Spring-Loaded J-Hook Valve Seat Puller for Axial Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve seat pullers in the oil and gas industry are complex, time-consuming, and prone to failure due to mechanical pivot systems, which are often obstructed by dirt and rust, requiring high torque for rotational lifting and resulting in downtime and costly repairs.
Innovation Solution
A spring-loaded J-shaped hook puller system that eliminates the need for mechanical pivots, utilizing flexible yet rigid metal hooks to engage and remove valve seats without rotational force, allowing for efficient and reliable extraction with a hydraulic jack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a mechanical pivot system is used in the puller, then the hooks can be spread out to engage the seat, but the pivot system is obstructed by dirt and rust causing reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mechanical pivot system entirely from the device. Instead of using hinges or pivots to spread the hooks, the invention uses a purely mechanical expansion mechanism where the hooks are forced outward by the expansion of the puller body, eliminating the unreliable pivot component that was prone to obstruction by dirt and rust.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical pivot system with a direct mechanical expansion mechanism. Rather than relying on rotating or hinging components, the hooks are spread outward through the structural expansion of the puller body itself, substituting a complex mechanical pivot system with a simpler, more reliable expansion mechanism.
2Productivity
If high torque is applied for rotational lifting, then the seat can be removed, but it requires more force and increases the risk of damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional rotational lifting approach. Instead of applying torque to rotate and lift the seat, the invention uses a straight-pull axial extraction method where the puller body expands to engage the seat and then pulls it directly outward along the axis of the puller, eliminating the need for high torque rotational motion.
3Reliability
If a complex puller system is used, then it can engage the seat, but it consumes more time in removal translating to money lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the puller into simple, functional segments: an expandable body with multiple hooks that can independently engage the seat. This segmented design allows for quick engagement and removal without the complexity of integrated mechanical systems, reducing the time required for seat removal while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The puller is designed to be pre-assembled and ready for immediate use. The expandable hooks are prepared in advance within the puller body, allowing for quick deployment and engagement with the seat without requiring complex assembly or adjustment during the removal process, thereby minimizing downtime.
4Stress or pressure
If hydraulic jack is used to pull the shaft, then high pulling pressure can be applied, but the puller fails regularly under very high pulling pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the hydraulic jack directly with the puller body, eliminating the interface between separate components. The hydraulic force is applied directly to the expandable structure, distributing the high pulling pressure uniformly across the entire puller system rather than concentrating it at weak interface points, thereby preventing failure under high pressure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The spring-loaded puller system significantly reduces downtime, increases efficiency, and minimizes the risk of damage by enabling quick and easy removal of valve seats with reduced labor and equipment costs, while withstanding higher pressures and requiring fewer moving parts.
Implementation Method 1
spring loaded J-shaped hooks
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an apparatus, system and method for replacing seats utilizing J-shaped hooks on a puller shaft that may be compressed to pass through the seat and expand back to engage the seat from below for pulling upward and removal.