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EP-4107358-B1 - A SPACER SEGMENT AND A SPACER

EP4107358B1EP 4107358 B1EP4107358 B1EP 4107358B1EP-4107358-B1

Inventors

  • LINAKER, JASON

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20210218

Claims (14)

  1. A spacer segment (13) for being secured around a pipe to maintain a gap between the pipe and a bore wall, wherein one or more spacer segments (13) are adapted to be interconnected and fitted to/on a first surface (61), the spacer segment (13) comprises a first collar portion (17), a second collar portion (19), and at least one support assembly (15) extending between the first collar portion (17) and the second collar portion (19) to maintain the collar portions (17, 19) in spaced relation to each other, the at least one support assembly (15) comprises a body (35) having a body portion (45) and a mounting portion (47), the at least one support assembly (15) further comprises a contact surface (39) adapted to engage a second surface (63) of a structure, and a suspension means (51) for biasing the contact surface (39) away from the body (35), wherein the suspension means (51) is in the form of a resilient wall portion (53) connecting the body portion (45) and the mounting portion (47), wherein the wall portion (53) has an s-shaped cross sectional profile, a 2-shaped cross sectional profile or a channel shaped cross sectional profile, wherein the at least one support assembly (15) is movable from a normal position, wherein no or minimal force is exerted on the support assembly (15) and the contact surface (39) is biased away from the body (35), to a compressed position, wherein the at least one support assembly (15) supports a load or a portion of a load, whereupon the contact surface (39) is caused to move towards the body (35).
  2. The spacer segment (13) according to claim 1 wherein the body (35) of each support assembly (15) extends between the first collar portion (17) and the second collar portion (19), wherein the body (35) has a cavity (41) with an opening (43), the opening (43) being positioned adjacent the first surface (61) when the spacer segment (13) is fitted thereto.
  3. The spacer segment (13) according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the contact surface (39) is elongate in shape whereupon installation, a longitudinal axis of the contact surface (39) is orientated to extend along the direction the first surface (61) and second surface (63) move relative to each other.
  4. The spacer segment (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the contact surface (39) has a ramped section at one or both ends.
  5. The spacer segment (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the contact surface (39) is provided by a wear pad (37), wherein the wear pad (37) is releasably attached to the body (35) of the support assembly (15).
  6. The spacer segment (13) according to claim 5 wherein the wear pad (37) is positioned adjacent the second surface (63) when the spacer segment (13) is fitted to the first surface (61).
  7. The spacer segment (13) according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the wear pad (37) is movable relative to the body (35) such that the support assembly (15) moves between the normal position, whereby the wear pad (37) is most distant from the body (35), and the compressed position, whereby the wear pad (37) is closer to the body (35).
  8. The spacer segment (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the suspension means (51) is incorporated in the body (35) and the wear pad (37) is releasably attached relative to the suspension means (51) such that the suspension means (51) is located between the wear pad (37) and the body (35).
  9. The spacer segment (13) according to any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein the suspension means (51) biases the wear pad (37) away from the body (35) such that when the support assembly (15) has no load thereon the support assembly (15) is in the normal position.
  10. The spacer segment (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 9 when dependent on claim 11 wherein the mounting portion (47) is adapted to releasable attach the wear pad (37) thereto, wherein the suspension means (51) extends between the body portion (45) and the mounting portion (47).
  11. The spacer segment (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the wall portion (53) has a first edge which extends substantially or at least 50% around the perimeter of the mounting portion (47), and a second edge which extends substantially or at least 50% around the perimeter of the body portion 845).
  12. The spacer segment (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the mounting portion (47), the body portion (45) and the wall portion (53) are integrally formed.
  13. The spacer segment (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the at least one support assembly (15) provides a conveyancing means, the conveyancing means comprising one or more wheels (83) located either side of the body (35).
  14. A spacer (11) adapted to be fitted to a first surface (61), the spacer (61) comprises a plurality of spacer segments (13) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein ends of spacer segments (13) are connected to its adjacent spacer segment (13) via first and second connector elements (21, 23).

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spacer segment and a spacer formed from at least one or more spacer segments. Background Spacers are commonly used when inserting a pipe, or similar into a bore wherein the bore has a greater diameter than the outside diameter of the pipe. A number of spacers are typically secured around the pipe at intermittent positions therealong before the pipe is inserted into the bore. As the pipe is inserted the spacers maintain a gap between the pipe and the bore wall such that the outside surface of the pipe remains spaced from the bore wall. This enables smooth installation and minimises damage to the pipe as well as the bore wall. These spacers are also used as a centraliser to maintain the pipe being installed into the bore casing in a relatively central position of the bore. Centralisers may be used, for example, in water wells, oil wells and gas wells. When fitting the centraliser to the pipe it is necessary to first adjust the diameter of the centraliser so that the pipe is snugly supported in a vertical, central orientation in the borehole casing. A centraliser which has been previously proposed by the inventor is disclosed in AU200143778. A further centraliser which has been previously proposed by the inventor is disclosed in AU 2016203484. WO 97/12116 discloses tubing friction reducer which is mounted on a length of tubing within a bore hole. The friction reducer comprises a cylindrical body having a first section and a second section hingedly secured around an exterior surface of the coiled tubing, the cylindrical body having an outside diameter of an adjacent bore surface. A plurality of ball bearings are positioned on and extending outwardly from the cylindrical body extending in a generally axial direction along the cylindrical body for the purpose of reducing friction between the coiled tubing and the bore surface generated upon contact between the coiled tubing and the bore surface. While current spacers support the pipe as required, they are either too flexible to provide adequate support to a pipe being installed in a non-vertical orientation, or they are too inflexible resulting in point load concentrations on the pipe. These load concentrations hinder the installation of the pipe and can also lead to pipe damage. The preceding discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application. Disclosure of the Invention According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a spacer segment as claimed in claim 1. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to support and maintain a pipe or similar, away from a side wall of an enveloper. Other embodiments of the present invention seek to centralise a pipe, or similar, in an enveloper. In these latter embodiments, that is, where the spacer is to be used as a centraliser, the terms 'spacer' and 'spacer segment' may be replaced with the term 'centraliser' and 'centraliser segment'. The enveloper provides an inner surface which has a larger diameter than the outside diameter of the pipe being received in the enveloper. The enveloper may include a hole in the ground, a casing positioned in a hole in the ground, a hollow pipe, a tunnel, or any other like structure as would be readily understood by the person skilled in the art. The pipe being received in the enveloper may be in the form of a hollow pipe, a conduit, a cable, a solid shaft or any other like structure as would be readily understood by the person skilled in the art. The spacer may be formed from a single spacer segment, a series of spacer segments interconnected with each other, or a series of spacer segments interconnected with each other and one or more extension straps extending between one or more adjacent spacer segments. According to another aspect of the present invention, not claimed in the claims, there is provided a spacer segment wherein one or more spacer segments are adapted to be interconnected and fitted to/on a first surface, the spacer segment comprises a first collar portion, a second collar portion, and at least one support assembly extending between the first collar portion and the second collar portion to maintain the collar portions in spaced relation to each other, the at least one support assembly being movable from a normal position, wherein no or minimal force is exerted on the support assembly, to a compressed position, wherein the support assembly supports a load or a portion of a load. The spacer segments are able to distribute load across those support assemblies upon which the load is acting. In use the one or more support assemblies will move, at varying extents, towards the compressed position, depending on their location relative to the curvature of the first surface