Threaded joint and method of sealing a threaded joint
AssigneeNuovo Pignone S.p.A.
InventorsVinh Do, Jeffrey Raynal, Mayur Mansukh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A threaded joint includes a flange, a nut and a flexible seal. The flange, the nut and the flexible seal have threads respective inner surfaces, the threads having shapes complementary to threads on an outer surface of a stem. The flange is configured to allow the stem to move by rotation through the flange. The nut and the flexible seal are configured to move by rotation relative to the stem. The flange has a counter bore and the nut has a groove. The flexible seal has a first portion configured to fill the counter bore in the flange, and a second portion configured to fill the groove of the nut.
Claims20
A threaded joint, comprising:
- a flange having threads on an inner surface and a counter bore, the threads having shapes complementary to threads on an outer surface of a stem, the flange being configured to allow the stem to move by rotation through the flange;
- a nut having threads on an inner surface and a groove, the threads of the nut having shapes complementary to the threads on the outer surface of the stem, the nut being configured to move by rotation relative to the stem;
- and
- a flexible seal having threads on an inner surface, the threads of the flexible seal having shapes complementary to the threads on the outer surface of the stem, the flexible seal being configured to move by rotation relative to the stem, and having a first portion configured to fill the counter bore in the flange, and a second portion configured to fill the groove of the nut.
A method of sealing a threaded joint, comprising:
- moving a stem having first threads on an outer surface, by rotation, through a flange having second threads on an inner surface, the second threads having shapes complementary to the first threads;
- moving a flexible seal having third threads on an inner surface, by rotation, along the stem, towards the flange, until a first portion of the flexible seal fills a counter bore in the flange, the third threads having shapes complementary to the first threads;
- moving a nut having fourth threads on an inner surface, along the stem, towards the flange, until a second portion of the flexible seal fills a groove inside the nut, the fourth threads having shapes complementary to the first threads;
- and
- applying a predetermined torque to the nut after the second portion of the flexible seal has filled the groove inside the nut.
A two piece sealing nut for sealing a threaded joint including a stem having threads on an outer surface, the two piece sealing nut comprising:
- a nut configured to surround and move along the stem and having a groove;
- and
- a flexible seal configured to surround and move along the stem, inside a flange that holds the stem, and to have a first portion configured to fill a counter bore in the flange, and a second portion configured to fill the groove in the nut.
A flexible seal, comprising:
- a first portion configured to fill a counter bore in a flange that holds a threaded stem;
- and
- a second portion configured to fill a groove of a nut, and having a diameter different from a diameter of the first portion, wherein
- the first portion and the second portion have threads on a surface of an inner hole configured to allow the flexible seal to move along the threaded stem, the threads of the flexible seal having shapes complementary to threads on an outer surface of the threaded stem.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.