SLIDING SLEEVE HAVING DEFORMABLE BALL SEAT

摘要

A sliding sleeve (100) opens with a deployed ball (B). The sleeve comprising: a housing (120) defining a first bore and defining a flow port communicating the first bore outside the housing; an inner sleeve(130) defining a second bore and being movable axially from a closed position to an opened position inside the first bore relative to the flow port, the second bore having a shoulder (206) disposed therein;and a movable ring (202) is disposed in a bore of an inner sleeve adjacent the shoulder. The movable ring engages a deployed ball with a first contact area and moves the inner sleeve open with the deployed ball. A deformable ring (204), which can be composed of an elastomer or the like, is also disposed in the inner sleeve's bore between the shoulder and the movable ring. With the application of increased pressure, the movable ring moves in the inner sleeve with the deployed ball toward the shoulder, and the deformable ring deforms in response to the movement of the movable ring toward the shoulder. As a result, the deformable ring engages the deployed ball when deformed and increases the engagement with the deployed ball to a second contact area greater than the first contact area.