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US 7,762,525 B2Granted
Pressure-balanced undersea hydraulic coupling
AssigneeNational Coupling Company, Inc.
InventorRobert E. Smith, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure-balanced hydraulic coupling suitable for undersea use comprises a male member having one or more flow ports on the side of its probe section and a poppet valve actuator extending from the end of the probe section which has a fluid-tight seal around the actuator. The female member has a removable annular flow piece for fluid communication with the flow ports in the probe of the male member. In certain embodiments the annular flow piece has integral probe seals. In other embodiments, the removable annular flow piece comprises a seal retainer. In yet other embodiments, the removable annular flow piece comprises the inner part of a two-part seal cartridge.
Claims43
A female hydraulic coupling member comprising:
- a body having a central axial bore with a stepped internal diameter, a portion of the central axial bore forming a receiving chamber for the probe of a male hydraulic coupling member;
- a first shoulder in the central axial bore at a first step in the internal diameter;
- a first annular groove in the first shoulder;
- a longitudinal passage in the body in fluid communication with the annular groove;
- a substantially radial passage in the body in fluid communication with the central axial bore and the longitudinal passage;
- a substantially cylindrical annular flow piece insertable in the central axial bore having a first end, an opposing second end, a stepped outer diameter forming a first shoulder and a second shoulder, and a central axial bore having a stepped internal diameter with at least two steps forming a first section having a first internal diameter, a second section adjacent the first section having a second internal diameter greater than the first diameter and a third section adjacent the second section having an internal diameter less than the second diameter, a first probe seal integral with the first section, a second probe seal integral with the third section and a passage in fluid communication with the first shoulder and the second section positioned for fluid communication with the annular groove in the first shoulder of the central axial bore of the body when the flow piece is inserted in the bore;
- a retainer nut in threaded engagement with the central axial bore which bears against the second shoulder of the annular flow piece and seats the first shoulder of the annular flow piece against the first shoulder in the central axial bore.
4 more elements
A female hydraulic coupling member comprising:
- a body having a central axial bore with a stepped internal diameter, a portion of the central axial bore forming a receiving chamber for the probe of a male hydraulic coupling member;
- a first shoulder in the central axial bore at a first step in the internal diameter;
- a first annular groove in the first shoulder;
- a longitudinal passage in the body in fluid communication with the annular groove;
- a substantially radial passage in the body in fluid communication with the central axial bore and the longitudinal passage;
- a substantially cylindrical seal retainer with annular flow passage insertable in the central axial bore having a first end, an opposing second end, a stepped outer diameter forming a first shoulder and a second shoulder, and a central axial bore having a stepped internal diameter with at least two steps forming a first section having a first internal diameter, a second section adjacent the first section having a second internal diameter greater than the first diameter thereby forming an annular flow passage and a third section adjacent the second section having an internal diameter less than the second diameter and a longitudinal bore offset from the central axis between the first shoulder and the second section and positioned for fluid communication with the annular groove in the first shoulder of the central axial bore of the body when the seal retainer with annular flow passage is inserted in the bore;
- a first probe seal retained between the first end of the seal retainer and a shoulder in the central bore;
- a retainer nut in threaded engagement with the central axial bore which bears against the second shoulder of the seal retainer and seats the first shoulder of the seal retainer with annular flow passage against the first shoulder in the central axial bore;
- a second probe seal retained between the second end of the seal retainer and a shoulder in the bore of the retainer nut.
6 more elements
A female hydraulic coupling member comprising:
- a body having a central axial bore with a stepped internal diameter, a portion of the central axial bore forming a receiving chamber for the probe of a male hydraulic coupling member;
- a first shoulder in the central axial bore at a first step in the internal diameter;
- a first annular groove in the first shoulder;
- a longitudinal passage in the body in fluid communication with the annular groove;
- a substantially radial passage in the body in fluid communication with the central axial bore and the longitudinal passage;
- a substantially cylindrical seal cartridge with annular flow passage insertable in the central axial bore having a first end, an opposing second end, a stepped outer diameter forming a first shoulder, the seal cartridge comprising an inner piece having a central axial bore with a stepped internal diameter with at least two steps forming a first section having a first internal diameter, a second section adjacent the first section having a second internal diameter greater than the first diameter thereby forming an annular flow passage and a third section adjacent the second section having an internal diameter less than the second diameter and a longitudinal bore offset from the central axis between the first shoulder and the second section and positioned for fluid communication with the annular groove in the first shoulder of the central axial bore of the body when the seal cartridge with annular flow passage is inserted in the bore and an outer shell with a central axial bore and an externally threaded surface for engaging the bore of the female body, the outer shell having a circumferential interference fit with the inner piece of the seal cartridge;
- a first probe seal retained between the first end of the seal retainer and a shoulder in the central bore;
- a second probe seal retained between the inner piece and the outer shell of the seal cartridge.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.