US 12,253,175 B2Granted

Metal bellows for downhole use

AssigneeTco AS

InventorAdrian Caruana

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Abstract

A metal bellows for downhole use includes: a bellows capsule with a first end and a second end; an inner diameter side and an outer diameter side arranged between the first end and the second end; where the bellows capsule comprises a first bellows convolution and second bellows convolution and optionally additional bellows convolutions; and each bellows convolution comprises: a root on the inner diameter side of the bellows capsule; a first sidewall extending from the root toward the outer diameter side of the bellows capsule with a first connection point at the distal end; a second sidewall extending from the root toward the outer diameter side of the bellows capsule with a second connection point at the distal end and wherein the second sidewall is on the opposite side of the root as the first sidewall; wherein: the bellows convolutions are formed as a single piece; and the second sidewall connection point of the first bellows convolution is permanently affixed to the first sidewall connection point of the second bellows convolution.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A metal bellows seal system (5) in a downhole tool, characterized by that it comprises:

a first section (50) comprising a bellows mounting component (53) with a through bore (52);
a second section (60) comprising a bellows mounting component (63) with a through bore (62);
a metal bellows (20, 1) arranged between the first section (50) and the second section (60)
wherein:
the first section (50), second section (60), and metal bellows (20, 1) are arranged within a housing (90);
a fluid path is established between the first section bore (52), an inner diameter (21) of the bellows (20, 1), and the second section bore (62);
the first section (50) and the second section (60) can move with respect to each other in the axial direction;
further, one or both of configuration (A) and/or configuration (B):
(A) wherein there is no fluid connection through the bellows between an outer diameter (22) and the inner diameter (21) of the bellows (20, 1);
and
wherein the housing further comprises a housing chamber (91), in fluid connection with the first section bore (52) and the outer diameter (22) of the bellows (20, 1);
and/or
(B) further comprising:
a liner (80) comprising a liner body (80), wherein:
the liner is arranged in the fluid path between the first section (50) and the second section (60) wherein:
the liner is attached to the first section (50) and the liner body has a smaller diameter than the bore (62) of the second section (60);
a liner space (82) is arranged between the liner body (80) and the second section bellows mounting component (63), allowing for fluid communication between the second section bore (62) and a liner chamber (83);
wherein the bellows inner diameter (21) is in fluid communication with the liner chamber (83).

15 more elements

A method of manufacturing a metal bellows capsule (20) comprising steps of:

(a) affixing a first bellow convolution (30,30A) to a second bellow convolution
(40,30B) by permanently connecting the connection point (331) of the second side wall (33,33A) of the first bellow convolution (30,30A) to the connection point (421) of the first sidewall (42,32B) of the second bellow convolution (40,308);
(b) affixing a new bellow convolution (30C) to the resultant bellow capsule (20) of step (a) by permanently connecting a connection point of an unconnected sidewall (33B) of the bellow capsule (20) to a connection point of a sidewall (32C) of the new bellow convolution (30C);
(c) repeating steps (a)-(b) until the desired length of bellows capsule (20) is obtained;
wherein the bellow convolutions (30,40,30A,30B,30C,30D) are obtained by steps of:
(i) producing a formed pipe (70), the formed pipe (70) comprising a plurality of crowns (72,112) formed on the outer diameter (22) of the formed pipe (70), a plurality of roots (71,111) formed on the inner diameter (21) of the formed pipe (70), and a sidewall (113) between each root (71,111) and crown (72,112);
(ii) cutting the formed pipe (70) on the outer diameter, thereby
(iii) resulting in a plurality of bellow convolutions (30,30A,30B,30C,30D) with a formed root (31, 31A, 31B, 31C, 31D) and a first side wall (32,32A,32B,32C,32D) and a second side wall (33,33A,33B,33C,33D);
and
wherein the metal bellows (20) comprises:
a bellows capsule (20) with a first (10) end and a second (11) end;
an inner diameter side (21) and an outer diameter side (22) arranged between the first end (10) and the second end (11);
characterized in that:
the bellows capsule (20) comprises a first bellows convolution (30) and second bellows convolution (40);
and each bellows convolution (30,40) comprises:
a root (31,41) on the inner diameter side of the bellows capsule (21);
a first sidewall (32,42) extending from the root (31,41) toward the outer diameter side of the bellows capsule (22) with a first connection point at the distal end (321, 421);
a second sidewall (33,43) extending from the root (31,41) toward the outer diameter side of the bellows capsule (22) with a second connection point at the distal end (331,431) and wherein the second sidewall (33,43) is on the opposite side of the root as the first sidewall (32,42);
wherein:
the bellows convolutions (30,40) are formed as a single piece;
and
the second sidewall connection point (331) of the first bellows convolution (30) is permanently affixed to the first sidewall connection point (421) of the second bellows convolution (40).

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.