Patent ID: 8403035

Claim:
A sealing and anchoring element for use in pipelines, said element comprising: a string section; and a plurality of helical elements, at least one helical element of said plurality of helical elements being arranged around said string section, wherein said at least one helical element is configured to expand radially against an inner wall of a pipeline so that the circumferential diameter of said at least one helical element is increased, wherein two helical elements of said plurality of helical elements are arranged to form substantially rectangular, sloping windings, and said substantially rectangular, sloping windings are arranged so as to face each other and are further configured to rise and expand radially to thereby reduce space in the pipeline when an axial compressive force is applied to said two helical elements to cause said two helical elements to form a seal between said two helical elements and the inner wall of the pipeline and migrate into the inner wall of the pipeline to thereby obtain a firm grip therein, and wherein said string section comprises a conical part having a first side and a second side, a circumference of said string section on said first side of said conical part being sized and configured such that the circumferential diameter of said at least one helical element is the same as or less than the circumferential diameter of a compression sleeve, said compression sleeve being arranged around a narrower end of said string section and on one side of said at least one helical element, the circumference of said string section on said second side of said conical part being thicker than the first side such that the circumferential diameter of said at least one helical element is expanded radially towards the inner wall of the pipeline when said at least one helical element is forced across a thicker end of said string section, said thicker end having an abutment face, and said at least one helical element being configured to expand further while being compressed between said compression sleeve and said abutment face of said thicker end of said string section.