Sealing gland and methods of use
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorEd Richards
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a sealing gland capable of use in high-pressure environments and methods for the use thereof. One aspect of the invention provides a sealing gland including: a first sealing surface having a first groove and a second groove, a first O-ring received in the first groove, a second O-ring received in the second groove, and a pressure port located on the first sealing surface between the first groove and the second groove. The pressure port is configured to apply a fluid pressure intermediate to a first pressure applied to the first O-ring and a second pressure applied to the second O-ring.
Claims20
A sealing gland comprising:
- a first sealing surface having a first groove and a second groove;
- a first O-ring received in the first groove;
- a second O-ring received in the second groove;
- and
- a pressure port located on the first sealing surface between the first groove and the second groove, the pressure port configured to apply a fluid pressure intermediate to a first pressure applied to the first O-ring and a second pressure applied to the second O-ring.
A sealing gland comprising:
- a first sealing surface having n grooves;
- n O-rings, each of the n O-rings received in one of the n grooves;
- and
- n−1 pressure ports located on the first sealing surface between each of the n O-rings, each of the n−1 pressure ports configured to apply a fluid pressure P intermediate to pressures applied to the immediately adjacent O-rings;
- wherein n is an integer greater or equal to 2.
A sealing method comprising:
- providing a first sealing surface comprising:
- n grooves;
- n O-rings, each of the n O-rings received in one of the n grooves;
- and
- n−1 pressure ports located on the first sealing surface between each of the n O-rings, each of the n−1 pressure ports configured to apply a fluid pressure P intermediate to pressures applied to the immediately adjacent O-rings;
- wherein n is an integer greater or equal to 2;
- mating the first sealing surface with a second sealing surface;
- and
- applying a fluid pressure to each of the n−1 pressure ports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.