Disconnectable fluid coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10907759-B2
Application number	US-201916383242-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2019
Priority date	Apr 12, 2019
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A first tubular and a second tubular define a fluid passage. A feather is positioned within the first tubular. The feather is configured to axially translate towards the second tubular and pivot towards a center of the first tubular. The feather includes a hinge on a pivoting end. A first end of a spring is coupled to the feather and a second end of the spring is coupled to the first tubular. The spring is loaded to actuate a movement of the feather between an open position and a closed position. A trigger is positioned between the first tubular and the second tubular to provide an interference with the feather. The interference retains the feather in the open position when the first tubular and second tubular are coupled.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid coupling comprising:
a first tubular defining at least a first part of a fluid passage;
a second tubular coupled to and aligned with the first tubular, the second tubular defining at least a second part of the fluid passage;
a feather positioned within the first tubular, the feather configured to axially translate towards the second tubular and pivot towards a center of the first tubular, the feather comprising a hinge on a pivoting end, the feather having a round shape on the pivoting end and a pointed shape on an opposite end;
a spring having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the feather and the second end coupled to the first tubular, the spring being loaded to actuate a movement of the feather between an open position and a closed position; and
a trigger abut to the feather, the trigger positioned between the first tubular and the second tubular to provide an interference with the feather, the interference retaining the feather in the open position when the first tubular and second tubular are coupled.

2. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the feather is one of a plurality of feathers, each of the plurality of feathers having a groove along an inner surface of the feather.

3. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the trigger is shaped to receive a groove in the feather.

4. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , further comprising a slider mechanically coupling the feather with the spring, the slider attached to the hinge of the feather on the pivoting end, and to the spring on an opposite end, the slider configured to slide against an inner surface of the first tubular.

5. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the fluid coupling defines at least a portion of the fluid passage between a first reservoir and a second reservoir.

6. The fluid coupling of claim 5 , wherein the spring is arranged radially around an inner surface of the first tubular, the first end abuts the feather and directs the feather towards the second tubular, the second end includes a shoulder and is nearer the first reservoir than the second reservoir, the spring positioned to exert a force on the feather in a direction towards the second tubular.

7. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the first tubular is coupled to the second tubular via shear bolts, the shear bolts having sufficient strength to hold the first tubular and the second tubular together under normal operating conditions, the bolts having a strength to shear under an applied tensile load exceeding a predetermined tensile load.

8. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the first tubular is coupled to the second tubular via shear pins, the shear pins having sufficient strength to hold the first tubular and the second tubular together under normal operating conditions, the pins having a strength to shear under an applied tensile load exceeding a predetermined tensile load.

9. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the first tubular is coupled to the second tubular via magnets, the magnets having sufficient strength to hold the first tubular and the second tubular together under normal operating conditions, the magnets having a strength to separate under a pre-determined tensile load.

10. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , further comprising a guide positioned in the fluid passage defined by the first tubular and second tubular, the guide having a thin profile attached to an inner surface of the first tubular, the guide configured to guide the feather from the open position to the closed position, the thin profile of the guide matched to a groove in the feather.

11. The fluid coupling of claim 10 , wherein the open position is when the first tubular is joined with the second tubular, the feather is retained by the trigger to allow fluid flow within the fluid passage during operation.

12. The fluid coupling of claim 11 , wherein the spring is loaded to keep the feather abut to the trigger in the open position during operation.

13. The fluid coupling of claim 12 , wherein the spring unloads to actuate movement of the feather to the closed position.

14. The fluid coupling of claim 10 , wherein the closed position comprises the first tubular being released from the second tubular, wherein the feather has translated to block the fluid passage by closing the first tubular.

15. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises one spring connected to a common ring, the common ring positioned to transfer a spring force to the feather.

16. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the first tubular is substantially identical to the second tubular, the feather is a first feather, the fluid coupling further comprising:
a second feather positioned within the second tubular, the second feather configured to axially translate towards the first tubular and pivot towards a center of the second tubular, the second feather having a round shape on a second pivoting end and a pointed shape on a second opposite end, the second feather having a groove along an inner surface of the second feather.

17. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the trigger comprises a solid rod.

18. The fluid coupling of claim 1 , wherein the feather is cladded by a sealing material.

19. A method comprising:
retaining a feather, by a trigger, in an open position, the open position allowing fluid flow through a fluid passage defined by a first tubular and a second tubular, the first tubular axially coupled to the second tubular, the first tubular is aligned with the second tubular, the feather positioned within the first tubular, the first tubular and the second tubular being separable under a pre-determined tensile load;
flowing a fluid from a first reservoir to a second reservoir through the fluid passage;
releasing the first tubular from the second tubular in response to an applied tensile load exceeding the pre-determined tensile load;
activating the trigger in response to the release of the first tubular from the second tubular;
translating the feather, by a loaded spring, towards a closed position;
guiding, by a guide, the feather from the open position to the closed position, the guide having a thin profile attached to an inner surface of the first tubular, the thin profile of the guides matched to a groove in an inner surface of the feather; and
blocking the fluid passage, by the feather translating to the closed position.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising retaining the feather, by the loaded spring, in the open position during operation.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising, in response to releasing the first tubular from the second tubular, actuating the feather from the open position to the closed position by unloading the loaded spring.

22. A fluid transfer system comprising:
a first reservoir configured to retain a fluid;
a second reservoir configured to receive the retained fluid;
a fluid coupling defining at least a part of a fluid passage between the first reservoir and second reservoir, the fluid coupling comprising:
a first tubular axially coupled to a second tubular, the first tubular is aligned with the second tubular to define the fluid passage;
a feather positioned within the first tubular, the feather configured to axially translate towards the second tubular and pivot towards a center of the first tubular;
a spring attached to the feather, the spring configured to actuate a movement of the feather between an open position and a closed position; and
a trigger attac

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al Ghanmi Abdulrahman H

Classifications

• F16L55/1007 Primary

  Couplings closed automatically when broken · CPC title

• F16K1/165

  with a plurality of closure members · CPC title

• Y10T137/1662

  Tensile or sheer pin or bolt · CPC title

• F16L29/02

  with a cut-off device in one of the two pipe ends, the cut-off device being automatically opened when the coupling is applied · CPC title