US2005252660A1PendingUtilityA1

Split ball valve

27
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: May 12, 2004Filed: May 12, 2004Published: Nov 17, 2005
Est. expiryMay 12, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:William HughesBjorn Eilertsen
E21B 34/12
27
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

A split ball valve that may be positioned in a production string of line pipe, casing, or tubing. The split ball valve comprises a lower valve assembly and an upper valve assembly. Each of two valve doors in the lower valve assembly is connected to a pinion gear that intermeshes with racks on the upper valve assembly. The upper valve assembly can be vertically displaced relative to the lower valve assembly. A spring keeps the upper valve assembly extended away from the lower valve assembly and thus keeps the valve doors closed. When a downward force is applied to the upper valve assembly, the upper valve assembly is downwardly displaced causing the pinion gears to rotate, which opens the valve doors. The valve doors recede into cavities in the valve body. When open, the split ball valve is fully ported.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A valve assembly comprising: 
 an upper valve assembly;    a lower valve assembly located adjacent to the upper valve assembly;    a plurality of valve doors located in the lower valve assembly; and    wherein the valve doors are rotated by exerting a compressive force on the valve assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the rotation opens the valve doors.  
   
   
       3 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the rotation closes the valve doors.  
   
   
       4 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the flow of a fluid through the valve assembly is stopped when the valve doors are closed.  
   
   
       5 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the valve assembly is fully ported when the valve doors are open.  
   
   
       6 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper valve assembly comprises: 
 an upper housing;    an upper collar located adjacent to the upper housing;    a longitudinal support located adjacent to the upper collar; and    a lower collar located adjacent to the longitudinal support.    
   
   
       7 . The valve assembly of  claim 6  wherein the longitudinal support comprises a rack; and 
 wherein the rack intermeshes with a pinion gear to rotate the valve doors.    
   
   
       8 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the lower valve assembly comprises: 
 a lower housing;    a valve body located adjacent to the lower housing; and    a pinion gear passing through the valve body.    
   
   
       9 . The valve assembly of  claim 8  wherein the valve body comprises a plurality of cavities; and wherein the valve doors recede into the cavities when the valve doors are opened.  
   
   
       10 . The valve assembly of  claim 8  wherein the pinion gear intermeshes with a rack to rotate the valve doors.  
   
   
       11 . The valve assembly of  claim 8  wherein the valve body comprises a valve upper body and a valve lower body.  
   
   
       12 . The valve assembly of  claim 8  wherein a key prevents slippage between the valve doors and the pinion gear.  
   
   
       13 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the valve doors comprise an aperture; and wherein the aperture allows the valve assembly to function when a string of drill pipe, casing, tubing, or rods passes through the valve assembly.  
   
   
       14 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein a spring creates a separating force between the upper valve assembly and the lower valve assembly.  
   
   
       15 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the valve assembly is located down hole.  
   
   
       16 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a string of line pipe, casing, or tubing; and    wherein the valve assembly is positioned inline with the string of line pipe, casing, or tubing.    
   
   
       17 . The valve assembly of  claim 16  further comprising: a drilling apparatus connected to the string of line pipe, casing, or tubing.  
   
   
       18 . The valve assembly of  claim 16  further comprising: a production apparatus connected to the string of line pipe, casing, or tubing.  
   
   
       19 . A valve comprising: 
 a valve assembly;    a plurality of valve doors located in the valve assembly;    an aperture located in the valve doors; and    wherein the aperture allows the valve assembly to function when a string of drill pipe, casing, tubing, or rods passes through the valve assembly.    
   
   
       20 . The valve of  claim 19  wherein the valve doors are rotated by exerting a compressive force on the valve assembly.  
   
   
       21 . The valve of  claim 20  wherein the rotation opens the valve doors.  
   
   
       22 . The valve of  claim 20  wherein the rotation closes the valve doors.  
   
   
       23 . The valve of  claim 19  wherein the flow of a fluid through the valve assembly is stopped when the valve doors are closed.  
   
   
       24 . The valve of  claim 19  wherein the valve assembly is fully ported when the valve doors are open.  
   
   
       25 . The valve of  claim 19  valve wherein the valve assembly comprises: 
 an upper housing;    an upper collar located adjacent to the upper housing;    a longitudinal support located adjacent to the upper collar; and    a lower collar located adjacent to the longitudinal support.    
   
   
       26 . The valve of  claim 25  wherein the longitudinal support comprises a rack; and wherein the rack intermeshes with a pinion gear to rotate the valve doors.  
   
   
       27 . The valve of  claim 19  wherein the valve assembly comprises: 
 a lower housing;    a valve body located adjacent to the lower housing; and    a pinion gear passing through the valve body.    
   
   
       28 . The valve of  claim 27  wherein the valve body comprises a plurality of cavities; and wherein the valve doors recede into the cavities when the valve doors are opened.  
   
   
       29 . The valve of  claim 27  wherein the pinion gear intermeshes with a rack to rotate the valve doors.  
   
   
       30 . The valve of  claim 27  wherein the valve body comprises a valve upper body and a valve lower body.  
   
   
       31 . The valve of  claim 27  wherein a key prevents slippage between the valve doors and the pinion gear.  
   
   
       32 . The valve of  claim 19  wherein a spring creates a separating force between an upper valve assembly and a lower valve assembly.  
   
   
       33 . The valve of  claim 19  wherein the valve assembly is located down hole.  
   
   
       34 . The valve of  claim 19  further comprising: 
 a string of line pipe, casing, or tubing; and    wherein the valve assembly is positioned inline with the string of line pipe, casing, or tubing.    
   
   
       35 . The valve of  claim 34  further comprising: a drilling apparatus connected to the string of line pipe, casing, or tubing.  
   
   
       36 . The valve of  claim 34  further comprising: a production apparatus connected to the string of line pipe, casing, or tubing.  
   
   
       37 . An apparatus for stopping the flow of a fluid in a string of line pipe, casing, or tubing, the apparatus comprising: 
 an upper valve assembly comprising: 
 an upper housing;  
 an upper collar located adjacent to the upper housing;  
 a longitudinal support located adjacent to the upper collar; and  
 a lower collar located adjacent to the longitudinal support;  
   a lower valve assembly located adjacent to the upper valve assembly, the lower valve assembly comprising: 
 a lower housing;  
 a valve body located adjacent to the lower housing;  
 a pinion gear passing through the valve body; and  
 a plurality of valve doors located in the valve body;  
   wherein the longitudinal support comprises a rack; and    wherein the rack intermeshes with the pinion gear to rotate the valve doors.    
   
   
       38 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the valve doors are rotated by exerting a compressive force on the upper valve assembly.  
   
   
       39 . The apparatus of  claim 38  wherein the rotation opens the valve doors.  
   
   
       40 . The apparatus of  claim 38  wherein the rotation closes the valve doors.  
   
   
       41 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the flow of a fluid through the valve assembly is stopped when the valve doors are closed.  
   
   
       42 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the apparatus is fully ported when the valve doors are open.  
   
   
       43 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the valve body comprises a plurality of cavities; and wherein the valve doors recede into the cavities when the valve doors are opened.  
   
   
       44 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the valve body comprises a valve upper body and a valve lower body.  
   
   
       45 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein a key prevents slippage between the valve doors and the pinion gear.  
   
   
       46 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the valve doors comprise an aperture; and wherein the aperture allows the valve assembly to function when a string of drill pipe, casing, tubing, or rods passes through the valve assembly.  
   
   
       47 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein a spring creates a separating force between the upper valve assembly and the lower valve assembly.  
   
   
       48 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the valve assembly is located down hole.  
   
   
       49 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the valve assembly is positioned inline with the string of line pipe, casing, or tubing.  
   
   
       50 . The apparatus of  claim 37  further comprising: a drilling apparatus connected to the string of line pipe, casing, or tubing.  
   
   
       51 . The apparatus of  claim 37  further comprising: a production apparatus connected to the string of line pipe, casing, or tubing.

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