US12326068 - Perforating gun system

The patent describes an advanced perforating gun system designed to enhance the secure connection to ground through a shaped charge positioning tube with segmented end portions. This system features contact housings with biased contact elements, ensuring reliable electrical pathways for firing signals.

Claim 1

1. A perforating gun system comprising: first and second tandems; and a perforating gun joined to the first and second tandems and including: an outer gun barrel, a shaped charge positioning tube within the outer gun barrel, a first contact housing including a first contact element biased axially outward by a first spring, the first contact housing including a first ring supported by a first plurality of spokes, and a second contact housing including a second contact element biased axially outward by a second spring, the second contact housing including a second ring supported by a second plurality of spokes, wherein the shaped charge positioning tube includes first and second segmented end portions that are received within the respective first and second tandems to create a secure connection to ground, wherein the first segmented end portion includes a first plurality of castellated flanges that extend between adjacent ones of the first plurality of spokes, radially inward of the first ring, for engaging a sloped opening in the first tandem, and wherein the second segmented end portion includes a second plurality of castellated flanges that extend between adjacent ones of the second plurality of spokes, radially inward of the second ring, for engaging a sloped opening in the second tandem. first and second tandems; and a perforating gun joined to the first and second tandems and including: an outer gun barrel, a shaped charge positioning tube within the outer gun barrel, a first contact housing including a first contact element biased axially outward by a first spring, the first contact housing including a first ring supported by a first plurality of spokes, and a second contact housing including a second contact element biased axially outward by a second spring, the second contact housing including a second ring supported by a second plurality of spokes, wherein the shaped charge positioning tube includes first and second segmented end portions that are received within the respective first and second tandems to create a secure connection to ground, wherein the first segmented end portion includes a first plurality of castellated flanges that extend between adjacent ones of the first plurality of spokes, radially inward of the first ring, for engaging a sloped opening in the first tandem, and wherein the second segmented end portion includes a second plurality of castellated flanges that extend between adjacent ones of the second plurality of spokes, radially inward of the second ring, for engaging a sloped opening in the second tandem. an outer gun barrel, a shaped charge positioning tube within the outer gun barrel, a first contact housing including a first contact element biased axially outward by a first spring, the first contact housing including a first ring supported by a first plurality of spokes, and a second contact housing including a second contact element biased axially outward by a second spring, the second contact housing including a second ring supported by a second plurality of spokes, wherein the shaped charge positioning tube includes first and second segmented end portions that are received within the respective first and second tandems to create a secure connection to ground, wherein the first segmented end portion includes a first plurality of castellated flanges that extend between adjacent ones of the first plurality of spokes, radially inward of the first ring, for engaging a sloped opening in the first tandem, and wherein the second segmented end portion includes a second plurality of castellated flanges that extend between adjacent ones of the second plurality of spokes, radially inward of the second ring, for engaging a sloped opening in the second tandem.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12326068

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12326068