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US 12,612,971 B2Granted
Bidirectional one piece metal seat for ball valve
AssigneeBray International, Inc.
InventorsJustin Bernard, Mitchell Anderson, Joshua Andrews, Kishorekumar Vijayaram
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure relates a metal seat for a ball valve, having a seating segment of the metal seat; a curved seating surface defined on the seating segment, wherein the curved seating surface is complementary to an outer surface of a ball of the ball valve; a primary spring unitary with the seating segment and the curved seating surface; and a base unitary with the primary spring, the seating segment, and the curved seating surface.
Claims22
A metal seat for a ball valve, comprising:
- a seating segment of the metal seat;
- a curved seating surface defined on the seating segment, wherein the curved seating surface is complementary to an outer surface of a ball of the ball valve;
- a primary spring unitary with the seating segment and the curved seating surface;
- a base unitary with the primary spring, the seating segment, and the curved seating surface;
- a coating overlayed onto the curved seating surface, wherein a hardness of the coating is greater than a hardness of the seating segment;
- wherein the primary spring is composed of a first material, the seating segment is composed of a second material, the coating is comprised of a third material and further wherein the first material, the second material and the third material are different;
- wherein the primary spring defines an interstice, and further comprising a secondary spring inserted into the interstice;
- wherein the primary spring forms a first caret shape in a cross sectional view of the primary spring;
- and
- wherein the first caret defines a first vertex on an exterior surface of the primary spring.
7 more elements
A valve having a valve body comprising:
- a ball within the valve body, wherein the ball defines an outer surface;
- a first metal seat inserted into the valve body upstream of the ball;
- a second metal seat inserted into the valve body downstream of the ball;
- wherein each of the first metal seat and the second metal seat comprise:
- a curved seating surface defined respectively on each of the first metal seat and the second metal seat complementary to the outer surface of the ball;
- a primary spring unitary with each of the curved seating surface;
- a base unitary with each of the primary spring and each of the curved seating surface;
- a coating overlayed onto each of the curved seating surfaces;
- and
- wherein each of the primary springs are composed of a first material, each of the curved seating surfaces are composed of a second material, and each of the coatings are comprised of a third material and further wherein the first material, the second material and the third material are different;
- wherein the first metal seat and the second metal seat each comprise a gasket seal inserted between a back face of the base and the valve body.
8 more elements
A method for use of a ball valve, comprising the following:
- providing a ball within the ball valve, wherein the ball defines an outer surface;
- providing a first metal seat upstream of the ball;
- providing a second metal seat downstream of the ball;
- wherein each of the first metal seat and the second metal seat comprise:
- a curved seating surface defined on each of the first metal seat and the second metal seat complementary to the outer surface of the ball;
- a primary spring unitary with each of the curved seating surface;
- and
- a base unitary with each of the primary spring and each of the curved seating surface;
- a coating overlayed onto each of the curved seating surfaces, wherein the coating resists erosion and wear;
- wherein each of the primary springs are composed of a first material, each of the curved seating surfaces are composed of a second material, and each of the coatings are comprised of a third material and further wherein the first material, the second material and the third material are different;
- preventing a leak path behind each of the first metal seat and the second metal seat via a unitary connection of the curved seating surface, the primary spring, and the base of each of the first metal seat and the second metal seat;
- and
- wherein the step of preventing a leak path behind each of the first metal seat and the second metal seat is further via a bellows unitary with the primary spring and curved seating surface.
10 more elements
A method of manufacturing for a ball valve, comprising the steps of:
- depositing one or more layers of material to produce a unitary seat having a seat base, a primary spring segment, and a seating segment;
- and
- mate-lapping a surface of the unitary seat;
- wherein the step of depositing one or more layers of material comprises the steps of depositing a first set of layers of a first material via additive manufacturing, then depositing a second set of layers of a second material via additive manufacturing, and then depositing a third set of layers in a third material, wherein the first material, the second material and the third material each have a different composition of metals.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.