# US 11,441,683 B2 · Hydraulic fluid pump and stuffing box assembly for same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,683 B2 - Document ID: US11441683B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/446,280 - Filed: 2019-06-19 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-19 - Assignees: Gd Energy Products, LLC - Applicants: GD Energy Products, LLC - Inventors: Chance Ray Mullins; Peter Ross Ehlers; Evan Gregory Mackay - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441683B2 ## CPC - F16J 15/26: with stuffing-boxes for rigid sealing rings - F16J 15/183: {using a lantern ring} - F16J 15/184: {Tightening mechanisms} - F16J 15/406: {by at least one pump} - F04B 1/0538: located side-by-side - F04B 53/164: {Stoffing boxes} - F16J 15/164: {the sealing action depending on movements; pressure difference, temperature or presence of leaking fluid} - F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) ## Abstract A stuffing box assembly for a fluid end of a hydraulic fluid pump includes a stuffing box unit having a plunger bore configured to receive a plunger of the hydraulic fluid pump and a plurality of seals. The plunger bore extends from a first axial end of the stuffing box unit to a second axial end of the stuffing box unit. The plunger bore includes a first portion configured to receive the plurality of seals and a second portion extending between the first portion and the second axial end. The stuffing box assembly further includes a sensor coupled to the stuffing box unit and configured to determine a fluid pressure within the second portion of the stuffing box unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stuffing box assembly for a fluid end of a hydraulic fluid pump, the stuffing box assembly comprising: a stuffing box unit having a plunger bore configured to receive a plunger of the hydraulic fluid pump and a plurality of seals, wherein the plunger includes a plunger end that enters an interior volume of a fluid end housing during operation of the hydraulic fluid pump, wherein the plunger bore extends from a first axial end of the stuffing box unit to a second axial end of the stuffing box unit, the second axial end being positionable adjacent the interior volume of the fluid end housing, and wherein the plunger bore includes a first portion configured to receive the plurality of seals and a second portion extending between the first portion and the second axial end; and a sensor coupled to the stuffing box unit and configured to determine a fluid pressure within the second portion of the stuffing box unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The stuffing box assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor in fluid communication with a fluid within the second portion of the plunger bore. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The stuffing box assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a strain gage coupled to the stuffing box unit and configured to detect a value indicative of the fluid pressure within the second portion of the stuffing box unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The stuffing box assembly of claim 3, wherein the stuffing box unit includes a flat cut into a cylindrical outer surface of the stuffing box unit, wherein the flat cut defines a planar surface oriented perpendicular to a radial direction of the stuffing box unit, and wherein the strain gage is coupled to the flat cut. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The stuffing box assembly of claim 1, wherein the stuffing box assembly includes a cylindrical outer surface, and wherein a channel extends from the cylindrical outer surface to the second portion of the plunger bore, and wherein the sensor is coupled to the channel at the cylindrical outer surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The stuffing box assembly of claim 5, wherein the interior volume of the fluid end housing is defined between an inlet valve and an outlet valve, and wherein the channel is defined entirely by the stuffing box unit and does not extend through the fluid end housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The stuffing box assembly of claim 5, wherein an opening of the channel at the second portion of the plunger bore is located axially nearer the second axial end of the plunger bore than the sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The stuffing box assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid pressure that is determined by the sensor is representative of a pressure within the interior volume of the fluid end housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The stuffing box assembly of claim 1, wherein the plunger bore further comprises a third portion, wherein the first portion is located between the second portion and the third portion, and wherein the third portion is threaded. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The stuffing box assembly of claim 9, further comprising a stuffing nut, wherein the stuffing nut is threaded and configured to engage the third portion of the plunger bore, and wherein the stuffing nut is configured to compress the plurality of seals within the first portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The stuffing box assembly of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring device programmed to record the fluid pressure determined by the sensor and to compare the fluid pressure to a predefined pressure range or a previously measured fluid pressure. ### Claim 12 A stuffing box assembly for a fluid end of a hydraulic fluid pump, the stuffing box assembly comprising: a stuffing box unit having an axial bore, wherein the axial bore is defined by a first portion configured to support a plurality of seals, a second portion configured to be positioned adjacent an interior volume of a fluid end housing into which an end of a plunger extends during operation of the hydraulic fluid pump, and a third portion configured to engage a stuffing nut, wherein the first portion is positioned between the second portion and the third portion, and sensing means configured to determine a fluid pressure within the second portion of the axial bore. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The stuffing box assembly of claim 12, wherein the stuffing box unit is configured to be removably coupled to the fluid end housing and the interior volume is defined between an inlet valve and an outlet valve. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The stuffing box assembly of claim 13, wherein the sensing means is coupled to an outer surface of the stuffing box unit, and wherein the sensing means is accessible when the stuffing box unit is removably coupled to the fluid end housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The stuffing box assembly of claim 12, wherein the third portion of the axial bore extends between a first axial end of the stuffing box unit and the first portion of the axial bore, and wherein the second portion extends between a second axial end of the stuffing box unit and the first portion of the axial bore. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The stuffing box assembly of claim 12, further comprising a monitoring device programmed to monitor or record the fluid pressure determined by the sensing means and to compare the fluid pressure to a predefined pressure range, a predefined pattern of pressures, a dynamically generated pattern of pressures, or a previously measured fluid pressure. ### Claim 17 A stuffing box assembly for a fluid end of a hydraulic fluid pump, the stuffing box assembly comprising: a stuffing box unit having an axial bore configured to support a plurality of seals in a first portion, wherein the axial bore includes a second portion axially spaced apart from the first portion so that the second portion can be positioned adjacent an interior volume of a fluid end housing into which an end of a plunger extends during operation of the hydraulic fluid pump, and wherein the stuffing box unit further comprises a channel branching from the axial bore at the second portion, and a sensor in fluid communication with the channel and configured to determine a fluid pressure within the second portion of the stuffing box unit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The stuffing box assembly of claim 17, wherein the stuffing box unit is configured to be removably coupled to the fluid end housing and the interior volume is defined between an inlet valve and an outlet valve, and wherein the sensor is in fluid communication with the interior volume via the channel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The stuffing box assembly of claim 17, wherein an opening of the channel at the second portion of the axial bore is located axially nearer an axial end of the axial bore than the sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The stuffing box assembly of claim 19, wherein the plunger is a reciprocating plunger that reciprocates within a reciprocating range, and wherein the opening of the channel at the second portion of the axial bore is located outside of the reciprocating range.