Aug 26, 2025

US12398627 - Downhole perforating gun tube and components

A gun tube for a downhole perforating gun assembly includes a body having a cavity and one or more weights in the cavity. Gravity acts on the weights, which causes the tube body to rotate around its longitudinal axis so the weights are adjacent the lower part of the wellbore in which the gun assembly is positioned when oriented horizontally. This position shape charges in the gun tube in a desired position prior to the shape charges being fired. The gun tube may also include one or more end connectors with electrical contacts having a first, extended position, and a second, contracted position, and/or end connectors that can be assembled by hand without the use of tools.

Assignee: SWM International, LLC
Inventors: Dawna Mauldin, Sidney W. Mauldin
Filing date: 2025-01-10

The patent describes a downhole perforating gun tube that utilizes gravity-activated weights to ensure proper orientation of explosive charges before detonation. It features a unique rotational assembly that allows for radial positioning of the inner body relative to the outer body, enhancing operational efficiency in wellbore applications.

Claim 1

A downhole perforating gun system, comprising: an outer body configured to connect to the downhole perforating gun system; an inner body disposed inside the outer body and having at least one explosive charge receptacle, the inner body having a longitudinal axis and having a center of gravity offset from the longitudinal axis of the inner body; a first rotational assembly comprising a first structure and a second structure, the first and second structures being rotatable relative to one another, the first structure engaged with at least a portion the inner body, the second structure engaged with at least a portion of the outer body, the first rotational assembly rotatably supporting the inner body relative to the outer body and being configured to permit radial orientation of the inner body about the longitudinal axis relative to the outer body based on the center of gravity of the inner body; and a first electrical conductor at least partially disposed through the first rotational assembly and being configured to conduct electricity with the downhole perforating gun system. an outer body configured to connect to the downhole perforating gun system; an inner body disposed inside the outer body and having at least one explosive charge receptacle, the inner body having a longitudinal axis and having a center of gravity offset from the longitudinal axis of the inner body; a first rotational assembly comprising a first structure and a second structure, the first and second structures being rotatable relative to one another, the first structure engaged with at least a portion the inner body, the second structure engaged with at least a portion of the outer body, the first rotational assembly rotatably supporting the inner body relative to the outer body and being configured to permit radial orientation of the inner body about the longitudinal axis relative to the outer body based on the center of gravity of the inner body; and a first electrical conductor at least partially disposed through the first rotational assembly and being configured to conduct electricity with the downhole perforating gun system.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12398627

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12398627