Sucker rod apparatus and method

{
  "publication_number": "US10385625B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Sucker rod apparatus and method",
  "abstract": "Sucker rods include end fittings having an outer wedge portion proximate to an open end, an inner wedge portion proximate to a closed end, and an intermediate wedge portion between the outer and inner wedges. Each wedge includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an angle between the leading and trailing edges. The triangular configuration, length of the leading edge, the length of the trailing edge, and size of the angle in each wedge portion cause distribution of force, such that compressive forces distributed to the rod proximate the closed end exceed compressive forces distributed to the rod proximate the open end.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An end fitting for a sucker rod comprising: a body comprising a cavity for receiving an epoxy, the cavity comprising an interior surface, a closed end, and an open end, wherein the interior surface of said cavity comprises a plurality of leading edges, a plurality of trailing edges, and a plurality of vertices, wherein each leading edge of the plurality of leading edges diverges away from the sucker rod from the open end to the closed end, wherein each trailing edge of the plurality of trailing edges converges towards the sucker rod from the open end to the closed end, and wherein each leading edge and each trailing edge intersect at a respective vertex of the plurality of vertices, wherein the plurality of leading edges, the plurality of trailing edges, and the plurality of vertices define a respective plurality of wedge portions, wherein a length of each leading edge of the plurality of leading edges decreases from the open end to the closed end, and wherein the length of each respective leading edge, a length of each respective trailing edge, and an angle of each respective vertex determine the compressive force applied to each respective wedge portion under load, such that the compressive force is greater proximate to the closed end than proximate to the open end.",
    "2. The end fitting of claim 1, wherein the plurality of leading edges comprises at least three leading edges, and the plurality of trailing edges comprises at least three trailing edges.",
    "3. The end fitting of claim 2, wherein the respective lengths of each respective leading edge decrease proportionally from the open end to the closed end, wherein the compressive force applied to each leading edge under load increases proportionally from the open end to the closed end.",
    "4. The end fitting of claim 3, wherein the respective lengths of each respective trailing edge decrease proportionally from the open end to the closed end, wherein the compressive force applied to each trailing edge under load increases proportionally from the open end to the closed end.",
    "5. The end fitting of claim 1, wherein the convergence of each of the plurality of trailing edges towards the sucker rod is parabolic.",
    "6. The end fitting of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertex angles between each respective leading edge of the plurality of leading edges and each respective trailing edge of the plurality of trailing edges increase from the open end to the closed end.",
    "7. The end fitting of claim 6, wherein each vertex of the plurality of vertices defines an equal diameter of the cavity.",
    "8. A method for manufacturing a sucker rod comprising the steps of: manufacturing an end fitting comprising a cavity, an interior surface of said cavity, a closed end, and an open end, wherein the interior surface of said cavity comprises a plurality of leading edges, a plurality of trailing edges, and a plurality of vertices, wherein each of the plurality of leading edges diverge away from said sucker rod from the open end to the closed end, and wherein each of the plurality of trailing edges converge towards the sucker rod from the open end to the closed end, wherein the plurality of leading edges and the plurality of trailing edges intersect at the plurality of vertices to define a plurality of wedge portions, wherein the lengths of each leading edge of the plurality of leading edges decrease from the open end to the closed end, and wherein the length of each respective leading edge, the length of each respective trailing edge, and the angle of each respective vertex determine the compressive force applied to each respective wedge portion under load, such that the compressive force is greater proximate to the closed end than proximate to the open end; engaging an end of a fiber composite rod into the cavity of the end fitting for creating a symmetrical void between the fiber composite rod and the interior surface of the end fitting whereby the symmetrical void has symmetry along a longitudinal axis of the fiber composite rod; and injecting an epoxy into the void to bond with the fiber composite rod and to fixedly engage the interior surface of the end fitting for securing the end fitting to the fiber composite rod, such that the epoxy is uniform in thickness between the interior surface of the cavity.",
    "9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of manufacturing an end fitting further comprises manufacturing a cavity comprising at least three wedge portions.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of manufacturing an end fitting further comprises manufacturing the plurality of trailing edges such that the lengths of each trailing edge of the plurality of trailing edges decrease from the open end to the closed end.",
    "11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of reciprocating the sucker rod and end fitting under load, wherein the resulting compressive force increases proportionally from the open end to the closed end.",
    "12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of injecting an epoxy into the void further comprises increasing the elastic limit without permanent alteration of the fiber composite rod.",
    "13. An end fitting for a sucker rod comprising: a body comprising a cavity for receiving an epoxy, the cavity comprising an interior surface, a closed end, and an open end, wherein the interior surface of said cavity comprises a plurality of leading edges, a plurality of trailing edges, and a plurality of vertices therebetween, wherein each of the plurality of leading edges diverge away from the sucker rod from the open end to the closed end, wherein each of the plurality of trailing edges converge towards the sucker rod from the open end to the closed end, wherein a respective length of the respective plurality of leading edges decreases from the open end to the closed end, and wherein a respective length of the respective plurality of trailing edges increases from the open end to the closed end.",
    "14. The end fitting of claim 13, wherein each vertex of the plurality of vertices defines a respective diameter of the cavity, wherein each diameter of the plurality of diameters increases from the open end to the closed end.",
    "15. The end fitting of claim 13, wherein the compressive force of the end fitting under load is greater proximate to the closed end than proximate to the open end."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Embodiments usable within the scope of the present disclosure relate, generally, to secondary recovery systems and methods for use with hydrocarbon and other types of wells, and more specifically, to connectors (e.g., end fittings) and methods usable with strings of sucker rods made from fiberglass.\n\nWhen production from a hydrocarbon well attainable through natural means (e.g., pressure within the wellbore) is no longer sufficient for the well to remain economically viable, numerous types of secondary recovery methods exist to increase the productivity of the well. One such method includes use of a downhole pump that is inserted into the wellbore, then actuated to draw hydrocarbons and/or other fluids toward the surface. Conventionally, downhole pumps are actuated by physically manipulating values and/or other operable parts from the surface, through movement of a pump jack or similar powered device, that is connected to the downhole pump using a long string of joined connectors, termed “sucker rods.”\n\nConventional sucker rod strings are formed from lengths of steel rod, having threaded connectors at each end for engaging adjacent segments of rod, to form a string of sufficient length to connect a pump jack to a down hole pump. Because steel is heavy, expensive, and suffers from other inherent difficulties, alternative types of sucker rod materials have been explored, such as fiberglass. Fiberglass offers an equivalent or greater tensile strength than steel, while being both lighter and less costly, enabling a string of fiberglass sucker rods to be reciprocated using less energy and smaller equipment.",
  "cpc": [
    "E21B 17/04",
    "E21B 17/1071",
    "E21B 43/127",
    "F16B 2200/10",
    "F16B 7/00",
    "Y10T 403/47",
    "Y10T 403/473",
    "Y10T 403/7039"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "E21B 17/04",
    "E21B 17/10",
    "E21B 43/12",
    "F16B 7/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "FinalRod IP LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Russell P. Rutledge",
    "Russell P. Rutledge, Jr.",
    "Ryan B. Rutledge"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-11-09",
  "publication_date": "2019-08-20",
  "grant_date": "2019-08-20",
  "priority_date": "2011-08-09",
  "application_number": "US-201514936420-A",
  "family_id": "55401909",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US4360288A",
    "US4360288B1",
    "USRE32865E",
    "US4662774A",
    "US4475839A",
    "US4653953A",
    "US4662744A",
    "US4822201A",
    "US4919560A",
    "US5253946A",
    "US6193431B1",
    "US6886484B2",
    "US20080219757A1",
    "US7730938B2",
    "US8062463B2",
    "US8113277B2",
    "US7972463B2",
    "US8500943B2",
    "US8851162B2",
    "US9045951B2",
    "US9181757B2"
  ]
}