Undulating transverse interface for curved flapper seal
US5918858A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 23, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 6, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 23, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/7902
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The invention relates to a pair of matched surfaces usable in sealing a downhole subsurface safety valve. The continuous seat and the matching flapper profile feature a surface that is around its periphery transverse to the longitudinal axis of the seat and the flapper. The seating surface, if extended in a two-dimensional plane, defines an undulating shape which can be a sinusoidal shape in the preferred embodiment. The result is an improvement in the performance of the metal-to-metal contact between the seat and the flapper, coupled with a self-centering effect when the seating surface on the flapper, which is formed adjacent a shoulder, is presented in opposition to the seat. Additionally, the transverse undulating seat can have an embedded groove which accommodates a resilient seal, preferably PTFE or Teflon.RTM..
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.