Patents by Inventor Michael W. Cast

Michael W. Cast 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).

  • Sliding sleeve having contracting, dual segmented ball seat
    Patent number: 9624756
    Abstract: A sliding sleeve opens with a deployed ball. The sleeve has a seat disposed in the housing, and the seat has segments biased outward from one another with a C-ring or other biasing element. Initially, the seat has an expanded state in the sliding sleeve so that the seats segments expand outward against the housing's bore. When an appropriately sized ball is deployed downhole, the ball engages the expanded seat. Fluid pressure applied against the seated ball moves the seat into the inner sleeve's bore. As this occurs, the seat contracts, which increases the engagement area of the seat with the ball. Eventually, the seat reaches the shoulder in the inner sleeve so that pressure applied against the seated ball now moves the inner sleeve in the housing to open the sliding sleeve's flow port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Michael W. Cast, James F. Wilkin
  • Sliding sleeve having ramped, contracting, segmented ball seat
    Patent number: 9506321
    Abstract: A sliding sleeve opens with a deployed ball. The sleeve has a seat disposed in the housing, and the seat has segments biased outward from one another with a C-ring or other biasing element. Initially, the seat has an expanded state in the sliding sleeve so that the seats segments expand outward against the housing's bore. When an appropriately sized ball is deployed downhole, the ball engages the expanded seat. Fluid pressure applied against the seated ball moves the seat into the inner sleeve's bore. As this occurs, the seat contracts, which increases the engagement area of the seat with the ball. Eventually, the seat reaches the shoulder in the inner sleeve so that pressure applied against the seated ball now moves the inner sleeve in the housing to open the sliding sleeve's flow port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Michael W. Cast
  • Sliding Sleeve Having Contracting, Dual Segmented Ball Seat
    Publication number: 20140166112
    Abstract: A sliding sleeve opens with a deployed ball. The sleeve has a seat disposed in the housing, and the seat has segments biased outward from one another with a C-ring or other biasing element. Initially, the seat has an expanded state in the sliding sleeve so that the seats segments expand outward against the housing's bore. When an appropriately sized ball is deployed downhole, the ball engages the expanded seat. Fluid pressure applied against the seated ball moves the seat into the inner sleeve's bore. As this occurs, the seat contracts, which increases the engagement area of the seat with the ball. Eventually, the seat reaches the shoulder in the inner sleeve so that pressure applied against the seated ball now moves the inner sleeve in the housing to open the sliding sleeve's flow port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael W. Cast, James F. Wilkin
  • Sliding Sleeve Having Ramped, Contracting, Segmented Ball Seat
    Publication number: 20140166304
    Abstract: A sliding sleeve opens with a deployed ball. The sleeve has a seat disposed in the housing, and the seat has segments biased outward from one another with a C-ring or other biasing element. Initially, the seat has an expanded state in the sliding sleeve so that the seats segments expand outward against the housing's bore. When an appropriately sized ball is deployed downhole, the ball engages the expanded seat. Fluid pressure applied against the seated ball moves the seat into the inner sleeve's bore. As this occurs, the seat contracts, which increases the engagement area of the seat with the ball. Eventually, the seat reaches the shoulder in the inner sleeve so that pressure applied against the seated ball now moves the inner sleeve in the housing to open the sliding sleeve's flow port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Cast