US 12,129,727 B2
Collet-type wellhead connector system
Alejandro Andueza, Rio de Janeiro (BR); and Barry Stewart, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to FMC Technologies, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Appl. No. 17/755,656
Filed by FMC Technologies, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 6, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/060122
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 4, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/091555, PCT Pub. Date May 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0356776 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. E21B 33/038 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 33/038 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A connecting assembly for connecting a first body and a second body, the first body comprising a plurality of grooves formed on an outside of the first body near a connecting end, the connecting assembly comprising:
a connector, comprising:
a plurality of connecting segments arranged circumferentially around a central longitudinal axis; and
a first jaw formed on an inside of the segments, the first jaw comprising a plurality of teeth, wherein each tooth comprises:
a leading side facing an axial center of the connector;
a top side; and
a trailing side opposite the leading side;
wherein a tooth height is measured between a base of the tooth and an intersection between the leading side and the top side of the tooth,
wherein each groove comprises:
a front side closest to the connecting end;
a back side opposite the front side;
a base side extending between the front side and the back side; and
an outer side extending between adjacent grooves;
wherein a groove depth is measured between a line tangent to the outer side and an intersection between the front side and the base side of the groove,
wherein a plurality of tooth/groove pairs each comprise one of the plurality of teeth and one of the plurality of grooves that axially correspond whereby each of the plurality of tooth/groove pairs engage when the first jaw interlocks with the first body, and
wherein at least two of the tooth/groove pairs have a difference between tooth height and groove depth that are different from each other.