TORQUE SHOULDER OF A PREMIUM CONNECTION
A threaded tubular connection includes a pin having external threads, a pin seal surface, and a pin torque shoulder at a free end and a box for receiving the pin, a box seal surface for contacting the pin seal surface and a box torque shoulder for contacting the pin torque shoulder. The pin torque shoulder has a curved pin shoulder surface. The box torque shoulder has a curved box shoulder surface.
1 - 15 . (canceled)
16 . A threaded tubular connection comprising:
a pin, the pin having external threads, a concave pin seal surface, and a pin torque shoulder at a free end; and
a box for receiving the pin, the box having internal threads for interacting with the external threads, a convex box seal surface for contacting the concave pin seal surface and a box torque shoulder for contacting the pin torque shoulder,
the pin and box defining a longitudinal axis,
the pin torque shoulder having at least one pin shoulder surface having a pin radius, the at least one pin shoulder surface being curved with respect to the longitudinal axis,
the box torque shoulder having at least one box shoulder surface having a box radius, the at least one box shoulder surface being curved with respect to the longitudinal axis.
17 . The threaded tubular connection as recited in claim 16 , wherein the pin radius is complementary to the box radius.
18 . The threaded tubular connection as recited in claim 16 , wherein the pin torque shoulder or box torque shoulder have a bullet, fishtail or bull nose shape.
19 . The threaded tubular connection as recited in claim 16 , wherein the at least one pin shoulder surface includes a plurality of pin shoulder surfaces, each pin shoulder surface having a corresponding pin radius.
20 . The threaded tubular connection as recited in claim 19 , wherein the corresponding pin radii are different.
21 . The threaded tubular connection as recited in claim 19 , wherein the corresponding pin radii are the same.
22 . The threaded tubular connection as recited in claim 16 , wherein the at least one box shoulder includes a plurality of box shoulder surfaces, each box shoulder surface having a corresponding box radius.
23 . The threaded tubular connection as recited in claim 22 , wherein the corresponding box radii are different.
24 . The threaded tubular connection as recited in claim 22 , wherein the corresponding box radii are the same.
25 - 28 . (canceled)