Patent ID: 9702467
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: F16J

Claim:
1. In combination, a pressure activated seal disposed between an inner tube and an outer tube, comprising: an outer tube having an inside diameter; an inner tube disposed within said outer tube, said inner tube having an interior space containing a fluid having a fluid pressure, and a wall having an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the outer tube, the wall of the inner tube having a radially inner surface in fluid communication with the fluid, the wall of the inner tube having a radially outer surface in fluid communication with the fluid, the radially outer surface of the wall of the inner tube defining a radially outer channel in the wall of the inner tube, the wall of the inner tube defining at least one orifice extending through the wall of the inner tube from within the interior space of said inner tube to an interior of said radially outer channel, said at least one orifice being configured to communicate said fluid of said inner tube from within said inner tube through said at least one orifice into said radially outer channel; and a pressure activated seal disposed radially within said outer tube and disposed radially outside of said inner tube within said radially outer channel of said inner tube, said pressure activated seal having a generally annular body including a radially outer main wall having a radially outer sealing surface opposing an inner sealing surface of said radially outer channel of said inner tube, first and second ends, and first and second radially inwardly projecting side walls connected to the first and second ends of the radially outer main wall, respectively, said first and second radially inwardly projecting side walls having first and second radially inner ends, respectively, and first and second radially inner flexible flaps connected to said first and second radially inner ends of said first and second radially inwardly projecting side walls, said first and second radially inner flexible flaps being configured to flex radially inwardly, said radially outer main wall, radially inwardly projecting side walls, and radially inner flexible flaps of the generally annular body defining a main chamber connected in fluid communication with said interior space and said fluid in said interior space in said inner tube through said at least one orifice, such that said pressure activated seal is configured to receive said fluid from within said inner tube, wherein said at least one orifice defined through the wall of the inner tube allows said fluid pressure of said fluid of said inner tube to enter the main chamber of the pressure activated seal through said at least one orifice to bias said radially outer sealing surface outwardly from said main chamber and to bias said first and second flexible flaps to flex outwardly from said main chamber and causing said first and second flexible flaps to transfer said fluid pressure within the main chamber against said radially outer channel by pressing against the immediately surrounding portions of said at least one orifice in a direction towards said at least one orifice, and wherein said radially outer sealing surface of said radially outer main wall of said generally annular body of said pressure activated seal includes a plurality of protrusions; said combination further comprising each of said first and second radially inner flexible flaps of the pressure activated seal have a radially inner surface extending radially inwardly at an outside angle of about 15 degrees with respect to the radially outer main wall, and a radially outer surface extending radially inwardly at an inside angle of about 60 degrees with respect to the radially outer main wall, causing a decrease in wall thickness of the first and second radially inner flexible flaps from the relatively thick connection of the first and second radially inner flexible flaps to the first and second radially inner ends of the first and second radially inwardly projecting side walls to a relatively thin edge.