Composite tube to metal joint apparatus

• US 10,378,684 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Composite Products & Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Composite Products & Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Leslie, James C., Leslie, II, James C., Heard, James, Truong, Liem V., Josephson, Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Jun S
• Application Number:
  US15/599,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20170254449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/003 with electrically conducting or insulating means E21B17/028 and E21B17/023 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/0285 characterised by electrically insulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/20 Flexible or articulated drilling pipes , e.g. flexible or articulated rods, pipes or cables
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/206 with conductors, e.g. electrical, optical
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 13/103 Adhesive joints for hoses F16L33/34
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 15/08 with supplementary elements F16L15/04, F16L41/00 and F16L43/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 25/0018 Abutment joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 31/00 Arrangements for connecting hoses to one another or to flexible sleeves F16L33/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A metal to composite tube joint including selecting an elongated interior fitting constructed with an exterior barrel, reduced in exterior diameter to form a distally facing annular shoulder and then projecting still further distally to form an interior sleeve having a radially outwardly facing bonding surface. A metal outer sleeve formed proximally with a collar constructed for receipt over the barrel and increased in interior diameter and projecting distally to form an exterior sleeve having a radially inwardly facing bonding surface cooperating with the first bonding surface to form an annulus receiving an extremity of a composite tube and a bond bonding the extremity of the tube to the bonding surfaces.

Claims

1. A composite pipe to metal end fitting joint comprising:

a discrete inner sleeve configured on one end with an annular flange and projecting distally therefrom to be formed with an annular inner shell configured with an exterior, distally extending, continuous inner sleeve surface;

a discrete outer sleeve received over the inner sleeve abutted on one end with the annular flange and further configured with a distally projecting outer shell concentric with the inner shell and formed with an interior, distally extending continuous other shell surface cooperating with the inner sleeve to form an annulus;

the inner and outer sleeves are formed with each of the respective inner and outer sleeve surfaces tapering distally away from one another to form the annulus;

a composite pipe configured on one extremity with a connector ring formed to complementarity fit the annulus; and

a bond on the inner and outer surfaces to bond the connector ring to the respective inner and outer sleeves.

2. The joint of claim 1 wherein:

the inner sleeve includes a proximal end including a mechanical connector.

3. The joint of claim 2 wherein:

the connector is formed with screw threads.

4. The joint of claim 1 wherein:

the inner and outer sleeves are configured with proximal ends, the proximal ends formed with concentric barrels.

5. The joint of claim 4 wherein:

the inner and outer sleeves are formed on their proximal ends with respective inner and outer flanges engaged with one another to support loads between the sleeves.

6. The joint of claim 5 wherein:

the flanges are formed with aligned, distally facing shoulders; and

the connector ring is formed with a blunt end abutting the shoulders.

7. The joint of claim 5 wherein:

the flanges are tubular.

8. The joint of claim 5 wherein:

the flanges are cylindrical.

9. The joint of claim 5 wherein:

the flanges are concentric.

10. The joint of claim 1 wherein:

the outer sleeve is affixed to the inner sleeve.

11. The joint of claim 1 wherein:

the outer sleeve is welded to the inner sleeve.

12. The joint of claim 1 that includes:

dowels projecting radially through the inner and outer shells and the composite pipe.

13. A composite pipe to metal fitting joint comprising:

an elongated metal inner sleeve device configured with proximal and distal annular extremities and formed with an inner sleeve projecting distally to form an inner shell configured with the inner sleeve having a radially outwardly facing bonding surface;

an elongated metal outer sleeve device formed with a first annular extremity received over the proximal extremity and further configured with a distally projecting outer shell concentric with the inner shell and formed interiorly with a distally extending outer sleeve bonding surface and cooperating with the inner sleeve bonding surface to form an annulus;

each of the bonding surfaces tapering distally away from one another and including annular wall tapering proximal to narrow in radial thickness;

a composite pipe projecting into the annulus; and

a bond on the interface between the composite pipe and bonding surfaces.

14. The joint of claim 13 that includes:

a weld welding the outer sleeve to the inner sleeve device.

15. The joint of claim 13 wherein:

the inner sleeve and outer sleeve are formed with proximal, concentric, cylindrical barrels.

16. The joint of claim 15 wherein:

the barrels are formed with aligned, distally facing annular shoulders cooperating to form a combined abutment shoulder; and

the composite pipe is formed with a blunt end abutted against the combined abutment shoulder.

17. The joint of claim 13 that includes:

radial dowels projecting radially through the inner and outer shells and composite pipe.

18. The joint of claim 13 wherein:

at least one of the bonding surfaces extends distally in a conical configuration to cooperate with the other bonding surface to form the annulus expanding distally.