Misalignment accommodating hydraulic coupler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11359753-B2
Application number	US-201917280271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2019
Priority date	Oct 19, 2018
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a hydraulic coupler. The coupler comprises a male and female coupling, each with a poppet valve moveably supported by an inner surface of a main body of the coupling. Each coupling further comprises a movable connector part in its front end with a spherical rear surface accommodating a spherical connector seat in the main body, where the connector is provided with sealing means between the connector part and the main body of the coupling.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hydraulic coupler comprising a female coupling adapted to be coupled to a male coupling, wherein each of the female coupling and the male coupling comprises:
a flow path connecting portion;
a poppet valve body moveably supported by an inner surface of a main body along its center axis;
a valve body spring biasing the poppet valve body in a forward direction against a valve seat in the main body;
an actuator stem on the poppet valve body;
a movable connector, with a spherical portion seating against a spherical connector seat in the main body, the connector being provided with a through bore with a larger diameter than an actuator stem diameter, wherein the actuator stem extends through the through bore, and wherein the movable connector is one of a female connector and a male connector; and
at least one sealing ring forming a face-seal sealing between the spherical portion seating and the spherical connector seat.

2. The hydraulic coupler according to claim 1 , wherein at least one radial seal is provided, the radial seal providing sealing between an inner surface of the female connector and an outer surface of the male connector.

3. The hydraulic coupler according to claim 2 , wherein a sealing diameter of the radial seal is larger than a sealing diameter of each face-seal of the couplings.

4. The hydraulic coupler according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one radial seal is located in at least one recess surrounding the outer surface of the male connector.

5. The hydraulic coupler according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one radial seal is located in at least one recess.

6. The hydraulic coupler according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one face-seal is provided within a recess of the spherical portion of the connector.

7. The hydraulic coupler according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one face-seal is provided within a recess of the connector.

8. The hydraulic coupler according to claim 1 , wherein each connector is biased against the spherical connector seat by a spring, each spring being supported at its front end by a coupling face collar serving as a spring seat and supported at its rear end by a spring collar which is part of the connector.

Assignees

• Vetco Gray Scandinavia As

Inventors

• Raad Erik

Classifications

• F16L29/04

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

• F16L27/04

  with partly-spherical engaging surfaces · CPC title

• F16L37/32 Primary

  at least one of two lift valves being opened automatically when the coupling is applied · CPC title

• F16L37/52

  Universal joints, i.e. with a mechanical connection allowing angular movement or adjustment of the axes of the parts in any direction · CPC title

• F16L27/06

  with special sealing means between the engaging surfaces · CPC title