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US 9,869,135 B1Granted
Sucker rod apparatus and methods for manufacture and use
AssigneeRFG Technology Partners LLC
InventorJonathan R. Martin
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AssigneeRFG Technology Partners LLC
InventorJonathan R. Martin
Estimating the term…
A sucker rod string improved by the use of wear resistant, high temperature resistant, fiber-reinforced phenolic composite materials as centralizing guides on sucker rods and couplings, both molded on the rod and prepared as snap-on couplings for in-the-field use, and on magnet rod inserts, both rod box and pin magnet rod inserts, in which the thermosetting composites are used as sleeves, encapsulating housings, and centralizing guides. The magnet rod inserts and couplings are designed to be machined so that worn phenolic composite can be removed and replaced with fresh composite without removing or damaging the magnet. Processes are disclosed for integrating composite thermoset molding into sucker rod, coupling, and magnet rod insert manufacture and for refurbishing used components of a sucker rod string.
A sucker rod for a rod string for a sucker rod pumping system, the sucker rod comprising a longitudinally extending shaft portion terminated by upsets defining externally threaded pins, the shaft portion generally being of reduced diameter compared to the upsets, and wherein the sucker rod has fixed thereto about the reduced-diameter shaft portion at least one guide adapted for centering the sucker rod coaxially within a production tube of a sucker rod pumping system and forming an annular space between the sucker rod and the interior surface of a production tube, the guide comprising a fiber reinforced thermoset polymer composite matrix having at least two generally longitudinally directed fins extending radially from the sucker rod and defining passages therebetween for the passage of fluid, the fins engaging the interior surface of the production tube opposite the rod and defining sacrificial wear surfaces against the production tube.
A sucker rod for a rod string for a sucker rod pumping system, the sucker rod comprising a longitudinally extending shaft portion terminated by upsets defining externally threaded pins, the shaft portion generally being of reduced diameter compared to the upsets, and wherein the sucker rod has fixed thereto about the reduced-diameter shaft portion at least one guide adapted for centering the sucker rod coaxially within a production tube of a sucker rod pumping system and forming an annular space between the sucker rod and the interior surface of a production tube, the guide comprising a glass fiber and mineral reinforced thermoset phenolic polymer composite having at least two generally longitudinally directed fins extending radially from the sucker rod and defining passages therebetween for the passage of fluid, the fins engaging the interior surface of the production tube opposite the rod and defining sacrificial wear surfaces against the production tube, wherein the guide is compression molded, injection molded, or transfer molded onto the rod.
A sucker rod for a rod string for a sucker rod pumping system, the sucker rod comprising a longitudinally extending shaft portion terminated by upsets defining externally threaded pins, the shaft portion generally being of reduced diameter compared to the upsets, and wherein the sucker rod has fixed thereto about the reduced-diameter shaft portion at least one molded guide adapted for centering the sucker rod coaxially within a production tube of a sucker rod pumping system and forming an annular space between the sucker rod and the interior surface of a production tube, the guide comprising a glass fiber and mineral reinforced thermoset phenolic polymer composite matrix and having at least two generally longitudinally directed fins extending radially from the sucker rod and defining passages therebetween for the passage of fluid, the fins engaging the interior surface of the production tube opposite the rod and defining sacrificial wear surfaces against the production tube, wherein the guide is formed by transfer molding the matrix about the sucker rod in a thermoset molding press having spaced-apart molding stations for simultaneously molding multiple spaced-apart guides on one or more sucker rods, each molding station associated with an induction heater for heating the surface of each sucker rod locally.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.