Thermal Securing Set Screws

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016138642-A1
Application number	US-201314363101-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 21, 2013
Priority date	May 21, 2013
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A metal fastener is provided having a first threaded screw portion for engaging a complementary threaded portion of a bore of a metal member at a first temperature, and a sealing portion disposed proximal a distal end of the first screw portion, the sealing portion having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the metal member, wherein the sealing portion is configured to thermally expand and provide a seal between the sealing portion and an inner circumference of the bore at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, such that the first screw portion of the fastener is immobile relative to the bore at the second temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A metal fastener comprising:
a first threaded screw portion for engaging a complementary threaded portion of a bore of a metal member at a first temperature; and a sealing portion disposed proximal a distal end of the first screw portion, the sealing portion having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the metal member, wherein the sealing portion is configured to thermally expand and provide a seal between the sealing portion and an inner circumference of the bore at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, such that the first screw portion of the fastener is immobile relative to the bore at the second temperature.

2 . The fastener of claim 1 , wherein the first screw portion of the fastener and the metal member are made of steel and the sealing portion is made of at least one of brass, copper, and tin.

3 . The fastener of claim 1 , wherein the first screw portion and the metal member comprise steel, and the sealing portion comprises a polymer.

4 . The fastener of claim 1 , wherein the first screw portion of the fastener comprises a first end and a second end, a head being arranged at the first end and the sealing portion being arranged at the second end.

5 . The fastener of claim 4 , wherein the sealing portion is threaded to engage the threaded portion of the bore.

6 . The fastener of claim 4 , wherein the metal member defines a passage in fluid communication with the threaded portion of the bore, and wherein the sealing portion is shaped to engage the bore to substantially seal the threaded portion of the bore from the passage at the second temperature.

7 . The fastener of claim 1 , wherein the sealing portion is threaded to engage the threaded portion of the bore.

8 . The fastener of claim 1 , wherein the metal member comprises an unthreaded passage in communication with the threaded portion of the bore and wherein the sealing portion is shaped to extend into the passage to substantially seal the threaded portion of the bore from the passage.

9 . The fastener of claim 1 , further comprising a second threaded screw portion for engaging the threaded portion of the bore, wherein the sealing portion is disposed between the first screw portion and the second screw portion within the bore.

10 . The fastener of claim 9 , wherein the sealing portion is threaded to engage the threaded portion of the bore.

11 . The fastener of claim 9 , wherein the first and second screw portions and the metal member are made of steel and the sealing portion is made of at least one of brass, copper, and tin.

12 . The fastener of claim 9 , wherein the first and second screw portions and the metal member made of steel and the sealing portion is made of a polymer.

13 . The fastener of claim 1 , wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the sealing portion is at least ten percent higher than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal member.

14 . The fastener of claim 1 , wherein the sealing portion comprises:
a central part made of carbide; and a surrounding outer part comprising brass.

15 . A method of sealing a bore of an inflow control device, comprising:
introducing a fastener into the bore as defined in a metal member, the fastener having a first threaded screw portion and a sealing portion disposed proximal a distal end of the first screw portion; sealing the bore with the first threaded screw portion when the inflow control device is at a first temperature; and sealing the bore with the sealing portion when the inflow control device is at a second temperature, the second temperature being greater than the first temperature and the sealing portion having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the metal member.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein sealing the bore with the sealing portion when at the second temperature comprises:
thermally expanding the sealing member at the second temperature; and providing a seal between the sealing portion and an inner circumference of the bore at the second temperature with the sealing member.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising preventing the first screw portion from moving within the bore with the sealing portion at the second temperature.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the sealing portion is threaded to engage the threaded portion of the bore, the method further comprising sealing the bore with the sealing portion when the inflow control device is at a first temperature.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the metal member defines a passage in fluid communication with the threaded portion of the bore, the method further comprising engaging the bore with the sealing portion to seal the threaded portion of the bore from the passage at the second temperature.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the metal member defines an unthreaded passage in communication with the threaded portion of the bore, and wherein sealing the bore with the sealing portion further comprises extending the sealing portion into the passage to seal the threaded portion of the bore from the passage.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Aitken Liam Andrew
• Greci Stephen Michael

Classifications

• F16B39/02

  in which the locking takes place after screwing down (F16B39/01 takes precedence; split-pins, circlips, or the like for preventing relative axial movement only F16B21/10; fastening nuts by welding or riveting F16B37/06) · CPC title

• F16B39/01 Primary

  specially adapted to prevent loosening at extreme temperatures · CPC title

• E21B34/06

  in wells · CPC title

• F16B35/005

  Set screws; Locking means therefor · CPC title

• F16B33/004 Primary

  Sealing; Insulation (by means of washers F16B43/001) · CPC title