Remote fluid grip tong

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10337262-B2
Application number	US-201816121838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2018
Priority date	Sep 13, 2016
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

A tubular gripping assembly includes a power tong housing configured to actuate between an open position and a closed position, one or more valves coupled to the power tong housing, an inflatable bladder apparatus coupled to an inner surface of the power tong housing and configured to grip a tubular member when the power tong housing is in the closed position and the inflatable bladder apparatus is inflated, a latch mechanism configured to secure the power tong housing in the closed position and configured to allow the power tong housing to actuate to the open position, and a remote-controller device in wireless communication with the one or more valves. The remote-controller device is configured to control the power tong housing, the inflatable bladder apparatus, and the latch mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tubular gripping assembly, comprising:
a power tong housing configured to actuate between an open position and a closed position;
one or more valves coupled to the power tong housing;
an inflatable bladder apparatus coupled to an inner surface of the power tong housing and configured to grip a tubular member when the power tong housing is in the closed position and the inflatable bladder apparatus is inflated;
a latch mechanism configured to secure the power tong housing in the closed position and configured to allow the power tong housing to actuate to the open position; and
a remote-controller device in wireless communication with the one or more valves, wherein the remote-controller device is configured to control the power tong housing, the inflatable bladder apparatus, and the latch mechanism.

2. The tubular gripping assembly of claim 1 , wherein the latch mechanism enables a flow of hydraulic fluid.

3. The tubular gripping assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a hydraulic actuator coupled to the power tong housing, wherein the remote-controller device is in wireless communication with the hydraulic actuator and signals the hydraulic actuator to actuate the power tong housing between the open position and the closed position.

4. The tubular gripping assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more valves comprise a pressure-equalizing valve, wherein the pressure-equalizing valve causes the inflatable bladder apparatus to deflate in response to a wireless signal transmitted from the remote-controller device.

5. The tubular gripping assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a suction cylinder, wherein the pressure-equalizing valve is configured to place the suction cylinder in fluid communication with the inflatable bladder apparatus to deflate the inflatable bladder apparatus.

6. The tubular gripping assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanized docking and undocking fluid connector configured to provide hydraulic communication to the tubular gripping assembly when in a docked position and to prevent hydraulic communication to the tubular gripping assembly when in an undocked position.

7. The tubular gripping assembly of claim 6 , further comprising an arm that extends into contact with the mechanized docking and undocking fluid connector to place the mechanized docking and undocking fluid connector in the docked position, and wherein the arm retracts away from the mechanized docking and undocking fluid connector to place the mechanized docking and undocking fluid connector in the undocked position.

8. The tubular gripping assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power tong body coupled to the power tong housing, wherein the power tong housing defines a first slot when the power tong housing is in the open position, and the power tong body comprises a second slot;
a target block coupled to the power tong housing; and
an auto-align sensor coupled to the power tong body, wherein the auto-align sensor is configured to determine whether the first and second slots are aligned.

9. The tubular gripping assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure relief mechanism in wireless communication with the remote-controller device, wherein the pressure relief mechanism is configured to deflate the bladder apparatus in response to a signal from the remote-controller device.

10. A method for connecting two tubular members, comprising:
aligning a power tong housing with a center of a well such that a tubular member is positioned within a bore of the power tong housing, wherein an inflatable bladder apparatus is coupled to an inner surface of the power tong housing;
closing the power tong housing in response to a first signal transmitted wirelessly from a remote- controller device;
inflating a bladder of the inflatable bladder apparatus in response to a second signal transmitted wirelessly from the remote-controller device, thereby causing the inflatable bladder apparatus to grip the tubular member;
undocking a mechanized docking and undocking fluid connector in response to a third signal transmitted wirelessly from the remote-controller device, wherein undocking occurs after the bladder is inflated, thereby interrupting hydraulic communication to the power tong housing; and
rotating the power tong housing and the tubular member when the tubular member is gripped by the inflatable bladder apparatus.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein closing the power tong housing comprises:
actuating the power tong housing into a closed position using a hydraulic actuator; and
actuating a latch actuator to cause a latch to secure the power tong housing in the closed position.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising deflating the bladder in response to a fourth signal transmitted wirelessly from the remote-controller device after the power tong housing and the tubular member are rotated, wherein the inflatable bladder apparatus no longer grips the tubular member when the bladder is deflated.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising rotating the power tong housing with respect to a power tong body to align a first slot in the power tong housing with a second slot in the power tong body.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining whether the first slot of the power tong housing is aligned with the second slot of the power tong body, using a target block coupled to the power tong housing and an auto align sensor coupled to the power tong body.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising docking the mechanized docking and undocking fluid connector, in response to a fifth signal transmitted wirelessly from the remote-controller device, wherein the docking occurs after the first and second slots are aligned, thereby establishing hydraulic communication to the power tong housing.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising opening the power tong housing in response to a sixth signal transmitted wirelessly from the remote-controller device after the mechanized docking and undocking fluid connector is docked.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein deflating the bladder comprises actuating a pressure-equalizing valve, thereby causing the bladder to deflate.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein, in response to being actuated, the pressure-equalizing valve places a suction cylinder in fluid communication with the bladder, causing fluid in the bladder to flow into the suction cylinder, thereby causing the bladder to deflate.

19. A method for connecting two tubular members, comprising:
aligning a power tong housing with a center of a well such that a tubular member is positioned within a bore of the power tong housing, wherein an inflatable bladder apparatus is coupled to an inner surface of the power tong housing;
closing the power tong housing in response to a first signal from a wireless remote-controller device;
inflating a bladder of the inflatable bladder apparatus in response to a second signal from the wireless remote-controller device, thereby causing the inflatable bladder apparatus to grip the tubular member;
undocking a mechanized docking and undocking fluid connector in response to a third signal from the wireless remote-controller device, thereby interrupting hydraulic communication to the power tong housing;
rotating the power tong housing and the tubular member when the tubular member is gripped by the inflatable bladder apparatus;
deflating the bladder of the inflatable bladder apparatus in response to a fourth signal from the wireless remote-controller device, wherein t

Assignees

• Franks Int Llc

Inventors

• Clostio Jr Thomas J
• Jabusch Tyler
• Brown Dougal

Classifications

• E21B19/24

  Guiding or centralising devices for drilling rods or pipes · CPC title

• E21B19/164

  motor actuated (E21B19/162 and E21B19/163 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B19/165

  Control or monitoring arrangements therefor · CPC title

• E21B19/161

  using a wrench or a spinner adapted to engage a circular section of pipe (E21B19/168 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B19/16

  Connecting or disconnecting pipe couplings or joints (E21B19/20 takes precedence) · CPC title