CN1387602A - Lock assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A lock assembly (1) for locking an outer tubular element to an inner tubular element extending through the outer tubular element, the assembly comprising a lock mandrel (5) connected to one of said tubular elements and being provided with a recess facing the other one of said tubular elements, the recess (10) having at least one inwardly diverging side surface (12, 14), a lock member (34) arranged between the first and second tubular elements in a locking relationship with the other one of the tubular elements, the lock member extending into said recess and being operable between a retracted mode in which the lock member is movable relative to the recess and an expanded mode in which the lock member is expanded against the inwardly diverging side surface, the assembly further comprising an actuator means for expanding the lock member in said recess against said diverging side surface.

Description

Locked component

The present invention relates to a kind of locked component, be used for outer tube member is locked in the interior pipe fitting that passes outer tube member.Such locked component can be used for for example producing the pit shaft of hydrocarbon fluid from the stratum.In such application, outer tube member is connected to (or being integrally formed in) pit shaft shell or pit shaft is produced on the pipe, and interior pipe fitting is suitable for received well cartridge (for example valve).

When locked component was subjected to longitudinal force, such application will go wrong.For example, when inner part was subjected to longitudinal force that the fluid pressure owing to the hydrocarbon fluid of being produced produces, such power can cause producing between two parts and relatively moves, thereby caused unclamping that locking connects.And such relatively moving hindered for example abundant transmission of voice signal or the signal of telecommunication of between inside and outside pipe fitting signal.Such device can produce another problem when using common stops or locking shoulder, when device was subjected to pulling force, interior pipe fitting was subjected to radially internal force, the wall thickness of pipe fitting in needing like this to increase.

Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a kind of locked component of improvement, it can overcome the problem of traditional locks locking assembly.

The invention provides a kind of locked component, be used for outer tube member is locked in the interior pipe fitting that runs through this outer tube member, assembly comprises: be connected to the locking spindle (lockmandrel) in the above-mentioned pipe fitting, this locking spindle has one in the face of another the groove in the above-mentioned pipe fitting, and this groove has at least one intilted side; Lock Part with and pipe fitting in the relation of another locking be set between first and second pipe fittings, Lock Part puts in the above-mentioned groove, and can be operated between collapsed mode and the expansion pattern and change, Lock Part can move relative to groove in collapsed mode, Lock Part is unfolded and leans intilted side in the expansion pattern, assembly comprises that also an actuator devices is deployed in the Lock Part in the above-mentioned groove, makes this Lock Part lean the side of living in to state deflection.

Therefore, when Lock Part is in the expansion pattern, under the effect of the intilted side surface of groove, a load that is applied to locked component, for example longitudinal pulling force can cause that Lock Part locks more firmly and enters groove.In addition, this has just guaranteed the firmly contact each other of inside and outside parts, makes the signal of telecommunication or voice signal fully to transmit.

Below in conjunction with accompanying drawing the present invention is described in more detail, wherein:

Fig. 1 is the first embodiment schematic diagram of wellbore apparatus among the present invention;

Fig. 2 is the details A of first operator scheme among Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is the details A of second operator scheme among Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is the schematic diagram of employed Lock Part among first and second embodiment;

What Fig. 5 represented is the another kind of operator scheme of Lock Part among Fig. 4;

The expression of Fig. 6 signal wellbore apparatus second embodiment of the present invention.

In the following detailed description, identical parts use identical drawing reference numeral.

As shown in Figure 1, extend in the pit shaft (not shown) of a locked component 1 in being formed on the stratum, assembly 1 has a central longitudinal axis 2, and it overlaps with the longitudinal axis of pit shaft basically.Therefore locked component has only represented the locked component of half about axis 2 symmetries in Fig. 1.Locked component comprises a form outer tube member that is arranged in the pit shaft shell 3 in the pit shaft.A locking spindle 5 is connected on the shell 3 by weld seam 7,8, to form the part of the whole of shell 3.

According to shown in Figure 2, on the inner surface of shell 3, also be formed with the groove 10 of a ring-type, groove 10 has: the side 12,14 of outside deflection, they are provided with relative to each other; Also have an end face 15 and longitudinal axis 2 to extend in parallel.

An interior pipe fitting 16 is located in the shell 3 with one heart with shell 3, interior pipe fitting 16 comprises one first actuated components 18, second actuated components 20 and a rotary sleeve 22, rotary sleeve is connected with first actuated components 18 jointly ordinatedly by left hand threaded joints 24, is connected ordinatedly jointly with second actuated components 20 by right-hand thread connecting portion 26.As shown in Figure 2, between actuated components 18,20, determined an adjustable length annulus 28.Like this, in the time of cover 22 rotations, actuated components 18,20 just can longitudinally move between expansion pattern and collapsed mode relative to each other, and space 28 is relatively long in the expansion pattern, and space 28 is relatively short in the collapsed mode.The location of interior pipe fitting 16 relative grooves 10 makes the opposite that is centrally located in groove 10 centers in space 28.In the face of the end of the actuated components 18,20 in space 28 has end face 30,32 along outside direction deflection.

In annulus 28, be furnished with two or more Lock Parts 34 (only expressing one of them), Lock Part 34 is connected to each other by one or more coil component springs 35, and spring 35 is held in place Lock Part as contraction spring and leans against on the actuated components 18,20.

Shown in Figure 4 and 5, each Lock Part 34 all comprises a first 36 and a second portion 38, and part 36 and 38 can rotate mutually around a rod 40, and excellent 40 extend along circumferencial direction.Rod 40 can be an integral part of a Lock Part 34.Part 36 has external surface 41a, lateral surface 41b and medial surface 41c.Part 38 has external surface 42a, lateral surface 42b and medial surface 42c.

These parts are kept together by a flat spring (leaf spring) 44, and spring 44 to punctured position, extends part 36,38 bias voltages at this punctured position external surface 41a, 42a at an angle, so that form the outer end of Lock Part 34 radial depressions.The size of Lock Part 34 makes that Lock Part can enter in the groove 10 when part 36,38 is positioned at punctured position.

According to Fig. 3, the direction of lateral surface 41b, 42b is set like this, make that working as part 36,38 rotates to external surface 41a, 42a alignment expanded position in a straight line in the time of (as shown in Figure 5), Lock Part 34 is assemblied in the groove 10, external surface 41a, 42a contact with the radially-outer surface 15 of groove whereby, and lateral surface 41b, 42b contact with groove 10 corresponding sides 12,14.In addition, the direction of medial surface 41c, 42c is set like this, makes that medial surface 41c, 42c contact with the corresponding end face 30,32 of actuated components 18,20 when part 36,38 rotates to expanded position.

Second actuated components 20 has a location/holddown groove 50 (Fig. 1), is used for locating and fixing in interior pipe fitting 16 an actuator (not shown).A wellbore tool (not shown), for example down-hole oil production valve or storm valve are connected on the actuated components 18.First actuated components, 18 inside have the elementary groove 54 of a cover, and cover 22 has a cover secondary slot 56.Actuator be fit to groove 50 engagements and comprise two can counterrotating part, each is partly with a cover finger piece, finger piece can snap in corresponding each grooving 54,56.

In normal operation, interior pipe fitting 16 is lowered by and enters in the pit shaft shell 3, have actuator on it, wherein actuated components 18,20 is in the expansion pattern, allows the flat spring 44 of each Lock Part 34 Lock Part part 36,38 to be retracted to their punctured position.When Lock Part 34 arrived the position relative with annular recess 10, as shown in Figure 2, decline stopped.Actuator starts then, snaps in corresponding each grooving 54,56 with the finger piece of this actuator.Right latter two actuator part rotation relatively, so that rotary sleeve 22, the direction of rotation makes first and second actuated components 18,20 move relative to one another to reach collapsed mode.As a result, the deflection end face of actuated components 30,32 promotes each Lock Part 34 and enters in the groove 10, contacts with the end face 15 of groove 10 with external surface 41a, the 42a of this each Lock Part part 36,38.Under cover 22 further turning efforts, part 36,38 rotates relative to one another around rod 40, become up to Lock Part 34 and to be in expanded position, align point-blank at this expanded position external surface 41a, 42a, and contact fully with end face 15, lateral surface 41b, 42b contact fully with the corresponding side 12,14 of groove 10.In this position, Lock Part 34 is locked in the groove 10.

Like this, just obtained a form fit and connect between interior pipe fitting 16 and shell 3, this connection is that good sound is connected with electricity.When wellbore tool or interior pipe fitting 16 were subjected to longitudinal force, for example owing to flow through the pressure of the hydrocarbon fluid of pit shaft, Lock Part 34 was locked in the groove 10 more securely owing to the shape of groove 10 and Lock Part 34 outside deflections becomes.So just can stop connection between interior pipe fitting 16 and shell to fluff moving or owing to the inside motion of Lock Part make in pipe fitting subside.In addition, fastening connection has guaranteed to be used for the audible signal that pit shaft control or information transmits and can fully transmit between interior pipe fitting 16 and shell 3.

The locked component of second embodiment of the invention as shown in Figure 6.Therefore locked component has only represented half locked component about longitudinal axis 58 symmetries in Fig. 6.Second embodiment is extremely similar to first embodiment, except the cover that is used for actuated components 18,20 is relatively moved is replaced by a cover shape memory alloy actuator 60 (being called the SMA actuator hereinafter), wherein an end of each SMA actuator all is fixedly connected on the actuated components 18 by securing member 62, and the other end of SMA actuator is fixedly connected on the actuated components 20 by securing member 64.Each SMA actuator 60 has a transition temperature, and the length of SMA actuator can increase when being higher than transition temperature, and the SMA actuator length shortens when being lower than transition temperature.There is not the complete groove 54,56 among first embodiment in a second embodiment.

The normal running of second embodiment is similar to the normal running of first embodiment, but does not use actuator tool that actuated components 18,20 is relatively moved, and such motion is caused by the contraction of SMA actuator.The heater (not shown) are installed in the pipe fitting 16 in this relies on, and are descended to entering at interior pipe fitting 16 and handle heater in the shell procedure, obtain so that the temperature of SMA actuator is higher than transition temperature.Close heater then, the temperature of SMA actuator just can be lower than transition temperature like this, so the SMA actuator shrinks and therefore make actuated components 18,20 move to their collapsed mode.

Claims (12)

1. locked component, be used for outer tube member is locked in the interior pipe fitting that runs through this outer tube member, this assembly comprises: be connected to the locking spindle in the above-mentioned pipe fitting, this locking spindle has one in the face of another the groove in the above-mentioned pipe fitting, this groove has at least one intilted side, Lock Part with and pipe fitting in the relation of another pipe fitting locking be set between first and second pipe fittings, Lock Part puts in the above-mentioned groove, and can be operated between collapsed mode and the expansion pattern and change, Lock Part can move relative to groove in collapsed mode, Lock Part is unfolded in the expansion pattern, lean intilted side, this assembly also comprises the side that an actuator devices makes the Lock Part in above-mentioned groove launch to lean above-mentioned deflection.

2. locked component as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that locking spindle is connected on the outer tube member.

3. locked component as claimed in claim 1 or 2 is characterized in that the circumferencial direction extension of the side of above-mentioned deflection along locking spindle.

4. locked component as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that groove has two intilted sides that are provided with relative to each other.

5. as claim 3 or 4 described locked components, it is characterized in that Lock Part comprises a first and a second portion, second portion can be around the rotation of a relative first of axis, this axis extends along circumferencial direction substantially, and Lock Part can rotate relative to each other to be operated between collapsed mode and expansion pattern by making above-mentioned part.

6. locked component as claimed in claim 5 is characterized in that spring assembly is biased into collapsed mode with above-mentioned part in addition.

7. as claim 5 or 6 described locked components, it is characterized in that actuator devices comprises one first actuator component and one second actuator component, actuator component can vertically moving relative to each other at pipe fitting, and be configured such that in the described relative motion process of actuator component, above-mentioned part is rotated relative to one another, also have a control device can control the relative motion of above-mentioned actuator component.

8. locked component as claimed in claim 7, it is characterized in that first actuator component contacts at elementary contact surface with above-mentioned first, second actuator component contacts at secondary contact surface with above-mentioned second portion, and above-mentioned contact surface is towards above-mentioned groove deflection radially.

9. as claim 7 or 8 described locked components, it is characterized in that control device comprises a rotary sleeve, rotary sleeve is connected by left hand threaded joints and the operation of first actuator component, and is connected by right-hand thread connecting portion and the operation of second actuator component.

10. as the described locked component of one of claim 7-9, it is characterized in that actuator devices comprises one the interconnected memory metal part of first and second actuator components, and this memory metal part can operated between collapsed mode and the vertically expansion pattern vertically.

11., it is characterized in that above-mentioned pipe fitting is positioned in the pit shaft that forms in the stratum as the described locked component of one of claim 1-10.

12. basically as top described with reference to the accompanying drawings locked component.

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