Back to results
US 6,805,196 B2Granted
Expander
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorLewis Lawrence
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tubing expander (10) comprises a body (12) carrying a plurality of radially movable piston-mounted rollers (24) and associated sleeves (16) mounted about the body (12) and being radially supported by the rollers (12). The expander (10) is positioned in a length of cubing of a first diameter, the pistons (28) extended, and the expander (10) rotated such that the sleeves (16) roll around the inner surface of the tubing and expand the tubing to a larger second diameter.
Claims32
A tubing expander comprising:
- a body adapted for rotation within tubing to be expanded;
- at least one radially movable expansion member mounted on the body;
- and
- a sleeve mounted about the body and being radially supported by the expansion member, the sleeve being adapted to be offset from the body when the expansion member is actuated to provide a rolling contact with an inner surface of tubing to be expanded as the body is rotated within the tubing.
1 more element
A method of expanding tubing comprising the steps:
- providing a tubing expander comprising a body carrying at least one radially movable expansion member and a sleeve mounted about the body and being radially supported by the expansion member;
- locating the expander in a tubing section of a first diameter;
- radially extending the expansion member to urge a portion of the sleeve into contact with an internal surface of the tubing section;
- and
- rotating the expander such that the sleeve is rolled around the internal surface of the tubing section and expands the tubing section to a larger second diameter.
2 more elements
A tubing expander comprising:
- a body adapted for rotation within tubing to be expanded;
- at least one radially movable expansion member mounted on the body;
- and
- a sleeve mounted about the body and being radially supported by the expansion member, the sleeve being adapted to be offset eccentrically from the body when the expansion member is actuated to provide a rolling contact with an inner surface of the tubing to be expanded as the body is rotated within the tubing.
1 more element
A method of expanding tubing comprising:
- providing a tubing expander comprising a body carrying at least one radially movable expansion member and a sleeve mounted about the body and being radially supported by the expansion member;
- locating the expander in a tubing section of a first diameter;
- radially extending the expansion member to eccentrically offset the sleeve from the body and urge a portion of the sleeve into contact with an internal surface of the tubing section;
- and
- rotating the expander such that the sleeve is rolled around the internal surface of the tubing section and expands the tubing section to a larger second diameter.
2 more elements
A tubing expander comprising:
- a body adapted for rotation within tubing to be expanded;
- at least two radially movable expansion members mounted on the body;
- and
- at least two sleeves mounted about the body and adapted to be offset from the body when the at least two expansion members are actuated,
- wherein the at least two radially movable expansion members and the at least two sleeves are axially separated from each other along a longitudinal length of the body.
2 more elements
A method of expanding tubing comprising:
- providing a tubing expander comprising a body carrying at least two radially movable expansion members and at least two sleeves mounted about the body along its length and being radially supported by the at least two expansion members;
- locating the expander in a tubing section of a first diameter;
- radially extending the at least two expansion members to offset the at least two sleeves from the body and to urge portions of the at least two sleeves into contact with an internal surface of the tubing section;
- and
- rotating the expander such that the at least two sleeves are rolled around the internal surface of the tubing section and expand the tubing section to a larger second diameter.
2 more elements
A tubing expander comprising:
- a body adapted for rotation within tubing to be expanded;
- at least one radially movable expansion member mounted on the body;
- and
- a sleeve mounted about the body and being radially supported by the expansion member, the sleeve being adapted to be offset from the body when the expansion member is actuated to provide a rolling contact with an inner surface of the tubing to be expanded as the body is rotated within the tubing,
- wherein the expander comprises a plurality of radially movable expansion members and associated sleeves.
2 more elements
A tubing expander comprising:
- a body adapted for rotation within tubing to be expanded;
- at least one radially movable expansion member mounted on the body;
- and
- a sleeve mounted about the body and being radially supported by the expansion member, the sleeve being adapted to be offset from the body when the expansion member is actuated to provide a rolling contact with an inner surface of the tubing to be expanded as the body is rotated within the tubing,
- wherein the expansion member comprises a piston mounted in a corresponding recess in the expander body.
2 more elements
A tubing expander comprising:
- a body adapted for rotation within tubing to be expanded;
- at least one radially movable expansion member mounted on the body;
- and
- a sleeve mounted about the body and being radially supported by the expansion member, the sleeve being adapted to be offset from the body when the expansion member is actuated to provide a rolling contact with an inner surface of the tubing to be expanded as the body is rotated within the tubing,
- wherein the expansion member comprises a roller for engaging an inner face of the sleeve.
2 more elements
A tubing expander, comprising:
- a body adapted for rotation within tubing to be expanded:
- at least one radially movable expansion member mounted on the body;
- and
- a sleeve mounted about the body and being radially supported by the expansion member, the sleeve having a centerline adapted to be offset from a centerline of the body when the expansion member is actuated.
1 more element
A method of expanding tubing, comprising:
- providing a tubing expander comprising a body carrying at least one radially movable expansion member and a sleeve mounted about the body and being radially supported by the expansion member;
- locating the expander in a tubing section of a first diameter;
- radially extending the expansion member to urge a centerline of the sleeve away from a centerline of the body and a portion of the sleeve into contact with an internal surface of the tubing section;
- and
- rotating the expander such that the sleeve expands the tubing section to a larger second diameter.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.