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:
Sep. 16, 2014
Filed:
Jun. 08, 2011
Sibu Varghese, Houston, TX (US);
Chad Yates, Houston, TX (US);
Sibu Varghese, Houston, TX (US);
Chad Yates, Houston, TX (US);
Vetco Gray Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A subsea wellhead assembly includes a housing with a bore. A hanger is lowered into the housing, the hanger having at least one downward facing load shoulder. An expandable load ring is carried on the hanger. When casing weight is applied to the hanger, the weight energizes the load ring, causing it to expand and thereby increase the contact area between a load shoulder on the load ring and a load shoulder on the housing. The shoulders create a path for the load to be transferred to the housing. The increase in contact area increases the load carrying capacity of the hanger. The load ring expansion is limited to elastic expansion to allow it to return to a retracted position when the casing weight is removed.