IP Verse

Gate Valve With Full-Bore Protective Sleeve

Patent No. US11105426 (titled "Gate Valve With Full-Bore Protective Sleeve") was filed by Valveworks Usa Inc on Nov 5, 2019.

What is this patent about?

’426 is related to the field of gate valves, specifically those used in oil and gas operations such as hydraulic fracturing. These valves are subjected to high flow rates and pressures, which can lead to the structural degradation or failure of valve components like sealing elements, potentially requiring complete valve replacement.

The underlying idea behind ’426 is to protect the annular seals within a gate valve from the harsh conditions of oil and gas operations. This is achieved by introducing a protective sleeve that extends between the valve body and the seat element, shielding the seal from direct exposure to high-pressure, high-velocity fluids and abrasive materials.

The claims of ’426 focus on a gate valve comprising a valve body with an internal region and a fluid bore, a seat element within an annular recess, and a protective sleeve extending between the seat element and valve body. The claims emphasize that the fluid bore in the valve body, the fluid bore in the seat element, and the protective sleeve all have substantially equal full-bore inside diameters , ensuring unimpeded flow.

In practice, the protective sleeve is positioned to cover the annular seal, preventing its direct contact with the flowing fluid. This sleeve is designed without radial openings, forming a solid barrier. The sleeve's inside surface is aligned with the interior surfaces of the valve body and seat element, minimizing turbulence and wear. The seat element abuts an annular shoulder in the valve body, and the protective sleeve extends on both sides of this interface.

This design differs from prior approaches by providing a dedicated, replaceable element to bear the brunt of the abrasive flow. By ensuring a full-bore diameter throughout the valve, the invention avoids creating flow restrictions that could increase turbulence and accelerate wear. The protective sleeve, made of a durable material like hardened steel, significantly extends the lifespan of the annular seals and, consequently, the entire gate valve, reducing the need for frequent replacements.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the mid-2010s when ’426 was filed, gate valves were commonly used in oil and gas operations, at a time when high flow rates and pressures made structural degradation of valve components a significant concern. At that time, systems commonly relied on robust materials and designs to withstand these conditions, when hardware or software constraints made precise balancing of axial forces on the gate assembly non-trivial.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the patent because the prior art, specifically Sundararajan (US 9885420), did not teach or render obvious the claimed invention. Sundararajan discloses a gate valve with a valve body, a passage, an internal region, a first interior surface, a first fluid bore, a second interior surface, a first annular recess, a third interior surface, a first annular shoulder, a second annular shoulder, a first seat element, a second fluid bore, and a first protective sleeve. However, Sundararajan does not disclose or render obvious the combination where the protective sleeve lacks radial openings, the first seat element abuts the first annular shoulder, a first annular seal extends between the valve body and the first seat element, the protective sleeve protects the first annular seal, the second seat element abuts the third annular shoulder, and a second annular seal extends between the valve body and the second seat element, with the protective sleeve adapted to protect the second annular seal.

Claims

This patent contains 18 claims, with independent claims numbered 1, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 18. The independent claims generally focus on a gate valve design that incorporates a valve body, fluid bores, annular recesses and shoulders, seat elements, and protective sleeves. The dependent claims generally add further details, limitations, or specific configurations to the gate valve elements described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
First annular recess
(Claim 1, Claim 6, Claim 7, Claim 8, Claim 11, Claim 18)		“As will be described in further detail below, in an exemplary embodiment, the valve seat 14 includes two sets of identical components positioned on either side of the gate assembly 16, and maintains the axial alignment of the gate assembly 16 during the actuation thereof between the open and closed configurations.”A recessed area in the valve body that accommodates the first seat element.
First annular shoulder
(Claim 1, Claim 6, Claim 7, Claim 8, Claim 11, Claim 18)		“As will be described in further detail below, in an exemplary embodiment, the valve seat 14 includes two sets of identical components positioned on either side of the gate assembly 16, and maintains the axial alignment of the gate assembly 16 during the actuation thereof between the open and closed configurations.”A shoulder feature in the valve body, located outside the internal region, between the internal region and the first fluid bore.
First protective sleeve
(Claim 1, Claim 6, Claim 7, Claim 8, Claim 11, Claim 18)		“As will be described in further detail below, in an exemplary embodiment, the valve seat 14 includes two sets of identical components positioned on either side of the gate assembly 16, and maintains the axial alignment of the gate assembly 16 during the actuation thereof between the open and closed configurations.”A sleeve extending on opposing sides of the first annular shoulder.
First seat element
(Claim 1, Claim 6, Claim 7, Claim 8, Claim 11, Claim 18)		“As will be described in further detail below, in an exemplary embodiment, the valve seat 14 includes two sets of identical components positioned on either side of the gate assembly 16, and maintains the axial alignment of the gate assembly 16 during the actuation thereof between the open and closed configurations.”A component extending within the first annular recess and the internal region of the valve body, having a fluid bore.
Valve body
(Claim 1, Claim 6, Claim 7, Claim 8, Claim 11, Claim 18)		“The gate valve 10 includes a valve body 12; a valve seat 14 engaged with the valve body 12; a gate assembly 16 extending within the valve body 12 and accommodated by the valve seat 14; an operating end 18 connected to the valve body 12; and a balancing end 20 connected to the valve body 12, opposite the operating end 18. The gate assembly 16 is enclosed within the valve body 12, the operating end 18, and the balancing end 20.”The main body of the gate valve, having a passage for fluid flow and features like annular recesses and shoulders to accommodate other components.

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US11105426

VALVEWORKS USA INC
Application Number
US16674109
Filing Date
Nov 5, 2019
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Jan 3, 2037
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents