Drill String Plug Socket Connection with Exposed Pull-Out Thread
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drill string connection methods for earth drilling, such as threaded and plug-in connections, face challenges in providing a simple, safe, and reliable connection that can withstand harsh soil conditions and mechanical stresses, while also being easy to maintain and access.
Innovation Solution
A system that combines plug-in and screw connections using a pull-off protection with an externally exposed thread, allowing for secure engagement and easy access for maintenance, where the pull-off protection is inserted through aligned through holes in the drill string members and secured with a counterpart, providing additional safety elements like wedge locking washers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a threaded connection is used to connect drill string sections, then the connection strength and reliability are improved, but the complexity of the connection system and difficulty of maintenance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into two independent parts: a plug element with external thread and a socket element with internal thread. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies maintenance by allowing replacement of individual elements without replacing the entire connection system.
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded connection elements (plug and socket) are extracted as separate, replaceable components from the drill string sections. This allows the threading mechanism to be maintained or replaced independently of the drill string sections themselves, reducing overall system complexity and maintenance burden.
2Ease of operation
If a plug-in connection is used to connect drill string sections, then the ease of connection and disconnection is improved, but the connection strength and resistance to pull-out forces deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges two connection mechanisms into a single integrated system: the plug element provides plug-in connection for ease of assembly, while the external thread on the plug element provides screw connection for enhanced strength and pull-out resistance. This combination resolves the contradiction by achieving both ease of operation and high strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system uses composite connection mechanisms combining different types of mechanical fastening (plug-fit and threading) to achieve properties that neither mechanism alone could provide. The hybrid approach delivers both the ease of plug-in connection and the strength of threaded fastening.
3Shape
If the pull-off protection device is fully inserted into the drill string sections, then the connection compactness is improved, but the accessibility for maintenance and release deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pull-off protection device is designed to be partially inserted into the socket element rather than fully inserted. This partial insertion maintains sufficient compactness while leaving the threaded end exposed for maintenance and release operations, resolving the contradiction between compactness and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The design extends the pull-off protection device in the longitudinal dimension beyond the socket element, creating an exposed portion that provides accessibility for maintenance. This dimensional extension allows the device to serve dual purposes: maintaining compact connection when inserted and providing access when needed.
4Ease of repair
If an exposed thread on the pull-off protection device is used, then the accessibility for maintenance and release is improved, but the device complexity and potential for corrosion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pull-off protection device with exposed thread is designed as a replaceable, relatively simple component that can be easily maintained or replaced. By making this protective element disposable or easily replaceable, the system can tolerate increased corrosion exposure in exchange for simplified maintenance procedures and improved accessibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the reliability and ease of connection and disconnection of drill string members, reduces the risk of unintentional loosening, and allows for independent replacement of the pull-off protection without altering the drill string members, improving force transmission and reducing maintenance complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a thread is formed at the end of the pull-out device... the exposed end of the pull-out device can be screwed to a counterpart
Implementation Method 2
The plug and socket are designed to form a plug connection
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a system for connecting two drill string sections of a drill string for earth drilling, wherein one drill string section has an end-arranged plug element in the form of a plug and the other drill string section has an end-arranged plug element in the form of a socket, wherein the plug and socket are designed to form a plug connection such that the two drill string sections have aligned through holes through which a pull-out protection device can be inserted, and the pull-out protection device has a head and an end spaced apart from the head, wherein a thread is formed at the end and the head and end are spaced apart from each other such that the end is exposed when the pull-out protection device is inserted.