No title available

• US 3,581,816 A
• Filed:
• Issued:
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: N/A
• Original Assignee: N/A
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/187
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/127 with inflatable sleeve E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1277 characterised by the construction or fixation of the sleeve

Abstract

A permanently set inflatable element is adapted to be supported on tubular support means and is provided with valve means for conducting fluid from the interior to the exterior of the tubular means and into the inflatable element for inflation and permanent deformation thereof.

Claims

1. A permanent set inflatable element for positioning on tubular means for use in a well bore comprising:

a. spaced annular end members for sealably mounting on the tubular means;

b. an expansible, permanently deformable reinforcing sheath including expansible, permanently deformable, overlapping metal strips extending longitudinally of the element with the ends of the strips received in said annular end member;

c. valve means for conducting fluid from the tubular means to said sheath between the tubular means and said sheath for inflation and deformation of said expansible, permanently deformable metal strips; and

d. anchor means for said sheath including means to secure said metal strips adjacent their ends to said end members.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a weld which connects said sheath with said annular end members.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said valve means is mounted in passage means formed in one of said annular end members and which passage means communicates at one end interiorly of the annular end member in which it is formed and the other end of the passage communicates between the tubular means and said sheath.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said valve means includes an opening formed in the tubular means between said annular end members and means closing off said opening which is responsive to pressure to communicate the interior of the tubular means with the exterior thereof and within said sheath for deformation thereof.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said means closing off said opening includes leaf spring means pivotally secured to the tubular means with an enlargement thereon for fitting within said opening in the tubular means and a resilient sealing member carried by said enlargement for sealing off the opening.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein said means closing off said opening includes an annular resilient sleeve on the tubular means within a recess, the tubular means having a projection on one side of said opening against which said sleeve rests.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein at least one of said annular end members is secured to the tubular means.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said annular end members is secured to the tubular means and the other of said end members is movable relative thereto.

9. The invention of claim 1 wherein the tubular means includes at least two longitudinally extending members, and wherein one of said annular end members is secured to said tubular means and the other end member is divided into two portions, one of which portions is secured to said tubular means and provides a seating surface for the other portion, which is secured to said sheath, to slide along when the sheath is expanded.

10. The invention of claim 1 wherein the tubular means is threadedly secured to one of said annular end members and extends longitudinally through the other annular end member.

11. The invention of claim 1 wherein the tubular means extends through each of said spaced annular end members and is secured thereto.

12. The invention of claim 1 including an expansible inner tube surrounded by said sheath and extending between and sealingly engaged with said annular end members.

13. The invention of claim 1 wherein said end members include portions which are permanently deformable as the element is inflated.