Piston rod clamping system

Abstract

A system, in certain embodiments, includes a piston clamping system including a piston rod comprising a piston rod shoulder and a piston rod nut coupled to the piston rod, wherein the piston rod nut and the piston rod shoulder are configured to axially capture first and second body portions of a piston therebetween.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a piston rod comprising a piston shoulder;   a piston rod nut coupled to the piston rod; and   a piston body, comprising:
 a first body portion; 
 a second body portion; and 
 a piston ring carrier, 
 wherein the first body portion and the second body portion capture the piston ring carrier, and the piston shoulder and the piston rod nut capture the first and second body portions. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the piston rod is made of a composite material, wherein the composite material comprises a reinforcing material distributed in a matrix material. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the piston rod comprises a first threaded portion, the piston rod nut comprises a second threaded portion, and the first and second threaded portions are engaged with one another. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first threaded portion comprises a surface treatment, wherein the surface treatment comprises a ceramic material, a metallic material, or other composite material. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second body portions are made of a composite material, wherein the composite material comprises a reinforcing material distributed in a matrix material, and wherein the piston ring carrier is made of a metallic material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first body portion is hollow and reinforced with a first plurality of ribs, and the second body portion is hollow and reinforced with a second plurality of ribs. 
     
     
         7 . A method, comprising:
 extending a piston rod through a first aperture of a first body portion of a piston and a second aperture of a second body portion of the piston;   coupling a piston rod nut to the piston rod; and   capturing the first and second body portions of the piston axially between the piston rod nut and a shoulder of the piston rod.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 disposing a piston rod cup within a recess of the piston; and   abutting the piston rod shoulder against the piston rod cup.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising disposing the piston rod nut within a recess of the piston. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein coupling the piston rod nut to the piston rod comprises engaging a first threaded portion of the piston rod with a second threaded portion of the piston rod nut. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein capturing the piston between the piston rod nut and the shoulder of the piston rod comprises capturing a piston ring carrier axially between the first piston body portion of the piston and the second piston body portion of the piston. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second body portions are made of a composite material, wherein the composite material comprises a reinforcing material distributed in a matrix material. 
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising:
 a piston clamping system, comprising:
 a piston rod comprising a piston rod shoulder, wherein the piston rod is made of a first composite material, wherein the first composite material comprises a first reinforcing material distributed in a first matrix material; and 
 a piston rod nut coupled to the piston rod, wherein the piston clamping system is configured to capture a piston axially between the piston rod nut and the piston rod shoulder. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the piston rod has a first threaded portion, the piston rod nut has a second threaded portion, and the first and second threaded portions are engaged with one another. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first threaded portion comprises a surface coating, wherein the surface coating is different from the first composite material. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the surface coating is a metallic material, a ceramic material, or other composite material. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the piston rod clamping system comprises a piston rod cup configured to be disposed between the piston rod shoulder and the piston and within a recess of the piston. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , comprising the piston, wherein the piston is made of a second composite material, wherein the second composite material comprises a second reinforcing material distributed in a second matrix material. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the piston comprises a piston body, wherein the piston body is a one-piece structure made of the second composite material. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the piston comprises a first body portion made of the second composite material, a second body portion made of the second composite material, and a piston ring carrier captured between the first and second body portions, wherein the first and second body portions are captured between the piston rod shoulder and the piston rod nut.