Patent ID: 7654583

Claim:
A pressure compensated swivel comprising: a swivel housing; a swivel pipe that is rotatably coupled to and arranged in the swivel housing; wherein fluid pressure in the swivel acts on opposing compensating areas in the swivel to push the swivel housing and swivel pipe together so that an amount of torque required to rotate the swivel pipe relative to the swivel housing is substantially unaffected by the fluid pressure in the swivel; wherein the opposing compensating areas are disposed in an annulus between the swivel housing and the swivel pipe; and a thrust collar coupled to the swivel housing and a pivot ring coupled to the swivel pipe, wherein the opposing compensating areas comprise a first compensating area on the thrust collar and a second compensating area on the pivot ring; wherein the thrust collar and pivot ring are disposed in the annulus between the swivel housing and swivel pipe and wherein the first compensating area and the second compensating area receive the fluid pressure via an orifice in the pivot ring; wherein the first compensating area and the second compensating area receive fluid pressure via an orifice in the swivel pipe; wherein the orifice in the swivel pipe comprises a radial through-bore and wherein the orifice in the pivot ring comprises a through-bore that extends transversely relative to the radial through-bore; and wherein the through-bore in the pivot ring has an end that is disposed between annular packings that define boundaries of the first and second compensating areas.