Tubing Anchor and Catcher Tool with Fluid-Enhanced Cone for Increased Fluid Flow

Abstract

A cone for actuating slips or gripping elements in an anchor and/or catcher tool to secure tubing strings and other well equipment within well casings. The cone is comprised of a cone body having a longitudinal axis, the cone body comprising a frustoconical outer portion with an exterior surface that tapers radially inward along the length of the cone body to a narrow end. The cone body may have an upper portion with a substantially circular outer perimeter having at least one flat or cutout to reduce the maximum cross-sectional area of the cone to facilitate increased fluid flow around the cone. The cone body may also have at least one flow passage to allow fluid to flow around or through the cone body. The flow passage may be a channel or groove formed in the exterior surface of the cone body or an internal port. An anchor and/or catcher tool employing the cone is configured to actuate slips or gripping elements.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A cone for actuating slips or gripping elements in an anchor and/or catcher tool to secure tubing strings and other well equipment within well casings, the cone comprising:
 a cone body having a longitudinal axis, the cone body comprising a frustoconical outer portion with an exterior surface that tapers radially inward along the length of the cone body to a narrow end, the cone body comprising at least one of (A) and (B), wherein   (A) comprises an upper portion of the cone with a substantially circular outer perimeter having at least one flat or cutout to reduce the maximum cross-sectional area of the cone to facilitate increased fluid flow around the cone; and   (B) comprises at least one flow passage to allow fluid to flow around or through the cone body, the at least one flow passage extending along only a portion of the length of the cone body.   
     
     
         2 . The cone of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cone body comprises (A), and wherein there are at least two circumferentially spaced apart flats or cutouts.   
     
     
         3 . The cone of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cone body comprises (A) and wherein the at least one flat or cutout comprises a flat area that is oriented in a plane that is parallel to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         4 . The cone of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cone body comprises (B) and wherein the at least one flow passage is oriented at an angle from greater than 0° and less than 90° in a longitudinal-radial (L-R) plane relative to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         5 . The cone of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cone body comprises (B) and wherein the at least one flow passage is oriented at an angle from 10° to 40° in a L-R plane relative to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         6 . The cone of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cone body comprises (B), and wherein the at least one flow passage is a channel or groove formed in the exterior surface of the cone body.   
     
     
         7 . The cone of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the channel or groove has a bottom that is a concave curve along at least a portion of the length of the channel or groove.   
     
     
         8 . The cone of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the channel or groove has a bottom that is a flat surface along at least a portion of the length of the channel or groove.   
     
     
         9 . The cone of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cone body comprises (B), and wherein the at least one flow passage is an internal port formed in the cone body.   
     
     
         10 . The cone of  claim 9 , wherein:
 there are at least two circumferentially spaced apart internal ports formed in the cone body.   
     
     
         11 . The cone of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the internal port is cylindrical.   
     
     
         12 . The cone of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cone body comprises (B) wherein the at least one flow passage comprises (i) a channel or groove formed in an exterior surface of the cone body and (ii) an internal port formed in the cone body.   
     
     
         13 . The cone of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cone body comprises (A) and (B).   
     
     
         14 . The cone of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cone body comprises (A) and (B), and wherein the at least one flow passage comprises (i) a channel or groove formed in an exterior surface of the cone body and (ii) an internal port formed in the cone body, wherein the channel or groove is circumferentially spaced from the internal port, and wherein the channel or groove passes through the at least one flat or cutout.   
     
     
         15 . A tool assembly for anchoring and/or catching well equipment within a well casing, the tool assembly comprising:
 an elongated mandrel having a central longitudinal axis and being configured to couple at one end to the well equipment;   a control pin stationarily coupled to and projecting radially outward from the exterior of the mandrel;   a control body comprising a control body wall with a central opening that is mounted over the mandrel, the mandrel being movable within the central opening to allow longitudinal and rotational movement of the mandrel relative to the control body, the control body having at least one drag body configured to engage the well casing to provide a degree of resistance to movement of the control body relative to the well casing and/or mandrel;   at least one cone comprising a unitary cone body having a longitudinal axis that is coupled to the mandrel, the cone body comprising a frustoconical outer portion with an exterior surface that tapers radially inward along the length of the cone body to a narrow end, the cone body comprising at least one of (A) and (B), wherein
 (A) comprises an upper portion of the cone with a substantially circular outer perimeter having at least one flat or cutout to reduce the maximum cross-sectional area of the cone to facilitate increased fluid flow around the cone; and 
 (B) comprises at least one flow passage to allow fluid to flow around or through the cone body; 
   a slip assembly associated with the at least one cone comprising a slip housing coupled to one end of the control body that faces the at least one cone and at least one slip body that is carried by the slip housing, the at least one slip body being configured to contact and slide along the tapered exterior surface of the cone body so that the at least one slip body is forced radially outward by the cone to facilitate engagement of the slip body with the well casing during anchoring and/or catching of the tool assembly within the well casing when the tool assembly is changed to a set condition, and wherein the slip body is moved away from the at least one cone and retracts radially inward so that the at least one slip body is disengaged from the well casing when the tool assembly is changed to a released condition; and   a set of interconnected slots formed in the control body wall of the control body that are configured to receive the control pin, with the control pin traveling within the set of interconnected slots, the interconnected slots comprising a run slot at a first circumferential position of the control body wall, the run slot having a longitudinal length that limits the distance the control pin and mandrel travel longitudinally relative the control body so that the tool assembly is maintained in the released condition while the control pin resides within the run slot, the interconnected slots further comprising a set slot that is spaced circumferentially apart from the run slot on the control body wall, the run slot and set slot being joined together by a slot passage that allows the control pin to move between the run slot and the set slot when the mandrel is rotated about the central longitudinal axis, and wherein the set slot has a longitudinal length that allows the control pin and mandrel to travel longitudinally relative the control body to allow the tool assembly to be moved to the set condition.   
     
     
         16 . The tool assembly of  claim 15 , wherein
 the cone body comprises (A).   
     
     
         17 . The tool assembly of  claim 15 , wherein
 the cone body comprises (B).   
     
     
         18 . The tool assembly of  claim 15 , wherein
 the cone body comprises (B) and wherein the at least one flow passage is oriented at an angle from greater than 0° and less than 90° in a L-R plane relative to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         19 . The tool assembly of  claim 15 , wherein
 the cone body comprises (A) and (B).   
     
     
         20 . The tool assembly of  claim 15 , wherein
 the cone body comprises (A) and (B), and wherein the at least one flow passage comprises (i) a channel or groove formed in an exterior surface of the cone body and (ii) an internal port formed in the cone body, wherein the channel or groove is circumferentially spaced from the internal port, and wherein the channel or groove passes through the at least one flat or cutout.