Flapper valve and actuator
AssigneeSunstone Corporation
InventorsWilliam James Hughes, Richard W. Adams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved flapper valve is disclosed comprising a housing, a flapper pivotally engaged to the housing, and an actuator slidingly engaged in the housing and adapted to make initial contact with the flapper at a seat end. The seat end is an area surrounding a point on a flapper bottom surface that is furthest from the location of pivotal engagement of the flapper and the housing but not in contact with the housing. The flapper closes at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The actuator is hollow and the interior of the actuator forms a through bore. In the closed position the flapper prevents fluid from the passing through the bore.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a flapper pivotally engaged to the housing;
- and
- an actuator slidingly engaged in the housing and adapted to make initial contact with the flapper at a seat end;
- a closed position of the flapper at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the housing adapted to prevent fluid from a lower bore from entering an upper bore;
- and
- a first end and a second end of the actuator, the second end terminating in a contact surface adapted to press against the seat end of the flapper when the flapper is in the closed position so that a pressure differential between the upper bore and the lower bore is reduced;
- wherein the seat end is an area surrounding a point on a bottom surface of the flapper, that is furthest from a location of pivotal engagement of the flapper and the housing, but not in contact with an inner wall of the housing.
An improved flapper valve system comprising:
- a flapper pivotally engaged to a housing and having a closed position at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the housing adapted to prevent fluid from a lower bore from entering the upper bore;
- an actuator slidingly engaged in the housing, adapted to contact the flapper at a point on the flapper opposite the flapper hinge, and having a first end and a second end, the second end terminating in a contact surface having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion adapted to press against a seat end of the flapper when the flapper is in the closed position in order to break a seal between a valve seat and the seat end so that a pressure differential between the upper bore and the lower bore is reduced;
- and
- a bar adapted for engagement to an inner housing wherein the bar has an oblong aperture adapted to receive a hinge pin.
An improved flapper valve system comprising:
- means for housing a flapper and an actuator;
- means for opening the flapper using the actuator;
- and
- means for closing the flapper using the actuator so that the actuator makes initial contact with the flapper at a seat end;
- means for providing a closed position of the flapper at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of a housing adapted to prevent fluid from a lower bore from entering an upper bore;
- and
- means for providing a first end and a second end of the actuator, the second end terminating in a contact surface adapted to press against the seat end of the flapper when the flapper is in the closed position so that a pressure differential between an upper bore and a lower bore is reduced;
- wherein the seat end is an area surrounding a point on a bottom surface of the flapper, that is furthest from a location of pivotal engagement of the flapper and the housing, but that is not in contact with an inner wall of the housing.
A method for opening a flapper valve using an actuator without prior pressure equalization comprising:
- moving an actuator until the actuator contacts a seat end of the flapper valve to make initial contact with the flapper valve at an area surrounding a point on a bottom surface of the flapper valve, that is furthest from a location of pivotal engagement of the flapper and the housing, but that is not in contact with an inner wall of the housing;
- continuing to move the actuator until a seal between the flapper and the housing is broken;
- further moving the actuator until the flapper is contained within the housing and a through bore of the actuator allows fluid to pass between an upper bore of the housing and a lower bore of the housing;
- and
- using an oblong aperture adapted to receive a hinge pin for securing the flapper to the housing so that the flapper is allowed to move in response to compression of a rubber seal between the flapper and the housing when the flapper is in a closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.