U.S. patent application number 15/557339 was filed with the patent office on 2018-04-19 for setting tool for use in subterranean wells.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hunting Titan, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Hunting Titan, Inc.. Invention is credited to Roger Griffin, Joseph Albert Henke, Rick Smith.
Application Number | 20180106121 15/557339 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 61903720 |
Filed Date | 2018-04-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180106121 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Griffin; Roger ; et
al. |
April 19, 2018 |
Setting Tool for Use in Subterranean Wells
Abstract
A setting tool for use in setting bridge plugs comprising a
piston rod using an improved fastener design to the lower piston to
prevent warping of the piston rod when setting.
Inventors: |
Griffin; Roger;
(Weatherford, TX) ; Smith; Rick; (Whitney, TX)
; Henke; Joseph Albert; (Hallettsville, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hunting Titan, Inc. |
Pampa |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Hunting Titan, Inc.
Pampa
TX
|
Family ID: |
61903720 |
Appl. No.: |
15/557339 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
March 11, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US16/22221 |
371 Date: |
September 11, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62131595 |
Mar 11, 2015 |
|
|
|
62131578 |
Mar 11, 2015 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 23/06 20130101;
E21B 33/134 20130101; E21B 23/065 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E21B 23/06 20060101
E21B023/06; E21B 33/134 20060101 E21B033/134 |
Claims
1. A setting tool for use in setting a bridge plug comprising: a
housing; an upper piston; an upper cylinder; a lower piston; a
lower cylinder; and a piston rod having a circumferential groove
adapted to interface with the lower piston via a coupling means,
wherein the upper piston and lower piston are hydraulically coupled
together.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling means is at least
one cap screw.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the coupling means is at least
two cap screws.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower piston comprises two
threaded through holes, one hundred and eight degrees opposite of
each other.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a crosslink engaged
to the piston rod, a crosslink sleeve engaged to the crosslink, and
a bridge plug interfaced with the crosslink sleeve.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling means is a spring
loaded ball detent.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling means is a
pin.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling means is a
slotted key.
9. An apparatus for use in a setting tool comprising: a cylindrical
solid piston rod having a first end adapted to interface with a
lower piston by sliding into the bore of a lower piston, the piston
rod having a circumferential groove proximate to the first end,
wherein the lower piston and the piston rod is coupled to the
piston rod and the circumferential groove is adapted to interface
with the lower piston via a coupling means.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the coupling means is at
least one cap screw.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the coupling means is at
least two cap screws.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the lower piston comprises
two threaded through holes, one hundred and eight degrees opposite
of each other.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising the piston rod
having a second end adapted to engage a crosslink.
14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the coupling means is a
spring loaded ball detent.
15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the coupling means is a
pin.
16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the coupling means is a
slotted key.
17. A method of retrofitting a setting tool that comprising an
upper piston, a lower cylinder, a lower piston, a first piston with
a through hole, and a crosslink by replacing the first piston with
a second piston having a circumferential groove adapted to
interface with the lower piston via a coupling means, the method
comprising the steps of: disassembling the crosslink from the lower
cylinder; disassembling the lower cylinder; removing the first
piston; installing the second piston; reassembling the lower
cylinder; and assembling the crosslink with the lower cylinder.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/131,503, filed Mar. 11, 2015, U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/131,595 filed Mar. 11, 2015, and to U.S.
Provisional Application No. 62/131,578, filed Mar. 11, 2015.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Bridge plugs are often introduced or carried into a
subterranean oil or gas well on a conduit, such as wire line,
electric line, continuous coiled tubing, threaded work string, or
the like, for engagement at a pre-selected position within the well
along another conduit having an inner smooth inner wall, such as
casing. The bridge plug is typically expanded and set into position
within the casing. The bridge plug effectively seals off one
section of casing from another. Several different completions
operations may commence after the bridge plug is set, including
perforating and fracturing. Sometimes a series of plugs are set in
an operation called "plug and perf" where several sections of
casing are perforated sequentially. When the bridge plug is no
longer needed the bridge plug is reamed, often though drilling,
reestablishing fluid communication with the previously sealed off
portion of casing.
[0003] Setting a bridge plug typically requires setting a "slip"
mechanism that engages and locks the bridge plug with the casing,
and energizing the packing element in the case of a bridge plug.
This requires large forces, often in excess of 20,000 lbs. The
activation or manipulation of some setting tools involves the
activation of an energetic material such as an explosive
pyrotechnic or black powder charge to provide the energy needed to
deform a bridge plug. The energetic material may use a relatively
slow burning chemical reaction to generate high pressure gases. One
such setting tool is the Model E-4 Wireline Pressure Setting Tool
of Baker International Corporation, sometimes referred to as the
Baker Setting Tool.
[0004] After the bridge plug is set, the explosive setting tool
remains pressurized and must be raised to the surface and
depressurized. This typically entails bleeding pressure off the
setting tool by piercing a rupture disk or releasing a valve.
SUMMARY OF EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An example of an embodiment may include a quick connect
device for well tools comprising a substantially cylindrical upper
connection body about an axis having a first end and a second end,
a resilient member, a pin grip insert having a substantially
cylindrical body about an axis, a first end, a second end, an
inclined outer surface having larger diameter proximate the first
end and a smaller diameter proximate the second end, a threaded
inner bore, an upper shoulder orthogonal to the axis, a pin capture
socket having a substantially cylindrical body about an axis, a
first end, a second end, an inclined inner surface about a conical
bore along the axis having a larger diameter proximate the first
end and a smaller diameter proximate the second end, wherein the
axes of the upper connection body, the pin grip insert, and the pin
capture socket are aligned, the pin grip insert is constructed of a
plurality of radial segments, the pin grip insert is captured
within the conical bore of the pin capture socket, the resilient
member is captured between the upper shoulder of the pin grip
insert and the second end of the upper connection body, and the
upper connection body is affixed to the first end of the pin
capture socket.
[0006] A variation of the quick connect device may include the
resilient member biasing the pin grip insert towards the second end
of the pin capture socket. The quick connect device may have the
threaded inner bore of the pin grip insert that further comprises
buttress threads having the load bearing face oriented toward the
first end of the pin grip insert. The quick connect device may have
the pin grip insert further comprising a lock screw hole extending
radially from the outer surface into each of the plurality of
radial segments, the pin capture socket further comprises a
plurality of lock screw slots extending from an outer surface of
the pin capture socket through the inclined inner surface, a
plurality of lock screws extend through the lock screw slots in the
pin capture socket and into the lock screw holes in the pin grip
insert, securing the pin grip insert inside the pin capture
socket.
[0007] A variation of the quick connect device may include a
plurality of lock screw ramps in the outer surface of the pin
capture socket corresponding to and proximate with the plurality of
lock screw slots, each having a first end proximate the first end
of the pin capture socket at a first distance from the pin capture
socket axis and a second end a second, smaller, distance from the
axis, wherein the lock screws are adapted to engage the lock screw
ramps and couple the longitudinal and axial movement of the pin
grip insert segments' movement to the lock screw ramps. The quick
connect device may have the lock screw ramps, inner surface of the
pin capture socket, and outer surface of the pin grip insert
aligned with the same angle relative to the axis.
[0008] A variation of the quick connect device may include a
holding ring adapted to slide over the outer surface of the pin
capture socket having a plurality of lock screw receptacles adapted
to couple with a plurality of head portions of the plurality of
lock screws, wherein the translation of the holding ring toward the
first end of the pin capture socket causes the lock screws and pin
grip insert to translate longitudinally and axially, opening the
inner threaded bore of the pin grip insert and release of the
holding ring allows the resilient member to bias the pin grip
insert toward the second end of the pin capture socket, closing the
inner threaded bore of the pin grip insert.
[0009] A variation of the quick connect device may include the
resilient member being a compression spring. A further variation
may include the compression spring being a wave spring. The quick
connect may further comprise a pin having a first threaded end
engaged with the internal threaded bore of the pin grip insert and
a second threaded end adapted to engage a well tool. The second
threaded end of the pin may be adapted to engage a wellbore plug.
The first end of the upper connection body may be adapted to
connect to a setting tool. The second end of the upper connection
body may be threaded into the first end of the pin capture
socket.
[0010] Another example of an embodiment of the quick connect device
may comprise a capture socket having a substantially cylindrical
body about at axis and an inclined inner wall having a first
diameter at a first end and smaller second diameter at a second
end, a plurality of buttress thread inserts each having a first
end, a second end, an inner surface with buttress threads thereon,
and an outer surface inclined relative to the inner surface such
that the outer surface is closer to the inner surface near the
second end than the first end, and an end shoulder proximate the
second end, an uphole connection body having a first end and a
second end connected to the first end of the capture socket, and a
spring, wherein the plurality of buttress thread inserts are
arranged inside the capture socket such that their inner surfaces
form a continuously threaded hole, the second end of the plurality
of buttress thread inserts is near the second end of the capture
socket, and the spring is captured and compressed between the
second end of the uphole connection body and the end shoulders of
the plurality of buttress thread inserts.
[0011] An example of an embodiment may include a setting tool for
use in setting a bridge plug comprising a housing, an upper piston,
an upper cylinder, a lower piston, a lower cylinder, and a piston
rod having a circumferential groove adapted to interface with the
lower piston via a coupling means, wherein the upper piston and
lower piston are hydraulically coupled together.
[0012] A variation of the embodiment may include the coupling means
being at least one cap screw. The coupling means may be at least
two cap screws. The lower piston may comprise two threaded through
holes, one hundred and eight degrees opposite of each other. The
embodiment may further comprise a crosslink engaged to the piston
rod, a crosslink sleeve engaged to the crosslink, and a bridge plug
interfaced with the crosslink sleeve. The coupling means may be a
spring loaded ball detent. The coupling means may be a pin. The
coupling means may be a slotted key.
[0013] An example of an embodiment may include an apparatus for use
in a setting tool comprising a cylindrical solid piston rod having
a first end adapted to interface with a lower piston by sliding
into the bore of a lower piston, the piston rod having a
circumferential groove proximate to the first end, wherein the
lower piston and the piston rod is coupled to the piston rod and
the circumferential groove is further adapted to interface with the
lower piston via a coupling means.
[0014] A variation of the embodiment may include the coupling means
being at least one cap screw. The coupling means may be at least
two cap screws. The lower piston may further comprise two threaded
through holes, one hundred and eight degrees opposite of each
other. The embodiment may further comprise the piston rod having a
second end adapted to engage a crosslink. The coupling means may be
a spring loaded ball detent. The coupling means may be a pin. The
coupling means may be a slotted key.
[0015] An example of an embodiment may include a method of
retrofitting a setting tool that comprising an upper piston, a
lower cylinder, a lower piston, a first piston with a through hole,
and a crosslink by replacing the first piston with a second piston
having a circumferential groove adapted to interface with the lower
piston via a coupling means, the method comprising the steps of
disassembling the crosslink from the lower cylinder, disassembling
the lower cylinder, removing the first piston, installing the
second piston, reassembling the lower cylinder; and assembling the
crosslink with the lower cylinder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] For a thorough understating of the present invention,
reference is made to the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings in which reference numbers designate like or similar
elements throughout the several figures. Briefly:
[0017] FIG. 1 is cross section of an example wireline setting
tool.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a cross section an example a wireline setting tool
combined with a quick connector and a bottom set bridge plug.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a cross section of an example wireline setting
tool combined with a quick connector and a top set bridge plug.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a cross section of an example piston rod.
[0021] FIG. 5 is an exploded assembly drawing of an example quick
connector.
[0022] FIG. 6 is a cross section of an example quick connector
assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION
[0023] In the following description, certain terms have been used
for brevity, clarity, and examples. No unnecessary limitations are
implied and such terms are used for descriptive purposes only and
are intended to be broadly construed. The different apparatus and
method steps described herein may be used alone or in combination
with other systems and method steps. It is to be expected that
various equivalents, alternatives, and modifications are possible
within the scope of the presented claims.
[0024] An example embodiment is illustrated in the wireline setting
tool 15 of FIG. 1. The setting tool 1 includes a ported bleeder sub
2, an upper piston 3, and an upper cylinder 4. A tandem connector 5
connects the upper cylinder 4 with the lower cylinder 12. The lower
cylinder 12 contains a lower piston 6, a piston rod 7, and a
cylinder head 8. A crosslink 10, crosslink retaining ring 13, and
the crosslink sleeve 11 are linked to the lower piston 6 via the
piston rod 7. The setting mandrel 9 is fixed to the cylinder head 8
and hence the lower cylinder 12. The setting tool also includes a
puncture disc 14 in bleeder sub 2. In this example a pin protector
23 is attached to the end of the setting tool, however the pin
protector 23 would be removed during a wireline job and a sub may
be attached.
[0025] In typical operation a gas generating power charge 1 is
electrically ignited. The gases generated by the power charge 1
exert pressure on upper piston 3, which then compresses oil
reservoir 27. The oil travels through the tandem connector 5 and
exerts pressure on lower piston 6. The resulting movement of lower
piston 6 causes piston rod 7 to move as well. Crosslink sleeve 11
is connected to the piston rod 7 via crosslink retaining ring 13
and crosslink 10. As the crosslink sleeve 11 moves in relation to
setting mandrel 9, which stays stationary relative to the lower
cylinder 12, a setting sleeve 28 of an attached bridge plug also
moves. The difference in movement between the crosslink sleeve 11
and the setting mandrel 9 causes a bridge plug to expand and set in
the wellbore.
[0026] Prior piston rods had a through hole near the end that
engages the lower piston. In the prior art these through holes
would line up with through holes on opposite radial locations of
the lower piston. The piston rod would be inserted into the back
end of the lower piston, the holes would be aligned, and a pin
would be placed through the aligned holes. It is well known that a
through hole acts as a stress concentrator that can cause stresses
seen by the rod around the hole to several times higher than the
average stress seen in the piston rod. As a result, during
operation the through hole on the piston rod deforms due to the
pressures exerted on the piston. A single operation may be enough
to cause deformation. The pin is generally expected to deform as
well, therefore a soft metal must be used in order to make
extraction of the pin possible during redress. Typically a hammer
and pin are used to force out the warped pin stuck in the warped
through hole. In some older designs hard materials were used for
the pin, resulting in the piston and piston rod becoming
permanently joined.
[0027] In this example, the piston rod 7 does not have a typical
through hole and pin combination to connect it with the lower
piston 6. Instead, in this embodiment it has a circumferential
groove 26. Screws 20 engage the retainer groove 26 and fix it to
the lower piston 6. A single screw could be used, a plurality of
two or more screws could be used. Other fasteners, including spring
loaded ball detents could be used as the fastening means in this
example. The advantage of this design is that there is no through
hole to deform in the piston rod. This results in a stronger piston
rod 7 overall. Redress of the setting tool is faster without a
stuck piston rod. Further, maintenance cost are reduced as the life
of the piston rod is extended. A warped through hole on a piston
rod cannot be easily reused.
[0028] Alternatives to this example piston rod 7 may include a
plurality of circumferential grooves rather than a single groove.
Another alternative could be one or more indentations located on
the surface of the piston rod 7 in place of a groove. Spring loaded
detents or screws could engage the piston to the piston rod via
those indentations. In another alternative the set screws could
simply tighten against the radial surface of the piston rod 7
without a circumferential groove and rely on friction to keep the
lower piston 6 fastened to the piston rod 7.
[0029] An example of an embodiment is shown in FIG. 2 including a
wireline setting tool 100 combined with a quick connect device 220
and a bottom set bridge plug 200. The wireline setting tool 100
comprises a power charge chamber 101, a ported bleeder sub 102, an
upper piston 103, an upper cylinder 104, a tandem connector 105, a
lower piston 106, a piston rod 107, a lower cylinder 113, and a
cylinder head 108. Ported bleeder sub 102 has a puncture disc 121
for relieving pressure in wireline setting tool 100. The setting
mandrel 109 is fixed to the cylinder head 108. A crosslink 110 is
connected to the crosslink sleeve 111. A crosslink retaining ring
114 holds the crosslink sleeve 111 in place. A setting sleeve 210
is connected to the crosslink sleeve 111. The setting sleeve 210
and the mandrel 109 can move independently of each other. Lower
piston 106 is connected to piston rod 107 using setscrews 112 that
engage a circumferential groove 126 cut into the outer surface of
the piston rod 107.
[0030] A quick connect device 220 connects the mandrel 109 to the
bridge plug 200. The quick connect device 220 includes pin grip
insert 223, uphole connection 226, and a quick click pin 227. The
quick click pin 227 screws into the mandrel 229 of the bridge plug
200.
[0031] The bridge plug 200 includes rubber cone with metal backup
rings 201, a slip setting ring 202, a slip setting ring 203, a slip
204, a ratchet ring 206, and a rubber seal 207, and the mandrel
229. Shear stud 230 allows the wireline setting tool 100 to
separate from the bridge plug 200 after setting.
[0032] When the power charge 101 is fired a jet of hot gas will act
upon upper piston 103. Upper cylinder 104 is filled with oil 125.
The movement of the upper cylinder 104 causes the oil 125 to move
through the tandem connector 105 and act against lower piston 106.
The movement of lower piston 106 acts against piston rod 107.
Piston rod 107 connects to the setting sleeve 210 via the crosslink
sleeve 111. As the setting sleeve 210 moves in relation to the
setting mandrel 109, the bottom set bridge plug 200 collapses and
expands, thus engaging and sealing the borehole casing.
[0033] Another example of an embodiment is shown in FIG. 3
depiction of a wireline setting tool 100 combined with a quick
connect device 220 and a bridge plug 300. The wireline setting tool
100 comprises a power charge chamber 101, a ported bleeder sub 102,
an upper piston 103, an upper cylinder 104, a tandem connector 105,
a lower piston 106, a piston rod 107, a lower cylinder 113, and a
cylinder head 108. Ported bleeder sub 102 has a puncture disc 121
for relieving pressure in wireline setting tool 100. The setting
mandrel 109 is fixed to the cylinder head 108. A crosslink 110 is
connected to the crosslink sleeve 111. A crosslink retaining ring
114 holds the crosslink sleeve 111 in place. A setting sleeve 210
is connected to the crosslink sleeve 111. The setting sleeve 210
and the mandrel 109 can move independently of each other. Lower
piston 106 is connected to piston rod 107 using setscrews 112 that
engage a circumferential groove 126 cut into the outer surface of
the piston rod 107.
[0034] A quick connect device 220 connects the mandrel 109 to the
bridge plug 300. The quick connect device 220 includes a pin grip
insert 223, uphole connection 226, and a quick click pin 227. The
quick click pin 227 screws into the mandrel 228 of the bridge plug
300.
[0035] The top set bridge plug 300 includes rubber cone with metal
backup rings 301, a slip setting ring 302, a slip setting ring 303,
a slip 304, an adapter ring 305, a ratchet ring 306, and a rubber
seal 307, and the mandrel 228. The mandrel 228 is for a top set
design.
[0036] When the power charge 101 is ignited, a jet of hot gas will
act upon upper piston 103. Upper cylinder 104 is filled with oil
125. The movement of the upper cylinder 104 causes the oil to move
through the tandem connector 105 and act against lower piston 106.
The movement of lower piston 106 acts against piston rod 107.
Piston rod 107 connects to the setting sleeve 210 via the crosslink
110 and crosslink sleeve 111. As the setting sleeve 210 moves in
relation to the setting mandrel 109, the bridge plug 300 collapses
and expands, thus engaging and sealing the borehole casing.
[0037] A more detailed example of the piston rod 7 is shown in FIG.
4. The piston rod 7 has circumferential groove 26. Piston rod 7
fits into lower piston 6. Lower piston 6 has one or more through
holes for a setscrew 20 to engage with the circumferential groove
26 of piston rod 7. In some applications the fit may have some free
play in order to keep the lower piston 6 from binding as it travels
in the lower cylinder. Prior art designs would use a through hole
in the piston rod and a single pin would engage the piston rod with
the lower cylinder. The prior art piston rod experiences tremendous
forces when the power charge ignites that collapse or warp the
through hole. When the through hole warps it traps the pin and
prolong the disassembly process during redress. Redress of the
setting tool is slower with a stuck piston rod. Typically a warped
pin needs to be hammered out in order to disengage the lower piston
from the piston rod. Maintenance cost are increased because a
warped piston rod must be replaced instead of reused.
[0038] The example shown in FIG. 4 prevents the failure modes known
in the prior art by relying on the circumferential groove 26 and
setscrews 20. The advantage of this design is that there is no
through hole to deform in the piston rod. This results in a
stronger piston rod 7 overall. Alternatively, a single screw could
be used or a plurality of two or more screws could be used. Other
fasteners, including spring loaded ball detents, slotted keys, cap
screws, set screws, or cotter pins could be used as the fastening
means in this example. Alternatives to this example piston rod 7
may include a plurality of circumferential grooves rather than a
single groove. Another alternative could be one or more
indentations located on the surface of the rod 7 in place of a
groove. Spring loaded detents or screws could engage the piston to
the piston rod via those indentations. In another alternative the
set screws could simply tighten against the radial surface of the
piston rod 7 without a circumferential groove and rely on friction
to keep the lower piston 6 fastened to the piston rod 7.
[0039] Quick connect device 220 for connecting a bridge plug to a
wireline setting tool is shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. The quick
connect device 220 has a pin capture socket 71 that has a threaded
inner bore 84. In this configuration three pin grip inserts 72 are
located within the pin capture socket 71. The pin grip inserts 72
are held in place by resilient member 81, which may be a spring,
wave spring, compression spring, or some other similar device. The
pushing action by the resilient member 81 in combination with the
inclined inner surface 84 causes the pin grip inserts 72 to come
together. Resilient member 81 forces longitudinal movement of the
three pin grip insert 72 along the inclined inner surface 84 of the
pin capture socket 71. Upper connection body 74 screws into the pin
capture socket 71 using male threads 80 on the uphole connection
with female threads 79 on the pin capture socket 71. Threads 86 are
adapted to connect to a mandrel of a wireline setting tool. Holding
ring 75 fits over the pin capture socket 71. Holding ring 75 in
this example has three through holes 83. The through holes 83 are
lined up with the corresponding slots 82 on the pin capture socket
71. Three set screws 73 are used in this example to engage the
holding ring 75 with the three pin grip inserts 72 via lock screw
slots 82.
[0040] Each pin grip insert 72 has inner threads 76. In this
example the threads 76 are buttress threads, which are designed to
mate to corresponding buttress threads 78 on pin 70. When the quick
connect device 220 is fully assembled, the pin 70 can easily slide
into the pin grip inserts 72, and are locked due to the spring
action of resilient member 81. Thus, pin 70 can be inserted but not
removed from the quick connect device 220 without relief from the
resilient member 81. Moving holding ring 75 away from the pin 70
counteracts the resilient member 81, allowing the pin grip inserts
72 to separate, thus releasing pin 70.
[0041] Alternatives to the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6
include two tapered pin grips instead of three, or more than three
tapered pin grips. The threads do not have to be buttress
threads
[0042] The benefits of this quick connect device 220 design include
the ease of assembly large and heavy components, such as bridge
plugs, when putting together a complete wireline setting tool
assembly. Threading a large and heavy bridge plug to a hanging
wireline setting tool can be difficult. Using a quick connect
device 220, pin 70 is threaded into the bridge plug using threads
77. The quick connect device 220 is threaded into a wireline
setting tool using threads 86. When the wireline setting tool is
hanging on the rig, the bridge plug with pin 70 installed can
simply slide into the pin capture socket 71 of the quick connect
device 220 and lock into place. This single movement does not
require any rotation of the bridge plug, thread alignment, or
special orientation to get the bridge plug secured. The tapered pin
grips automatically lock the bridge plug into place regardless of
radial orientation of the bridge plug. As a result, all that is
required is a single translation of the bridge plug and pin 70 into
the pin capture socket 71. After the bridge plus is set downhole,
the wireline setting tool is pulled up until pin 70 shears at the
narrow neck 85 as shown in FIG. 6. After retrieval of the wireline
setting tool, the sheared pin 70 is removed from the quick connect
device 220.
[0043] An example of an embodiment may include a quick connect
device 220 for well tools comprising a substantially cylindrical
upper connection body 74 about an axis having a first end and a
second end, a resilient member 81, a pin grip insert 72 having a
substantially cylindrical body about an axis, a first end, a second
end, an inclined outer surface having larger diameter proximate the
first end and a smaller diameter proximate the second end, a
threaded inner bore 76, an upper shoulder 87 orthogonal to the
axis, a pin capture socket 71 having a substantially cylindrical
body about an axis, a first end, a second end, an inclined inner
surface 84 about a conical bore along the axis having a larger
diameter proximate the first end and a smaller diameter proximate
the second end, wherein the axes of the upper connection body 74,
the pin grip insert 72, and the pin capture socket 71 are aligned,
the pin grip insert 72 is constructed of a plurality of radial
segments, the pin grip insert 72 is captured within the conical
bore of the pin capture socket 71, the resilient member 81 is
captured between the upper shoulder 87 of the pin grip insert 72
and the second end of the upper connection body 74, and the upper
connection body 74 is affixed to the first end of the pin capture
socket 71.
[0044] A variation of the quick connect device 220 may include the
resilient member 81 biasing the pin grip insert 72 towards the
second end of the pin capture socket 71. The quick connect device
220 may have the threaded inner bore 76 of the pin grip insert 72
that further comprises buttress threads having the load bearing
face oriented toward the first end of the pin grip insert 72. The
quick connect device 220 may have the pin grip insert 72 further
comprising a lock screw hole 88 extending radially from the outer
surface into each of the plurality of radial segments, the pin
capture socket 71 further comprises a plurality of lock screw slots
82 extending from an outer surface of the pin capture socket 71
through the inclined inner surface 84, a plurality of lock screws
73 extend through the lock screw slots 82 in the pin capture socket
71 and into the lock screw holes 88 in the pin grip insert 72,
securing the pin grip insert 72 inside the pin capture socket
71.
[0045] A variation of the quick connect device 220 may include a
plurality of lock screw ramps in the outer surface of the pin
capture socket 71 corresponding to and proximate with the plurality
of lock screw slots 82, each having a first end proximate the first
end of the pin capture socket 71 at a first distance from the pin
capture socket 71 axis and a second end a second, smaller, distance
from the axis, wherein the lock screws 73 are adapted to engage the
lock screw ramps and couple the longitudinal and axial movement of
the pin grip insert 72 segments' movement to the lock screw ramps.
The quick connect device 220 may have the lock screw ramps, inner
surface of the pin capture socket 71, and outer surface of the pin
grip insert 72 aligned with the same angle relative to the
axis.
[0046] A variation of the quick connect device 220 may include a
holding ring adapted to slide over the outer surface of the pin
capture socket 71 having a plurality of lock screw receptacles
adapted to couple with a plurality of head portions of the
plurality of lock screws 73, wherein the translation of the holding
ring toward the first end of the pin capture socket 71 causes the
lock screws 73 and pin grip insert 72 to translate longitudinally
and axially, opening the inner threaded bore of the pin grip insert
72 and release of the holding ring allows the resilient member 81
to bias the pin grip insert 72 toward the second end of the pin
capture socket 71, closing the inner threaded bore of the pin grip
insert 72.
[0047] A variation of the quick connect device 220 may include the
resilient member 81 being a compression spring. A further variation
may include the compression spring being a wave spring. The quick
connect may further comprise a pin 70 having a first threaded end
78 engaged with the threaded inner bore 76 of the pin grip insert
72 and a second threaded end 77 adapted to engage a well tool. The
second threaded end 77 of the pin 70 may be adapted to engage a
wellbore plug. The first end 81 of the upper connection body 74 may
be adapted to connect to a setting tool. The second end 80 of the
upper connection body 74 may be threaded into the first end of the
pin capture socket 71.
[0048] Another example of an embodiment of the quick connect device
220 may comprise a capture socket having a substantially
cylindrical body about at axis and an inclined inner wall having a
first diameter at a first end and smaller second diameter at a
second end, a plurality of buttress thread inserts each having a
first end, a second end, an inner surface with buttress threads
thereon, and an outer surface inclined relative to the inner
surface such that the outer surface is closer to the inner surface
near the second end than the first end, and an end shoulder
proximate the second end, an uphole connection body having a first
end and a second end connected to the first end of the capture
socket, and a spring, wherein the plurality of buttress thread
inserts are arranged inside the capture socket such that their
inner surfaces form a continuously threaded hole, the second end of
the plurality of buttress thread inserts is near the second end of
the capture socket, and the spring is captured and compressed
between the second end of the uphole connection body and the end
shoulders of the plurality of buttress thread inserts.
[0049] Although the invention has been described in terms of
particular embodiments which are set forth in detail, it should be
understood that this is by illustration only and that the invention
is not necessarily limited thereto. Alternative embodiments and
operating techniques will become apparent to those of ordinary
skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. Accordingly,
modifications of the invention are contemplated which may be made
without departing from the spirit of the claimed invention.
* * * * *