Composite sucker rod segment

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a sucker rod segment, comprising a composite rod, an uphole rod segment connector for connection to an adjacent segment, an uphole wedge configuration counterpart, an uphole wedge configuration wedged between the uphole wedge configuration counterpart and an uphole rod portion, a downhole wedge configuration counterpart, a downhole wedge configuration wedged between the downhole wedge configuration counterpart and a downhole rod portion, and a downhole rod segment connector for connection to an adjacent segment. While a tensile force directed downhole is being applied to the downhole connector and a tensile force directed uphole is being applied to the uphole connector: the uphole wedge configuration and the downhole wedge configuration are wedging between the rod and the respective uphole and downhole counterpart and the uphole and downhole rod portions are compressed; and a tensile force, directed downhole, and a tensile force, directed uphole, are applied to the rod.

1 .- 58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . A sucker rod segment, comprising:
 a wedging-effective rod including a composite rod, an uphole wedge configuration, and a downhole wedge configuration;   wherein:
 the uphole wedge configuration is connected to an uphole portion of the composite rod such that the uphole wedge configuration is integral with the composite rod; and 
 the downhole wedge configuration is connected to a downhole portion of the composite rod such that the downhole wedge configuration is integral with the composite rod; 
   an uphole wedge configuration counterpart;   a downhole wedge configuration counterpart; and   an uphole rod segment connector; and   a downhole rod segment connector;   wherein:
 the sucker rod segment is connectable to an adjacent uphole sucker rod segment via the uphole rod segment connector; 
 the sucker rod segment is connectable to an adjacent downhole sucker rod segment via the downhole rod segment connector; 
 the uphole wedge configuration counterpart is integral with the uphole rod segment connector; 
 the downhole wedge configuration counterpart is integral with the downhole rod segment connector; 
 the wedging-effective rod is wedged within the uphole wedge configuration counterpart via the uphole wedge configuration; and 
 the wedging-effective rod is wedged within the downhole wedge configuration counterpart via the downhole wedge configuration. 
   
     
     
         60 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 59 ;
 wherein:
 the wedging-effective rod, the wedge configuration counterpart, the uphole rod segment connector, and the downhole rod segment connector are co-operatively configured such that, while a tensile force, having a downhole direction, is being applied to the downhole rod segment connector, and while a tensile force, having an uphole direction, is being applied to the uphole rod segment connector, such that the wedging of the wedging-effective rod, within the wedge configuration counterpart, is effectuated:
 the wedging, of the wedging-effective rod, is such that clamping of the composite rod is effectuated 
 
   
     
     
         61 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 59 ;
 wherein:
 the uphole rod segment connector, the uphole wedge configuration counterpart, the uphole wedge configuration, the composite rod, the downhole wedge configuration, the downhole wedge configuration counterpart, and the downhole rod segment connector are co-operatively configured such that, while a tensile force, having a downhole direction, is being applied to the downhole rod segment connector, and while a tensile force, having an uphole direction, is being applied to the uphole rod segment connector:
 wedging of the wedge configuration, between the composite rod and the wedge configuration counterpart, is effectuated; 
 a tensile force, having a downhole direction, is applied to the composite rod; and 
 a tensile force, having an uphole direction, is applied to the composite rod; and 
 a compressive force is applied to the composite rod via the wedging. 
 
   
     
     
         62 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 61 ;
 wherein:
 the ratio of the compressive force, that is applied to the composite rod while the tensile force is being applied to the downhole segment connector, to the tensile force, that is being applied to the downhole segment connector, is greater than 2:1; and 
 the ratio of the compressive force, that is applied to the composite rod while the tensile force is being applied to the uphole segment connector, to the tensile force, that is being applied to the uphole segment connector, is greater than 2:1. 
   
     
     
         63 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 62 ;
 wherein:
 the ratio of the compressive force, that is applied to the composite rod while the tensile force is being applied to the downhole segment connector, to the tensile force that is being applied to the downhole segment connector, is less than 30:1; and 
 the ratio of the compressive force, that is applied to the composite rod while the tensile force is being applied to the uphole segment connector by the adjacent uphole rod segment, to the tensile force that is being applied to the uphole segment connector by the adjacent uphole rod segment, is less than 30:1. 
   
     
     
         64 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in any one of  claim 59 ;
 wherein:
 the composite rod includes:
 a fiber material configuration; and 
 a matrix material configuration that includes polymeric material that is defined by at least one polymer. 
 
   
     
     
         65 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 64 ;
 wherein:
 the fiber material configuration is defined by a plurality of continuous fibers, such that a continuous fiber configuration is defined; 
 the continuous fiber configuration is defined by a total number of “N” continuous fiber(s), wherein “N” is greater than, or equal to, 800. 
   
     
     
         66 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 65 ;
 wherein:
 the fibers, of the continuous fiber configuration, are longitudinally aligned. 
   
     
     
         67 . The sucker rod as claimed in any one of  claim 64 ;
 wherein:
 the polymeric material, of the matrix configuration, is characterized by a total elongation to failure values of greater than 20%. 
   
     
     
         68 . The sucker rod as claimed in  claim 64 ;
 wherein:
 the polymeric material, of the matrix configuration, is characterized by a softening point of at least 100 degrees Celsius. 
   
     
     
         69 . The sucker rod as claimed in  claim 64 ;
 wherein:
 the polymeric material, of the matrix configuration, includes thermoplastic polymer material that is defined by at least one thermoplastic polymer. 
   
     
     
         70 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 64 ;
 the material of construction, of the uphole wedge configuration, includes a respective thermoplastic polymer material that is defined by at least one thermoplastic polymer;   the material of construction, of the downhole wedge configuration, includes a respective thermoplastic polymer material that is defined by at least one thermoplastic polymer;   the material of construction, of the matrix configuration of the composite rod, includes a respective thermoplastic polymer material that is defined by at least one thermoplastic polymer;   the thermoplastic polymer material, that is respective to the uphole wedge configuration, is fusion bonded to the thermoplastic polymer material that is respective to the matrix configuration of the composite rod; and   the thermoplastic polymer material, that is respective to the downhole wedge configuration, is fusion bonded to the thermoplastic polymer material that is respective to the matrix configuration of the composite rod.   
     
     
         71 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 59 ;
 wherein:
 the composite rod has a longitudinal cross-section, and the longitudinal cross-section defines an area of greater than 0.113 square inches and less than 1.23 square inches; and 
 the composite rod has a modulus of elasticity of greater than 25,000 psi. 
   
     
     
         72 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 59 ;
 further comprising:
 a wrapping; 
   wherein:
 the composite rod is wrapped with the wrapping; and 
 the wrapping is wrapped in tension around the composite rod. 
   
     
     
         73 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 72 ;
 wherein:
 the wrapping is wrapped around the composite rod in a helical configuration. 
   
     
     
         74 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 73 ;
 wherein:
 the helical wrapping defines a pitch angle; and 
 the pitch angle has a minimum value of at least 40 degrees. 
   
     
     
         75 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 74 ;
 wherein:
 the pitch angle has a maximum value of at most 65 degrees, for example, at most 58 degrees. 
   
     
     
         76 . The sucker rod segment as claimed in  claim 72 ;
 wherein:
 the wrapping is fused to the composite rod. 
   
     
     
         77 . A sucker rod segment, comprising:
 a composite member;   a wedge configuration;   a wedge configuration counterpart;   an uphole rod segment connector for connection to an adjacent uphole sucker rod segment;   a downhole rod segment connector for connection to an adjacent downhole sucker rod segment;   wherein:
 the sucker rod segment is connectable to an adjacent uphole sucker rod segment via the uphole rod segment connector; 
 the sucker rod segment is connectable to an adjacent downhole sucker rod segment via the downhole rod segment connector; 
 the wedge configuration is wedged between the composite rod and the wedge configuration counterpart; and 
 the uphole rod segment connector, the composite rod, the wedge configuration, the wedge configuration counterpart, and the downhole rod segment connector are co-operatively configured such that, while a tensile force, having a downhole direction, is being applied to the downhole rod segment connector, and while a tensile force, having an uphole direction, is being applied to the uphole rod segment connector:
 wedging of the wedge configuration, between the composite rod and the wedge configuration counterpart, is effectuated; 
 a tensile force, having a downhole direction, is applied to the composite rod; and 
 a tensile force, having an uphole direction, is applied to the composite rod; and 
 a compressive force is applied to the composite rod via the wedging. 
 
   
     
     
         78 . A sucker rod segment, comprising:
 a wedging-effective rod including a composite rod and a wedge configuration, wherein the wedge configuration is connected to the composite rod such that the wedge configuration is integral with the composite rod; and   a wedge configuration counterpart;   an uphole rod segment connector for connection to an adjacent uphole sucker rod segment; and   a downhole rod segment connector for connection to an adjacent downhole sucker rod segment;   wherein:
 the wedging-effective rod is wedged within the wedge configuration counterpart via the wedge configuration; and 
 the uphole rod segment connector, the composite rod, the wedge configuration, the wedge configuration counterpart, and the downhole rod segment connector are co-operatively configured such that, while a tensile force, having a downhole direction, is being applied to the downhole rod segment connector, and while a tensile force, having an uphole direction, is being applied to the uphole rod segment connector:
 wedging of the wedging-effective rod, within the wedge configuration counterpart, is effectuated; 
 a compressive force is applied to the composite rod via the wedging; 
 a tensile force, having a downhole direction, is applied to the composite rod; and 
 a tensile force, having an uphole direction, is applied to the composite rod. 
 
   
     
     
         79 . A method of manufacturing a sucker rod segment, wherein the sucker rod segment includes a composite rod, wherein the method comprises:
 overmolding an uphole wedge configuration to an uphole portion of the composite rod, with effect that the uphole wedge configuration becomes integrated with the uphole portion of the composite rod to produce an uphole integrated intermediate, and inserting the uphole integrated intermediate within an uphole barrel, with effect that the uphole wedge configuration becomes wedged between the composite rod and an uphole wedge configuration counterpart of the uphole barrel; and   overmolding a downhole wedge configuration to a downhole portion of the composite rod, with effect that the downhole wedge configuration becomes integrated with the downhole portion of the composite rod to produce a downhole integrated intermediate, and inserting the downhole integrated intermediate within a downhole barrel, with effect that the downhole wedge configuration becomes wedged between the composite rod and a downhole wedge configuration counterpart of the downhole barrel.   
     
     
         80 . The method as claimed in  claim 79 ;
 wherein:
 the integration between the uphole wedge configuration and the uphole portion of the composite rod is via fusion bonding; and 
 the integration between the downhole wedge configuration and the downhole portion of the composite rod is via fusion bonding. 
   
     
     
         81 . The method as claimed in  claim 79 ;
 wherein:
 the wedge configuration includes a respective thermoplastic polymer material that is defined by at least one thermoplastic polymer; and 
 the composite rod includes:
 a continuous fiber configuration; and 
 a matrix material configuration that includes a respective thermoplastic polymer material that is defined by at least one thermoplastic polymer.