Connector for connecting to a downhole longitudinal member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11021914-B2
Application number	US-201716305672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2017
Priority date	Jun 10, 2016
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A connector (10) is provided. The connector (10) is for connecting to a downhole longitudinal member (12). The connector (10) comprises a gripping sleeve (14) defining an internal bore (16) for receiving the longitudinal member (12) therewithin, wherein the gripping sleeve (14) is configured to grip or to increase grip on the longitudinal member (12) by lengthening the gripping sleeve (14). Also provided area system in which the connector (10) is used, and a method of connecting a connector (10) to a downhole longitudinal member (12).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connector for connecting to a downhole longitudinal member, the connector comprising:
a first housing portion including a first end, a second end, and a first passage portion extending between the first end and the second end, the second end supporting an adjuster;
a second housing portion extending through the adjuster into the first passage portion, the second housing portion including a second passage portion having an opening receptive of the downhole longitudinal member, wherein one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion is shiftable relative to the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion; and
a gripping sleeve including a first end secured to the first housing portion and a second end secured to the second housing portion, the gripping sleeve extending through the first passage portion and the second passage portion and defining an internal bore for receiving the downhole longitudinal member therewithin; wherein the gripping sleeve is configured to grip the longitudinal member when the one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion is shifted axially away from the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion through operation of the adjuster.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping sleeve comprises a cylindrical helically wound braid.

3. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping sleeve comprises at least one filament which is helically arranged around the internal bore.

4. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping sleeve comprises a flexible sleeve configured to radially contract with axial extension of the gripping sleeve, the gripping sleeve reducing the diameter of the internal bore as the gripping sleeve is longitudinally extended in the axial direction of the internal bore.

5. The connector of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second housing portions comprises a respective rigid collar and the first and second axial openings both comprise a fixed diameter that remains the same throughout connection and/or disconnection and/or reconnection.

6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the adjustor adjusts a the separation between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the adjustor being selectively operable to connect the connector to the downhole longitudinal member by pushing the first and second housing portions axially away from each other.

7. The connector of claim 6 , wherein the connector is activated by rotating the adjustor relative to at least one of the first and second housing portions.

8. The connector of claim 7 , wherein a rotational position of the first and second housing portions is fixed relative to each other.

9. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector is configured to generate tension in the gripping sleeve by generating a tension force in the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

10. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the grip of the gripping sleeve on the longitudinal member is maintained when tension on the longitudinal member is decreased.

11. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector is deactivatable independently of tension in the longitudinal member.

12. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector is reconnectable to the longitudinal member without requiring removal of the longitudinal member from within the internal bore.

13. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector is configured to connect a first longitudinal member to a second longitudinal member.

14. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the downhole longitudinal member comprises one or more of: a cable, a tube, a support member, a wire, a hollow longitudinal member; a conduit; a pipe; a coiled tubing; a slickline; a wireline; a tubular; a downhole tool.

15. A method of connecting a connector to a downhole longitudinal member, the method comprising:
receiving the longitudinal member within one of a first passage portion of a first housing portion and a second passage portion of a second housing portion slidingly received by the first passage portion;
guiding the longitudinal member into an internal bore of a gripping sleeve extending through the first passage portion and the second passage portion; and
gripping the longitudinal member by sliding in an axial direction one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion relative to the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion with an adjuster thereby lengthening the gripping sleeve.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising gripping the longitudinal member with a cylindrical helically wound braid.

17. The method of claim 15 , comprising increasing grip on the longitudinal member independently of tension in the longitudinal member.

18. The method of claim 15 , comprising increasing grip on the longitudinal member by reducing an internal diameter of the internal bore by lengthening the gripping sleeve, without applying any net axial force to the longitudinal member.

19. The method of claim 15 , comprising rotating the adjustor that cooperates with at least one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion to push apart the first and second housing portions and increase a compressive force on the longitudinal member.

20. The method of claim 15 , comprising disconnecting the connector from the longitudinal member by moving the first and second housing portions axially towards each other.

21. The method of claim 15 , comprising decreasing grip on the longitudinal member independently of tension in the longitudinal member.

22. The method of claim 15 , comprising moving the connector in a disconnected configuration axially along the longitudinal member, without removing the longitudinal member from the internal bore.

23. The method of claim 15 , comprising reconnecting the connector to the longitudinal member.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Sinclair Ewan
• Kecskes Gergely

Classifications

• E21B17/023 Primary

  Arrangements for connecting cables or wirelines to downhole devices · CPC title

• E21B47/01 Primary

  Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like · CPC title

• F16G11/02

  with parts deformable to grip the cable or cables; Fastening means which engage a sleeve or the like fixed on the cable · CPC title

• E21B31/18

  gripping externally, e.g. overshot · CPC title

• E21B17/02 Primary

  Couplings; joints {(expandable couplings or joints E21B43/106)} · CPC title