US 11,536,390 B2Granted

Slow-shift SPM valve

AssigneeNational Oilwell Varco, L.P.

InventorsJames Ray Landrith, II, Frank B. Springett, Eric Trevor Ensley, Jonathan Lewis Buelow, James W. Weir, Travis James Miller

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Abstract

A subplate mounted (SPM) valve includes a valve body having pilot port, a piston configured to be actuated by fluid from the pilot port, a first control chamber and second control chamber each formed in the valve body and fluidicly isolated from the pilot port, a first flow restrictor fluidicly disposed between the first control chamber and the second control chamber and configured to restrict flow in at least one direction between the first control chamber and the second control chamber, a cage coupled to the valve body and having a supply port, a return port, and a work port, and a spool slidably engaged with the cage and configured to selectively restrict flow between the supply port and the return port by actuation of the piston.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A subplate mounted (SPM) valve comprising:

a valve body having a first pilot port and a second pilot port formed within the valve body;
a first flow restrictor assembly fluidicly coupled with the first pilot port in the valve body and positioned external the valve body, wherein the first flow restrictor assembly is configured to restrict flow in only a single direction through the first flow restrictor assembly, wherein the first flow restrictor assembly comprises a first orifice and a first valve arranged in parallel with the first orifice and configured to actuate into an open position in response to fluid flow in a first direction through the first flow restrictor assembly and into a closed position in response to fluid flow in a second direction through the first flow restrictor assembly that is opposite the first direction through the first flow restrictor assembly and which is forced through the first orifice due to the closure of the first valve;
a second flow restrictor assembly fluidicly coupled with the second pilot port in the valve body and positioned external the valve body, wherein the second flow restrictor assembly is configured to restrict flow in only a single direction through the second flow restrictor assembly, wherein the second flow restrictor assembly comprises a second orifice and a second valve arranged in parallel with the second orifice and configured to actuate into an open position in response to fluid flow in a first direction through the second flow restrictor assembly and into a closed position in response to fluid flow in a second direction through the second flow restrictor assembly that is opposite the first direction through the second flow restrictor assembly and which is forced through the second orifice due to the closure of the second valve;
a piston fluidicly coupled on a first side to the first pilot port and fluidicly coupled on a second side to the second pilot port;
a cage coupled to the valve body and having a supply port, a return port, and a work port;
and
a spool slidably engaged with the cage.

4 more elements

A subplate mounted (SPM) valve comprising:

a valve body having a first pilot port and a second pilot port formed withing the valve body;
a first flow restrictor assembly fluidicly coupled with the first pilot port in the valve body and positioned external the valve body, wherein the first flow restrictor assembly provides a flow restriction along a first flowpath extending from and through the first flow restrictor assembly and into the first pilot port that is less than a flow restriction provided by the first flow restrictor assembly along a second flowpath extending from the first pilot port and into and through the first flow restrictor assembly;
a second flow restrictor assembly fluidicly coupled with the second pilot port in the valve body and positioned external the valve body, wherein the second flow restrictor assembly provides a flow restriction along a third flowpath extending from and through the second flow restrictor assembly and into the second pilot port that is less than a flow restriction provided by the second flow restrictor assembly along a fourth flowpath extending from the second pilot port and into and through the second flow restrictor assembly;
a piston fluidicly coupled on a first side to the first pilot port and fluidicly coupled on a second side to the second pilot port;
a cage coupled to the valve body and having a supply port, a return port, and a work port;
and
a spool slidably engaged with the cage.

4 more elements

A subplate mounted (SPM) valve comprising:

a valve body having a first pilot port and a second pilot port formed within the valve body;
a piston fluidicly coupled on a first side to the first pilot port and fluidicly coupled on a second side to the second pilot port, wherein the piston is configured to be displaced between a first position in which the piston is prevented from travelling further in a first axial direction, and a second position axially spaced from the first position in which the piston is prevented from travelling further in a second axial direction that is opposite the first axial direction;
a first flow restrictor assembly fluidicly coupled with the first pilot port in the valve body and positioned external the valve body, wherein the first flow restrictor assembly is configured to restrict flow in only a single direction through the first flow restrictor assembly and to control a speed of the piston entirely between the first position and the second position in the first axial direction, wherein the first flow restrictor assembly comprises a first orifice and a first valve arranged in parallel with the first orifice and configured to actuate into an open position in response to fluid flow in a first direction through the first flow restrictor assembly and into a closed position in response to fluid flow in a second direction through the first flow restrictor assembly that is opposite the first direction through the first flow restrictor assembly and which is forced through the first orifice due to the closure of the first valve;
a second flow restrictor assembly fluidicly coupled with the second pilot port in the valve body and positioned external the valve body, wherein the second flow restrictor assembly is configured to restrict flow in only a single direction through the second flow restrictor assembly and to control a speed of the piston entirely between the first position and the second position in the second axial direction, and wherein the second flow restrictor assembly comprises a second orifice and a second valve arranged in parallel with the second orifice and configured to actuate into an open position in response to fluid flow in a first direction through the second flow restrictor assembly and into a closed position in response to fluid flow in a second direction through the second flow restrictor assembly that is opposite the first direction through the second flow restrictor assembly and which is forced through the second orifice due to the closure of the second valve;
a cage coupled to the valve body and having a supply port, a return port, and a work port;
and
a spool slidably engaged with the cage.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/410,089Filed 13 May 2019 · continuation
Priority: 1 Dec 2014
Published: US 2019/0264829 A129 Aug 2019
Granted: 27 Dec 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

F16K 31/0696
Braking, pressure equilibration, shock absorbing: shock absorbing, e.g. using a dash-pot
F16K 3/246
With cylindrical valve members: combination of a sliding valve and a lift valve
F16K 11/044
Comprising only lift valves: with movable valve members positioned between valve seats
F16K 31/1221
The fluid acting on a piston: one side of the piston being spring-loaded

Family

Application62/085,911Us provisional application · filed 1 Dec 2014
Application14/704,771Parent of this continuation · filed 5 May 2015
US 2019/0264829 A1Pre-grant publication · published 29 Aug 2019
US 10,337,638 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2016/0153578 A1Published application
US 11,536,390 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.