Asymmetric Threaded Joint for Steel Pipes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing threaded joints for steel pipes face challenges in easily inserting pins at a sloping angle and maintaining resistance to compression and galling, especially in severe environments such as deep or horizontal wells, due to the need for chamfers on both pin and box threads which increases costs and reduces stability.

Innovation Solution

A threaded joint design where only one of the pin or box has a two-step stabbing shape with a chamfered portion and a non-chamfered portion, optimizing the chamfer angle and cross-sectional area ratio to facilitate easy insertion while maintaining resistance to compression and preventing galling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If chamfers are provided on both pin and box threads to facilitate easy insertion at sloping angles, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of insertionVSAvoidthread structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the chamfer feature from both pin and box threads and applies it only to the box thread, removing the unnecessary complexity from the pin thread while retaining the insertion facilitation benefit. This selective application reduces overall device complexity and manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates an asymmetric thread structure where the box thread has a two-step profile with chamfered and non-chamfered portions, while the pin thread maintains a standard profile. This asymmetry optimizes the system by applying complexity only where needed for insertion facilitation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Ease of operation

If chamfers are provided on both pin and box threads to facilitate easy insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of insertionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the chamfer requirement from the pin thread manufacturing process while maintaining it on the box thread, thereby reducing manufacturing steps and costs without compromising insertion ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of applying chamfers to both components (excessive action), the invention applies the chamfer feature partially only to the box thread, achieving sufficient insertion facilitation while reducing manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If a two-step stabbing shape with optimized chamfer area ratio is used, then galling resistance is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegalling resistanceVSAvoidchamfer area ratio control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention defines specific parameter ranges for the chamfer cross-sectional area ratio (0.25-0.50) and chamfer angle (20-60 degrees) to optimize galling resistance while establishing clear manufacturing specifications that balance precision requirements with practical manufacturability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2129952B1Threaded joint for steel pipes
Publication Date: 2020.03.18 VALLOUREC MANNESMANN OIL & GAS FRANCE
  • EP2129952B1 patent drawingFigure 1(A)~2
  • EP2129952B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2129952B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

A threaded joint for steel pipes constituted by a pin having male threads and a box having female threads is improved with respect to ease of insertion of the pin and galling resistance of the threaded portions. The stabbing flanks of the threads in a complete thread portion of one of the pin and box has a two-step stabbing shape having a chamfer. The two-step stabbing shape has a stabbing flank angle a of 5 - 45° and a chamfer angle ß of 20 - 60°. The ratio h/H of the chamfer height h to the thread height H of the pin is 0.25 - 0.50, or the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the chamfered portion to the overall cross-sectional area of the stabbing flank is made at least a value corresponding to a chamfer height ratio h/H of 0.25 and at most a value corresponding to a chamfer height ratio of 0.50.