U.S. patent application number 11/753636 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-29 for device for slip engagement of large tolerance pipe and method of use.
Invention is credited to Dan Thomas Benson.
Application Number | 20070272417 11/753636 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38779371 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070272417 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Benson; Dan Thomas |
November 29, 2007 |
Device for Slip Engagement of Large Tolerance Pipe and Method of
Use
Abstract
A coupling for a pipe comprises a housing adapted to accept a
pipe within an interior portion of the housing and a cone disposed
within the housing where, in embodiments, the cone is further
adapted to accept the pipe and be allowed to yield rather than the
pipe.
Inventors: |
Benson; Dan Thomas;
(Tomball, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DUANE MORRIS LLP
3200 SOUTHWEST FREEWAY
SUITE 3150
HOUSTON
TX
77027
US
|
Family ID: |
38779371 |
Appl. No.: |
11/753636 |
Filed: |
May 25, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60809003 |
May 26, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
166/379 ;
166/77.53; 175/423 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 19/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/379 ;
166/077.53; 175/423 |
International
Class: |
E21B 19/18 20060101
E21B019/18 |
Claims
1. A coupling for a pipe, comprising: a. a housing adapted to
accept a pipe within an interior portion of the housing; and b. a
cone disposed within the housing, the cone further adapted to
accept the pipe and be disposed about an outer portion of the pipe
within the housing, the cone comprising a material having a yield
characteristic matched to a predetermined yield characteristic of
the pipe.
2. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a
seal disposed about an interior surface of the housing, the seal
adapted to conform to an outer surface of the pipe inserted at
least partially into the housing.
3. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the housing further comprises a
limit ring disposed about the interior surface of the housing
intermediate the seal and the cone.
4. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the cone is preloaded in the
housing under tension.
5. The coupling of claim 4, wherein the wherein the cone is in
stable hoop tension.
6. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the cone is adapted to tolerate
high dilation strain.
7. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the cone material comprises
steel having an elongation property in excess of 20%.
8. The coupling of claim 1, further comprising a slip, the slip
further comprising internal teeth disposed about a predetermined
surface of the slip to engage a predetermined portion of the pipe
when the slip is disposed about the predetermined portion of the
pipe.
9. The coupling of claim 8, wherein the slip teeth further comprise
at least one angled grip surface portion.
10. The coupling of claim 9, wherein the angle of the angled grip
portion is substantially equivalent to a friction angle sufficient
to keep an axial load produced by the pipe from exerting a radial
load on the cone past setting after the coupling is set.
11. The coupling of claim 1, further comprising a slip ring adapted
to slidably engage an exterior surface of the pipe when the pipe is
inserted into a predetermined portion of the housing.
12. The coupling of claim 11, wherein the slip ring is disposed
intermediate the cone and the exterior surface of the pipe.
13. The coupling of claim 1 wherein the cone is disposed at a
predetermined position within the housing sufficient to be disposed
proximate an area of likely pipe buckling of the pipe when the pipe
is inserted into the housing.
14. A method of slip engaging a pipe, comprising: a. manipulating
material strength of a cone portion of a flange to its yield point;
b. manipulating a predetermined strain characteristic of the cone
to balance a pipe to be engaged using the flange; c. making up the
flange to the pipe; and d. allowing the cone to yield rather than
the pipe.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising loading the cone in
tension.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising positioning a slip
in-between the cone and the pipe.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: a. determining an
angle for the slip which is substantially equivalent to a friction
angle sufficient to keep an axial load produced by the pipe from
exerting a radial load on the cone past setting; and b. positioning
the slip to engage the pipe at the friction angle.
18. A method of slip engaging a pipe, comprising: a. determining a
buckling position within an interior of a housing at which a pipe
is likely to buckle when the pipe is inserted into the housing and
the pipe is under a predetermined load; b. disposing a cone adapted
to accept the pipe within the interior of the housing proximate the
buckling position, the cone comprising a material having a yield
characteristic matched to a yield characteristic of the pipe; c.
inserting a pipe into an insertion portion of the housing, the
insertion portion being at least to the buckling position; d.
engaging the cone about an exterior surface of the pipe proximate
the buckling position; e. manipulating a material strength of the
cone to its yield point; f. manipulating a predetermined strain
characteristic of the cone to balance the engaged pipe; and g.
allowing the cone to yield rather than the pipe.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising positioning a slip
in-between the cone and the pipe.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: a. determining an
angle for the slip which is substantially equivalent to a friction
angle sufficient to keep an axial load produced by the pipe from
exerting a radial load on the cone past setting; and b. positioning
the slip to engage the pipe at the friction angle.
Description
PRIORITY INFORMATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/809,003, filed on May 26, 2006.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to devices used for engaging pipes. In
embodiments, the invention more specifically relates to a device
for use with slip engagement of pipes such as large tolerance
pipes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Current mechanically set Smart Flange Plus.RTM. connectors
work on pipes with a diameter tolerance of +1/-0%. However, the
American Petroleum Institute (API) pipe tolerance is as great as
+/-1%. Providing a full range of API tolerances on Smart Flange
Plus.RTM. connectors may lead to buckling the pipe that is made to
the high side tolerance (1%).
[0004] Further, the pipe load in the Smart Flange Plus.RTM.
connector is statically balanced by the cone.
[0005] Additionally, cone material strength may be manipulated so
that its yield point and strain characteristics closely balance to
that of the pipe. Thus, when a connector, e.g. a Smart Flange
Plus.RTM. connector, is made up and the pipe begins to yield prior
to buckling, the cone itself also reaches yield. Further makeup
yields the cone, not the pipe.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The features, aspects, and advantages of the present
invention will become more fully apparent from the following
description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings in
which:
[0007] FIGS. 1-2 are views of embodiments, either in partial
perspective or in partial perspective cutaway, of embodiments of
the invention.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a graph of loads on a pipe inserted into a
coupling.
[0009] FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts of embodiments of the disclosed
methods.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0010] In general, pipe is typically loaded in compression, but
compression is unstable and the pipe has limited contraction before
buckling. The cone is loaded in hoop, i.e. circumferential, tension
which is stable. Typically, the cone can take high dialation
strain.
[0011] Materials such as soft steels (e.g. A36, A105, C1020) have
real strain elongations on the order of 30%. Austenitic stainless
materials, e.g. 3xx series, have strain elongations on the order of
40%.
[0012] Certain slips, as that term is understood by those of
ordinary skill in the pipe setting arts, comprise angled slip teeth
where the slip teeth angles are in the neighborhood of the friction
angle, as that term is understood by those of ordinary skill in
these arts. This keeps axial loads from the pipe during service
from exerting radial loads on the cone.
[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, as the context requires herein, flange
10 generally comprises flange 10a and flange assembly 10b. In a
preferred embodiment, flange 10a is a Smart Flange Plus.RTM.
flange. Flange assembly 10b is as basically described herein. When
the joint is made, flange 10a is made against flange assembly 10b.
As studs 17 tighten, a piston (generally shown at 18) pushes slips
300 into cone 200.
[0014] Flange 10 for pipe 12 in an embodiment is a coupling
comprising housing 100 adapted to accept pipe 12 within interior
portion 111 of housing 100 and cone 200 disposed within housing
100.
[0015] In certain currently contemplated embodiments, housing 100
may be made of A105, A694, A350, 4130, and/or 4140 steel or the
like.
[0016] Housing 100 may further comprise seal 120 disposed about
interior surface 112 of housing 100 where seal 120 is adapted to
conform to outer surface 13 of pipe 12 when pipe 12 is inserted at
least partially into housing 110. Seal 120 is made of a suitable
material and may comprise nitrile (NBR), fluoroelastomer (FKM), or
polyurethane (PUR), or the like, or combinations thereof.
[0017] In certain embodiments, housing 100 further comprises limit
ring 130 disposed about interior surface 112 of housing 110
intermediate seal 120 and cone 200. Limit ring 130 is also made of
a suitable material and, in currently contemplated embodiments, may
comprise 4130 or 4140 alloy steel or the like.
[0018] Cone 120 is adapted to accept pipe 12 and be disposed about
outer portion 14 of pipe 12 when a outer portion of pipe 12, e.g.
exterior surface 14, is disposed within housing 100. In preferred
embodiments, cone 200 comprises a material having a yield
characteristic matched to a predetermined yield characteristic of
pipe 12. Cone 200 is typically disposed at a predetermined position
within housing 100 sufficient to be disposed proximate an area of
likely pipe buckling of pipe 12 when pipe 12 is inserted into
housing 100, e.g. area 15.
[0019] In certain contemplated embodiments of flange 10, cone 200
is preloaded in housing 100 under tension, e.g. cone 200 is in hoop
tension as that term is understood by those of ordinary skill in
these arts.
[0020] Additionally, cone 200 is typically adapted to tolerate high
dilation strain. In certain embodiments, cone 200 comprises steel
having an elongation property in excess of 20%.
[0021] Referring additionally to FIG. 2, flange 10 may further
comprise slip 300, e.g. as part of flange assembly 10b, where slip
300 further comprises internal teeth 310. At least one surface of a
predetermined number of internal teeth 310 may comprise angled grip
portion 312. In such embodiments, the angle of angled grip portion
312 may be substantially equivalent to a friction angle sufficient
to keep an axial load produced by pipe 12 from exerting a radial
load on 200 cone past setting after flange 10 is set.
[0022] Slip 300, in currently contemplated embodiments, is made of
hardened 4140 or case-hardened 8620/8630 alloy steel or the like.
In certain embodiments, slip 300 made from hardened 4140 steel is
quenched and tempered hardened whereas slip 300 made from
case-hardened 8620/8630 alloy steel is carburized.
[0023] Flange 10 may further comprise slip 300 adapted to slidably
engage exterior surface 14 of pipe 12 when pipe 12 is inserted into
a predetermined portion of housing 100. Slip 300 is typically
disposed intermediate cone 200 and exterior surface 14 of pipe
12.
[0024] In the operation of a preferred embodiment, referring to
FIG. 3, slip engaging pipe 12 may be accomplished by manipulating
material strength of cone portion 200 (FIG. 1) of flange 10b (FIG.
1) to its yield point. A predetermined strain characteristic of
cone 200 is then manipulated to balance pipe 12 (FIG. 1) to be
engaged using repair connector and flange 10 (FIG. 1) made up to
pipe 12. In certain currently contemplated methods, cone 200 is
loaded in tension.
[0025] Slip 300 (FIG. 1) may be positioned in-between cone 200
(FIG. 2) and pipe 12 (FIG. 2). In further embodiments using slip
300, an angle for slip teeth 300 (FIG. 2) may be determined which
is substantially equivalent to a friction angle sufficient to keep
an axial load produced by pipe 12 from exerting a radial load on
cone 200 past setting and slip 300 positioned to engage pipe 12 at
the friction angle.
[0026] In a further embodiment of slip engaging a pipe, a buckling
position within an interior of housing 100 (FIG. 1) at which an
inserted pipe, e.g. pipe 12 (FIG. 1), is likely to buckle when pipe
12 is inserted into housing 100 and pipe 12 is under a
predetermined load is determined. Cone 200 (FIG. 1), adapted to
accept pipe 12 within interior portion 111 (FIG. 1) of housing 100
proximate the buckling position, is disposed within housing 100. In
typical embodiments, cone 200 comprises a material having a yield
characteristic matched to a yield characteristic of pipe 12. Pipe
12 is inserted into an insertion portion of housing 100, where the
insertion portion is at least to the determined buckling position.
Cone 200 is engaged about exterior surface 14 (FIG. 1) of pipe 12
proximate the determined buckling position and a material strength
of cone 200 manipulated to its yield point. Cone 200 is then
allowed to yield rather than pipe 12.
[0027] In certain currently contemplated methods, slip 300 (FIG. 1)
may be positioned in-between cone 200 (FIG. 1) and pipe 12 (FIG.
1).
[0028] Additionally, slip 300 (FIG. 1) may comprise angled slip
teeth 310 (FIG. 2) where the angle for slip teeth 310 may be
substantially equivalent to a friction angle sufficient to keep an
axial load produced by pipe 12 (FIG. 1) from exerting a radial load
on cone 200 (FIG. 1) past setting slip 300 positioned to engage
pipe 12 at the friction angle.
[0029] It will be understood that various changes in the details,
materials, and arrangements of the parts which have been described
and illustrated above in order to explain the nature of this
invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing
from the principle and scope of the invention as recited in the
claims.
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