The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 04, 2011
Filed:
Apr. 28, 2010
William James Hughes, Bixby, OK (US);
Murl Ray Richardson, Fort Worth, TX (US);
Thomas L. Pettigrew, College Station, TX (US);
Kurt D. Vandervort, Cypress, TX (US);
Kenneth D. Young, Kingwood, TX (US);
William James Hughes, Bixby, OK (US);
Murl Ray Richardson, Fort Worth, TX (US);
Thomas L. Pettigrew, College Station, TX (US);
Kurt D. Vandervort, Cypress, TX (US);
Kenneth D. Young, Kingwood, TX (US);
Sunstone Corporation, Oklahoma City, OK (US);
Abstract
Force balancing adjusts hydraulic fluid pressure in an upper piston area of a Rotating Pressure Control Device (RPCD) that has an inner housing rotatably engaged within an outer housing by an upper bearing and a lower bearing. The hydraulic fluid pressure is adjusted to balance net force in a upper piston area and a lower piston area. The fluid pressure adjustment creates a force differential that balances the total load transmitted through the upper bearing and the lower bearing and thereby extends the life of the sealing element and bearings. Additionally, a wear indicator signals the end of the useful life of the drill pipe sealing element.