Patents by Inventor Garrett S. Boyd
Garrett S. Boyd has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11293267Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include an apparatus, such as a plunger for oil and/or gas wells, that includes one or more scraping features. The scraping feature may include at least one ridge configured to scrape material, such as paraffins, asphaltenes, salt, hydrates, debris, solids, etc., from an inner surface of a tubular body and direct the scraped material away from the plunger body. A disclosed method for scraping material from a tubular body includes releasing a plunger within the tubular body, the plunger having a body with an outer surface and a scraping feature on the outer surface that includes at least one ridge; scraping material from an inner surface of the tubular body with the ridge of the scraping feature; and directing the scraped material away from the plunger body.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, LLCInventors: Garrett S. Boyd, Mitchell A. Boyd
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Publication number: 20220056785Abstract: A bypass plunger formed as an integral one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage unit retains a dart valve within a valve cage section of the hollow body with a threaded retaining nut that may be secured by crimple means. A boundary zone, defined along the plunger body, where the integral valve cage section adjoins the plunger body, is configured with a uniform outer diameter to maximize the plunger body wall thickness and durability of the one-piece bypass plunger. The valve cage may have flow ports configured with ramps at an angle with the longitudinal axis to control flow through the flow ports during descent of the bypass plunger. A clutch assembly using garter springs with split bobbins may be disposed within the valve cage portion of the one-piece bypass plunger.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Inventors: Garrett S. Boyd, Mitchell A. Boyd
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Publication number: 20210342295Abstract: A bypass plunger combines a unitary or one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion of the hollow body using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during ascent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and valve stems surfaced to achieve specific functions. Combinations of these features provide enhanced performance, durability and reliability at reduced manufacturing cost, due primarily to the simplicity of its design.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Garrett S. Boyd, III, Mitchell A. Boyd
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Patent number: 11105189Abstract: A bypass plunger combines a unitary or one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion of the hollow body using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during ascent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and valve stems surfaced to achieve specific functions. Combinations of these features provide enhanced performance, durability and reliability at reduced manufacturing cost, due primarily to the simplicity of its design.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2019Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, LLCInventors: Garrett S. Boyd, Mitchell A. Boyd
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Publication number: 20210140285Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a plunger body that includes a head portion located at one end of the plunger body and a tail portion located at an opposite end of the plunger body. The head portion includes at least one flow port, and the tail portion includes at least one passageway. A valve component is disposed within an internal bore of the plunger body and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. At least one plug is located within a respective one of the flow ports and/or a respective one of the passageways, and is configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2021Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd, David Robert Dahlgren
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Publication number: 20210131239Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a unibody, or one-piece hollow body and valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents, and includes sealable flow parts. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during descent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and surfaced valve stems surfaced.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2021Publication date: May 6, 2021Inventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd
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Publication number: 20210079911Abstract: A disclosed unibody bypass plunger has a unitary one-piece hollow body, a valve cage, a clutch system, crimple fastening structures, and a valve. The clutch system is provided in a bottom end of the plunger and is configured to limit a position of the valve. A top end includes an external fish neck with ports or slots. The plunger further includes an integral shift rod that extends out of the top end in a closed configuration and extends out of the bottom end in an open configuration, eliminating a need for a separator rod in a lubricator cap to open and close the valve. Ports or slots may be pluggable with one or more plugs. As such, a fall speed of the plunger may be adjusted based on a number of plugs that are installed, with the greatest fall speed being obtained with all ports or slots unplugged.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2020Publication date: March 18, 2021Inventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd
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Publication number: 20210071505Abstract: A disclosed control system for a gas assisted plunger lift (GAPL) system includes a sensor and a processor circuit. The sensor is configured to measure a plunger speed and/or velocity and the processor circuit is configured to control various parameters of the GAPL based on the measured plunger speed and/or velocity. The processor circuit may be configured to adjust a gas injection rate parameter based on the measured plunger speed and/or velocity, and/or may adjust one or more parameters including: a close time, an afterflow time, a flow rate, a load factor, a tubing pressure, a casing pressure, and a tubing/casing differential pressure. The controller may be further configured to adjust all parameters simultaneously or may sequentially adjust a first sub-set of parameters and then adjust a second sub-set of parameters. The first sub-set may include a gas injection flow rate and the second sub-set may include after-flow and close time parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2020Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd
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Patent number: 10927652Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a plunger body that includes a head portion located at one end of the plunger body and a tail portion located at an opposite end of the plunger body. The head portion includes at least one flow port, and the tail portion includes at least one passageway. A valve component is disposed within an internal bore of the plunger body and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. At least one plug is located within a respective one of the flow ports and/or a respective one of the passageways, and is configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2019Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, LLCInventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd, David Robert Dahlgren
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Publication number: 20210047904Abstract: A bumper spring assembly having a one piece mandrel including an integral head piece is further configured with a cage assembly retained on the mandrel with a cage nut locked to the mandrel to obviate the need for pins, set screws, and the like, to provide a more robust assembly. In two embodiments the cage nut is locked to the mandrel in a swaging operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2020Publication date: February 18, 2021Inventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd
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Patent number: 10907453Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a unibody, or one-piece hollow body and valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents, and includes sealable flow parts. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during descent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and surfaced valve stems surfaced.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2020Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, LLCInventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd
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Publication number: 20200256170Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a unibody, or one-piece hollow body and valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents, and includes sealable flow parts. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during descent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and surfaced valve stems surfaced.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd
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Patent number: 10677027Abstract: A method for locking an internally threaded end piece such as a head piece, a tail piece, an end or sealing nut to a mandrel for a down hole tool to obviate the need for pins, set screws, and the like, to provide a more robust assembly. In two embodiments the threaded end piece is locked to the mandrel in a swaging operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2017Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: Flowco Production Solutions, LLCInventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd
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Publication number: 20200173256Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include an apparatus, such as a plunger for oil and/or gas wells, that includes one or more scraping features. The scraping feature may include at least one ridge configured to scrape material, such as paraffins, asphaltenes, salt, hydrates, debris, solids, etc., from an inner surface of a tubular body and direct the scraped material away from the plunger body. A disclosed method for scraping material from a tubular body includes releasing a plunger within the tubular body, the plunger having a body with an outer surface and a scraping feature on the outer surface that includes at least one ridge; scraping material from an inner surface of the tubular body with the ridge of the scraping feature; and directing the scraped material away from the plunger body.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2019Publication date: June 4, 2020Inventors: Garrett S. Boyd, Mitchell A. Boyd
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Patent number: 10669824Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a unibody, or one-piece hollow body and valve cage, retains a dart valve within the valve cage portion using a threaded retaining nut secured by crimple detents, and includes sealable flow parts. A series of helical grooves surround the central portion of the outer surface of the hollow body of the plunger to control spin during descent. A canted-coil-spring disposed within the retaining nut functions as a clutch. The valve cage includes ports that may be configured to control flow through the plunger during descent. Other embodiments include clutch assemblies using canted-coil springs with split bobbins, and surfaced valve stems surfaced.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2019Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: Flowco Production Solutions, LLCInventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd
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Publication number: 20200131892Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a plunger body that includes a head portion located at one end of the plunger body and a tail portion located at an opposite end of the plunger body. The head portion includes at least one flow port, and the tail portion includes at least one passageway. A valve component is disposed within an internal bore of the plunger body and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. At least one plug is located within a respective one of the flow ports and/or a respective one of the passageways, and is configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2019Publication date: April 30, 2020Inventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd, David Robert Dahlgren
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Publication number: 20200088303Abstract: A bypass plunger formed as an integral one-piece hollow body-and-valve cage unit retains a dart valve within a valve cage section of the hollow body with a threaded retaining nut that may be secured by crimple means. A boundary zone, defined along the plunger body, where the integral valve cage section adjoins the plunger body, is configured with a uniform outer diameter to maximize the plunger body wall thickness and durability of the one-piece bypass plunger. The valve cage may have flow ports configured with ramps at an angle with the longitudinal axis to control flow through the flow ports during descent of the bypass plunger. A clutch assembly using garter springs with split bobbins may be disposed within the valve cage portion of the one-piece bypass plunger.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2018Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: Flowco Production SolutionsInventors: Garrett S. Boyd, Mitchell A. Boyd
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Patent number: 10550674Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a plunger body that includes a head portion located at one end of the plunger body and a tail portion located at an opposite end of the plunger body. The head portion includes at least one flow port, and the tail portion includes at least one passageway. A valve component is disposed within an internal bore of the plunger body and is movable between an open position and a closed position. At least one plug is located within a respective one of the flow ports and/or a respective one of the passageways, and is configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2019Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: FlowCo Production Solutions, LLCInventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd, David Robert Dahlgren
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Publication number: 20190277118Abstract: A bypass plunger includes a plunger body that includes a head portion located at one end of the plunger body and a tail portion located at an opposite end of the plunger body. The head portion includes at least one flow port, and the tail portion includes at least one passageway. A valve component is disposed within an internal bore of the plunger body and is movable between an open position and a closed position. At least one plug is located within a respective one of the flow ports and/or a respective one of the passageways, and is configured to reduce or prevent flow through the respective flow port or the respective passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Mitchell A. Boyd, Garrett S. Boyd, David Robert Dahlgren
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Patent number: D937982Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: FLOWCO PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS, LLCInventors: Garrett S. Boyd, Mitchell A. Boyd