| 摘要 |
<p>An extended life coupling (10) for joining tubular members in an end-to-end relationship. The coupling (10) is of simply design having only three components: a pin (12), a box (14) and a threaded lock ring (16). An external compressive axial preload places a torus (26) on the pin (12) in axial compression. Make-up of the lock ring (16) maintains the compressive strain on the torus (26) and the lock ring (16) when the axial make-up force is removed. Thereafter, increased tensile loading on the pin (12) and box (14) is partially absorbed in benign compressive stress of the locking ring (16). By controlling the geometry of the coupling (10) such that the stiffness of the torus (26) is high compared to the stiffness of the box (14) and the stiffness of the lock ring (16), the fatigue life of the coupling (10) caused by applied cyclic tensile forces is enhanced.</p> |
