COMPOSITE DRILL PIPE AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME
First Claim
1. A drill pipe string forming a metal to composite interface, comprising:
- a plurality of longitudinally aligned filament wound composite pipe segments configured at their respective opposite extremities with tapered sections formed by cylindrical walls tapering distally to thin annular edges;
pairs of male and female couplers interposed between adjacent ends of respective pipe segments including inner and outer concentric cylindrical members formed by respective outer and inner walls, the respective walls formed with respective confronting bonding surfaces angling distally in one direction in conical fashion away from one another to cooperate in forming conical nesting cavities for complementary receipt of the respective tapered sections of the adjacent pipe segments of said string;
a bond bonding the pipe segment walls to the male and female couplers; and
said male and female couplers including respective threaded male nipples and female openings for screwable connection of respective adjacent male and female couplers together.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lightweight and durable drill pipe string capable of short radius drilling formed using a composite pipe segment formed to include tapered wall thickness ends that are each defined by opposed frustoconical surfaces conformed for self aligning receipt and intimate bonding contact within an annular space between corresponding surfaces of a coaxially nested set of metal end pieces and a set of nonconductive sleeves. The distal peripheries of the nested end pieces and sleeves are then welded to each other and the sandwiched and bonded portions are radially pinned. The composite segment may include imbedded conductive leads and the axial end portions of the end pieces are shaped to form a threaded joint with the next pipe assembly that includes contact rings in the opposed surfaces of the pipe joint assembly, the contact of which is effected by either piercing with a pointed contact from one end into the other to connect the corresponding leads across the joint or contacting opposed rings in each end.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A drill pipe string forming a metal to composite interface, comprising:
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a plurality of longitudinally aligned filament wound composite pipe segments configured at their respective opposite extremities with tapered sections formed by cylindrical walls tapering distally to thin annular edges; pairs of male and female couplers interposed between adjacent ends of respective pipe segments including inner and outer concentric cylindrical members formed by respective outer and inner walls, the respective walls formed with respective confronting bonding surfaces angling distally in one direction in conical fashion away from one another to cooperate in forming conical nesting cavities for complementary receipt of the respective tapered sections of the adjacent pipe segments of said string; a bond bonding the pipe segment walls to the male and female couplers; and said male and female couplers including respective threaded male nipples and female openings for screwable connection of respective adjacent male and female couplers together. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A drill pipe string forming a metal to composite interface, comprising:
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a plurality of filament wound composite pipe segments configured at their respective opposite extremities with tapered sections formed by cylindrical walls tapering distally to thin annular edges; pairs of male and female couplers including respective proximate ends interposed between adjacent ends of respective pipe segments and further including inner and outer concentric cylindrical members formed by respective outer and inner walls, the respective walls formed with respective confronting bonding surfaces angling distally in one direction in conical fashion away from one another to cooperate in forming conical nesting cavities for complementary receipt of the respective tapered sections of the adjacent pipe segments of said string wherein one of the respective cylindrical members projects distally farther from its coupler proximate end than the other cylindrical member; a bond bonding the pipe segment walls to the male and female couplers; and said male and female couplers including respective threaded male nipples and females openings for screwable connection of respective adjacent male and female couplers together. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A drill pipe string for end to end connection, comprising:
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composite walls forming elongated pipe segments having first and second extremities; one or more conductor lead segments imbedded in the walls of respective pipe segments and extending between the respective first and second extremities therein and projecting distally therefrom to form mating connector links; first and second connectors connected to the respective mating connector links and operative upon respective extremities of the pipe segments being connected together to form respective electrical couplings. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for fixing the ends of composite pipe segments within metal end fitting assemblies, comprising the steps of:
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forming the exterior and interior surface portions of each end of said segment ends to define opposed frustoconical surfaces; inserting each end of said composite pipe segment into an annular gap formed between concentrically nested exterior and interior tubular end pieces conformed to thereby center the nested end pieces along the corresponding ones of said frustoconical surfaces on each said pipe segment end; bonding the interior and exterior end surfaces of each end of said pipe segment to the corresponding surfaces of said exterior and interior end pieces; welding together the peripheral edges of said interior and exterior end pieces distal of said interior and exterior surfaces while concurrently cooling those portions of said end pieces that are bonded to the ends of said segment; and pressing in interference fit a plurality of radially aligned pins through the bonded combination of said segment ends received between said exterior and interior end pieces. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification