High Yield Steel Setting Sleeve with Axial Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing expandable seals/anchors face limitations in grip force due to small carbide buttons and soft material used for the setting sleeve, which attenuates the anchoring force transmission and requires excessive force to expand, potentially damaging the surrounding tubular.
Innovation Solution
The use of high yield steel for the setting sleeve with a weakened leading end and axial slots forming flexible fingers, along with a surface treatment to engage or penetrate the tubular wall, enhances the anchoring and sealing mechanism by increasing the grip force and reducing the required expansion force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If soft material is used for the setting sleeve to reduce the required pushing force, then the expansion force is reduced, but the anchoring force transmission is attenuated
Solution Approach 1:
The setting sleeve employs different material properties in different regions: high yield steel for the main body to ensure strong anchoring force transmission, and a weakened leading end with axial slots to reduce expansion force requirements. This local differentiation of material quality resolves the contradiction between needing high strength for force transmission and low force for expansion.
2Strength
If high yield steel is used for the setting sleeve, then the anchoring force transmission is improved, but the required pushing force increases
Solution Approach 1:
The setting sleeve is segmented into a main body made of high yield steel and a weakened leading end with axial slots. This segmentation allows the main body to provide high anchoring force transmission while the weakened leading end reduces the pushing force required, resolving the contradiction between these two force requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The material parameters of the setting sleeve are changed locally: the main body uses high yield steel for high strength, while the leading end is weakened by creating axial slots that reduce its effective cross-sectional area. This parameter change allows the sleeve to transmit high anchoring forces while requiring reduced pushing forces for expansion.
3Reliability
If carbide buttons are used for penetration, then the anchoring into the tubular wall is adequate, but the grip force is limited by the small dimension
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the anchoring function of carbide buttons with the setting sleeve structure itself. The high yield steel setting sleeve with weakened leading end and axial slots provides both penetration capability and enhanced grip force transmission, combining the advantages of carbide buttons with the structural benefits of the weakened sleeve design.
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 improves the anchoring and sealing efficiency by transmitting the anchor force effectively through high yield steel and reduces the force needed to expand the seal assembly, preventing damage to the surrounding tubular while maintaining a secure lock.
Implementation Method 1
a series of end axial slots are used to create a plurality of fingers that flex easily as they are driven up the ramp
Implementation Method 2
The surface treatment can be wickers, hard particles or a roughening of the exterior surface in some other way. As a result the set position of the anchor/seal assembly is further locked in with the setting sleeve exterior surface wither abutting or penetrating the wall of the surrounding tubular
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable anchor/seal is pushed up a ramp until making contact with the surrounding tubular as or after the anchor/seal contacts the same tubular. The setting sleeve is made from high yield steel that has a weakened leading end to reduce the force required to push the leading end and the anchor/seal and an outer surface treatment at a leading end that engages or penetrates the wall of the surrounding tubular. Preferably a plurality of fingers are formed with axially oriented slots starting from a leading end allowing fingers to flex as they ride up the ramp on the mandrel for setting the anchor/seal and locking that set with the setting sleeve exterior surface configuration that can abut or penetrate the surrounding tubular.