PATENT CLAIM ANALYSIS

Application Number: 16238765
Application Type: Utility
Filing Date: 2019-01
Publication Date: 2019-07
Patent Classification: ["166", "075150"]

Abstract:
An improved method and apparatus for dropping a ball, plug or dart during oil and gas well operations (e.g., cementing operations) employs a specially configured tool body assembly having valving members (e.g., safety or kelly values) and valving members holding plugs, balls, or darts to be dropped. In one embodiment, the ball(s), dart(s) or plug(s) are contained in a sliding sleeve that shifts position responsive to valve rotation. An optional indicator indicates to a user or operator that a ball or plug has passed a selected one of the valving members. A transmitter (or transceiver) provides an ability to generate a wireless signal that is received by receivers (or transceivers) on the tool body assembly. Each receiver (or transceiver) controls an electrical actuator that engages a valving member or the indicator. Wireless signals can be used to open or close a valve or to reset a “tripped” indicator.

Claim (Index 11):
A ball and plug dropping head for use in sequentially dropping one or more balls and plugs into a well tubing, comprising:\n a) a tool body assembly having an upper end and an inlet at the upper end adapted to be fluidly connected in line with the lower end of a top drive, an outlet generally aligned with the inlet; b) the tool body assembly having a flow channel that connects the inlet and the outlet, the flow channel including a first channel section and a second channel section; c) the tool body assembly including a swivel with rotating and non-rotating portions; d) a plurality of valving members spaced between the inlet and the outlet, each valving member having a flow bore, each valving member being movable between open and closed positions; e) one of said channel sections enabling fluid to bypass a valving member when a valving member is in the closed position; f) wherein fluid flow flows around the valving member in said second channel section when the valving member is in the closed position and through the valving member and first inner channel section when the valving member is in the open position; g) wherein each valving member is configured to support a ball or plug when closed; h) wherein in the open position each valving member flow bore permits a ball or plug or circulatory fluid to pass therethrough; i) an indicator on the outer surface at the tool body, the indicator being movable between reset and tripped positions, wherein the tripped position indicates to a user that a ball or plug has passed a designated position below the valving members; j) a wireless communication system that includes a transmitter, multiple receivers on the tool body assembly, multiple actuators that are each engaged with a valving member, an actuator engaged with the indicator, and wherein signals from the transmitter and received by a said receiver enable a selected valving member to be moved between opened and closed positions; and k) wherein a signal from the transmitter and received by a said receiver enables movement of the indicator between tripped and reset positions.

Metadata:
- Claim Count in Document: 113.0
- Percentile: 99.0
- Lexical Diversity: 1.83838
- Patent Class: 166.0
- Transitional Phrase Type: open
- Component Type: 1
- Foreign Priority: False
- Related Applications: ['13080397', '14181255', '15156723', '14618749', '15632833']

Analysis Scores:
- 35 USC 101 Eligibility (BERT): 0.8412362810878797
- 35 USC 102 Novelty (BERT): 0.6048244100940624
- Combined Prediction Score: 0.8175950939884981
- Mean Citation Score: 528.79926
- Max Citation Score: 554.85425
- Similarity Product: 513.5431925248951

Labels:
- Claim Label 101: 1
- Claim Label 102: 1
- Claim Label 103: 1
- Claim Label 112: 1
- Combined Label: 1
- Label 101 Adjusted: 1

Dataset: test