Vent cap system

Abstract

The vent cap system for a suction pile includes a top plate, a center stem assembly, a bottom plate, a flange assembly, and perimeter stem assemblies. The bottom plate moves between an opened position and a closed position. The center stem assembly is in direct threaded engagement with the top plate, and the perimeter stem assemblies and stem retainer cooperate to maintain alignment of the bottom plate. A pipe plug to test the sealing engagement is placed on the bottom plate, instead of the flange assembly. There is a closing lip of the bottom plate so that a sealing diameter can be the smallest diameter of the flange assembly, which reduces force on the bottom plate from under the bottom plate. There is a connection portion of the flange assembly to attach the system to the suction pile so that weld deformation does not affect the entire flange assembly.

Claims

1. A vent cap system, comprising: a top plate having a threaded center top plate hole; a center stem assembly being comprised of a center stem handle, and a center stem bolt body, said center stem bolt body having a distal end, a threaded stem portion, and a proximal end opposite said distal end, said threaded stem portion being between said distal end and said proximal end, wherein said center stem handle is mounted on said distal end above said top plate, and wherein said threaded center stem bolt body is extended through said top plate; a bottom plate having an upper surface, an outer circumference, and a lower surface opposite said top surface and being comprised of a stem retainer and a sealing means, wherein said threaded stem portion is in threaded engagement with said threaded center top plate hole so as to set alignment of said bottom plate relative to said top plate, wherein said stem retainer is centered on said upper surface of said bottom plate and removably attached to said center stem bolt body, wherein said upper surface has an upper surface diameter larger than a lower surface diameter of said lower surface so as to form a closing lip, wherein said sealing means is positioned on said outer circumference and below said closing lip, wherein said proximal end of said center stem bolt body is attached to said bottom plate, a flange assembly having an inner flange surface and an outer flange surface opposite said inner flange surface and being comprised of a sealing portion, a transition portion, and a connection portion, said sealing portion facing toward said top plate, said connection portion facing away from said top plate, said transition portion being between said sealing portion and said connection portion, wherein said sealing portion has a sealing diameter, and wherein said connection portion has a welding diameter, said sealing diameter being smaller than said welding diameter, said upper surface of said bottom plate having a larger diameter than said sealing diameter, said outer circumference being in removable sealing engagement with said flange assembly at said sealing portion; and a plurality of perimeter stem assemblies, each perimeter stem assembly being arranged on a perimeter of said flange assembly so as to maintain position of said top plate relative to said flange assembly during raising and lowering of said bottom plate between an opened position and a closed position, wherein said perimeter stem assemblies are in sliding engagement with said bottom plate so as to guide said bottom plate between said opened position and said closed position and maintain said alignment of said bottom plate relative to said top plate by said threaded stem portion.

2. The vent cap system, according to claim 1, wherein said stem retainer is comprised of a mounting plate attached to said upper surface of said bottom plate, and a stem sleeve orthogonal to said mounting plate, said stem sleeve being attached to said center stem assembly.

3. The vent cap system, according to claim 2, wherein said stem sleeve extends upward from said mounting plate toward said top plate.

4. The vent cap system, according to claim 2, wherein said center stem assembly has a retainer groove positioned on said center stem bolt body so as to be enclosed by said stem retainer.

5. The vent cap system, according to claim 4, further comprising: a bearing ring within said retainer groove, said bearing ring being slip fit between said center stem assembly and said stem sleeve of said stem retainer.

6. The vent cap system, according to claim 5, wherein said stem sleeve is comprised of a shoulder rim in interference fit engagement with said bearing ring.

7. The vent cap system, according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises an O-ring on said outer circumference of said bottom plate.

8. The vent cap system, according to claim 7, wherein said sealing means further comprises another O-ring on said outer circumference of said bottom plate.

9. The vent cap system, according to claim 8, further comprising: a pipe plug placed on said upper surface of said bottom plate, said pipe plug forming a port so as to test an O-ring seal between said bottom plate and said flange assembly.

10. The vent cap system, according to claim 1, wherein said closing lip is in abutment to said sealing portion in said closed position of said bottom plate.

11. The vent cap system, according to claim 1, wherein said transition portion is tapered from said sealing portion to said connection portion.

12. The vent cap system, according to claim 11, wherein said transition portion is tapered from a respective inner flange surface of said sealing portion to a respective inner flange surface of said connection portion.

13. The vent cap system, according to claim 12, wherein respective outer flange surfaces of said connection portion, said transition portion, and said sealing portion are linearly aligned so as to form a single straight outer flange surface.

14. The vent cap system, according to claim 13, wherein said connection portion has a larger diameter and thinner thickness than said sealing portion.

15. The vent cap system, according to claim 1, wherein said perimeter stem assemblies are radially arranged around said perimeter.

16. The vent cap system, according to claim 1, wherein said perimeter stem assemblies are selected from a group consisting of T-handles and hex bolts.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the vent cap system according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the vent cap system according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vent cap system according to the present invention with the bottom plate in the closed position.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vent cap system according to the present invention with the bottom plate in a partially opened position.

(5) FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of an embodiment of the flange assembly, and bottom plate of the vent cap system, according to the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of an embodiment of the center stem assembly, stem retainer, and bottom plate of the vent cap system, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) Referring to FIGS. 1-6, the present invention is a vent cap system 10 for a suction pile. The vent cap system 10 mounts on the top of the suction pile, where space is limited and where maximum flow is required. The vent cap system 10 comprises a top plate 12, a center stem assembly 20, a bottom plate 40, a flange assembly 70, and perimeter stem assemblies 90. The bottom plate 40 can be moved between an opened position (FIG. 4) and a closed position (FIG. 3). In the opened position, the suction pile can be deployed to a subsea location, which requires the maximum flow of water through the suction pile. Once embedded at the subsea location, the closed position allows pumping from the suction pile in order to penetrate the suction pile to a desired depth.

(8) Embodiments of the vent cap system 10 include the top plate 12 having a threaded center top plate hole 14. The center stem assembly 20 is comprised of a center stem handle 22, and a center stem bolt body 24 as in FIGS. 1-2. The center stem bolt body 24 has a distal end 26, a threaded stem portion 28, and a proximal end 30 opposite the distal end 26. The threaded stem portion 28 is between the distal end 26 and the proximal end 30. The center stem handle 22 is mounted on the distal end 26 above the top plate 12. The threaded center stem bolt body 24 is extended through the top plate 12, and the threaded stem portion 28 is in threaded engagement with the threaded center top plate hole 14. Rotation of the center stem handle 22 by a remote operated vehicle (ROV) can actuate the vent cap system 10 so that the bottom plate 40 moves between the opened position and the closed position.

(9) FIGS. 2 and 4-6 show embodiments of the bottom plate 40 having an upper surface 42, an outer circumference 44, and a lower surface 46 opposite the top surface. The diameter 86 of the upper surface 42 of the bottom plate 40 is shown in FIG. 2. The upper surface 42 has an upper surface diameter 86 larger than a lower surface diameter 88 of the lower surface 46 so as to form a closing lip 52.

(10) The bottom plate 40 also includes a stem retainer 48 and a sealing means 50. FIGS. 1-3 and 6 show the stem retainer 48 centered on the upper surface 42 of the bottom plate 40 and removably attached to the center stem bolt body 24. The proximal end 30 of the center stem bolt body 24 is attached to the bottom plate 40. FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 show the sealing means 50 positioned on the outer circumference 44 of the bottom plate 40.

(11) The vent cap system 10 also includes the flange assembly 70 having an inner flange surface 72 and an outer flange surface 74 opposite the inner flange surface 72 as in FIG. 5. The flange assembly 70 is comprised of a sealing portion 76, a transition portion 78, and a connection portion 80. The sealing portion 76 faces toward the top plate 12 and engages the perimeter stem assemblies 90. The sealing portion 76 can be in sealed engagement with the bottom plate 40 in the closed position. The connection portion faces away from the top plate 12 and can be welded to the suction pile. There is the transition portion 78 between the sealing portion 76 and the connection portion 80.

(12) FIG. 2 show the diameters of the present invention. The sealing portion 76 has a sealing diameter 82. The connection portion 80 has a welding diameter 84. The bottom plate 40 has the upper surface diameter 86 and the lower surface diameter 88. In the present invention, the sealing diameter 82 is smaller than the welding diameter 84 and smaller than the upper surface diameter 86 of the bottom plate 40. The closing lip 52 of the bottom plate 40 abuts the flange assembly 70 in the closed position. The bottom plate 40 is friction fit against the flange assembly 70 by the closing lip 52. The sealing diameter 82 and the lower surface diameter 88 position a sealing engagement between the bottom plate 40 and the flange assembly 70.

(13) Embodiments of the vent cap system 10 further include a plurality of perimeter stem assemblies 90. Each perimeter stem assembly 90 can be arranged on a perimeter 92 of the flange assembly 70 so as to maintain position of the top plate 12 relative to the flange assembly 70 during raising and lowering of the bottom plate 40 between the opened position and the closed position. The perimeter stem assemblies 90 are also in sliding engagement with the bottom plate 40 so as to guide the bottom plate 40 between the opened position and the closed position. The perimeter stem assemblies 90 are in contact with the bottom plate 40 so that the bottom plate 40 maintains alignment to be centered and fits in and out of the flange assembly 70 with the sealing engagement at the outer circumference 44 of the bottom plate 40 and the inner flange surface 72 of the flange assembly 70. Fewer components for centering the bottom plate 40 are required with this position of the perimeter stem assemblies 90. The perimeter stem assemblies 90 can be radially arranged around the perimeter 92 and can be selected from a group consisting of T-handles, as shown in FIG. 2 and hex bolts, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

(14) FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the stem retainer 48 being comprised of a mounting plate 54 attached to the upper surface 42 of the bottom plate 40, and a stem sleeve 38 orthogonal to the mounting plate 54. The stem sleeve 38 also attaches to the center stem bolt body 24 of the center stem assembly 20. The stem retainer 48 maintains the bottom plate 40 perpendicular to center stem assembly 20. In combination with the perimeter stem assemblies 90, the vent cap system 10 maintains alignment of the bottom plate 40 without additional components, weight, and costs. The stem sleeve 38 extends upward from the mounting plate 54 toward the top plate 12. The stem sleeve 38 has a variable size, depending on diameter and weight of the bottom plate 40 and center stem assembly 20. There is additional support by the perimeter stem assemblies 90 also.

(15) In one embodiment, the center stem assembly 20 has a retainer groove 56 positioned on the center stem bolt body 24 so as to be enclosed by the stem retainer 48. There can be a bearing ring 58 within the retainer groove 56. The bearing ring 58 is slip fit between the retainer groove 56 of the center stem assembly 20 and the stem sleeve 38 of the stem retainer 48 for holding the perpendicular alignment of the bottom plate 40 relative to the center stem assembly 20. The stem sleeve 48 can have a shoulder rim 60 in interference fit engagement with the bearing ring 58 to secure the bottom plate 40 to the center stem assembly 20. Again, the perimeter stem assemblies 90 remain cooperative with these components to maintain position and alignment.

(16) FIGS. 4-5 show an embodiment of the sealing means 50. The sealing means 50 can include an O-ring 62 on the outer circumference 44 of the bottom plate 40. In some embodiments, there is another O-ring 64. The O-rings 62, 64 form the sealing engagement on the inner flange surface 72 of the flange assembly 70. The sealing diameter 82 of the inner flange surface 72 and the O-rings 62, 64 on the outer circumference 44 at the lower surface diameter 88 form a seal engagement between the bottom plate 40 and inner flange surface 72 of the flange assembly 70. FIGS. 3-4 further show a pipe plug 66 placed on the upper surface 42 of the bottom plate 40. The pipe plug 66 forms a port 68 so as to test the O-ring seal between the bottom plate 40 and the flange assembly 70. The pipe plug 66 and the port 68 are no longer attached to flange assembly 70. The bottom plate 40 is not required to reach a certain depth in the flange assembly 70 in order to test the sealing engagement. Furthermore, the exterior of the flange assembly 70 can remain clear and uniform. The pipe plug 66 remain accessible to test a seal without any relationship to the outer flange surface 74 of the flange assembly 70.

(17) FIG. 5 also shows embodiments of the flange assembly 70. The transition portion 78 is tapered from the sealing portion 76 to the connection portion 80. In some embodiments, the transition portion 78 is tapered from a respective inner flange surface 72 of the sealing portion 76 to a respective inner flange surface 72 of the connection portion 80. FIG. 5 also shows respective outer flange surfaces 74 of the connection portion 80, the transition portion 78, and the sealing portion 76 being linearly aligned so as to form a single straight outer flange surface. The connection portion 80 has a larger diameter and thinner thickness than the sealing portion 76. The welding diameter 84 is larger than the sealing diameter 82. The connection portion 80 absorbs any welding deformation, during installation of the system 10 on a suction pile. The sealing portion 76 remains stable and will see minimal, if any, deformation from the welding process. Additionally, the transition portion 78 directs flow through the flange assembly 70 without sharp rims and edges to impede flow. In alternative embodiments, the transition portion 78 is tapered inward from the outer flange surface 74 with the inner flange surface 72 remaining straight down. In this alternative embodiment, the sealing diameter 82 remains the smallest diameter and the flow diameter through the flange assembly 70. There can also be smaller flared or beveled end portions for the weld material at the rim of the connection portion 80.

(18) When the suction pile water is pumped out to penetrate the pile from an embedded position to a set position on the ocean floor, the closing lip 52 and the sealing engagement of the sealing means 50 hold the position. In these conditions with exterior top pressure on the bottom plate 40, the upper surface diameter 86 is larger than the sealing diameter 82. The closing lip 52 at the upper surface diameter 86 cannot fit through the sealing diameter 82 of the sealing portion 76 at the top of the flange assembly 70. When extracting to reset the suction pile, there is bottom pressure from under the bottom plate 40. In these conditions with bottom or lower pressure under the bottom plate 40, the welding diameter 84 is larger than the sealing diameter 82. In the present invention, the force required to contain the bottom plate 40 per flow area through the flange assembly 70 is lower than the prior art systems. In the prior art, the flange assemblies have a smaller diameter below the sealing diameter to create a shelf to support a bottom plate against top pressure, similar to the closing lip 52 and sealing portion 76 of the present invention. However, these prior art structures increase the force on the bottom plate. The smaller diameter as the flow diameter for fluid through the flange assembly exerts more force to keep a flow rate. The additional components of prior art systems, such as a guide rod retainer, further restrict flow and further increase force on the bottom plate. In the present invention, the sealing diameter 82 is smaller than the welding diameter 84 so as to be the flow diameter, instead of a smaller diameter or guide rod retainer obstructed flow path of the prior art. The bottom pressure from under the bottom plate 40 is reduced with the sealing diameter 82 as the smaller flow diameter of the flange assembly 70 and with removal of other obstructions or flow restrictors through the system 10. Additionally, the present invention includes the transition portion 78 of the flange assembly 70. The tapering from the welding diameter 88 to the sealing diameter 82 allows water flow to also transition with less force and gaps in comparison to sharp ledges and straight down falls in the prior art. The present invention reduces stress and force on the system 10 so that the threaded stem portion 28 of the center stem assembly 20, the threaded center top plate hole 14 of the top plate 12, and the top plate 12 held in position by the perimeter stem assemblies 90 are sufficient to withstand bottom pressure from under the bottom plate 40. Prior art systems require more than the threaded engagements of the present invention, and additional supports and components are no longer needed.

(19) The present invention provides a vent cap system for a suction pile. The vent cap system actuates a bottom plate between a closed position and an opened position in very limited space. The opened position corresponds to allowing flow through the suction pile, such as during deployment and embedding on the ocean floor. The closed position corresponds to pumping out air and any fluid from the suction pile to penetrate from an embedded position to a set position on the ocean floor. The vent cap system of the present invention has improved cost efficiency in manufacturing. Less materials are used because the sealing diameter of the present invention, as the smallest diameter and the flow diameter, reduces the bottom pressure from under the bottom plate. The threaded engagements between the center stem assembly and top plate are now sufficient to withstand this lower bottom pressure from under the bottom plate. There is also less force on the top plate to secure the threaded engagements for the bottom plate, so the top plate requires less support and fewer components. There is also less force on the perimeter stem assemblies that secure the top plate. The top plate and the perimeter stem assemblies can have reduced bulk and material. Additionally, the perimeter stem assemblies and stem retainer cooperate to maintain alignment of the bottom plate relative to the flange assembly during movement between opened and closed positions. Separate guidance components, like a guide rod assembly, are no longer required.

(20) The present invention also provides a vent cap system that secures the seal of the bottom plate to the flange assembly in the closed position. The pipe plug to test the sealing engagement is now on the bottom plate so that there no interface required with the flange assembly in order test the seal. The closing lip sets the fully closed position. Top pressure above the bottom plate abuts the closing lip to the flange assembly due to the larger diameter of the closing lip. The outer surface diameter of the bottom plate at the closing lip is larger than the sealing diameter of the flange assembly. Force on the bottom plate is reduced because the sealing diameter is smaller than the sealing diameter of the prior art relative to other diameters in the flange assembly. The sealing diameter of the present invention is the smallest diameter relative to other diameters, like the welding diameter, so as to determine flow diameter and force on the bottom plate, while the sealing diameter of the prior art is not the smallest diameter relative to the other diameters. The smallest diameter, not the sealing diameter, of the prior art determines flow diameter and the force on the bottom plate, which is larger than the force in the present invention. Embodiments of the invention also include the connection portion of the flange assembly with a welding diameter larger than the sealing diameter and smaller thickness. The weld deformation to attach to the suction pile now only affects the connection portion, instead of the entire flange assembly. The sealing portion remains unaffected by the weld deformation so that the sealing engagement cannot be damaged by the installation on the suction pile.

(21) The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the described method can be made without departing from the true spirit of the invention.