초록 ▼

A sub-sea coupling comprises a male probe coupler and a female receiver coupler containing mutually engageable poppet valves which have intermediate valve heads between nose and shank portions which seal with respect to the respective couplers. Each valve has a longitudinal passageway allowing balan

A sub-sea coupling comprises a male probe coupler and a female receiver coupler containing mutually engageable poppet valves which have intermediate valve heads between nose and shank portions which seal with respect to the respective couplers. Each valve has a longitudinal passageway allowing balancing of the poppet valve with respect to external pressure. Further, the poppet valves have substantial equality in effective area between the valve portions and the nose and shank portions so that the poppet valve is substantially balanced with respect to line pressure in the line to which the coupler is connected. The arrangement gives a high resistance to the ingress of sea water to the couplers while substantially avoiding any hydraulic lock or wash-out during make-up and separation of the couplers.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A fluid coupling comprising:a female coupler having a socket and a male coupler having a probe receivable in said socket,each coupler including a respective valve member which is movable to close a respective passageway through the coupler and openable when the couplers are mated,wh

[ I claim:] [1.] A fluid coupling comprising:a female coupler having a socket and a male coupler having a probe receivable in said socket,each coupler including a respective valve member which is movable to close a respective passageway through the coupler and openable when the couplers are mated,wherein each valve member is configured such that internal fluid pressure in the respective passageway produces at least partially balanced forces on said valve member, andmeans for exposing different portions of each of the valve members to the external fluid pressure when hydraulic fluid surrounds the coupling whereby to produce substantially balanced forces due to said external fluid pressure on each of said valve members.