Claims
- 1. A tubular joint comprising:
a first tubular member having a bore, a tapered inner end surface, and a shoulder surface which is generally perpendicular to the bore; a second tubular member having a bore, a tapered inner end surface, and a shoulder surface which is generally perpendicular to the bore, said second tubular member connected with first tubular member in an end-to-end orientation; a metal annular seal having a first tapered sealing surface that sealingly engages the tapered inner end surface of the first tubular member, a second tapered sealing surface that sealingly engages the tapered inner end surface of the second tubular member; and the annular seal having metal first and second ingress seal surfaces located between the shoulder surface of the first and second tubular members, the first and second ingress seal surfaces being biased in opposite directions to sealingly engage the shoulder surface of each tubular member.
- 2. The tubular joint of claim 1, wherein the annular seal comprises a ring portion containing the first and second tapered sealing surfaces and a rib portion, the rib portion extending radially outward from the ring portion relative to an axis of the tubular members, each of the first and second ingress sealing surfaces extending radially outward from the rib portion.
- 3. The tubular joint of claim 1 wherein the ingress seal surfaces comprise two legs which extend generally radially outward from the first and second tapered sealing surfaces relative to an axis of the tubular member.
- 4. The tubular joint of claim 1 wherein the annular seal comprises a ring portion containing the first and second tapered sealing surfaces and a rib portion, the rib portion extending radially outward from the ring portion relative to an axis of the tubular members, the first and second ingress sealing surfaces comprising a pair of legs joined to and extending radially outward from the rib portion relative to an axis of the tubular members.
- 5. The tubular joint of claim 1 wherein the annular seal comprises a ring portion containing the first and second tapered sealing surfaces, a rib portion extending radially outward from the ring portion relative to an axis of the tubular members, and a pair of legs joined to and extending radially outward from the rib portion relative to an axis of the tubular members, the first and second ingress sealing surfaces comprising foot portions located on each leg that sealingly engage one of the shoulder surfaces of each of the tubular members.
- 6. The tubular joint of claim 5 wherein the two legs diverge apart from each other in a radially outward direction before the annular seal is installed, and wherein installation of the seal causes the two legs to deflect, so that the feet move toward each other.
- 7. A seal for sealing between first and second tubular members, the first and second tubular members adapted to be connected in end-to-end orientation and each having a bore, a tapered inner end surface, and a shoulder surface which is generally perpendicular to the bore, the seal comprising:
a metal seal ring having first and second tapered sealing surfaces adapted to sealingly engage the tapered inner end surfaces of the first and second tubular members; a rib portion extending radially outward from the ring portion relative to an axis of the first and second tubular members; and a pair of seal legs extending generally radially outward from the rib portion relative to an axis of the first and second tubular members, each of the seal legs having an ingress seal portion which is adapted to sealingly engage one of the shoulder surfaces of one of the tubular members.
- 8. The seal of claim 7 wherein each seal leg comprises a foot portion that is adapted to sealingly engage one shoulder surface of one of the tubular members.
- 9. The seal of claim 7 wherein the two seal legs diverge apart from each other in a radially outward direction before the seal is installed between the first and second tubular members, and wherein installation of the seal is adapted to cause the two seal legs to deflect so that the seal legs move toward each other.
- 10. The seal of claim 7 wherein each leg has an upper surface and a lower surface, the ingress seal portion of the first leg being located on the upper surface and the ingress seal portion of the second leg being located on the lower surface, the upper surface of the first leg and the lower surface of the second leg having a recessed portion located radially inward of the ingress seal portion of each leg relative to an axis of the seal ring.
- 11. A subsea wellhead assembly, comprising:
a wellhead housing having a bore, a tapered inner end surface, and a shoulder surface which is generally perpendicular to the bore; a wellhead connector having a bore, a tapered inner end surface, and a shoulder surface which is generally perpendicular to the bore, said wellhead connector being connected to the wellhead housing in end-to-end orientation; and a metal annular seal having ring portion and a rib portion, the ring portion having an upper tapered sealing surface that sealingly engages the tapered inner end surface of the wellhead connector and a lower tapered sealing surface that sealingly engages the tapered inner end surface of the wellhead housing, and the rib portion having upper and lower legs extending generally radially outward from the rib portion relative to an axis of the wellhead housing and wellhead connector, each upper and lower leg having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper leg having on its upper surface a foot portion which sealingly engages the shoulder surface of the wellhead connector, the lower leg having on its lower surface a foot portion which sealingly engages the shoulder surface of the wellhead housing.
- 12. The subsea wellhead assembly of claim 11 wherein the upper leg has on its upper surface a recessed portion located radially inward of the foot portion, and wherein the lower leg has on its lower surface a recessed portion located radially inward of the foot portion.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefits of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/183,183, filed Feb. 17, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60183183 |
Feb 2000 |
US |