Abstract:
A permanent inflatable packer enabling wellbore isolation in both open hole and cased hole wells expands multiple times its original diameter to conform to borehole irregularities and eccentricities. Cement, water based mud or oil based mud activation fluid under prerequisite fluid pressure causes retainer to slide upon a mandrel causing fracture of shearing screws and compression of Belleville metal ring washers to enable activation fluid to flow around an O-ring and into a recess area to effectuate inflation of ribs sandwiched between rubber layers.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority based upon U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/953,915 filed Mar. 16, 2014. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to downhole production of hydrocarbons, and more particularly relates to inflatable production packers capable of becoming extremely expanded for enabling wellbore isolation for cementing stage and for facilitating production of hydrocarbons in multi-zone downhole operations and for enabling wellbore isolation for facilitating fracking operations. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There has been significant growth and developments in domestic applications of fracking during well completion operations. Special downwell equipment and downhole tools have been introduced to support and promote multi-zone production and during fracking operations, but a problem that has persisted is having the capability to successfully isolate multiple production zones using appropriate packers but without inhibiting normal fluid flow downhole. For example, industry standard inflatable packers have limited capability for achieving expansion of an implicated rubber element without unduly increasing packer outside diameter. It would be particularly advantageous in the downhole art to provide inflatable packers that effectuate prerequisite expansion to sufficiently isolate production zones to prevent hydrocarbons flow from one zone or stage to another. 
     Regardless of whether particular zones are producing or not, it is well known to be counterproductive for hydrocarbons to flow downhole or uphole from one zone into another, rather than to just flow uphole or even downhole. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that such zones or stages are purposefully separated from each other by properly emplacing packers or via such control tools as an inflow control devices to avoid interference with intended flow of hydrocarbons. That is, as is well known in the downhole art, there should be no communication between different zones. 
     Accordingly, what is needed is a permanent production inflatable packer that precludes interference from different hydrocarbon producing zones, on the basis of inherently having a smaller outer diameter than such production packers known in the art. It will be appreciated that such smaller diameter production packer prevents occurrence of damage thereto while being moved into place downhole. For instance, prior art packers tend to become stuck to virtually any of a plethora of wellbore obstructions which is especially troublesome under circumstances in which well clearance could be tight between the packer&#39;s outside diameter and the adjacent wellbore wall. 
     As will be elucidated hereinafter, once an embodiment of the instant inflatable permanent production packer is installed downhole typically avoiding well wall contact because of its significantly smaller outside diameter and simultaneously having minimized the chance of getting stuck while being emplaced and set within the wellbore, the rubber members swell to a greater extent than has heretofore been achieved in the art, and thereby precludes and blocks any uphole flow of hydrocarbons from a lower reservoir uphole and subsequently into an upper reservoir. Instead, flow of hydrocarbons proceeds within the inflatable packer tool, not within the annulus between the tool and the wellbore. Hence, it will be seen that embodiments of the present invention fulfill a crucial production packer prerequisite by facilitating proper placement downhole and then, once being properly emplaced, precluding interference between production zones. That is, unlike inflatable packers common in the art, embodiments hereof would be unlikely to be prematurely set downhole because of a dual activation fluid pressure threshold, thereby avoiding the necessity of fishing out the tool and possibly consequently causing damage thereto and, indeed, to other nearby tools that have been emplaced downhole. 
     These and other known deficiencies in the downhole art have continued to limit the functionality of commonly used packer tools. Accordingly, these limitations and disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present invention, wherein improved means and techniques are provided which are especially useful for effectively isolating production zones. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present inflatable packer tool pertain to zonal isolation permanent packers that afford more substantial expansion than has been heretofore known in the art. It will be appreciated by those conversant in the art that inflatable packers taught herein enable wellbore isolation in both open hole and cased hole, not only in vertical wells but also in horizontal wells, wherein practitioners can now permanently separate different well production zones and thereby control production logistics in a manner heretofore unattainable. 
     It will be seen that preferred embodiment of the present invention affords the unique capability of expanding multiple times its original diameter to effectively conform to borehole irregularities and eccentricities. Indeed, it will be appreciated that embodiments hereof afford expansion heretofore unattainable by prior art permanent packers applicable in open-hole for horizontal and vertical wells and in a cased-hole for horizontal wells. Furthermore, it will be seen that, once slips are installed, embodiments of the instant inflatable packer may also be installed in cased vertical wells. When equipped with slips, i.e., with hardened tool steel teeth for being slightly embedded into the casing, threaded sliding metal parts facilitate biting into casing and thereby preventing slipping of downhole tools when installed vertically in cased holes, embodiments of the present inflatable packer may be used in vertical cased holes. But, if no slips are installed, embodiments hereof may be used in all open hole wells and horizontal cased-hole wells, but not in vertical cased-hole wells. 
     It will be understood that inflatable packer embodiments taught hereunder inherently provide total contact with the formation once the packer sets. Moreover, unlike similar downhole tools known in the art, embodiments hereof set in a single downhole trip and may be rotated while being emplaced downhole. While the preferred activation fluid is cement because it affords a strong, reliable seal, other fluids may be used such as oil or water, or water or oil based mud. 
     It will also be seen that embodiments hereof comprise either discontinuous rib members or a continuous rib member that supports the rubber seal and provides increased strength. It has also been found that preferred embodiments afford consistent and reliable isolation of production zones even under exigent circumstances typified by extreme force engendered during fracking operations. 
     It should be understood that rubber members disclosed herein correspond to any of several suitable synthetic elastomeric polymeric materials known in the art, that afford high swell coefficient that enables production zones to be effectively isolated as contemplated hereunder. The terms “rubber”; synthetic rubber’; “elastomer”; and “elastomeric material” are used interchangeably herein. Such selected elastomer is cured in a manner well known in the art and then incorporated into embodiments of the present invention. 
     It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an inflatable packer that reduces operating costs by precluding the necessity for conventional cementing. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an inflatable packer that affords simple deployment. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an inflatable packer with prerequisite integrity and reliability to preclude vulnerability to either mechanical failure, hydraulic failure, or electrical failure. 
     It is also an object and advantage of the present invention that embodiments may rely upon virtually any activation fluid, such as oil, water or an admixture thereof, although cement is preferable. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following specifications and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a frontal perspective view of an inflatable packer embodying the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a frontal cross-sectional cut-away view of the inflatable packer embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3A  depicts a frontal cross-sectional cut-away view of the pre-activation system embodying the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  depicts a frontal cross-sectional cut-away view of the post-activation system embodying the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  depicts an enlarged view of the pre-activation embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 5  depicts an enlarged view of the opposite end of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  depicts an isolated frontal perspective view of the enlargement nipple ring embodying the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  depicts a frontal perspective view of a metal ring washer embodying the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference is made herein to the figures in the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like components. Now referring collectively to  FIGS. 1-7 , there is depicted a preferred embodiment of the present invention corresponding to an inflatable packer as will be hereinafter described. More particularly,  FIG. 1  depicts a frontal perspective view of an inflatable packer embodiment  10  taught by the present invention that would be emplaced downhole in the production string during a cementing stage or a hydrocarbons completion stage or during reservoir stimulation and enhancement. As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 and 3A-3B , this preferred embodiment comprises axially disposed mandrel  70  having plurality of transverse channels  72  cut through the wall thereof for fluid communication from the wellbore (not shown) into the activation assembly  50  as will be hereinafter described, and with customer-specified thread  75  for adjoining mandrel  70  with another tubular or downhole tool. For example, customer-specified thread  75  might have a diameter or size of 5½″ while the tool has an outer diameter of 7″; or alternatively, for the same thread size, have an outer diameter of 8″ or 9″. Mandrel  70  is circumscribed by a plurality of interrelated components which are configured to achieve the unique panoply of inflatable packer functionality as will be hereinafter described. 
     Thus, preferred embodiment  10  comprises activation assembly  50  which triggers severalfold inflation of the instant inflatable packer in a manner heretofore unknown in the art. More particularly, there are shown two O-rings  55  and  56 , respectively, adjacent retainer member  20  and metal sealing sleeve member  30 , in turn, disposed adjacent plurality of Belleville washer ring members  40  which behave in a compression spring-like manner as will become evident to those skilled in the art. Sealing sleeve member  30  is preferably threadedly affixed to mandrel  70  with suitably sized and dimensioned plurality of shearing screws  150 . For example, such a thread might have a length of 5½″ and an outer diameter of 7″; or alternatively, for the same length have an outer diameter of 8″ or 9″. As the only moving component in the instant preferred embodiment, it will become evident that retainer member  20  is urged by high-pressure activation fluid impressed upon vertical edge  25  thereof, to slide upon mandrel  70  in a prescribed direction linearly toward the plurality of Belleville washer metal ring members  40  causing compression thereof. It will be seen that O-ring  55  is disposed upon outside diameter of retainer member  20  for sealing against the surface  35  of inside diameter of sealing sleeve member  30  and similarly O-ring  56  is disposed upon inside diameter of retainer member  20  for sealing against mandrel  70 . Enclosed within retainer  20  is at least one shearing screw  150  which is an integral component of the premature-activation prevention aspect of the activation assembly  50  contemplated by the present invention. 
     Referring collectively to  FIGS. 1-7 , compensator  45  comprises a full disk configuration and is disposed between plurality of Belleville metal washer members  40  and lock-in-place ring  95  and associated lock-in-pace pin  96 . Lock-ring housing  90  encloses or houses these locking components at one end of activation assembly  50  and rib housing  60  encloses plurality of metal rib members  80  at the opposite end of the activation assembly. Enlargement nipple ring  130  is adjacent end portion  92  of metal sleeve member  30  and lock-ring housing  90 . It should be understood that the pressure distribution varies in a manner functionally related to the compensator width. For instance, for a wider compensator, there would preferably be correspondingly fewer metal washer members and less pressure to be distributed. On the other hand, for a narrower compensator, there would preferably be correspondingly more metal washer members and higher pressure to be distributed. 
     It will become evident to those skilled in the art that the activation assembly contemplated herein comprises plurality of metal compression spring-like disks devolving preferably to Belleville metal ring washer members  40  which, due to prescribed compression-expansion characteristics, perform akin to springs. As is known in the art, such a spring-like configuration should preferably comprise a plurality of parallel Belleville metal ring washer members. Each such ring washer member is urged to form an essentially parallel planar configuration when compressed from its essentially convex, uncompressed configuration. As will be herein elucidated, when sufficient pressure is applied laterally to this series of parallel metal ring members within a prescribed pressure range, the spring-like behavior thereof is orchestrated. It should be understood that Belleville ring washers initially tend to naturally expand and this tendency initially prevents activation fluid from entering the activation assembly taught herein. Accordingly, an important fail-safe aspect of the preferred embodiment is that besides the activation fluid pressure threshold prerequisite for rupturing the shearing screws and enabling sliding movement of the retainer member toward the plurality of Belleville ring washer members, an even higher activation fluid pressure threshold is prerequisite for impressing the retainer against these Belleville ring washer members, causing compression thereof. 
     More particularly, it will be seen that, when sufficient fluid pressure is impressed upon embodiments of the instant inflatable packer, a suitably sized and dimensioned plurality of shearing screws  150  is caused to rupture by shearing forces, and then, with forced entry of activation fluid thereinto, when sufficient activation fluid pressure is imposed upon the series of metal ring washer members  40 , these washer ring members are caused to become compressed. This compression, in turn, causes retainer member  20  to slide from its initial position wherein O-ring  55  becomes sealed against metal sleeve member  30  at the vertical surface thereof  35 . This sliding movement of retainer member  20  and simultaneous movement of O-ring  55  fixedly disposed upon external surface thereof enables O-ring  55  to become close to the adjacent recess area  58 , whereupon this O-ring ceases sealing against metal sleeve member  30 . Consequently, O-ring  55  is no longer manifesting a seal between the outside diameter of retainer member  20  and the surface of inside diameter  35  of metal sealing sleeve member  30 . Accordingly, borehole fluid can bypass or flow around displaced O-ring  55  and then flow into the recess area  58 . It should be noted that, when retainer member  20  is caused to slidably move back to its initial position—O-ring  55  simultaneously moving therewith, O-ring  55  is again preferably emplaced upon the outer diameter of retainer member  20 , thereby sealing it against inside surface  35  of metal sealing sleeve member  30 . 
     As will be understood by those skilled in the art, if this internal activation fluid pressure exceeds predetermined limits, Belleville metal ring members  40  will be unable to be decompressed when this activation fluid pressure is attenuated and, consequently, embodiments of the inflatable packer contemplated hereunder will no longer be capable of containing the activation fluid which is effectuating inflation of the instant packer  10 . For example, assuming that an embodiment of the instant inflatable packer is constructed with a 5½ inch outer diameter, the implicated limit would be 7,000 psi, functionally related to the number of washer ring members and the size of the compensator member incorporated into a particular embodiment hereof. It should be evident to practitioners in the art that differently-sized embodiments hereof will have different pressure limits. 
     Another aspect of embodiments hereof is a multi-dimensional internal locking mechanism that essentially locks in a zero degrees-of-freedom condition. That is, as elucidated herein, this unique multi-faceted locking infrastructure assures that neither linear translation nor rotational movement will occur while the preferred embodiment hereof is positioned in situ downhole. Lock-ring housing  90  disposed circumferentially of mandrel  70  encloses lock-in-place ring member  95  which, in turn, encloses plurality of lock-in-place pin members  96 . It will be appreciated that lock-in-place ring member  95  is preferably not configured as a full disk but encompasses about 325°-359° in order to facilitate its emplacement about mandrel  70  before being affixed thereto with its teeth-like profile that tends to bite into the exterior surface of mandrel  70 . Plurality of lock-in-place pin members  96  are then insertably affixed to the mandrel  70  to prevent any rotational movement thereof. It will also be clear that threads mated to the lock-ring housing  90  prevent any translation movement thereof. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3A , in the pre-activation phase of the instant invention, each of plurality of Belleville washer metal ring members  40  is initially naturally configured in a convex arrangement and, when compressed by prerequisite pressure imposed by activation fluid, prevents wellbore fluid from entering the activation assembly  50  as will be herein described. It will be appreciated that, prior to activation, this activation assembly  50  is internally disposed in a closed condition wherein fluid is precluded from entering until the predetermined activation pressure is achieved. Being designed with a unique double-safety, i.e., a fail-safe, premature-activation preventive aspect, preferred embodiments inherently prohibit fluid from triggering inflation even if the screws constituting plurality of shearing screws  150  are inadvertently sheared, unless and until the predetermined pressure is reached. That is, activation assembly  50  is actually activated if and only if the designated prerequisite pressure is manifest. Otherwise, activation is prevented and, indeed, no premature activation occurs. 
     It should be understood that, in the pre-activation phase of the instant invention, when the predetermined prerequisite pressure is reached to effectuate sufficient compression of the plurality of Bellville metal washer ring members  40 , the activation assembly infrastructure has become internally disposed in an open condition so that selected activation fluid, e.g., cement, enters thereinto, thereby triggering inflation. It will be seen that such entry of activation fluid causes retainer member  20  to slidably shift toward the series of metal washer ring members  40  and manifesting an open position under which these metal ring washer members  40  become fully compressed into a planar condition. 
     Accordingly, O-ring  55  disposed on the outside diameter of the retainer  20  will cease sealing against vertical edge  35  of sealing sleeve  30 . It will be appreciated that this is attributable to the O-ring  55  being temporarily displaced from the sealing sleeve  30 , thereby enabling activation fluid to flow around the O-ring  55  and then proceed by flowing to the recess surface  58  between the sealing sleeve  30  and the mandrel  70 . Accordingly, it will be seen that activation fluid accumulates and tends to inflate the cured rubber member  100 , thereby causing the preferably plurality of rubber-sleeve-sandwiched metal rib members  80  to be deformed irreversibly. It will be understood that, once the instant packer has become fully inflated, implicated pressure should be released as a prerequisite for the Belleville metal washer ring members  40  to be decompressed and return to their natural convex configuration to simultaneously urge the retainer member  20  back into its initial position relative to the metal ring spring-like members, thereby closing the activation assembly  50  and consequently entrapping the activation fluid that has entered the instant inflatable packer embodiment. 
     It will be seen that included on mandrel  70  is at least one channel  72  that functions as a communication port. Plurality of such channels should preferably be concentric and co-planar to promote efficient linear inward flow. It has been found that the size and configuration of these fluid channels communicating activation fluid into the activation assembly  50  of the present invention are essentially of no consequence so long as there is adequate entry of activation fluid thereinto. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that invoking a cup tool to transfer activation fluid pressure into the activation assembly  50  via channels  72  generally suffices to engender the prerequisite pressure contemplated hereunder. 
     At onset of the activation phase taught herein, when predetermined activation fluid enters activation assembly  50  of the instant embodiment, fluid pressure is imposed against the retainer  20 . This pressure urges the retainer  20  to move leftward by sliding toward plurality of spring-like members  40 , but resistance is encountered because of at least one shearing screw  150  being affixed to the mandrel  70 . Nevertheless, once sufficient activation fluid pressure is effectuated to shear such screws  150 , the retainer member  20  is no longer inhibited from moving toward the metal washer ring members  40  and, consequently, the retainer member is enabled to urge the series of spring-like members  40  to become compressed. It should be understood that this contemplated additional pressure is prerequisite for causing spring-compression of the Belleville metal washer ring members  40  or the like in order to be manifest as a series of planar, parallel structures. It will be appreciated that, once the shearing screws  150  have been sheared, the safety aspect thereof has been completed and, accordingly, cannot be reversed. 
     It has been found that the spring-like functionality prerequisite for preferred embodiments hereof, e.g., imparted by Belleville metal washer ring members, may alternatively be achieved by actually using properly configured and sized springs such as compression springs generally used in automobile suspensions and the like, and also by using swellable rubber wherein the activation fluid will cause the rubber to swell and accordingly seal and entrap fluids located inside. 
     Thus, it will be seen that  FIG. 3A  depicts plurality of Belleville metal ring washer members  40  disposed in original natural convex configuration, while  FIG. 3B  depicts the plurality of Belleville metal ring washer members disposed in a compressed planar, parallel configuration due to being compressed attributable to sufficient activation fluid pressure. As hereinbefore elucidated, for the series of Belleville ring washer members to be disposed in the configuration illustrated in  FIG. 3B  from the configuration in  FIG. 3A , retainer member  20  would have been urged to move toward these Belleville ring members, thereby causing spring-like compression thereof. 
     Situated just prior to plurality of shearing screws  150  there is seen a first O-ring  55  disposed upon outside diameter of retainer member  20 , for sealing flow between the retainer and sealing sleeve  30 . A second O-ring  56  is disposed upon inside diameter of retainer member  20 . It will be appreciated that, after sufficient fluid pressure has been achieved to exceed a first predetermined threshold pressure causing plurality of shearing screws  150  to be ruptured and sufficient additional activation fluid pressure has been applied against retainer member  20 —to exceed a second predetermined activation pressure threshold—to cause sliding movement thereof against the series of Belleville metal ring washer members  40 , these washer ring members are compressed into a parallel and planar configuration. Simultaneously, sufficient activation fluid pressure is manifest against the retainer profile  25  wherein activation fluid can travel around displaced O-ring  55  and into recess  58  and then inside the inflatable packer embodiment  10  as contemplated hereunder. It will also be appreciated that the inflating rubber member  100  causes the plurality of metal rib members  80  to be deformed, since activation fluid accumulates under the rubber sleeve member  86  and wrapped rubber sleeve member  85 , jointly sandwiching the plurality of metal rib members, causing inflation of adjacent exterior rubber sleeve member  100  that contains the continuous or discontinuous metal ribs  80  within rib housing  60  enclosed by rib housing cap  88  as shown and also enclosed by lock-ring housing  90 , and welded thereto as herein described. Thus, as shown, each metal rib member is sandwiched between rubber sleeve member  85  on the outside thereof and rubber sleeve member  86  on the inside. 
     It should be understood by those skilled in the art, that, once sufficient activation fluid pressure has effectuated sufficient packer inflation wherein both activation pressure thresholds have been reached—with its contemplated downhole ramifications—the pressure should preferably be released and the retainer  20  consequently slidably returned to its initial position and, likewise, the series of Belleville metal ring washer members  40  being returned to a decompressed, natural convex configuration. 
     As shown, plurality of metal rib members  80  are preferably installed against lock-ring housing  90  and sandwiched laterally between two preferably rubber layers. More particularly, the metal rib members  80  are disposed beneath lock-ring housing  90  and above rubber sleeve member  86 . As shown, for instance, rib members  80  should preferably be welded at corresponding straight end  82  thereof to lock-ring housing  90  at the vertical surface  92  thereof. And a similar situation pertains to rib housing too. The opposite curved end  84  of the metal rib members  80  should be uninhibited in order to manifest maximum inflation toward middle portion of the rubber sleeve member  100  engulfing the preferred embodiment hereof  10 . That is, the preferably sandwiched rib members should preferably be fixed at one end where welded, but uninhibited from being deformed—akin to spokes of an umbrella disposed in open position—at the other end, when inflation has been activated as herein described. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that plurality of metal rib members  80  may be disposed as two discontinuous portions upon lock-ring housing  90  or as one continuous portion affixed thereto. For the configuration in which the metal rib members comprise two discontinuous portions, it has been found to be advantageous for each such portion to traverse about ⅓ of the distance from each end thereof. As shown, this configuration enables each metal rib member portion to achieve maximum uninhibited expansion—analogous to two open umbrellas—manifest as corresponding maximum possible inflation of the preferred embodiment hereof  10 . Similarly, for the configuration in which the metal rib members comprise one continuous portion, it has been found to be advantageous for this single metal rib member to extend the full length of the distance from one end to the other of the lock-ring housing  90 —analogous to an open umbrella—manifest as corresponding maximum possible inflation of the preferred embodiment hereof  10 . It has been found to be advantageous that full continuous rib members should be unwelded while extending from the lock-ring housing  90  to the rib housing  60 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the lock-ring housing and rib housing should preferably be adjusted, e.g., size, geometric constraints, model selection, and the like to accommodate such continuous rib members. As shown, this configuration enables each metal rib member portion to achieve maximum uninhibited expansion manifest as corresponding maximum possible inflation of the preferred embodiment hereof  10 . 
     Still referring to the collection of  FIGS. 1-7  and focusing upon  FIG. 6 , enlargement nipple ring member  130 , preferably constructed from an expandable metal, is attached to metal sealing sleeve member  30  in an already-expanded condition and stretches the adjoining sealing sleeve member  30 —which simultaneously bites thereinto. That is, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, it has been found to be advantageous to size the outer diameter of the enlargement nipple ring  130  to be larger than the corresponding outer diameter of the sealing sleeve member  30  to which it is attached, wherein expansion of the enlargement nipple ring  130  is effectuated to such an extent that its larger size outer diameter causes the sealing sleeve member  30  to manifest expansion in excess of its outer diameter. It should be understood that this extreme sealing sleeve expansion urges the rubber sleeve  100  to expand or inflate like a balloon against lock-ring housing  90  until it reaches the inside wellbore wall. Once this full expansion has been achieved and the instant inflatable packer has achieved the contemplated production zone isolation or comparable objective as taught hereunder, then the activation pressure is released. Expansion of enlargement nipple ring  130  causes rubber sleeve member  100  to bite into the profile on the inside diameter of lock-ring housing  90 , at the top of the instant embodiment and of the rib housing  60 , at the bottom side thereof, and to fill this profile. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, filling this profile with rubber sleeve member  100  under the influence of enlargement nipple ring  130  prevents the activation fluid from being misdirected, but assures that the activation fluid proceeds directly beneath the sealing sleeve member  30  where activation fluid will accumulate, thereby causing rubber sleeve member  100  to inflate. It should be understood that, if the enlargement nipple ring  130  is not used, then activation fluid would be able to penetrate between the plurality of ribs and then fail to inflate the instant inflatable packer as contemplated hereunder. Thus, to achieve inflation as contemplated hereunder, activation fluid must accumulate under the rubber sleeve member  100 . 
     It will be seen that metal sealing sleeve member  30  traps activation fluid from entering plurality of metal rib members  80 . Thus, this preferred configuration inherent in embodiments hereof prevents activation fluid from entering the instant inflatable packer and from communicating with outside the activation assembly as herein described. This thoroughly insulating plurality of metal rib members preferably sandwiched between rubber layers, with wrapped rubber layer atop the metal rib members and the rubber sandwich configuration disposed below the metal rib members, effectively isolates the activation fluid disposed within preferred embodiments hereof. 
     Once the retainer  20  has been enabled and urged to move leftward toward plurality of spring-like members  40 , after sufficient fluid pressure has caused the plurality of shearing screws  150  to be sheared, causing the Belleville washer ring members  40  to be simultaneously compressed, activation fluid flow commences around compensator member  45 , sealing sleeve member  30 , mandrel member  70 , and lock-ring housing member  90 —proceeding from right to left within the instant inflatable packer embodiment. 
     The following tabulation enumerates and identifies the various components comprising embodiments of the present invention. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Inflatable Packer Components 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Numeral 
                 Description 
                 Comments &amp; Explanation 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 10 
                 Inflatable packer 
                   
               
               
                 20 
                 Retainer member 
                 Slides upon mandrel; pushes to left on 
               
               
                   
                   
                 series of Belleville washers causing 
               
               
                   
                   
                 (spring-like) compression thereof 
               
               
                 25 
                 Retainer profile 
                 Vertical edge of retainer where 
               
               
                   
                   
                 activation fluid acts upon as pressure 
               
               
                   
                   
                 to push retainer away from mandrel 
               
               
                   
                   
                 communication port, in order to 
               
               
                   
                   
                 shear the shearing screws and then 
               
               
                   
                   
                 compress the Belleville washers 
               
               
                 30 
                 Sealing sleeve  
                 Metal; threadedly mates with 
               
               
                   
                 member 
                 mandrel; never moves; threadedly 
               
               
                   
                   
                 attached to lock-ring housing and 
               
               
                   
                   
                 O-ring assures integrity of seal 
               
               
                 35 
                 Surface of sealing 
                   
               
               
                   
                 sleeve 
                   
               
               
                 40 
                 Belleville washer  
                   
               
               
                   
                 ring members 
                   
               
               
                 45 
                 Compensator 
                 Full disk shape; distributes activation 
               
               
                   
                   
                 pressure from compressed 
               
               
                   
                   
                 series of Belleville washers 
               
               
                   
                   
                 and transfers to lock-in-place 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ring and lock ring housing 
               
               
                 50 
                 Activation assembly 
                   
               
               
                 55 
                 O-ring 
                 On OD - sealing against 
               
               
                   
                   
                 sealing sleeve 
               
               
                 56 
                 O-ring 
                 On ID - sealing against mandrel 
               
               
                 58 
                 Recess for  
                 Accessible when Belleville washers 
               
               
                   
                 accommodating  
                 compressed and O-ring in 
               
               
                   
                 fluid flow 
                 open position 
               
               
                 60 
                 Rib housing 
                   
               
               
                 65 
                 Rib housing cap 
                   
               
               
                 70 
                 Mandrel 
                 Gray 
               
               
                 72 
                 Plurality of  
                 Cut through mandrel wall 
               
               
                   
                 transverse channels 
                   
               
               
                 75 
                 Threads 
                   
               
               
                 80 
                 Metal rib member 
                 Preferably sandwiched between 
               
               
                   
                   
                 rubber layers; installed against lock- 
               
               
                   
                   
                 ring housing, with short, vertical 
               
               
                   
                   
                 side welded; deforms under pressure; 
               
               
                   
                   
                 below ribs is rubber sleeve and  
               
               
                   
                   
                 above ribs is lock-in-place housing 
               
               
                 82 
                 Rib straight end 
                 Welded to lock-ring housing 
               
               
                 84 
                 Rib curved free end 
                 Umbrella-like deformation 
               
               
                   
                   
                 under fluid pressure 
               
               
                 85 
                 Wrapped rubber 
                   
               
               
                   
                 sleeve member 
                   
               
               
                 86 
                 Rubber sleeve 
                   
               
               
                   
                 member 
                   
               
               
                 88 
                 Rib Housing Cap 
                   
               
               
                 90 
                 Lock Ring Housing 
                 threadedly mated to mandrel which 
               
               
                   
                   
                 prevents translation; has both O.D.  
               
               
                   
                   
                 thread and I.D. thread 
               
               
                 92 
                 Portion of Lock- 
                 Adjacent Enlargement Nipple Ring 
               
               
                   
                 Ring Housing 
                   
               
               
                 94 
                 Vertical portion of  
                 Rib member welded thereto 
               
               
                   
                 Lock-Ring Housing 
                   
               
               
                 95 
                 Lock-In-Place Ring 
                 Not full disk configuration;  
               
               
                   
                   
                 emplaced upon mandrel and can be 
               
               
                   
                   
                 rotated thereon; once situated  
               
               
                   
                   
                 upon mandrel, profile keeps biting  
               
               
                   
                   
                 into mandrel external surface 
               
               
                 96 
                 Lock-In-Place Pin 
                 Secured into mandrel and  
               
               
                   
                   
                 prevents rotation 
               
               
                 100  
                 Wrapping Rubber 
                 Cured 
               
               
                   
                 outer sleeve layer 
                   
               
               
                 130  
                 Enlargement  
                 Already expanded when emplaced  
               
               
                   
                 nipple ring 
                 in situ; not attached to mandrel,  
               
               
                   
                   
                 but attached to metal sealing  
               
               
                   
                   
                 sleeve; has diameter larger 
               
               
                   
                   
                 than metal sealing sleeve and 
               
               
                   
                   
                 thus pushes sealing sleeve  
               
               
                   
                   
                 against lock-ring housing 
               
               
                 135  
                 Plurality of holes 
                 Upon circumference of  
               
               
                   
                   
                 enlargement ring 
               
               
                 150  
                 Shearing screws 
                   
               
               
                 200  
                 Bridge Boot 
                 Cured Rubber connecting the 2  
               
               
                   
                   
                 Rubber Sleeves 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Other variations and modifications will, of course, become apparent from a consideration of the structures and techniques hereinbefore described and depicted. Accordingly, it should be clearly understood that the present invention is not intended to be limited by the particular features and structures hereinbefore described and depicted in the accompanying drawings, but that the present invention is to be measured by the scope of the appended claims herein.