Threaded coupling with water exclusion seal system
AssigneesG. B. Tubulars, Inc., Shell Oil Company
InventorsEugene J. Mannella, James L. Peterson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved coupling for joining together tubular sections is disclosed. The coupling includes a water exclusion seal which is a pressure energized elastomeric seal positioned in a groove near each end of the coupling to form a radial seal between the unthreaded area at each end of the coupling and the unthreaded cylindrical area adjacent each end of the tubular section. A thread compound relief groove adjacent each seal groove has sufficient volume for thread compound that is squeezed from the threads during or after make-up.
Claims14
A coupling for joining together two tubular sections, each tubular section having an end and an outer diameter with an unthreaded area and a threaded area between the unthreaded area and the end, the coupling having an inner diameter with an unthreaded central section having first and second opposing shoulders, and first and second end sections joined to the unthreaded central section, the first and second end sections having first and second ends respectively, comprising:
- (a) each of the first and second end sections of the coupling having an internally threaded area adjacent the central section and an unthreaded area between each internally threaded area and each end of the coupling;
- a thread compound relief groove in each unthreaded area between each internally threaded area and each end of the coupling, and a seal groove in each unthreaded area between each thread compound relief groove and each end of the coupling;
- and
- (b) a pressure energized resilient seal positioned in each of the seal grooves, each seal forming a seal between the unthreaded area of each tubular section and the unthreaded area of each end section, each seal being compressed radially between the unthreaded area of the tubular section and the unthreaded area of the end section.
An improved coupling for repeatedly joining together two tubular sections, each tubular section having a tapered externally threaded portion and an unthreaded cylindrical portion adjacent the tapered externally threaded portion, the coupling having a substantially uniform outer diameter, first and second end sections, each end section having tapered internal threads, and an unthreaded center section spaced between the first and second ends of the coupling, the center section having an inner diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the threaded portion of each tubular section and having shoulders on each side thereof, wherein the improvement comprises:
- (a) each of the first and second end sections of the coupling having an unthreaded area between the tapered internal threads and each end of the coupling;
- (b) a thread compound relief groove and a seal groove in the unthreaded areas of each end section;
- and
- (c) a pressure energized annular elastomeric seal positioned in each seal groove, the seal being compressed radially between each unthreaded area at each end of the coupling and each unthreaded cylindrical portion of each tubular section.
An improved coupling having first and second ends for repeatedly joining together externally threaded tubular sections wherein the improvement comprises:
- (a) an unthreaded area at each end of the coupling, a seal groove in the unthreaded area, an elastomeric annular seal in the groove, and a thread compound relief groove in the unthreaded area adjacent the groove;
- and
- (b) each of the elastomeric annular seals having two components forming a pressure activated radial seal between each externally threaded tubular section and the unthreaded area at each end of the coupling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.