface parallel to the longitudinal axis, the cone neck having:
 a radius<(RI−H 1 ); and 
 a height substantially equal to L 1 ; 
 
 a shoulder integral with the cone neck and substantially parallel to the first ramp, the shoulder having:
 a deep slot longitudinally in line with the shallow axial slot, the deep slot having:
 a cavity depth CDSD substantially equal to H; and 
 a cavity width CDSW greater than to W; 
 
 
 a bottom end that extends outside of the cage when the truncated head is inserted into the cage. 
 
 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 coupling a slip to a cage, the cage having:
 a longitudinal axis; 
 an axial axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; 
 an inner surface; 
 a slip key integral to the inner surface; and 
 a travel stop integral to the slip key; 
   aligning a deep axial slot of a cone with the slip key of the cage;   inserting the cone into the cage;   rotating the cone relative to the cage until a shallow axial slot in the cone and a deep slot in the cone are longitudinally aligned with the slip key;   affixing the cone to the cage with a shear bolt;   inserting the cage, the cone, and the slip into a borehole;   applying force to push the cone into the cage causing:
 the shear bolt to shear, 
 the slip key to move into the deep slot in the cone, 
 the slip to deploy against the borehole; and 
   applying force to pull the cone out of the cage causing the slip key to move out of the deep slot but to be prevented from further travel by not being able to pass through the shallow axial slot.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the slip comprises:
 a first raised end; 
 a second raised end opposite the first raised end; and 
 a middle recessed member between the first raised end and the second raised end. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 inserting a second cone into the cage; 
 rotating the second cone relative to the cage until a shallow axial slot in the second cone and a deep slot in the cone are longitudinally aligned with the slip key; and 
 affixing the second cone to the cage with a shear bolt.