Pressure vessel and door actuator
AssigneeNational Oilwell Varco, L.P.
InventorsMark C. Euwer, Barry G. Jansma, Thomas Tuan-Huy Do
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A door assembly for a pressure vessel includes a door, a hub to attach to the pressure vessel and to receive the door, and an annular seal to seal between the door and the hub. A hinge arm is coupled to the hub and to the door and is able to pivot relative to the hub about a hinge axis. A door actuator having an elongate member extending along an actuator axis is spaced-apart from the hinge axis and coupled to the hub and to the hinge arm. The elongate member travels with the hinge arm when the arm pivots relative to the hub, and rotates about the actuator axis. The door actuator is configured to cause the seal to engage sealingly the hub and the door.
Claims10
A pressure vessel door assembly comprising
- a door;
- a hub configured for attachment on the pressure vessel and configured to receive the door;
- an annular seal configured to engage sealingly between the door and the hub;
- a hinge arm coupled to the hub and to the door and configured to pivot relative to the hub about a first hinge axis;
- and
- a door actuator having an elongate member extending along an actuator axis spaced-apart from the first hinge axis and coupled to the hub and coupled to the hinge arm, the elongate member configured to travel with the hinge arm when the hinge arm pivots relative to the hub, and configured to rotate about the actuator axis;
- wherein the door actuator is configured to cause the seal to engage sealingly the hub and the door;
- wherein the door is configured to pivot relative to the hinge arm about a second hinge axis spaced-apart from the first hinge axis and the actuator axis;
- and
- wherein the elongate member extends through the hinge arm and is disposed at a position that is between the first and second hinge axes.
A pressure vessel door assembly comprising:
- a door;
- a hub configured for attachment on the pressure vessel and configured to receive the door;
- an annular seal configured to engage sealingly between the door and the hub;
- a hinge arm coupled to the hub and to the door and configured to pivot relative to the hub about a first hinge axis;
- a door actuator having an elongate member extending along an actuator axis spaced-apart from the first hinge axis and coupled to the hub and coupled to the hinge arm, the elongate member configured to travel with the hinge arm when the hinge arm pivots relative to the hub, and configured to rotate about the actuator axis;
- wherein the door actuator is configured to cause the seal to engage sealingly the hub and the door;
- and
- a lock mechanism configured to lock the door within the hub after the door is closed and the seal is engaged sealingly within the hub;
- wherein the lock mechanism comprises collapsible-expandable lock ring extending circumferentially about and coupled to a front face of the door;
- and
- wherein the lock mechanism is spaced-apart from the door actuator.
A pressure vessel door assembly comprising
- a door;
- a hub configured for attachment on the pressure vessel and configured to receive the door;
- an annular seal configured to engage sealingly between the door and the hub;
- a hinge arm rotationally coupled to the hub at a first hinge axis and rotationally coupled to the door at a second hinge axis, wherein the hinge arm comprises a first lever receiver configured to receive a lever arm and to transmit to the hinge arm a torque about the first hinge axis;
- and
- a door actuator having an elongate member extending along an actuator axis spaced-apart from the first and second hinge axes, the elongate member rotationally coupled to the hinge arm at the actuator axis and configured to travel with the hinge arm when the hinge arm pivots relative to the hub;
- wherein the door actuator comprises a second lever receiver coupled to the elongate member and configured to receive a lever arm and to transmit to the elongate member a torque about the actuator axis, the door actuator being configured to cause the seal to engage sealingly the hub and the door.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.