IP Verse

Locking ring actuator for a pressure retaining closure

Patent No. US7896187 (titled "Locking ring actuator for a pressure retaining closure") on Oct 2, 2007. The application was issued on Mar 1, 2011.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical Landscape

In the mid-2000s when ’187 was filed, pressure vessel and pipe closures were typically implemented using manual mechanical linkages to actuate locking members. At a time when systems commonly relied on hand-operated levers to expand or contract segmented locking rings into circumferential grooves, the physical force required to secure large-diameter or high-pressure doors made consistent sealing and operator safety non-trivial. Engineering constraints of the era often necessitated complex manual gearboxes or heavy-duty levers to overcome the friction and resistance inherent in moving arcuate locking components, particularly when hardware was subjected to environmental debris or thermal expansion.

Prosecution Position

The disclosed invention represents a technical advancement through the integration of a linear fluid-power actuator directly into the geometry of a C-shaped locking ring. By utilizing a cylinder and piston rod that rotatingly engage two distinct points on the locking ring, the architecture shifts from manual leverage to a balanced, self-contained force application that ensures uniform expansion and contraction. This structural solution overcomes the constraint of manual operation by providing a stabilized actuator assembly—optionally reinforced with a slider rod and bracket system—that enables remote or automated closure cycles while maintaining the structural integrity required for high-pressure load transfer between the door and the vessel hub.

Claims

The patent contains 22 claims in total, with claims 1 and 18 serving as the independent claims. These independent claims focus on a closure system for pipes or vessels featuring a round door and an expandable arcuate locking ring that is manipulated by a piston-driven actuator to engage or disengage a circumferential groove. The dependent claims serve to further define the mechanical components of the actuator assembly, including specific bracket and slider rod configurations, the power source and action type of the cylinder, the structural composition of the locking ring, and the use of guide posts to maintain ring orientation.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Arcuate expandable locking ring
(Claim 1, Claim 18)		The arcuate locking member has a “C” shaped configuration and is movably retained proximate an outer surface of the door with retaining clips. In an unlocked position, the locking member(s) is within the periphery of the outer surface of the door. In a locked position, a portion of the locking member(s) protrudes beyond the periphery for engagement with the circumferential groove in the aperture.A C-shaped or segmented ring-like structure mounted on the door that can change its diameter to engage or disengage with a groove in the vessel opening.
Locking ring actuator
(Claim 1, Claim 18)		The locking ring actuator has a cylinder with a piston therein wherein the piston has a piston rod extending axially therefrom. The actuator assembly may be single acting with spring extending or spring contracting, double acting, pneumatic, or hydraulic. It is suitable to contract the locking ring to an unlocking orientation and to expand the locking ring to a locking orientation.A fluid-powered or mechanical assembly, comprising a cylinder and piston, configured to apply force to two points on the locking ring to drive expansion and contraction.
Ring actuating arm
(Claim 18)		A ring actuating arm may be pivotally connected to each bracket and secured proximate each end of the arcuate locking ring. These arms provide the rotating engagement of the piston rod and cylinder with the locking ring. They facilitate the transfer of motion from the linear piston stroke to the radial movement of the ring ends.A linkage member that pivotally connects the actuator brackets to the specific ends or points of the locking ring to transmit force.
Rotatingly engaging
(Claim 1)		The piston rod rotatingly engages a second point of the locking ring and the cylinder rotatingly engages a first point of the locking ring. A ring actuating arm may be pivotally connected to each bracket and secured proximate each end of the arcuate locking ring providing the rotating engagement. This allows the actuator to move in relation to radial expansion and contraction of the locking ring.A mechanical connection between the actuator components and the locking ring that allows for angular movement or pivoting as the ring changes diameter.
Slider rod
(Claim 18)		A slider rod may be incorporated into this embodiment where the slider rod has a first end mounted to one of the brackets and a second end slidingly engaging an aperture in the other bracket. This provides stability to the actuator assembly. It ensures the brackets move linearly relative to one another during actuation.A stabilizing component that maintains alignment between the upper and lower brackets of the actuator during the stroke of the piston.

Patent Summary

Litigation Cases New

US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.

Case NumberFiling DateTitle
4:25-cv-00503May 22, 2025Simplehuman Llc V. Hms Manufacturing Company Llc

Patent Family

Patent Family

File Wrapper

The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.

  • Get instant alerts for new documents

US7896187

Application Number
US11866218A
Filing Date
Oct 2, 2007
Publication Date
Mar 1, 2011
External Links
Slate, USPTO , Google Patents