Patent ID: 11898413
Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 0:
1. An expanding and collapsing apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of elements assembled together to form a ring structure around a longitudinal axis, wherein the ring structure is configured to be moved between an expanded condition and a collapsed condition by movement of the plurality of elements, wherein the plurality of elements comprises:
a plurality of support elements, each support element having a first end, a second end, and a first contact surface positioned between the first end and the second end, wherein the first contact surface comprises a first component of a lock, wherein the first end comprises a first hinge and the second end comprises a second hinge, and wherein the first hinge and the second hinge are configured to move the plurality of support elements between the expanded condition and the collapsed condition by movement of the first end in an axial direction, and by movement of the second end in at least a radial dimension; and
a plurality of ring elements configured to be moved between the expanded and collapsed conditions by sliding with respect to one another in a direction tangential to a circle concentric with the ring structure,
wherein each support element of the plurality of support elements is configured to interlock with an adjacent support element of the plurality of support elements via a second component of the lock disposed on a second contact surface of the adjacent support element.