Nested flapper spring
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsRichard T. Caminari, Frank Edward Coss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device in accordance to an embodiment includes a tubular housing having an inside diameter defining an axial bore, a top surface and an outer surface, a groove formed along the outer surface below the top surface, a flapper pivotally connected with the housing and pivotal between an open position to allow flow through the bore and a closed position to block flow through the bore and a torsion spring having a spring diameter and disposed in the groove and in connection with the flapper to bias the flapper to one of the open and the closed position. The torsion spring may be nested in a C-shaped groove.
Claims20
A device, comprising:
- a tubular housing having an inside diameter defining an axial bore, a top surface and an outer surface;
- a groove formed along the outer surface below the top surface;
- a flapper connected with the housing and pivotal between an open position to allow flow through the bore and a closed position to block flow through the bore;
- and
- a torsion spring having a spring diameter and disposed in the groove and in connection with the flapper to bias the flapper to one of the open and the closed position,
- wherein the torsion spring is connected with the tubular housing and the flapper without using alignment rods.
A method, comprising:
- connecting a torsion spring with a tubular housing and a flapper without using alignment rods to bias the flapper into one of an open and a closed position, the housing having an inside diameter defining an axial bore, a top surface and an outer surface and the flapper connected with the housing and pivotal between the open position to allow flow through the bore and the closed position to block flow through the bore, wherein the connecting comprises:
- positioning the torsion spring having a spring diameter in a groove formed along the outer surface below the top surface and placing a first tab of the torsion spring in contact with the flapper.
A well system, the system comprising:
- a valve disposed with a tubular string and deployed downhole in a wellbore, the valve comprising:
- a tubular housing having an inside diameter defining an axial bore, a top surface and an outer surface;
- a groove formed along the outer surface below the top surface;
- a flapper connected with the housing and pivotal between an open position to allow flow through the bore and a closed position to block flow through the bore;
- and
- a torsion spring having a spring diameter and disposed in the groove and in connection with the flapper to bias the flapper to one of the open and the closed position,
- wherein the torsion spring is connected with the tubular housing and the flapper without using alignment rods.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.