# US 12,181,065 B2 · Reduced stroke gate valve > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,065 B2 - Document ID: US12181065B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/083,041 - Filed: 2020-10-28 - Published: 2021-04-29 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-29 - Assignees: Innovex International, Inc. - Applicants: Dril-Quip, Inc. - Inventors: Chris D. Bartlett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181065B2 ## CPC - F16K 3/0209: {the valve having a particular passage, e.g. provided with a filter, throttle or safety device} - E21B 33/035: specially adapted for underwater installations (E21B33/043, E21B33/064, E21B33/076 take precedence) - E21B 33/04: Casing heads; Suspending casings or tubings in well heads - E21B 34/02: in well heads - E21B 34/04: in underwater well heads - F16K 3/00: Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing (F16K5/00 takes precedence; in barrages or weirs E02B8/04) - F16K 3/0227: {Packings} - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A reduced stroke gate valve is provided. The reduced stroke gate valve provides a predetermined or desired flow area for a given bore size through the gate valve while reducing a total length through which the gate valve strokes between an open position and a closed position. The reduced stroke gate valve includes one or more openings that span a non-circular or non-round area within the gate. The non-circular or non-round shape or distribution of opening(s) in the gate may provide a flow area equivalent to a predetermined flow area for a single circular hole that would otherwise be used for the gate valve application, but with a shape or distribution of opening(s) that provides a reduced stroke length to move the gate valve from the open position to the closed position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gate valve comprising: a first valve seat and a second valve seat spaced apart, wherein each of the first valve seat and the second valve seat comprise a flowpath formed therethrough; and a gate, wherein movement of the gate in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the gate valve with respect to the first and second valve seats transitions the gate valve between an open position and a closed position; wherein the gate comprises an opening formed therein, the opening extending a thickness of the gate, the opening spanning an area having: a first dimension in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the gate valve; and a second dimension in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the gate valve, wherein the second dimension is longer than the first dimension; wherein a cross-sectional shape of the opening has a first side or portion that has a convex shape relative to a centroid of the cross-sectional shape and a second side or portion that does not have a convex shape relative to the centroid, wherein the second side or portion is opposite to the first side or portion; a chamber; a stem coupled to the gate, the stem having a primary piston disposed thereon and extending radially therefrom, the primary piston being configured to move through the chamber and engage a shoulder of a secondary piston; a first port and a second port for delivering hydraulic fluid to the chamber, wherein: for opening the gate, the hydraulic fluid is communicated through the first port to the chamber on a first side of the primary piston, thereby moving the primary piston until the primary piston engages the shoulder of the secondary piston, and for closing the gate, the hydraulic fluid is communicated through the second port to the chamber on a second side of the primary piston. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gate valve of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the opening is crescent shaped having one side concave with respect to a centroid of the cross-sectional shape and an opposite side convex with respect to the centroid of the cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gate valve of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the opening is not symmetric across the longitudinal axis of the gate valve. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gate valve of claim 1, further comprising an actuator coupled to the gate, wherein the actuator selectively transitions the gate valve between the open position and the closed position by moving the gate longitudinally. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gate valve of claim 1, wherein: the gate valve, in the open position, allows fluid to flow through the opening of the gate, from the flowpath of the first valve seat to the flowpath of the second valve seat; and the gate valve, in the closed position, prevents fluid from flowing between the flowpath of the first valve seat and the flowpath of the second valve seat. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gate valve of claim 1, wherein in the open position the opening of the gate overlaps with the flowpaths of the first and the second valve seat. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gate valve of claim 1, wherein the first side of the cross-sectional shape of the opening comprises a circular arc having a first end and a second end, and wherein the second side of the cross-sectional shape of the opening comprises a straight line connecting the first end and the second end of the circular arc. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gate valve of claim 1, wherein at least some portion of the chamber is configured to be vented via the first port or the second port during the opening or closing of the gate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The gate valve of claim 1, further comprising the shoulder, and wherein the second side of the primary piston is configured to abut the shoulder to stop a motion of the piston. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gate valve of claim 1, the gate valve further comprising: a third port; and wherein in an event that the gate valve does close when the hydraulic fluid is delivered through the second port, the hydraulic fluid is communicated through the third port to the chamber on a second side of the secondary piston. ### Claim 11 A tubing hanger system, comprising: a tubing hanger body; an annulus bore formed through the tubing hanger body; and a gate valve disposed in the tubing hanger body, the gate valve comprising: a first valve seat and a second valve seat spaced apart, wherein each of the first valve seat and the second valve seat comprise a flowpath formed therethrough; a gate, wherein longitudinal movement of the gate in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the gate valve with respect to the first and second valve seats transitions the gate valve between an open position and a closed position; wherein the gate comprises an opening formed therein, the opening extending through a thickness of the gate, the opening spanning an area having a dimension in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the gate valve that is shorter than a dimension in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the gate valve, and wherein a cross-sectional shape of the opening has a first side or portion that has a convex shape relative to a centroid of the cross-sectional shape and a second side or portion that does not have a convex shape relative to the centroid, wherein the second side or portion is opposite to the first side or portion; a chamber; a stem coupled to the gate, the stem having a primary piston disposed thereon and extending radially therefrom, the primary piston being configured to move through the chamber and engage a shoulder of a secondary piston; and a first port and a second port for delivering hydraulic fluid to the chamber, wherein: for opening the gate, the hydraulic fluid is communicated through the first port to the chamber on a first side of the primary piston, thereby moving the primary piston until the primary piston engages the shoulder of the secondary piston, and for closing the gate, the hydraulic fluid is communicated through the second port to the chamber on a second side of the primary piston. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The tubing hanger system of claim 11, wherein the gate valve further comprises an actuator coupled to the gate, wherein the actuator selectively transitions the gate valve between the open position and the closed position by moving the gate longitudinally. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The tubing hanger of claim 11, wherein the opening in the gate has a same cross-sectional area, in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the annulus bore, as the flowpaths of the first and second valve seats. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The tubing hanger of claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the opening is crescent shaped having one side concave with respect to a centroid of the cross-sectional shape and an opposite side convex with respect to the centroid of the cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The tubing hanger of claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the opening is not symmetric across the longitudinal axis of the gate valve. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: obtaining a predetermined circular area of a given radius; providing a gate valve comprising: a first valve seat and a second valve seat spaced apart, wherein each of the first valve seat and the second valve seat comprise a flowpath formed therethrough; a gate comprising an opening formed therein, the opening extending through a thickness of the gate, the opening spanning an area having a dimension in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the gate valve that is shorter than a dimension in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the gate valve, and wherein a cross-sectional shape of the opening has a first side or portion that has a convex shape relative to a centroid of the cross-sectional shape and a second side or portion that does not have a convex shape relative to the centroid, wherein the second side or portion is opposite to the first side or portion; a chamber; a stem coupled to the gate, the stem having a primary piston disposed thereon and extending radially therefrom, the primary piston being configured to move through the chamber and engage a shoulder of a secondary piston; and a first port and a second port for delivering hydraulic fluid to the chamber, wherein: for opening the gate, the hydraulic fluid is communicated through the first port to the chamber on a first side of the primary piston, thereby moving the primary piston until the primary piston engages the shoulder of the secondary piston, and for closing the gate, the hydraulic fluid is communicated through the second port to the chamber on a second side of the primary piston; and moving the gate in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the gate valve with respect to the first and second valve seats to transition the gate valve between an open position and a closed position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising operating the gate valve to selectively open and close an annulus bore formed through a tubing hanger. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the opening is crescent shaped having one side concave with respect to a centroid of the cross-sectional shape and an opposite side convex with respect to the centroid of the cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the opening is not symmetric across the longitudinal axis of the gate valve.