Patent Abstract:
A load distributing apparatus including, a sleeve configured to be radially expandable, and a wedge in operable communication with the sleeve. The longitudinal movement of the wedge relative to the sleeve causes an increase in longitudinal load on the sleeve by the wedge until an expanded portion of the sleeve reaches a selected dimension of the wedge after which continued movement of the wedge relative to the sleeve maintains a substantially constant longitudinal load on the sleeve.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Tools, such as tubular tools used in the downhole hydrocarbon recovery and carbon sequestration industries, for example, typically use longitudinal loading for setting thereof. Excessive loading, however, of a tool, after the tool has been set, can cause damage to the tool. 
     Additionally, in some applications it may be advantageous to set two or more tools with a single longitudinal movement. In such applications, however, the single longitudinal movement can cause excessive loading on one tool while providing insufficient loading on another tool. 
     Apparatuses and methods to overcome the foregoing drawbacks are desirable in the art. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     Disclosed herein is a load distributing apparatus. The apparatus includes, a sleeve configured to be radially expandable, and a wedge in operable communication with the sleeve such that longitudinal movement of the wedge relative to the sleeve causes an increase in longitudinal load on the sleeve by the wedge until an expanded portion of the sleeve reaches a selected dimension of the wedge after which continued movement of the wedge relative to the sleeve maintains a substantially constant longitudinal load on the sleeve. 
     Further disclosed herein is a method of distributing loads. The method includes, longitudinally moving a wedge relative to a sleeve, increasing longitudinal loading on the sleeve with the wedge, expanding the sleeve with the wedge, maintaining a substantially constant load on the sleeve with the wedge, and continuing moving the wedge relative to the sleeve. 
     Further disclosed herein is a method of setting tools. The method includes, longitudinally loading a sleeve with a wedge, setting a first tool with the longitudinal loading on the sleeve, longitudinally moving the wedge relative to the sleeve, expanding the sleeve with the wedge, and setting a second tool with the longitudinal moving of the wedge. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a partial cross sectional view of a load distributing apparatus disclosed herein prior to setting tools engaged therewith; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a partial cross sectional view of the load distributing apparatus of  FIG. 1  after setting of a first tool and prior to setting of a second tool; and 
         FIG. 3  depicts a partial cross sectional view of the load distributing apparatus of  FIG. 1  after setting of both the first tool and the second tool. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an embodiment of a load distributing apparatus disclosed herein is generally illustrated at  10 . As will be described below the load distributing apparatus  10  can be used to set a tool in a way that prevents backlash. The load distributing apparatus  10  includes, a sleeve  14  that is radially expandable, and a wedge  18 , depicted herein as a tubular, that is configured to radially expand the sleeve  14  in response to longitudinal movement of the wedge  18  in relation to the sleeve  14 . The sleeve  14  abuts a first tool  22 , shown herein as a seal element that is settable in response to longitudinal loading thereof by the sleeve  14 . A second tool  26 , shown herein as an anchor with slips  30 , is settable in response to longitudinal loading thereof by the wedge  18 . Expansion of the sleeve  14 , as the wedge  18  moves therethrough, limits the load imparted on the first tool  22  by the sleeve  14  thereby preventing overloading of the first tool  22  and any damage that could result from such overloading. 
     In  FIG. 1  the first tool  22  is shown in an unset configuration, as such, seal  34  is not sealingly engaged with walls  38  of a structure  42  within which the first tool  22  is positioned. Loads imparted on a movable first end  46  of the first tool  22  by the sleeve  14  urges the first end  46  toward a second end  50  of the first tool  22  that is fixedly attached to a base tubular  54 , in this embodiment, by a C-ring  58 . Movement of the first end  46  toward the second end  50  causes the seal  34  to deform radially outwardly into sealing engagement with the wall  38  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Additionally, the second tool  26  is attached to the first end  46  and is also moved relative to the base tubular  54  as the first end  46  is moved under the urging load of the sleeve  14 . 
     Contact between a first ramped surface  62  on the wedge  18  as the wedge  18  moves longitudinally toward the first tool  22  creates a longitudinal load on the sleeve  14  that is transmitted through the sleeve  14  to the first end  46 . The load increases until the a leading edge  66  of the sleeve  14  encounters a non-ramped surface  70  of the wedge  18  shown in this embodiment as a cylindrical surface (as illustrated in  FIG. 2 ) after which the longitudinal load on the sleeve  14  is substantially constant in response to continued movement of the wedge  18  into the sleeve  14 . This constant load is due to the constant amount of radial expansion occurring to the sleeve  14  as the wedge  18  moves therethrough. The first tool  22  is configured to be set at a load less than the constant load to assure that full setting of the fist tool  22  is achieved before reaching the constant load. The first tool  22  is further configured to withstand the constant load without sustaining damage. As such, the wedge  18  can continue to move through the sleeve  14 , thereby radially expanding more of the sleeve  14 , without any detrimental effect to the first tool  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the wedge  18  continues to move through the sleeve  14  until a second ramped surface  74  on the wedge  18  contacts a tapered surface  78  on the second tool  26 . After initiation of such contact additional movement of the wedge  18  causes teeth  82  on the slips  30  of the second tool  26  to frictionally engage with a surface  86  of the base tubular  54  thereby anchoring the second tool  26 , the first tool  22  and the sleeve  14  to the base tubular  54  with no backlash and completing setting of the second tool  26 . 
     The foregoing structure allows the load distributing apparatus  10  to active the first tool  22  with a first longitudinal load supplied by the sleeve  14  thereon, and then to set the second tool  26  while assuring that the first tool  22  does not experience loads in excess of a selected load defined by the load distributing apparatus  10 . 
     While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4