Spring actuated axially locking shaft coupling for bi-directional loading

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12421973-B2
Application number	US-202418819700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2024
Priority date	Apr 28, 2022
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

An electrical submersible pump assembly comprising a first section and a second section with an outer housing and a drive shaft. A coupling assembly comprising a coupling, a first and a second locking keys, and a plunger assembly mechanically couples the first drive shaft to the second drive shaft. The coupling is cylindrical in shape with splines configured to transfer torque from the first drive shaft to the second drive shaft. The plunger assembly extends the first and second set of locking keys from a key port in the first shaft and second shaft into a groove within the coupling. The coupling assembly is configured to transfer tensile stress from the first drive shaft to the second drive shaft in response to extending the first locking key in the first groove and the second locking key in the second groove of the coupling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pump assembly, comprising:
a first section including a first outer housing and a first drive shaft, wherein the first outer housing is cylindrical with an inner chamber and the first drive shaft is cylindrical with splines on an outer surface thereof, a key port, and a plunger bore;
a second section including a second outer housing and a second drive shaft, wherein the second outer housing is cylindrical with an inner chamber and the second drive shaft is cylindrical with splines on an outer surface thereof and a pin port;
wherein the first outer housing of the first section is mechanically coupled to the second outer housing of the second section;
a coupling assembly comprising a coupling, a locking key, a support ring, and a release device, wherein the coupling is generally cylindrical in shape with an outer surface, a support groove, and splines formed along an inner surface thereof, wherein the support ring is cylindrical in shape with a plunger bore and coupled to the support groove, wherein the locking key is installed within the key port of the first drive shaft, and wherein the release device is coupled to a pin port in the coupling and the pin port in the second drive shaft;
a plunger assembly comprising a plunger and a plunger spring, wherein the plunger and plunger spring are slidingly engaged with the plunger bore of the support ring, and wherein the plunger retains the locking key in a locked position in a groove within the inner surface of the coupling, and wherein the plunger spring is configured to urge the plunger to drive the locking key into the locked position in the groove within the inner surface of the coupling during assembly of the pump assembly;
wherein the coupling assembly mechanically couples the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft;
wherein the coupling is configured to transmit torque from the first drive shaft to the second drive shaft via the splines of the first drive shaft, the splines of the second drive shaft, and the splines of the coupling; and
wherein the coupling assembly is configured to transfer tensile stress from the pin port in the second drive shaft to the pin port in the coupling via the release device and from the coupling to the key port in the first drive shaft by the groove in the coupling via the locking key.

2. The pump assembly of claim 1 , wherein the groove on the inner surface of the coupling aligns with the key port of the first drive shaft in response to an end surface of the first drive shaft abutting the support ring.

3. The pump assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plunger is configured to move the locking key from a first position to a second position.

4. The pump assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plunger assembly is configured to move from a contracted position to an expanded position.

5. The pump assembly of claim 1 , wherein the release device is configured to break at a predetermined tensile force.

6. The pump assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second section are selected from a group consisting of a pump section, an intake section, a seal section, and a motor section.

7. The pump assembly of claim 6 , wherein the pump assembly is an ESP assembly comprising at least one pump section, at least one intake section, at least one seal section, and at least one motor section, wherein the pump section comprises a centrifugal pump, a progressive cavity pump, a piston pump, a rod pump, a turbine assembly, or combinations thereof, and wherein the motor section is an electrical motor or an electrical generator.

8. The pump assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pump assembly is a horizontal surface pump assembly or an electrical submersible pump assembly.

9. A coupling assembly adapted to couple a first shaft with a second shaft, the coupling comprising:
a coupling cylindrical in shape with an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein a groove is formed radially within the inner surface of the coupling and wherein a pin port is defined by the coupling;
a plunger bore extending axially into the first shaft;
a locking key positioned in a key port disposed in the first drive shaft, wherein the key port extends radially into the plunger bore;
a plunger assembly comprising a plunger and a plunger spring;
wherein the plunger of the plunger assembly retains the locking key in the groove within the inner surface of the coupling;
a release device coupled to the pin port in the coupling and to a pin port defined in the second drive shaft; and
wherein the coupling assembly is configured to transfer tensile force from the first shaft to the second shaft via the locking key in the groove within the inner surface of the coupling and the release device in the pin port in the coupling and the pin port defined in the second drive shaft.

10. The coupling assembly of claim 9 , wherein the groove on the inner surface of the coupling aligns with the key port of the first drive shaft in response to an end surface of the first drive shaft abutting a support ring of the coupling assembly.

11. The coupling assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plunger is configured to move the locking key from a first position to a second position.

12. The coupling assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plunger assembly is configured to move from a contracted position to an expanded position.

13. The coupling assembly of claim 9 , wherein the release device is configured to break at a predetermined tensile force.

14. The pump coupling assembly of claim 13 , wherein the release device is a threaded screw.

15. The pump coupling assembly of claim 13 , wherein the release device is a rolled pin.

16. An electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly, comprising:
a first section including a first outer housing and a first drive shaft, wherein the first outer housing is cylindrical with an inner chamber and the first drive shaft is cylindrical with splines on an outer surface thereof, a key port, and a plunger bore;
a second section including a second outer housing and a second drive shaft, wherein the second outer housing is cylindrical with an inner chamber and the second drive shaft is cylindrical with splines on an outer surface thereof and a pin port;
wherein the first outer housing of the first section is mechanically coupled to the second outer housing of the second section;
a coupling assembly comprising a coupling, a locking key, a support ring, and a release device, wherein the coupling is generally cylindrical in shape with an outer surface, a support groove, and splines formed along an inner surface thereof, wherein the support ring is cylindrical in shape with a plunger bore and coupled to the support groove, wherein the locking key is installed within the key port of the first drive shaft, and wherein the release device is coupled to a pin port in the coupling and the pin port in the second drive shaft;
a plunger assembly comprising a plunger and a plunger spring, wherein the plunger and plunger spring are slidingly engaged with the plunger bore of the support ring, and wherein the plunger retains the locking key in a locked position in a groove within the inner surface of the coupling, and wherein the plunger spring is configured to urge the plunger to drive the locking key into the locked position in the groove within the inner surface of the coupling during assembly of the pump assembly;
wherein the coupling assembly mechanically couples the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft;
wherein the coupling is configured to transmit torque from the first drive shaft to the second drive shaft via the splines of the first drive shaft, the s

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Mcmanus David
• Lovell Steven Andrew
• Newport Casey Laine
• Bernier Andre Joseph

Classifications

• E21B17/02

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

• F16D2001/103

  the torque is transmitted via splined connections · CPC title

• F04D29/044

  Arrangements for joining or assembling shafts · CPC title

• F04D13/10 Primary

  adapted for use in mining bore holes · CPC title

• E21B43/128

  Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives · CPC title