Applying rfid tags to tubular components by injection molding
AssigneeFalcon Engineering Limited
InventorGregory Douglas Trowbridge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus including a sleeve and a tag embedded into the sleeve by injection molding. The sleeve may include an outer wear resistant surface. The surface comprising a plurality of integral grooves traversing angularly along the surface. The sleeve may include a wear cage. The wear cage may include two rigid fiber reinforced polymer symmetrical halves, couplable to each other, wherein each symmetrical halve may include, an inner surface, a channel integral along the full circumferential length of the inner surface, an outer surface, and a plurality of annular elements separated by stand-offs.
Claims33
An improved method for applying one or more tags to a tubular component used in drilling, pipeline and hydraulic fracturing applications, the tubular component comprising a tubular body, the method comprising:
- placing the one or more tags on the tubular body;
- holding the one or more tags in place without embedding the one or more tags into or compromising the tubular body;
- and
- protecting the one or more tags by injection molding of a fiber reinforced polymer material around the one or more tags and the tubular body.
An improved method for applying a tag to a tubular component used in drilling, pipeline and hydraulic fracturing applications, the tubular component comprising a tubular body, the method comprising:
- coupling a tag to a tubular body without embedding the tag into or compromising the tubular body;
- and
- encapsulating the tag and tubular body with a sleeve formed from a fiber reinforced polymer material around the tag and the tubular body.
An improved method for applying a tag to a tubular component used in drilling, pipeline and hydraulic fracturing applications, the tubular component comprising a tubular body, the method comprising:
- coupling a tag to a tubular body without embedding the tag into or compromising the tubular body;
- and
- encapsulating the tag and tubular body with a sleeve by wrapping the tag and the tubular body with urethane impregnated fiberglass tape activated by water.
An improved method for applying a tag to a tubular component used in drilling, pipeline and hydraulic fracturing applications, the tubular component comprising a tubular body, the method comprising:
- coupling the tag to the tubular body;
- coupling a wear cage, formed from injection molding of an optionally reinforced polymer material, over the tag onto the tubular body;
- and
- over molding the wear cage with a fiber reinforced polymer material, to thereby form a reinforced wear sleeve for protecting the tag and the tubular body.
An apparatus for applying to a tubular component used in drilling, pipeline and hydraulic fracturing applications, the apparatus comprising:
- a sleeve formed from injection molding of a fiber reinforced polymer material, and
- one or more tags embedded into the sleeve during injection molding;
- wherein the sleeve has an external diameter smaller or bigger than an external diameter of a tool joint of the tubular component.
An apparatus for placing over one or more tags applied to a tubular component used in drilling, pipeline and hydraulic fracturing applications, the apparatus comprising:
- a wear resisting cage comprising a plurality of annular elements, wherein
- each of the plurality of annular elements comprises a circular integral channel along an inside circumferential diameter of the annular element and a channel intersecting the circular integral channel, and
- a plurality of stand-offs holding apart the plurality of annular elements, thereby creating a plurality of openings to be positioned over the one or more tags;
- wherein the apparatus forms part of a wear sleeve and aids in extending the life of the wear sleeve for protecting the one or more tags and the tubular component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.