Composite sucker rod with support sleeve

A composite sucker rod having a first end and a second end for connecting in a sucker rod string to power a downhole pump, the composite sucker rod comprising:

• a first fitting disposed on said first end for operatively connecting the composite sucker rod to a first adjacent member;
• a second fitting disposed on said second end for operatively connecting the composite sucker rod to a second adjacent member;
• a tension rod formed of a fiber reinforced composite plastic material, said tension rod extending between and secured to said first fitting and said second fitting for transmitting power forces there-between;
• a support sleeve formed of aluminum extending between said first fitting and said second fitting for applying tensile forces there-between and to said tension rod;
• wherein downhole well temperatures define operating temperatures which exceed surface ambient atmospheric temperatures, and said support sleeve formed of said aluminum and said tension rod formed said fiber reinforced composite plastic material have different respective coefficients of thermal expansion, such that in traveling from the surface ambient atmospheric temperatures to the downhole operating temperatures, compressive preloads are applied to said support sleeve and tensile preloads are applied to said tension rod;
• and
• wherein said tensile preloads applied to said tension rod oppose compressive operating loads applied across the composite sucker rod and thereby reduces compressive loads applied to said tension rod, maintaining said tension rod in tension.

A composite sucker rod having a first end and a second end for connecting in a sucker rod string to power a downhole pump, the composite sucker rod comprising:

• a first fitting disposed on said first end for operatively connecting the composite sucker rod to a first adjacent member;
• a second fitting disposed on said second end for operatively connecting the composite sucker rod to a second adjacent member;
• a tension rod formed of a carbon fiber reinforced phenolic material, said tension rod extending between and secured to said first fitting and said second fitting for transmitting power forces there-between;
• a support sleeve defined by a tubular aluminum sleeve which extends around said tension rod, from said first fitting to said second fitting, and which abuts said first fitting and said second fitting for applying tensile forces there-between and to said tension rod;
• a compressive preload applied to said support sleeve and a corresponding tensile preload applied to said tension rod, wherein said tensile preload opposes compressive operating loads applied across the composite sucker rod and thereby reduces compressive loads applied to said tension rod;
• and
• wherein downhole well temperatures define operating temperatures which exceed surface ambient atmospheric temperatures, and said support sleeve and said tension rod are formed of aluminum and carbon fiber reinforced phenolic material, respectively, which having respective coefficients of thermal expansion such that at the surface ambient atmospheric temperatures said compressive preloads and said corresponding tensile preloads are not applied to respective ones of said support sleeve and said tension rod, and at the operating temperatures said compressive preloads and said corresponding tensile preloads are applied to said support sleeve and said tension rod, respectively, maintaining said tenion rod in tension.