Emergency release mechanism for fluid loading equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11815212-B2
Application number	US-201917289780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2019
Priority date	Oct 30, 2018
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

Each of a pair of couplers includes: a vacuum double-pipe structure main part; a valve seat forming an opening through which a fluid flows; and a valve body in the main part. The valve body is configured such that, when separating the couplers, in each coupler, the body is brought into contact with the seat by a spring to close the opening, and when coupling the couplers, the body of each coupler is pressed by the body of the other coupler to move away from the seat and open the opening. The valve body includes: a holding member holding a sealing material sealing between the body and the seat when the body is in contact with the seat; a resin block covering a distal end surface of the holding member; and a metal operating member accommodating the block and protruding from the holding member to pass through the opening.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An emergency release mechanism for fluid loading equipment, the emergency release mechanism comprising a pair of couplers that are coupled to each other by a clamp such that the couplers are separable from each other, wherein
each coupler of the pair of couplers includes:
a coupler main part with a vacuum double-pipe structure;
a valve seat provided inside a distal end of the coupler main part, the valve seat forming an opening through which a cargo fluid flows;
a valve body disposed in the coupler main part such that the valve body is movable in an axial direction of the coupler main part; and
a spring that urges the valve body toward the valve seat,

the valve body is configured such that,
at a time of separating the couplers from each other, in each coupler, the valve body is brought into contact with the valve seat by urging force of the spring so as to close the opening, and
at a time of coupling the couplers to each other, the valve body of each coupler is pressed by the valve body of the other coupler so as to move away from the valve seat and open the opening, and

the valve body includes:
a holding member that holds a sealing material that seals between the valve body and the valve seat when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat;
a block made of a resin, the block contacting a distal end surface of the holding member; and
an operating member made of a metal, the operating member accommodating the block and protruding from the holding member in a manner to pass through the opening wherein the operating member accommodates the block between the holding member and the operating member.

2. The emergency release mechanism for fluid loading equipment according to claim 1 , wherein
the operating member includes:
a dome that accommodates the block; and
a rod that extends from the dome along a center line of the coupler main part, and

the dome is fixed to the holding member by using a plurality of bolts.

3. The emergency release mechanism for fluid loading equipment according to claim 2 , wherein
the dome includes:
a peripheral wall that surrounds the block; and
a ceiling wall that faces the holding member, with the block being positioned between the ceiling wall and the holding member,

a plurality of sleeves are interposed between the ceiling wall and the holding member, and
the plurality of bolts are inserted through the plurality of sleeves, respectively.

4. The emergency release mechanism for fluid loading equipment according to claim 1 , wherein in a state where the couplers are separated from each other, the operating member passes through, protrudes from, and seals the opening.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd
• Tb Global Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Umemura Tomoaki
• Unno Shuntaro
• Okumura Kentaro
• Kawai Tsutomu

Classifications

• F16L37/35 Primary

  at least one of the valves having an axial bore communicating with lateral apertures · CPC title

• B67D9/00

  Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids when loading or unloading ships (ship-based equipment B63B27/00) · CPC title

• F16L2201/20

  Safety or protective couplings · CPC title

• F16L37/32 Primary

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

• F16L37/30 Primary

  with fluid cut-off means in each of two pipe-end fittings · CPC title