US 11,959,351 B2Granted

Wellhead connecting assembly

AssigneeFMC Technologies, Inc.

InventorsAlejandro Andueza, Barry Stewart

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Abstract

A connecting assembly for connecting a first body and a second body includes a connector having a plurality of segments and a main piston positioned around at least a portion of the connector. The connector includes: a channel that extends longitudinally through the connector from a first end to a second end; a plurality of teeth formed on an inside of the connector near the first end and near the second end; a first jaw formed of at least one teeth near the first end; and a second jaw formed of at least one teeth near the second end and axially spaced apart from the first jaw. Each of the plurality of teeth has a leading side facing an axial center of the connector, a top side, a contact point at a transition between the leading side and the top side, and a trailing side opposite the leading side. The teeth of the second jaw include: a first tooth axially closer to the axial center of the connector than the remaining teeth of the second jaw and an end tooth axially farther from the axial center of the connector than the remaining teeth of the second jaw.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A connecting assembly for connecting a first body and a second body, comprising:

a connector having a plurality of segments, the connector comprising:
a channel that extends longitudinally through the connector from a first end to a second end;
a plurality of teeth formed on an inside of the connector near the first end and near the second end, each tooth having a leading side facing an axial center of the connector, a top side, a contact point at a transition between the leading side and the top side, and a trailing side opposite the leading side;
a first jaw formed of at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth near the first end;
and
a second jaw formed of at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth near the second end and axially spaced apart from the first jaw;
wherein the at least one tooth of the second jaw comprises:
a first tooth axially closer to the axial center of the connector than the remaining teeth of the second jaw, wherein the leading side of the first tooth comprises an altered surface, an engagement surface, and an edge point at a transition between the altered surface and the engagement surface;
and
an end tooth axially farther from the axial center of the connector than the remaining teeth of the second jaw,
wherein, if the second jaw only has one tooth, the first tooth will also be the end tooth;
a main piston positioned around at least a portion of the connector,
wherein, when the main piston is in an unlocked position, at least one of the first or second ends of the connector is in a disconnected position,
wherein, when the main piston is in a locked position, both the first end and the second end of the connector are in a connected position,
wherein, for each of the plurality of teeth having the altered surface, a contact distance is measured axially between the contact point and the axial center;
an edge distance is measured axially between the edge point and the axial center;
and an axial contact separation is the contact distance minus the edge distance,
wherein, for each of the plurality of teeth lacking an altered surface, the axial contact separation is equal to zero,
wherein the at least one tooth of the second jaw further comprises a second tooth adjacent the first tooth, wherein a leading side of the second tooth comprises an altered surface, an engagement surface, and an edge point at a transition between the altered surface and the engagement surface, and
wherein the altered surface of the first and the second teeth is an angled surface, and wherein a slope of the angled surface of the first tooth is greater than or equal to a slope of the angled surface of the second tooth.

17 more elements

A method for connecting a first body and a second body, comprising:

connecting a connecting assembly comprising a connector and a main piston to a first axial end of the first body;
wherein a first end of the connector is in a connected position, the connected position including a first locking profile formed on the first end engaging a first receiving profile formed on the first axial end,
wherein a second end of the connector is in a disconnected position;
positioning the first body so the first axial end interfaces a second axial end of the second body and so the second end of the connector is adjacent to the second axial end;
translating the main piston from an unlocked position to a locked position, wherein the second end of the connector converts to the connected position;
capturing at least a first groove of a second receiving profile formed on the second axial end with a first tooth of a second locking profile formed on the second end of the connector, the first tooth having a first altered surface formed along a leading side of the first tooth;
holding both the first end and the second end of the connector in the connected position to interlock the first locking profile with the first receiving profile and to interlock the second locking profile with the second receiving profile;
and
sequentially engaging teeth of the second locking profile to the second receiving profile such that the first tooth fully engages the first groove before a second tooth of the second locking profile having a second altered surface fully engages a second groove in the second receiving profile,
wherein the altered surface of the first and the second teeth is an angled surface, and wherein a slope of the angled surface of the first tooth is greater than or equal to a slope of the angled surface of the second tooth.

7 more elements

A connector, comprising:

a plurality of segments arranged in a tubular configuration having a first end and a second end;
a first jaw near the first end, the first jaw comprising at least one tooth formed on an inside of the plurality of segments and having a first locking profile;
and
a second jaw near the second end, axially spaced apart from the first jaw, the second jaw comprising at least one tooth formed on the inside of the plurality of segments and having a second locking profile, the at least one tooth of the second jaw comprising:
a first tooth axially closer to an axial center of the connector than the remaining teeth of the second jaw;
and
an end tooth axially farther from the axial center of the connector than the remaining teeth of the second jaw,
wherein, if the second jaw only has one tooth, the first tooth will also be the end tooth;
wherein the first tooth has a first altered surface formed at a leading side of the first tooth;
wherein, for each of the at least one tooth having an altered surface, a contact point is at an end of the altered surface farthest from the axial center;
an edge point is at an end of the altered surface closest to the axial center;
a contact distance is measured between the contact point and the axial center;
an edge distance is measured between the edge point and the axial center;
and an axial contact separation is equal to the contact distance minus the edge distance;
and
wherein, for each of the at least one tooth lacking an altered surface, the axial contact separation is equal to zero,
wherein a second tooth of the second jaw has a second altered surface, and
wherein the altered surface of the first and the second teeth is an angled surface, and wherein a slope of the angled surface of the first tooth is greater than or equal to a slope of the angled surface of the second tooth.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.