Travel Stop for Expansion Tool to Limit Stress on a Surrounding Tubular

• US 20150330178A1
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Williams, Jeffrey C., Hu, Ziping, Ronck, Benjamin T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,053,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/01 for anchoring the tools or the like E21B23/02 - E21B23/06 take precedence; anchoring of drives in the borehole E21B4/18
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/06 for setting packers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/128 with a member expanded radially by axial pressure E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/129 with mechanical slips for hooking into the casing E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1291 anchor set by wedge or cam in combination with frictional effect, using so-called drag-blocks E21B33/1295 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1293 with means for anchoring against downward and upward movement E21B33/1291, E21B33/1295 take precedence

Abstract

An expandable anchor/seal is pushed up a ramp until making contact with the surrounding tubular as or after the anchor/seal contacts the same tubular. The setting sleeve is made from high yield steel that has a weakened leading end to reduce the force required to push the leading end and the anchor/seal and an outer surface treatment at a leading end that engages or penetrates the wall of the surrounding tubular. Preferably a plurality of fingers are formed with axially oriented slots starting from a leading end allowing fingers to flex as they ride up the ramp on the mandrel for setting the anchor/seal and locking that set with the setting sleeve exterior surface configuration that can abut or penetrate the surrounding tubular.

Claims

1. A travel stop assembly for a subterranean tool for avoiding overstress in an engaged surface, comprising:

a mandrel further comprising at least one ramp;

at least one movable component assembly selectively forced along said ramp and into contact with the engaged surface;

a portion of said movable component assembly and said ramp selectively engaging after a predetermined relative axial movement therebetween to raise the force required for further axial relative movement to limit the stress placed on the engaged surface.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said movable component assembly comprising at least one taper to selectively engage said ramp.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein:

said taper and said ramp a substantially parallel.

4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein:

said taper and said ramp are not substantially parallel.

5. The assembly of claim 2, wherein:

said taper is disposed in at least one row and is continuous for 360 degrees or discontinuous in circumferentially spaced segments.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein:

said taper is in segments in multiple rows with segments in one row aligned with gaps in an adjacent row.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said movable component assembly and said ramp comprising an insert, a coating or a lubricious material.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said ramp further comprises at least one of a projection or depression and said movable component assembly comprising at least one of the other of a projection and a depression for selective interaction to increase force required for further relative axial movement therebetween.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

one of said movable component assembly and said ramp have a snap ring and the other has a groove such that on a predetermined relative axial movement said snap ring enters said groove to stop further relative axial movement therebetween.

10. The assembly of claim 2, wherein:

said movable component assembly comprises a plurality of collets extending from a base ring, said taper is located on said base ring.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein:

said collets further comprise wickers to selectively contact the engaged surface.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein:

said movable component assembly further comprises a hanger/seal pushed along said ramp by said collets.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein:

said hanger seal further comprising a plurality of hardened inserts.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein:

said hanger seal further comprising a plurality of axially spaced ribs with at least one seal between a pair of said ribs.

15. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

one of said ramp and said movable component assembly comprising a sensor to convey to a remote location in real time information that said ramp and said movable component assembly have engaged to the extent that further relative axial movement therebetween has stopped.

16. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

movement therebetween in only one direction.

17. The assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said ramp and portions of said movable component assembly when selectively contacting after initial relative axial movement raise the force required for further relative axial movement therebetween without precluding such further relative axial movement.