Bypass dart and assembly

Abstract

Embodiments of an improved bypass dart and assembly are described. In an embodiment, the plunger assembly includes a plunger having a first and second end. The plunger assembly may also include a cage attached to the second end of the plunger. Additionally, the plunger assembly may include a dart disposed within said cage. Further, the assembly may include an actuator coupled to the dart, the actuator configured to actuate the dart from a first position to a second position.

1 . A plunger assembly, comprising:
 (a) a plunger having a first and second end;   (b) a cage attached to the second end of the plunger;   (c) a dart disposed within said cage having a body with at least two surfaces, where a first surface is a raised surface relative to a second surface; and   (d) an actuator disposed at least partially within the plunger, the actuator configured to actuate the dart from a first position to a second position.   
     
     
         2 . The plunger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the dart is slidably mounted in the cage so that the dart can be positioned in at least an open or closed position relative to the second end of the plunger. 
     
     
         3 . The plunger assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the cage includes a clutch to retard movement of the dart between its open and its closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The plunger assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the dart comprises a receiver portion, the receiver portion configured to receive at least a portion of the actuator. 
     
     
         5 . The plunger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator further comprises a rod disposed along a longitudinal axis of the plunger assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The plunger assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the rod further comprises a feature configured for passage of fluid and debris along a surface of the rod. 
     
     
         7 . The plunger assembly of  claim 5 , wherein a portion of the rod protrudes from the first end of the plunger. 
     
     
         8 . The plunger assembly of  claim 5 , wherein a portion of the rod is configured to engage a receiver portion of the dart. 
     
     
         9 . The plunger assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the body of the dart is disposed between an upper end of the dart and a lower end of the dart. 
     
     
         10 . The plunger assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the clutch exerts more force on the raised surface of the body of the dart than it does on the lower surface of the body of the dart. 
     
     
         11 . The plunger assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the raised and lower surfaces of the body of the dart are positioned relative to one another so that the clutch exerts less force on the body of the dart when the dart is in its open and/or closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The plunger assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the body of the dart has a circular cross-section and the diameter of the raised surface is greater than the diameter of the lower surface. 
     
     
         13 . The plunger assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the clutch comprises one or more c-clips. 
     
     
         14 . The plunger assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the clutch comprises one or more O-rings. 
     
     
         15 . The plunger assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the cage includes only one set of threads, which connect the cage to the second end of the plunger. 
     
     
         16 . A plunger assembly, comprising:
 (a) a plunger having a first and second end;   (b) a cage attached to the second end of the plunger;   (c) a dart disposed within said cage having a body with at least three surfaces, where two surfaces are raised surfaces relative to the third, lower surface; and   (d) an actuator disposed at least partially within the plunger, the actuator configured to actuate the dart from a first position to a second position.   
     
     
         17 . The plunger assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the cage includes at least one channel that allows gases or liquids to pass from inside the cage to outside the cage. 
     
     
         18 . The plunger assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising a gap between a lower end of the dart and a lower end of the cage that allows gases or liquids to flow through the gap and out the at least one channel in the cage. 
     
     
         19 . A dart assembly for a plunger device, the dart assembly comprising:
 (a) a dart body having a first end and a second end; and   (b) an actuator configured to actuate the dart from a first position to a second position.   (c) wherein the first end is configured to protrude from an opening in a cage assembly, the cage assembly configured to retain the dart body within a plunger assembly, and the second end is configured to receive the actuator.   
     
     
         20 . The dart assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the dart comprises a receiver portion, the receiver portion configured to receive at least a portion of the actuator; and wherein a portion of the rod is configured to engage the receiver portion of the dart.