Actuator with spring compression and decoupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020340595-A1
Application number	US-202016844626-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 9, 2020
Priority date	Apr 25, 2019
Publication date	Oct 29, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for actuating an end-member is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing, a spring within the housing, and a spring plate forming a restriction for the spring within the housing. A brake member is associated with the spring plate for retaining the spring plate in one or more positions. A drive rod is associated with a motor to enable a first movement of the drive rod and to enable a second movement of spring plate. The first movement or the second movement enables the actuating of the end-member in one or more different positions for the end-member. The brake member may be engaged or disengaged to control or decouple spring compression forces in the actuator when the spring is compressed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for actuating an end-member comprising:
a housing; a spring within the housing; a spring plate forming a restriction for the spring within the housing; a brake member associated with the spring plate for retaining the spring plate in one or more positions; and gears associated with a motor to enable a first movement for the spring plate and to enable a second movement for a drive rod, at least one of the first movement or the second movement enabling the actuating of the end-member in one or more different positions for the end-member.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a stem associated with the drive rod and the end-member for transmitting linear movements of the drive rod to the end-member.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end-member comprises a valve or a shearing component.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a shearing component to shear a wireline; and a brake controller controlling the brake member to cause the spring plate to increase, decrease, or retain tension on the spring for movement of the end-member during the shearing of the wireline.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive rod moves independent of the spring plate.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the motor fixedly mounted on the spring plate; or the motor fixedly mounted external to the housing.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one anti-rotation member associated with at least a portion of the drive rod preventing rotation of the drive rod beyond one or more determined positions for the drive rod relative to the spring plate.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a brake controller for controlling the actuating of the end-member by acting on the brake member.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the brake controller is an electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, friction, or electro-magnetic controller.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a brake associated with the brake controller and the brake member for asserting an electrical, a pneumatic, a friction, a mechanical, or an electromagnetic braking force on the brake member.

11 . A method for actuating an end-member comprising:
providing a housing comprising a spring and a spring plate, the spring plate forming a restriction for the spring within the housing; retaining, using a brake member, the spring plate in one or more positions; and enabling, using gears associated with a motor, a first movement for the spring plate and a second movement for a drive rod, at least one of the first movement or the second movement enabling the actuating of the end-member in one or more different positions for the end-member.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
transmitting, using a stem associated with the drive rod and the end-member, linear movements of the drive rod to the end-member.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the end-member comprises a valve or a shearing component.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
shearing a wireline using a shearing component in the end-member; and controlling the shearing using a brake controller acting on the brake member to cause the spring plate to increase, decrease, or retain tension on the spring for movement of the end-member during the shearing.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first movement is independent of the second movement.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
fixedly mounting the motor on the spring plate; or fixedly mounting the motor external to the housing.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
preventing rotation of the drive rod using at least one anti-rotation member associated with at least a portion of the drive rod so that the drive rod is prevented from rotation beyond one or more determined positions for the drive rod relative to the spring plate.

18 . The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
controlling, using a brake controller, the actuating of the end-member in a fully closed end-member position, a fully open end-member position, and a partially-open end-member position.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the brake controller is an electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, friction, or electro-magnetic controller.

20 . The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising:
asserting, using a brake associated with the brake controller and the brake member, an electrical, a pneumatic, a friction, a mechanical, or an electromagnetic braking force on the brake member.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Mcevoy Travis
• Adams Keith
• Choate Jeremy

Classifications

• F16H2025/2068

  Means for returning linear actuator to zero position, e.g. upon occurrence of failure by using a spring · CPC title

• E21B34/16

  Control means therefor being outside the borehole {(control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355)} · CPC title

• F16K31/047 Primary

  characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means (F16K31/043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K31/50

  with screw-spindle {or internally threaded actuating means} · CPC title

• F16K3/0254

  being operated by particular means · CPC title