# US 12,000,750 B2 · Method for assessing the quality of the coupling of two tubular components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,750 B2 - Document ID: US12000750B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/044,096 - Filed: 2019-04-09 - Published: 2021-03-25 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-10 - Assignees: Vallourec Oil and Gas France - Applicants: Vallourec Oil and Gas France - Inventors: Celine Sches; Denis Bourlart - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000750B2 ## CPC - G01L 5/24: for determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member which is similarly stressed - B23P 11/00: Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for (connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00) - B23P 19/065: {Arrangements for torque limiters or torque indicators in screw or nut setting machines (for hand tools B25B23/14)} - E21B 17/042: Threaded - E21B 19/165: {Control or monitoring arrangements therefor} - F16L 15/001: {with conical threads} - F16L 15/004: {with axial sealings having at least one plastically deformable sealing surface (with sealing rings F16L15/003)} - E21B 19/164: {motor actuated (E21B19/162 and E21B19/163 take precedence)} - F16L 2201/10: Indicators for correct coupling - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL ## Abstract A method for coupling a first tubular component including a threaded portion with a second tubular component including a threaded portion, which includes: engaging the first tubular component on the second tubular component; rotating the first tubular component relative to the second tubular component in order to screw the threaded portions together; obtaining a set of points constituting a curve that represents the torque applied during the screwing of the first tubular component until an end position as a function of the number of turns performed by the first tubular component relative to the second tubular component; comparing parameters of the curve obtained with one or more reference curve(s) of a database in which each reference curve is associated with an assessment of the quality of the coupling; and assessing the quality of the coupling according to the step of comparing the curve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for coupling a first tubular component including a threaded portion with a second tubular component including a threaded portion, which comprises: engaging the first tubular component on the second tubular component; rotating the first tubular component relative to the second tubular component in order to screw the threaded portions together; obtaining a set of points constituting a curve that represents the torque applied when screwing the first tubular component into an end position as a function of the number of turns performed by the first tubular component relative to the second tubular component; comparing one or more parameters of the curve obtained with one or more reference curves in a database of reference curves in which each reference curve is associated with an assessment of a quality of a coupling of first and second reference tubular components; and assessing a quality of the coupling of the first and second tubular components according to the step of comparing the curve obtained with the one or more reference curves, wherein the comparing step comprises comparing the shape of at least one portion of the curve obtained, wherein at least one reference curve in the database is associated with a coupling status representative of a conform status, and at least one reference curve in the database is associated with a coupling status representative of a non-conform status of the coupling of the first and second reference tubular components, wherein each reference curve in the database that is associated with the non-conform status is associated with an additional status that characterizes a problem that generated the non-conform status of the coupling of the reference tubular components, and wherein an algorithm is configured to calculate a sum of the torque losses for a plurality of portions of the curve that include downward-sloping portions of the curve located between the start of screwing and a bearing point. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein an allocation of the coupling status of each reference curve in the database is carried out by human appraisal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing step comprises comparing the shape of a portion of the curve obtained from the engagement of the first tubular component on the second tubular component until contact is made between a first sealing surface of the first tubular component and a second sealing surface of the second tubular component, and/or of a portion of the curve obtained from the time of contact between the first sealing surface of the first tubular component and the second sealing surface of the second tubular component until contact is made between a first shoulder of the first tubular component and a second shoulder of the second tubular component, and/or of a portion of the curve obtained from the time of contact between the first shoulder of the first tubular component and the second shoulder of the second tubular component until the end position is reached. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing step and the assessing step are performed by the algorithm aided by machine learning using the database of reference curves, after obtaining the curve associated with the assessment of the quality of the coupling of the first and second tubular components, the curve obtained being added to the database. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the algorithm is configured so as to compare the linearity of a portion of the curve obtained from the engagement of the first and second tubular components until contact is made between a first shoulder of the first tubular component and a second shoulder of the second tubular component with one or more reference curves in the database. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the algorithm is configured so as to compare downward-sloping portions of the curve obtained with one or more reference curves in the database. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the algorithm is configured so as to obtain an average reference curve from the database of reference curves, and configured so as to calculate a distance between the curve obtained and the average reference curve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the algorithm is configured so as to calculate and compare, with one or more reference curves in the database, the area of a triangle delimited by a portion of the curve obtained from a time of contact between a first sealing surface of the first tubular component and a second sealing surface of the second tubular component until contact is made between a first shoulder of the first tubular component and a second shoulder of the second tubular component, a straight line of zero gradient passing through the point of contact between the first sealing surface of the first tubular component and the second sealing surface of the second tubular component, and a vertical straight line passing through the point of contact between the first shoulder of the first tubular component and the second shoulder of the second tubular component, and/or configured so as to calculate the area of a triangle delimited by a portion of the curve obtained from the time of contact between the first shoulder of the first tubular component and the second shoulder of the second tubular component, a straight line of zero gradient passing through the point of contact between the first shoulder of the first tubular component and the second shoulder of the second tubular component, and a vertical straight line passing through the point on the curve obtained in the end position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the algorithm is configured so as to calculate a length of a portion of the curve obtained from a time of contact between a first sealing surface of the first tubular component and a second sealing surface of the second tubular component until reaching the end position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the algorithm is configured so as to carry out a principal component analysis performed based on a plurality of parameters of the curve obtained. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the algorithm is configured so as to carry out data clustering, k-means clustering and/or density-based clustering. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the algorithm is of the t-SNE type. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the algorithm can be configured so as to compare the linearity of a portion of the curve obtained from a time of contact between a first shoulder of the first tubular component and a second shoulder of the second tubular component until reaching the end position.