Patent Application
20230265723
The present invention relates to connection assembly and, more specifically, to a rapid make-up connection assembly for connecting a first body having a bore to a second body having a bore.
In many industries it is necessary to connect a first fluid-carrying body or line to a second fluid-carrying body or line. In particular, in the oil and gas industry connection assemblies are commonly used to connect wellheads, tubular members such as risers as well as other tubular components involved in the production, gathering, and transportation of produced fluids.
Connection assemblies that are commonly used include threaded connections, with or without flanges, clamping mechanisms which compress the tubular members using single or multiple drive screws or bolts, and locking mechanisms using dogs, split rings, collets and the like. The connections employing locking mechanisms typically use activation or driving rings which are axially moved using discrete or annular hydraulic systems.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a connection assembly for tubular members which does not require a hydraulic system to preload the connection.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to connection assemblies for connecting first and second bodies, preferably bodies having bores therethrough, which can be rapidly made-up and which are capable of producing significant and repeatable preload.
In still another aspect, the present invention relates to connection assemblies which can be made up using low torque, e.g., hand tighten and still eliminate all gaps due to tolerances.
In yet a further aspect, the present invention relates to a connection assembly for connecting first and second tubular members which utilizes a primary make-up assembly and a secondary make-up assembly to achieve a connection possessing significant preload.
These and further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, wherein reference is made to the figures in the accompanying drawings.
Embodiments of the invention are described more fully hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Elements that are identified using the same or similar reference characters refer to the same or similar elements. The various embodiments of the invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
Further, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the apparatus/assembly in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the apparatus/assembly in the figures is turned over, elements described as being “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The apparatus/assembly may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly.
Second tubular member 14 has an external thread 22 and a counterbore 24, counterbores 24 and 20 being concentric as can be seen in
As best seen with reference to
In surrounding relationship to dogs 40 is an activation or cam ring 50. Activation ring 50 has an annular radially inwardly facing, axially extending tapered surface 52, tapered surface 52 matingly engaging tapered surface 42 on dog 40. Further the top surface of ring 50 forms an annular axially facing shelf 83. As seen in
There is a collar shown generally as 60 which has an internal threaded portion 62 which threadedly engages threaded portion 22 on second tubular member 14. Collar 60 also has a counterbore 64 resulting in collar 60 having an upper wall section 66 of a first internal diameter and a lower wall section 68 of a second, larger internal diameter thereby forming an annular, axially facing shoulder 67. Formed on the lower end of collar 60 is a second internally threaded portion 70, threaded portion 70 engaging a retraction ring 72. It will be appreciated that rotation of collar 60 results in rotation of retraction ring 72.
There are a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending internally threaded bores 76 formed in wall section 66 of collar 60. Each bore has a counterbore 77 forming an axially facing shoulder 79. There is a bolt bushing 81 received in counterbore 77. Received in each threaded bore 76 is a threaded rod 78, e.g., cap bolt, a bushing 81 being received between the head of bolt 78 and shoulder 79. As seen with reference to
Referring now to
Turning now to
At this point, bolts 78 can be rotated such that they move downwardly until they bottom on bushing 81, negating any further preload. It will be appreciated that as bolts 78 move downwardly, spacers 81 will contact the shelf 83 further forcing activation ring 50 into tighter engagement with dogs 40 forcing dogs 40 tightly into engagement with rib 16.
Although the connection assembly has been described above with reference to the use of dogs as a latch or locking element, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the latch can comprise a collet, a split ring, or other type latch mechanisms which can be activated generally by radial movement.
It will be recognized that rotation of collar 60 to move collar 60 upwardly will concomitantly move retraction ring 72 upwardly until tapered surface 73 on retraction ring 72 engages the underside of projection 47 on dog 40, thereby moving dog 40 radially outwardly and out of engagement with the first tubular member 12.
It can be seen from the above that the connection assembly 10 has two make-up assemblies, one comprising the dogs 40, the other comprising the bolts 78.
It will be appreciated that when collar 60 stops, all gaps (between) are eliminated. Subsequently torquing the bolts 78 further compresses the activation ring 50 to provide significant preload. When the bolts 78 bottom on the spacers 83, no further preload is added. Thus it can be seen that the preload is independent of torque value, friction, or geometric tolerances.
Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein in some detail, this has been done solely for the purposes of explaining the various aspects of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims which follow. Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment shown and described is exemplary, and various other substitutions, alterations and modifications, including but not limited to those design alternatives specifically discussed herein, may be made in the practice of the invention without departing from its scope.
