Stem guide system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9784068-B2
Application number	US-201414504265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2014
Priority date	Oct 1, 2014
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A system including a stem guide system, including a stem guide, and a sleeve coupled to the stem guide, wherein the sleeve is configured to rest within a valve stem groove of a valve stem.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising,
a valve, comprising:
a housing;
a valve stem within the housing, wherein the valve stem comprises a first valve stem groove having a first spiral groove portion;
a valve element coupled to the valve stem; and
a first stem guide coupled to the housing, wherein the first stem guide comprises a first sleeve disposed within the first valve stem groove, the first sleeve is configured to rotate relative to the first stem guide, the first stem guide and the first sleeve are configured to cause a rotational movement of the valve stem via the first spiral groove portion in response to an axial displacement of the valve stem and the first sleeve comprises a first wear resistant material having a greater wear resistance than materials of the first stem guide and the valve stem.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wear resistant material comprises at least one of an Inconel, a Stellite, a carbide, or AISI 52100.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wear resistant material comprises tungsten carbide.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wear resistant material comprises a Stellite.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wear resistant material of the first sleeve is harder than a material of the valve stem.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wear resistant material of the first sleeve is harder than a material of the first stem guide.

7. The system of claim of claim 1 , wherein the first stem guide comprises a lip configured to block removal of the first sleeve.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first stem guide comprises an aperture, a screw, and a ring, wherein the screw is configured to couple to the aperture in the first stem guide to secure the ring to the first stem guide and to block removal of the first sleeve.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first stem guide comprises a groove, and a ring is disposed in the groove to block removal of the first sleeve.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the valve element comprises a rotatable valve element.

11. The system of claim 1 , comprising a hydrocarbon extraction system having the valve.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a second stem guide coupled to the housing, the valve stem comprises a second valve stem groove having a second spiral groove portion, the second stem guide comprises a second sleeve disposed within the second valve stem groove, the second sleeve is configured to rotate relative to the second stem guide, and the second stem guide and the second sleeve are configured to cause the rotational movement of the valve stem via the second spiral groove portion in response to the axial displacement of the valve stem.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first valve stem groove comprises a first axial groove portion and the second valve stem groove comprises a second axial groove portion, and the first and second stem guides and the respective first and second sleeves are configured to guide an axial movement of the valve stem via the respective first and second axial groove portions in response to the axial displacement of the valve stem.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second sleeve comprises a second wear resistant material having a greater wear resistance than materials of the second stem guide and the valve stem.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first stem guide comprises a first threaded portion between a first tool interface head portion and a first unthreaded portion, the first sleeve is disposed about the first unthreaded portion between the first threaded portion and a first securing portion, and first threaded portion and the first securing portion protrude radially beyond a first bore in the first sleeve to block axial movement along a first axis of the first stem guide.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first securing portion comprises a first annular lip fixed to the first stem guide, a first ring removably coupled to a first annular groove in the first stem guide, or a first end ring removably coupled to a first end face of the first stem guide.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first stem guide has the first threaded portion threaded radially through a wall of the housing, the first tool interface head portion disposed outside the wall of the housing, and the first sleeve disposed inside the housing within the first valve stem groove along an outer surface of the valve stem.

18. A system, comprising:
a valve, comprising:
a housing:
a valve stem disposed at least partially within the housing, wherein the valve stem comprises a first valve stem groove having a first spiral groove portion;
a stem guide system, comprising:
a first stem guide coupled to the housing; and
a first friction reducing portion removably coupled to the first stem guide, wherein the first friction reducing portion is disposed within the first valve stem groove of the valve stem, the first friction reducing portion is configured to rotate relative to the first stem guide, the first friction reducing portion comprises a first material configured to reduce friction and wear between the first stem guide and the first valve stem groove, the first stem guide and the first friction reducing portion are configured to cause a rotational movement of the valve stem via the first spiral groove portion in response to an axial displacement of the valve stem and the first material of the first friction reducing portion has a greater wear resistance than materials of the first stem guide and the valve stem.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the first stem guide comprises a threaded portion between a tool interface head portion and an unthreaded portion, and the first friction reducing portion is disposed along the unthreaded portion between the threaded portion and a securing portion.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the valve comprises a rotatable valve element coupled to the valve stem.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein the first valve stem groove comprises a first axial groove portion, and the first stem guide and the first friction reducing portion are configured to guide an axial movement of the first valve stem via the first axial groove portion in response to the axial displacement of the valve stem.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Allen Stephen Russell
• Williams John David

Classifications

• F16K31/60

  Handles {(form, features or function of taps or faucet handles for domestic plumbing installations E03C1/04)} · CPC title

• E21B34/02 Primary

  in well heads · CPC title

• F16K5/0647 Primary

  Spindles or actuating means · CPC title

• F16K31/5284 Primary

  comprising a tap or cock · CPC title