Connector and connection method

A connector having a stinger and a receiver. The receiver is cocked by applying counter-acting torques to separate sections of the receiver. The counteracting torques compress a spring member. In the cocked position, the stinger is inserted into the receiver. When the counter-acting torques are released, the spring decompresses and locks the stinger in the receiver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
 This invention relates generally to a mechanism and method for securely and
 quickly connecting two members. One application for such connectors is 
 with the Completion Insertion and Retrieval under Pressure system, herein 
 referred to as CIRP system currently offered by Schlumberger Perforating 
 and Testing. The Schlumberger CIRP system is used to insert tools in a 
 pressurized wellbore. The connector used in the existing CIRP system uses 
 a conventional spiral wound wire spring to maintain the connector in its 
 locked position. 
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
 In some applications, it may be desirable to increase the torque available 
 to keep a connector in its locked position. Increased torque may be 
 advantageous in a CIRP system because the connector may be subject to 
 extreme forces. Also, as the connector diameter decreases, the engagement 
 torque available from a conventional spiral wound wire spring decreases 
 significantly because the usable spring size is reduced. 
 One embodiment of the present invention provides a significant increase in 
 the torque available to secure a connector in a locked position as 
 compared to the torque available from a similarly sized conventional 
 spiral wound wire spring. Because one embodiment of the present invention 
 provides increased torque density, smaller connectors are possible that 
 have sufficient engagement torque to remain in their locked position in 
 abusive environments. 
 Another embodiment is a connector having a receiver. The receiver has a 
 receiver gripping surface at a first end and a fork at a second end. A 
 stinger has a stinger fork that is concentric with and adjacent the 
 receiver fork. A sleeve has a first end adjacent the receiver fork and a 
 sleeve gripping surface at its second end. The sleeve is rotationally 
 engageable with the receiver fork. A first cam is connected to the sleeve 
 remote from the sleeve gripping surface. The first cam is concentric with 
 and adjacent the receiver. A cam engagement member is adjacent the first 
 cam. The cam engagement member slidingly engages the first cam. The cam 
 engagement member is also adjacent the receiver and is rotationally 
 restrained relative to the receiver. A compressive member support is 
 connected to the receiver. Interposed between the compressive member 
 support and the first cam is a compressive member. 
 In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the above-described first 
 cam has a helical surface that is inclined approximately 20 to 30 degrees 
 from a plane perpendicular to the axis of the receiver. 
 In another alternative embodiment, the above-described stinger fork has 
 stinger fork teeth on its exterior surface, and the above-described 
 receiver has receiver fork teeth on its exterior surface. The stinger fork
 teeth and receiver fork teeth slidingly engage sleeve teeth on the 
 interior surface of the above-described sleeve. 
 In yet another alternative embodiment, a protective member is connected to 
 the receiver and circumscribes the above-described first cam, cam 
 engagement member, and compressive member. 
 In another embodiment of the invention, a connector has a receiver. The 
 receiver has a gripping surface at its first end and a receiver fork at 
 the second end. A stinger has a stinger fork adjacent the receiver fork. A
 sleeve has a first end adjacent the receiver fork and a sleeve gripping 
 surface at a second end. The sleeve is rotationally engageable with the 
 receiver fork and the stinger fork. A first cam is connected to the sleeve
 remote from the sleeve gripping surface. The first cam is concentric with 
 and adjacent the receiver. Also, the first cam is axially restrained 
 relative to the receiver. A second cam is adjacent the first cam. The 
 second cam slidingly engages the first cam. The second cam is concentric 
 with and adjacent the receiver, and the second cam is rotationally 
 restrained relative to the receiver. A spring ring support is connected to
 the receiver. A spring ring is interposed between the second cam and the 
 spring ring support. 
 In another embodiment, a connector has a receiver. The receiver has a 
 plurality of pinion teeth at a first end and a plurality of forks at a 
 second end. A stinger has a plurality of stinger forks that are adjacent 
 the receiver forks. A locking sleeve has a first end adjacent the receiver
 forks. The locking sleeve has a plurality of pinion teeth at a second end.
 The locking sleeve is rotationally engageable with receiver forks and 
 stinger forks. The locking sleeve is connected to a first cam remote from 
 the locking sleeve pinion teeth. The first cam is concentric with and 
 adjacent the receiver, and the first cam is axially restrained relative to
 the receiver. A second cam is adjacent the first cam. The second cam 
 slidingly engages the first cam. The second cam is concentric with and 
 adjacent the receiver, and is rotationally restrained relative to the 
 receiver. A spring ring support is connected to the receiver, and a 
 plurality of spring rings are interposed between the second cam and the 
 spring ring support. 
 Another embodiment of the present invention involves a method of connecting
 two members. A first section of the receiving member is secured. A second 
 section of the receiving member is rotated relative to the first section 
 from an uncocked position to a cocked position. The rotation of the 
 receiving member axially compresses a compressive member. A stinger member
 is inserted into the receiving member and the receiving member is then 
 returned to its uncocked position, which axially decompresses the 
 compressive member. The return of the second receiving member section to 
 its uncocked position locks the stinger member in engagement with the 
 receiving member. 
 The scope and applicability of the present invention will be apparent from 
 the claims following the detailed description. It should be understood 
 that the detailed description and examples given represent embodiments of 
 the present invention and are given by way of illustration only. Various 
 changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention 
 will be obvious.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
 FIG. 1 depicts one embodiment of the present invention. A stinger 12 is 
 inserted into a receiver 14 to form a connector 16. 
 FIG. 2 depicts a receiver body 18. At one end of the receiver body 18 are a
 plurality of receiver body pinion teeth 20. A plurality of pins 22 
 protrude from the receiver body 18 and a snap ring 24 is positioned in a 
 groove in the receiver body 18 (the groove is not shown). In this 
 embodiment, four receiving forks 26 are formed in the receiver body 18 
 opposite the receiver body pinion teeth 20. In other embodiments, 
 different numbers of receiver forks may be used. For example, one 
 embodiment has six receiver forks. A plurality of receiver fork teeth 28 
 are formed in the exterior surface of each receiver fork. The receiver 
 forks 26 are spaced around the circumference of the receiver body 18, 
 preferably such that a receiver fork is diametrically opposite another 
 receiver fork. 
 FIG. 3 depicts a section of the receiver body 18. A protective shell 30 is 
 connected to the receiver body 18. In this embodiment the protective shell
 30 is connected to the receiver body 18 through a spring ring support 32. 
 In one embodiment, the protective shell 30 has an exterior diameter 
 greater than the receiver body pinion teeth 20 and covers the receiver 14 
 up to the receiver body pinion teeth 20. The spring ring support 32 is 
 adjacent a spring ring 34 and prevents axial movement of the adjacent 
 spring ring 34 relative to the receiver body 18. A plurality of spring 
 rings 34 are concentric with the receiver body 18 and are interposed 
 between the receiver body 18 and the protective shell 30. 
 A first cam 36 is adjacent the snap ring 24. The snap ring 24 prevents 
 axial movement of the first cam 36 relative to the receiver body 18. The 
 first cam 36 is concentric with the receiver body 18 and is free to rotate
 relative to the receiver body 18. The first cam 36 has a plurality of 
 first cam tongues 38 that extend towards the receiver forks 26 and are 
 interposed between the snap ring 24 and the protective shell 30. Opposite 
 the first cam tongues 38 are a plurality of first cam stops 40 and a 
 plurality of first cam helical surfaces 42. 
 A second cam 44 is interposed between the first cam 36 and the plurality of
 spring rings 34. The second cam 44 is shown in cross-section in FIG. 3. 
 The second cam 44 has a plurality of grooves 46 that slidingly engage the 
 pins 22 protruding from the receiver body 18. The pins 22 and second cam 
 grooves 46 engage to prevent rotational movement of the second cam 44 
 relative to the receiver body 18, while permitting axial movement of the 
 second cam 44 relative to the receiver body 18. The second cam 44 has a 
 plurality of second cam stops 48 and a plurality of second cam helical 
 surfaces 50. 
 The second cam helical surfaces 50 slidingly engage the first cam helical 
 surfaces 42 and, upon counter-clockwise rotation of the first cam 36, the 
 second cam 44 compresses the plurality of spring rings 34. In one 
 embodiment, the cam helical surfaces 42, 50 are inclined 20 to 30 degrees 
 from a plane perpendicular to the receiver body 18 axis. The cam stops 40,
 48 prevent clockwise rotation of the first cam 36 relative to the second 
 cam 44 past a predetermined rest point. In one embodiment, the spring 
 rings 34 may carry a compressive load when the first cam stop 40 is 
 adjacent the second cam stop 48. 
 In an alternative embodiment, the spring rings 34 are supported by a 
 shoulder threadingly connected to the receiver body 18 and the first cam 
 36 abuts against a shoulder formed in the receiver body 18. 
 FIG. 4 depicts a partial cut-a-way of spring rings 34. The spring rings 34 
 are commercially available from Ringfeder Corp. of Westwood, N.J. in a 
 variety of sizes and configurations. The spring rings 34 are a plurality 
 of stackable external and internal rings 34a, 34b. When stacked, the rings
 engage at alternating conical surfaces 52. Upon compression of the stack, 
 the external spring rings 34a are subject to an expanding force and the 
 internal spring rings 34b are subject to a compressive force. In one 
 embodiment, the spring rings 34 are made of beryllium copper or bronze. In
 an another embodiment, the spring rings 34 are protected by a sleeve. 
 FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the spring rings 34, first and second cams 
 36, 44, and the locking sleeve 54. Locking sleeve pinion teeth 56 are at 
 one end of the locking sleeve 54 and a plurality of locking sleeve grooves
 58 are at the opposite end. The locking sleeve grooves 58 engage the first
 cam member tongues 38 as depicted in FIG. 6a. When the locking sleeve 54 
 and the first cam 36 are rotated counter-clockwise relative to the second 
 cam 44, the first and second cams 36, 44 are forced apart as depicted in 
 6b. The first cam 36 and the spring ring support 32 are restrained 
 axially. Counter-clockwise rotation of the first cam 36 axially compresses
 the spring rings 34 between the second cam 44 and the spring ring support 
 32. 
 As shown in FIG. 7, the locking sleeve 54 has a plurality of longitudinal 
 locking sleeve slots 60 in its interior surface. The locking sleeve 54 is 
 interposed between the protective shell 30 and the receiver forks 26. In 
 one embodiment, a plurality of locking sleeve teeth 62 are on the locking 
 sleeve 54 interior surface between the locking sleeve slots 60, and engage
 the receiver fork teeth 28. 
 In FIG. 8, the assembled receiver 14 is uncocked. The locking sleeve slots 
 60 are partially aligned with the receiver forks 26 and are partially 
 aligned with the space between the receiver forks. The receiver fork teeth
 28 engage a portion of the locking sleeve teeth 62. The remainder of each 
 of the receiver fork teeth 28 extends into the locking sleeve slot 60. In 
 the uncocked position the first cam stop 40 rests against the second cam 
 stop 48. The portion of the locking sleeve teeth 62 not engaging the 
 receiver fork teeth 28 extends into the space between adjacent receiver 
 forks. 
 The assembled receiver 14 in FIG. 9 is in its cocked position. Rotation of 
 the first cam 36 relative to the second cam 44 has forced the cams 36, 44 
 apart. The spring rings 34 are axially compressed. The spring rings 34 may
 only be axially compressed a predetermined distance. Once fully 
 compressed, the exterior spring rings 34a abut adjacent exterior spring 
 rings 34a, and interior spring rings 34b abut adjacent interior spring 
 rings 34b. The full axial compression of the spring rings 34 creates a 
 positive stop, preventing counter-clockwise rotation of the locking sleeve
 54 past the cocked position. 
 In an alternative embodiment, a key and slot connection between the first 
 cam 36 and the receiver body 18 (not shown) prevents counter-clockwise 
 rotation of the locking sleeve 54 past the cocked position. 
 In the cocked position, the locking sleeve slots 60 are aligned with the 
 gaps between the receiver forks 26, and the locking sleeve teeth 62 fully 
 engage the receiver fork teeth 28. The receiver 14 is cocked by rotating 
 the locking sleeve 54 counter-clockwise relative to the receiver body 18. 
 This is accomplished by applying counteracting torques to the receiver 
 body pinion teeth 20 and the locking sleeve pinion teeth 56. 
 When the assembled receiver 14 is in the cocked position, the stinger 12 
 may be inserted into the receiver 14. The stinger forks 64 are inserted 
 into the locking sleeve slots 60 and the space between adjacent receiver 
 forks 26. The stinger forks 64 are approximately as wide as the locking 
 sleeve slots 60 and the space between adjacent receiver forks 26. Once 
 inserted, the stinger forks 64 abut adjacent receiver forks 26. Stinger 
 fork teeth 66 are on the stinger fork 64 exterior surfaces and are aligned
 with the receiver fork teeth 28. 
 FIG. 10 is a cut away view of an assembled connector showing the stinger 
 forks 64 adjacent the receiver forks 26. 
 Once the stinger forks 64 are inserted into the locking sleeve slots 60, 
 the torque applied to the locking sleeve pinion teeth 56 and the receiver 
 body pinion teeth 20 can be released. Upon release of the applied torque, 
 the spring rings 34 axially decompress and force the first cam 36 to 
 rotate clockwise relative to the receiver body 18. Clockwise rotation of 
 the first cam 36 rotates the connected locking sleeve 54 clockwise as 
 well. As the locking sleeve 54 rotates, the locking sleeve teeth 62 engage
 the stinger fork teeth 66. In the uncocked position, the locking sleeve 
 teeth 66 engage a portion of the receiver fork teeth 28 and a portion of 
 the stinger fork teeth 66. 
 The embodiments described may be varied in many obvious ways. Such 
 variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit or scope 
 of the invention. All such modifications are intended to be included 
 within the scope of the following claims.