1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fluid couplings. More particularly, it relates to hydraulic couplings used in undersea equipment for oil and gas exploration and production.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many varieties and configurations of hydraulic couplings are known in the art. Examples of various undersea hydraulic coupling members are disclosed in the following United States patents by Robert E. Smith III: U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,144 entitled Seal retainer for undersea hydraulic coupling; U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,425 entitled Male coupling member with improved flow ports; U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,207 entitled Undersea hydraulic coupling with interlocking poppet valve actuators; U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,430 entitled Hydraulic coupling with dovetail seal having multiple radial sealing surfaces; U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,831 entitled Undersea hydraulic coupling with radial seals on probe; U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,043 entitled Female coupling member with recessed flow passages; U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,359 entitled Undersea hydraulic coupling member; U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,722 entitled Undersea hydraulic coupling with guide for valve actuator; U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,632 entitled Undersea hydraulic coupling member with primary and secondary poppet valves; U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,691 entitled Undersea hydraulic coupling with bleed port; U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,690 entitled Pressure balanced undersea hydraulic coupling; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,887 entitled Hydraulic coupling with pressure equalizing valve.
In general, the hydraulic couplings of the prior art have a single inlet and a single outlet for the hydraulic fluid. If multiple flow paths are needed, two or more couplings of the prior art must be used in combination, or, in the alternative, an arrangement of valves may be employed to create multiple flow paths for the fluid. The present invention solves this problem by providing a single coupling having multiple flow paths. One example of an application for a coupling having multiple flow paths is the installation of an hydraulically-powered or hydraulically-controlled device which requires one hydraulic fluid path to be maintained during the installation process and another hydraulic fluid path once it is installed.
In one preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises a female hydraulic coupling having three ports. The first port is in fluid communication with the receiving chamber of a conventional female hydraulic coupling member. In use, the male probe of a corresponding coupling is seated within the receiving chamber thereby establishing fluid communication between the male member and the first port of the female member.
The female member has two additional ports. The second such port is in fluid communication with the third port when the female member is not engaged with a corresponding male coupling member. However, when the probe of a corresponding male coupling is seated in the receiving chamber of the female coupling, fluid flow to or from the second port is blocked and a fluid path between the first and third flow ports is established.
The female coupling allows fluid flow in two directions depending on the position of the two poppet valves. This has the advantage of saving space compared to using two separate couplings or a complex arrangement of valves. This design improves reliability which is of very high importance in high-temperature, high-pressure undersea applications.
Referring now to
Female coupling member 2 includes receiving chamber 26 with crown seal 6 secured by seal retainer 8 which has threaded portion 64 for engaging body top portion 4. Spanner engagement holes 66 may be provided in seal retainer 8 for imparting torque to seal retainer 8 by means of a spanner wrench. Pressure-energized metal C-seal 10 may be provided to seal against the seal retainer 8, body 4 and the probe of a male coupling member inserted in receiving chamber 26 (as shown in
Constrained within female coupling 2 is first poppet 14 which comprises poppet seal 16 for sealing first port 28 by contacting the interior bore of body top portion 4. First poppet 14 is shown in the closed position in
First poppet 14 comprises poppet flow ports 60, actuator spring 58 and poppet actuator 68. When first poppet 14 is in the open position, fluid communication is established between first port 28 and 3rd port 32 via poppet flow ports 60 and flow passageway 34.
In the illustrated embodiment, female body bottom part 18 is designed for fluid and mechanical engagement with a flange (not shown). The flange may be provided with threaded wells for engaging retainer nut or gland nut 20. Such wells may be in a manifold and/or in the flange of a tubing hanger or tree used in a subsea oil well. The bottom surface of the well may have fluid passageways or ports which align with second flow port 30 and 3rd flow port 32. A fluid-tight seal between second port 30 and a corresponding port in the receiving well may be made by primary pressure-energized metal C-seal 42 and secondary elastomeric seal 40 which may be an O-ring. A fluid-tight seal between 3rd port 32 and a corresponding port in the receiving well may be made by primary pressure-energized metal C-seal 38 and secondary elastomeric seal 36 which may be an O-ring. Alignment of the ports in female bottom part 18 and those in the receiving well may be ensured by alignment pin 44 which engages a corresponding hole in the bottom surface of the receiving well. In a preferred embodiment, retainer nut 20 is able to seat body 18 into the receiving well such that there is no extrusion gap between the bottom face of body 18 (containing seals 36 and 40) and the opposing face of the receiving well.
Female coupling member 2 also includes second poppet 48 having poppet seal 46 and poppet flow ports 50 which are analogous to those of first poppet 14. Second poppet 48 is held in the closed position by poppet spring 56. Second poppet 48 is shown in the open position in
First poppet 14 and second poppet 48 are interlocked by means of poppet interlock 54 which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises an extension of first poppet 14 having a T-shaped cross section which slidably fits within poppet interlock receiver 52 in second poppet 48. First poppet spring 58 is selected to provided greater force than second poppet spring 56. Poppet springs 56 and 58 may bear against internal shoulder 84. Thus, in the absence of an engaged male member, first poppet spring 58 urges first poppet 14 to the closed position wherein first poppet seal 16 contacts the internal bore of body portion 4. In so doing, poppet interlock 54 moves second poppet 48 to the open position wherein second poppet seal 46 is withdrawn from contact with the internal bore of female body bottom part 18. As illustrated in
Alignment pin 96 may be provided to secure shoulder 84 in position such that a fluid passageway in shoulder 84 aligns with angled fluid passage 98 which is in fluid communication with flow passage 34.
Male coupling 70 also comprises poppet 74 which is a normally-closed valve because spring 78 urges male poppet seal 76 against the inner bore of male member 70 thereby providing a fluid-tight seal.
Male poppet 74 also comprises poppet actuator 82 which contacts poppet actuator 68 in female coupling 2. As is more fully described in the patents listed in the Background section hereof, poppet actuators 82 and 68 and poppet springs 78 and 58 are preferably sized such that when male probe 72 is fully seated within receiving chamber 26 of female coupling 2, both male poppet 72 and first poppet 14 within female coupling 2 are fully open and hydraulic fluid (or other fluids) may flow between male coupling 70 and female coupling 2 via fluid passageway 80.
As may also be seen in
When second poppet 48 is closed (as illustrated in
In the embodiment of
Metal C-seal 24 (held in position by retainer 94) and elastomeric O-ring seal 22 may be provided for sealing engagement of female coupling 2 with receptacle 86.
While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/628,567 filed Nov. 17, 2004, and entitled “Dual Path Hydraulic Coupling.”
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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2670751 | Wilson | Mar 1954 | A |
3211178 | Kiszko | Oct 1965 | A |
3213884 | Moyer et al. | Oct 1965 | A |
4249572 | Shindelar et al. | Feb 1981 | A |
4971107 | Yonezawa | Nov 1990 | A |
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6237632 | Smith, III | May 2001 | B1 |
6474359 | Smith, III | Nov 2002 | B1 |
6511043 | Smith, III | Jan 2003 | B1 |
6516831 | Smith, III | Feb 2003 | B1 |
6575430 | Smith, III | Jun 2003 | B1 |
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Number | Date | Country |
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1109099 | Sep 1981 | CA |
2 081 830 | Feb 1982 | GB |
WO 9949247 | Sep 1999 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20060102238 A1 | May 2006 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60628567 | Nov 2004 | US |