US 12,442,451 B2
Gate valve
Alagarsamy Sundararajan, Sugar Land, TX (US)
Assigned to SRI Energy, Inc., Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed by SRI Energy, Inc., Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed on Jun. 12, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/740,606.
Application 18/740,606 is a continuation of application No. 18/149,420, filed on Jan. 3, 2023, granted, now 12,013,046.
Application 18/149,420 is a continuation of application No. 17/346,320, filed on Jun. 14, 2021, granted, now 11,549,594, issued on Jan. 10, 2023.
Application 17/346,320 is a continuation of application No. 16/889,881, filed on Jun. 2, 2020, granted, now 11,131,393, issued on Sep. 28, 2021.
Application 16/889,881 is a continuation of application No. 15/885,348, filed on Jan. 31, 2018, granted, now 10,677,360, issued on Jun. 9, 2020.
Application 15/885,348 is a continuation of application No. 14/706,065, filed on May 7, 2015, granted, now 9,885,420, issued on Feb. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0328517 A1, Oct. 3, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16K 3/02 (2006.01); F16J 15/16 (2006.01); F16J 15/3236 (2016.01); F16K 3/20 (2006.01); F16K 27/04 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 3/0218 (2013.01) [F16J 15/164 (2013.01); F16J 15/3236 (2013.01); F16K 3/0236 (2013.01); F16K 3/207 (2013.01); F16K 27/044 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gate valve comprising:
a valve body including a cavity and a channel, the channel (a) having proximal and distal channel portions, and (b) extending between proximal and distal valve body portions;
a bonnet directly contacting the valve body;
a gate coupled to the channel;
a monolithic proximal seat between the proximal valve body portion and the gate and a monolithic distal seat between the distal valve body portion and the gate, the proximal seat including an annular first groove on an outer surface of the proximal seat and an annular second groove on an inner surface of the proximal seat;
at least one seal between the valve body and the proximal seat, the at least one seal including: (a) a first ring contacting a first spring and a second ring contacting a second spring, (b) a third ring included in the first groove and between the gate and the first spring, and (c) first and second seal casings each directly contacting the valve body and the proximal seat; and
a proximal spring between the valve body and the proximal seat and a distal spring between the valve body and the distal seat;
a fourth ring including at least one aperture, the fourth ring being at least partially included in the second groove;
wherein (a) the proximal seat is resiliently biased, by the proximal spring, towards the gate to directly contact the gate, (b) the first spring is not included in the first groove; and (c) the first ring is not included in the first groove;
wherein (a) the first spring and the first seal casing collectively resist fluid flowing distally, and (b) the second spring and the second seal casing collectively resist fluid flowing proximally;
wherein: (a) the channel includes a long axis that extends through the proximal and distal channel portions; and (b) an additional axis, which is parallel to the long axis, intersects the first and second rings and the proximal valve body portion;
wherein no portion of the proximal seat is both: (a) between the proximal valve body portion and the first ring, and (b) and intersected by the additional axis;
wherein: (a) a portion of the proximal seat is between the second ring and the gate, and (b) the additional axis intersects the portion of the proximal seat that is between the second ring and the gate;
wherein the valve body: (a) directly contacts the proximal seat along an interface between the valve body and the proximal seat, (b) is slidingly engaged with the proximal seat along the interface; (c) includes a third annular groove that at least partially including the fourth ring, and (d) is a monolithic single-piece body that surrounds the channel and the cavity;
wherein the fourth ring, the valve body, and the proximal seat collectively resist debris flow from the channel to the proximal spring and limit compression of the proximal spring between the proximal seat and the valve body as the proximal seat slides proximally.