Patent ID: 9624752
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: E21B

Claim:
1. A seal including a seal wall of a swelling polymer material having elastomeric properties so that the seal has a non-swollen state and an expanded state, the seal wall having a closed circumference that extends around a central longitudinal axis and that extends from a first end via an intermediate section to a second end along a length in the direction of the central axis, wherein the first end of the seal wall is connected or connectable to an inner element and sealingly engages the inner element at the first end of the seal wall, wherein an inner diameter of the seal wall at the first end in the non-swollen state is the same as the inner diameter of the seal wall at the first end in the expanded state, and wherein the seal wall, apart from at and adjacent to the first end thereof, is freely radially expandable due to the fact that the second end and the intermediate section of the seal wall are not connected to any structural parts other than itself, wherein inner diameters of the seal wall at the intermediate section and at the second end are larger in the expanded state than in the non-swollen state, wherein radial thickness of the seal wall is increased in the swollen state relative to radial thickness of the seal wall in the non-swollen state, and wherein total radial expansion of the seal wall at the intermediate section and at the second end is a compounded effect from increasing radial thickness of the seal wall and increasing inner diameter and outer diameter of the seal wall at the intermediate section and at the second end due to swelling of the swelling polymer material in a circumferential direction of the seal wall.