US Patent 7451809 Apparatus and methods for utilizing a downhole deployment valve

Methods and apparatus for utilizing a downhole deployment valve (DDV) to isolate a pressure in a portion of a bore are disclosed. The DDV system can include fail safe features such as selectively extendable attenuation members for decreasing a falling object's impact, a normally open back-up valve member for actuation upon failure of a primary valve member, or a locking member to lock a valve member closed and enable disposal of a shock attenuating material on the valve member. Actuation of the DDV system can be electrically operated and can be self contained to operate automatically downhole without requiring control lines to the surface. Additionally, the actuation of the DDV can be based on a pressure supplied to an annulus.