Self-energizing annular seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9376882-B2
Application number	US-68200608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2008
Priority date	Nov 5, 2007
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

An annular seal assembly for forming a seal between two annular surfaces. The seal assembly includes an annular base including a sealing surface. The seal assembly also includes a pair of spaced apart rims extending from the annular base opposite the base sealing surface and in opposite directions, the rims also including sealing surfaces. The base is elastically deformable and the rims are elastically deformable relative to the base to effect a self-energized seal between the two annular surfaces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An annular seal assembly for forming a self-energized seal between two annular surfaces, the seal assembly comprising:
an annular base comprising sealing bands, wherein the sealing bands are radially raised with respect to the annular base and include approximately cylindrical sealing surfaces such that, before deformation, cross-sections of the sealing surfaces are substantially flat, and wherein the annular base is elastically deformable due to interference contact with one of the annular surfaces to effect a seal against the annular surface over the sealing bands; and
a pair of spaced apart approximately cylindrical rims, each rim connected to the annular base only near an axial middle portion of the annular base, each rim extending radially from the connection with the annular base opposite the sealing bands, and each rim extending in opposite axial directions away from each other and not directly connected to each other, the rims including sealing surfaces, the rims being elastically deflectable toward the annular base due to interference contact with the other annular surface to effect a seal against the other annular surface over a range of deflection;
the rims arranged to form a space between the annular base and each rim such that fluid pressure within the spaces is capable of further effecting the seals; and
the annular base and the rims comprising a non-elastomeric materal.

2. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base sealing bands include base secondary seals.

3. The seal assembly of claim 1 , further including annular coil springs between the annular base and each of the rims and positioned to provide resistive radial force to the compression of the rims toward the annular base.

4. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the annular base and rims form a single body.

5. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the annular base and rims are formed into more than one body.

6. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the annular base and rims are metal.

7. The seal assembly of claim 1 , further including a rim secondary seal.

8. The seal assembly of claim 7 , wherein the rim secondary seal is located between the rims.

9. The seal assembly of claim 7 , further including more than one rim secondary seal, each rim secondary seal including a seal on each rim sealing surface.

10. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rims are elastically deformable relative to the annular base to accommodate relative movement between ends of the rims and the annular base and maintain a seal between annular surfaces under dynamic conditions.

11. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base is essentially cylindrical.

12. The seal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a port extending through the base between the rims to allow fluid pressure balance across the base.

13. A method of forming an annular seal between first and second annular surfaces, the method including:
forming a seal between the first annular surface and approximately cylindrical sealing surfaces of a base of an annular seal assembly by elastically deforming the annular seal assembly around the first annular surface with an interference fit, wherein a cross-section of the approximately cylindrical sealing surfaces is substantially flat before deformation and the approximately cylindrical sealing surfaces each comprime a sealing band that is radially raised with respect the base; and
forming a seal between the annular seal assembly and the second annular surface with an interference fit by radially elastically deforming two rims due to deflection from the second annular surface, each rim connected to the annular base only near an middle portion of the annular base, each rim extending radially from the connection point with the base of the annular seal assembly opposite the raised sealin bands, and each rim extending in opposite axia directions away from each other and not directly connected to each other, the rims arranged to form a space between the base and each rim such that fluid pressure within the spaces is capable of futher effecting the seals,the base and the rims comprising a non-elastomeric material.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the base is essentially cylindrical.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the base is arranged such that fluid pressure is capable of passing through the base.

Assignees

• Theiss David H
• Kocurek Christopher G
• Burton James A
• Shinn Terry L
• Garbett Keith
• Onesubsea Ip Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Theiss David H
• Kocurek Christopher G
• Burton James A
• Shinn Terry L
• Garbett Keith

Classifications

• E21B2200/01

  Sealings characterised by their shape · CPC title

• E21B33/043 Primary

  specially adapted for underwater well heads ({E21B33/0407,} E21B33/047 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/1285

  by fluid pressure · CPC title

• F16J15/0887

  the sealing effect being obtained by elastic deformation of the packing · CPC title

• E21B33/1212 Primary

  including a metal-to-metal seal element · CPC title