US 7,530,371 B2
Insulator apparatus for vacuum insulated tubing
Cole J. Hickman, P.O. Box 1306, Stafford, Tex. 77497 (US); and James H. Cannon, P.O. Box 1306, Stafford, Tex. 77497 (US)
Filed on Mar. 31, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/395,870.
Application 11/395870 is a division of application No. 10/744575, filed on Dec. 22, 2003, granted, now 7,134,455.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/434903, filed on Dec. 20, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2006/0237085 A1, Oct. 26, 2006
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16L 9/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 138—114  [138/148; 138/149; 138/155; 138/120; 285/53; 285/47; 166/241.7; 166/241.4] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vacuum insulated tubing string comprising:
a plurality of tubing section, each of the sections including an inner tube, an outer tube, a vacuum gap interposed therebetween, a first connector associated with a first end of each section and a second connector associated with a second end of each section, where the connectors on adjacent sections either directly form a joint or form a joint with a joint collar interconnecting the section connectors; and
a plurality of insulating apparatuses, each apparatus disposed on an exterior surface of one of the joints of the string and adapted to surround the joint and a latching joint protector adapted to surround the insulator and hold the insulator against its associated joint, where the protector also includes a channel for receiving injection and/or control tubing.