Wedge thread with high-angle metal seal
AssigneeHydril Company
InventorsHarris Reynolds, David Mallis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A threaded connection includes a pin member providing a single external thread comprising a first external portion and a second external portion, a box member providing a single internal thread comprising a first internal portion and a second internal portion, and a radial metal-to-metal seal to seal between the pin member and the box member, wherein the first and second internal portions threadably correspond with the first and second external portions, and wherein the first internal and external portions are characterized by a first wedge ratio and the second internal and external portions are characterized by a second wedge ratio, wherein the first wedge ratio is less than the second wedge ratio.
Claims25
A threaded connection, comprising:
- a pin member providing a single external wedge thread comprising a first external portion and a second external portion;
- a box member providing a single internal wedge thread comprising a first internal portion and a second internal portion, wherein the first and second internal portions threadably correspond with the first and second external portions;
- wherein the first internal and external portions are characterized by a first wedge ratio and the second internal and external portions are characterized by a second wedge ratio, wherein the first wedge ratio is less than the second wedge ratio;
- a radial metal-to-metal seal to seal between the pin member and the box member;
- and
- wherein the radial metal-to-metal seal comprises a seal angle between about 4 degrees and about 15 degrees.
A threaded connection, comprising:
- a pin member providing a single external wedge thread comprising a first external portion and a second external portion;
- a box member providing a single internal wedge thread comprising a first internal portion and a second internal portion, wherein the first and second internal portions threadably correspond with the first and second external portions;
- wherein the first internal and external portions are characterized by a first wedge ratio and the second internal and external portions are characterized by a second wedge ratio;
- and
- a radial metal-to-metal seal to seal between the pin member and the box member;
- wherein, the pin and box members are configured such that, during make-up, the first external and internal portions reach a first specified make-up before engagement of the radial metal-to-metal seal and a second specified make-up of the second external and internal portions.
A method to couple a threaded connection, the method comprising:
- engaging a pin end of the connection into a box end of the connection, wherein the pin end comprises an external wedge thread and the box end comprises an internal wedge thread;
- rotating the connection to a first position to make-up a first portion of the pin end wedge thread with a first portion of the box end wedge thread at a first wedge ratio;
- rotating the connection to a second position to engage a radial metal-to-metal seal of the threaded connection;
- and
- rotating the connection to a third position to make-up a second portion of the pin end wedge thread and a second portion of the box end wedge thread at a second wedge ratio.
A threaded connection having wedge threads, the threaded connection comprising:
- a pin member comprising a pin thread having a pin thread crest, a pin thread root, a pin load flank, and a pin stab flank, wherein the pin thread comprises at least a first portion, a transition region, and a second portion formed sequentially thereon;
- a box member comprising a box thread having a box thread crest, a box thread root, a box load flank, and a box stab flank, wherein the box thread comprises at least a first portion, a transition region, and a second portion formed sequentially thereon, the portions on the box thread corresponding generally in axial position with the portions on the pin thread;
- wherein the first portion has a first wedge ratio, the transition region has a transition wedge ratio, and the second portion has a second wedge ratio;
- wherein thread leads are substantially constant within each of the portions;
- a radial metal-to-metal seal to seal between the pin member and the box member;
- and
- wherein the pin and box members are configured such that during make-up, the first portions reach a first specified make-up before engagement of the radial metal-to-metal seal and a second specified make-up of the second portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.