Downhole tool with expandable annular plug seat assembly having circumferentially overlapping seat segment joints

摘要

A tubular downhole tool, representatively a sliding sleeve valve, coaxially supports within its interior an annular plug ball seat formed from a series of rigid, arcuate segments that circumferentially overlap one another in various representatively disclosed manners. The seat is expandable from a diametrically compressed orientation, toward which it is resiliently biased, to a diametrically expanded orientation by a plug ball pumped through the seat. Due to the circumferential segment-to-segment overlap, each segment is blocked by its two circumferentially adjacent segments from being axially separated from the overall seat assembly by operational pressure forces.

主权项

1. A downhole tool comprising:
a tubular structure; and an annular plug seat coaxially supported within the interior of said tubular structure and being expandable from a diametrically compressed orientation to a diametrically expanded orientation, said annular plug seat including a series of arcuate rigid peripheral circumferential segments that circumferentially overlap one another in a manner blockingly preventing axial separation of any segment from the rest of said segments, wherein facing ends of each circumferentially adjacent pair of said segments circumferentially overlap each other at multifaceted, puzzle-cut juncture areas that serve to prevent, by means of a blocking action between each given segment and the two segments between which it is interposed, axial separation of the given segment from the balance of said plug seat.