Rotating Control Device with Latch Biased Toward Engagement

Abstract

A bearing assembly can be releasably secured relative to an outer housing of a rotating control device without using fluid pressure. An example method includes inserting the bearing assembly into an outer housing to outwardly displace a latch engagement member. The engagement member is inwardly biased without fluid pressure, such as with a spring. The assembly is moved to an operative position in the outer housing, at which the inwardly-biased engagement member displaces inwardly to engage a recess on the bearing assembly. Fluid pressure may subsequently be used once the bearing assembly is latched, to optionally help maintain the engagement member in the recess or to move the engagement member out of the recess to unlatch the bearing assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 inserting a bearing and/or seal assembly into an outer housing of a rotating control device, thereby outwardly displacing at least one engagement member of a latch;   biasing the at least one engagement member inwardly without using fluid pressure; and   releasably latching the bearing and/or seal assembly relative to the outer housing of the rotating control device by moving the bearing and/or seal assembly to an operative position in the outer housing at which the inwardly-biased engagement member displaces inwardly to engage a recess on the assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inserting and the outwardly displacing are performed without applying fluid pressure to an actuator of the latch. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directly contacting the engagement member with the bearing and/or seal assembly to urge the engagement member outwardly during the step of inserting the bearing and/or seal assembly into the outer housing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using fluid pressure to help urge the at least one engagement member inwardly after latching the bearing and/or seal assembly relative to the outer housing of the rotating control device, to maintain the engagement member in the recess. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using a spring to bias the engagement member inwardly into engagement with the recess. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising using the spring to longitudinally displace a piston of the latch. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one engagement member comprises multiple circumferentially distributed engagement members, and wherein each of the engagement members is interlocked with circumferentially adjacent ones of the engagement members. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing and/or seal assembly comprises at least one of the group comprising an annular seal and a bearing. 
     
     
         9 . A rotating control device, comprising:
 an outer housing;   an assembly having at least one of a bearing and a seal in a passage extending through the outer housing; and   a latch in the outer housing, the latch including at least one engagement member which releasably secures the assembly relative to the outer housing, and which is biased outwardly by the assembly when the assembly is installed in the outer housing, and wherein the engagement member is biased toward an engaged position without use of fluid pressure.   
     
     
         10 . The rotating control device of  claim 9 , wherein the engagement member displaces both radially and longitudinally toward the engaged position. 
     
     
         11 . The rotating control device of  claim 9 , wherein the engagement member engages a recess formed on the assembly, and wherein the engagement member is positioned between a first inclined face of the recess and a second inclined face in the outer housing, the first and second inclined faces opposing each other. 
     
     
         12 . The rotating control device of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second inclined faces are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The rotating control device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one engagement member comprises multiple circumferentially distributed engagement members, and wherein each of the engagement members is interlocked with circumferentially adjacent ones of the engagement members. 
     
     
         14 . The rotating control device of  claim 9 , wherein the engagement member is biased toward the engaged position by a biasing device which exerts a longitudinally directed biasing force on a piston. 
     
     
         15 . A method of releasably latching a bearing assembly relative to an outer housing of a rotating control device, the method comprising:
 applying fluid pressure to an actuator of a latch of the rotating control device;   then positioning the bearing assembly in the outer housing at an operative position; and   then reducing the fluid pressure, thereby allowing a biasing device to displace at least one engagement member of the latch into engagement with a profile formed on the bearing assembly.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the applying fluid pressure further comprises compressing the biasing device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid pressure reducing further comprises allowing the biasing device to elongate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising, after the fluid pressure reducing, applying fluid pressure to the actuator, thereby maintaining the engagement member engaged with the profile. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid pressure reducing further comprises the biasing device longitudinally displacing a piston of the latch. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one engagement member comprises multiple circumferentially distributed engagement members, and wherein each of the engagement members is interlocked with circumferentially adjacent ones of the engagement members.