Valve having protected, moveable seal and seal assembly therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11555371-B2
Application number	US-201816609241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2018
Priority date	May 4, 2017
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

A sealing apparatus includes a moveable seal holder with a cavity and includes a seal assembly disposed at least partially in the cavity. The seal assembly includes a resilient seal member including a fluid-facing end with a fluid-facing end surface, and the seal assembly includes an actuator plate configured to reciprocate between a first and a second position relative to the protective plate. The first actuator plate includes a fluid-facing end surface and a first camming surface. The seal assembly further includes a first protective plate disposed between the seal member and the first actuator plate. The actuator plate is configured to compress the seal member and to move the fluid-facing end surface of the seal member outward from a resting position when the actuator plate is in the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Sealing apparatus comprising:
a moveable seal holder;
a cavity in the seal holder; and
a seal assembly disposed at least partially in the cavity and comprising:
a resilient seal member including a fluid-facing end with a fluid-facing end surface;
a first actuator plate configured to reciprocate between a first and a second position relative to a first protective plate, the first actuator plate comprising a fluid-facing end surface and a first camming surface; and
the first protective plate disposed between the seal member and the first actuator plate;

wherein the actuator plate is configured to compress the seal member and to move the fluid-facing end surface of the seal member outward from a resting position when the actuator plate is in the second position.

2. The sealing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the seal assembly is configured such that movement of the first actuator plate from the first position toward the second position causes the first camming surface of the first actuator plate to bear against the first protective plate and to compress the resilient seal member.

3. The sealing apparatus of claim 2 wherein the seal assembly is configured such that when the first actuator plate is in the first position, the thickness of the resilient seal member at the fluid-facing end has a first thickness, and when the actuator plate is in the second position, the thickness of the resilient seal member at the fluid-facing end has a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.

4. The sealing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cavity in the seal holder includes opposing, first and second receiving surfaces;
wherein the seal assembly is disposed between the first and second receiving surfaces; and
wherein the first actuator plate further comprises a second camming surface configured to engage the first receiving surface of the cavity as the first actuator plate is moved from the first position toward the second position.

5. The sealing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fluid-facing end of resilient seal member has curved recess configured to seal against a cylindrical pipe.

6. The sealing apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:
a BOP body having an interior surface defining a fluid passageway and being configured to receive a tubular member having a given diameter extending through the passageway;
wherein the moveable seal holder is disposed within the BOP body and is configured to move from an open position in which the resilient seal member is spaced apart from the tubular member to a closed position in which the curved recess of the resilient seal member configured to engage sealingly the tubular member of the given diameter to prevent fluid flow through the BOP.

7. The sealing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fluid-facing end surface of resilient seal member is concave when the first actuator plate is in the first position; and
wherein the fluid-facing end surface of resilient seal member is convex when the first actuator plate is in the second position.

8. The sealing apparatus of claim 1 wherein, in the first position of the first actuator plate, the fluid-facing end surface of the first actuator plate extends beyond the fluid-facing end surface of the seal member; and
wherein, in the second position of the first actuator plate, the fluid-facing end surface of the seal member extends to or beyond the fluid-facing end surface of the first actuator plate.

9. The sealing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the seal assembly further comprises a plurality of pins, each of the pins extending into a receiving slot that limits the distance the first actuator plate may travel.

10. The sealing apparatus of claim 9 wherein the pins extend from the first actuator plate, and the slots are formed in the first protective plate; and
wherein the protective plate is bonded to the seal member.

11. The sealing apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first actuator plate further comprises:
a body portion that is free of camming surfaces; and
a wedge portion extending from the body portion to the fluid-facing end surface of the first actuator plate and including the first camming surface.

12. The sealing apparatus of claim 9 wherein the slots have a functional length through which the pins can move; and
wherein the functional length of the slots is less than the camming length.

13. The sealing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a valve body having a fluid passageway therethrough; and
a seat in the valve body configured to engage sealingly the seal member of the moveable seal holder;
wherein the moveable seal holder is configured to move from an open position in which the resilient seal member is spaced apart from the seat to a closed position in which the resilient seal member sealingly engages the seat to prevent fluid flow through the body.

14. The sealing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the seal assembly further comprises:
a second actuator plate comprising a camming surface; and
a second protective plate disposed between the seal member and the second actuator plate;
wherein the cavity in the seal holder includes opposing, first and second receiving surfaces;
wherein the seal assembly is disposed between the first and second receiving surfaces; and
wherein the seal assembly is configured such that movement of the second actuator plate from a first position toward a second position causes the camming surface of the second actuator plate to compress the resilient seal member by bearing against the second protective plate or against the second receiving surface of the cavity.

15. A method for sealing a fluid passageway, the method comprising:
disposing a resilient seal member within a cavity of a moveable seal holder, the seal member extending parallel to a first axis, the seal member having a fluid-facing end surface with a resting position;
configuring a first actuator plate to move relative to the seal member, the seal holder, and a protective plate, wherein the first actuator plate comprises a camming surface and the protective plate is disposed between the seal member and the first actuator plate;
compressing the seal member by moving the first actuator plate; and
causing the fluid-facing end surface of the seal member to extend outward along the first axis, beyond the seal holder and beyond the resting position.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein moving the first actuator plate involves moving it parallel to the first axis.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first actuator plate is configured to apply to the seal member a compression force parallel to or along a second axis that crosses the first axis.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein compressing the seal member by moving the first actuator plate includes applying an actuation force parallel to the first axis.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the seal holder is disposed within a valve body having a flow passageway;
wherein the seal holder is configured for movement along the first axis relative to the valve body; and
wherein causing the fluid-facing end surface of the seal member to extend outward results in closing the flow passageway.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
disposing the first actuator plate within the seal holder along a first surface of the seal member; and
disposing a second actuator plate within the seal holder along a second surface of the seal member;
wherein the first and second surfaces of the seal member are parallel to the first axis; and
wherein co

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Varco Lp

Inventors

• Pickett Geoffrey A
• Franchek Matthew Albert
• Parvasi Seyed Mohammad

Classifications

• F16J15/021

  with elastic packing (F16J15/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K3/186

  by means of cams of wedge from · CPC title

• F16K3/0281

  Guillotine or blade-type valves, e.g. no passage through the valve member · CPC title

• F16K3/0227

  Packings · CPC title

• F16K3/18

  by movement of the closure members · CPC title