Patent ID: 7140430

Claim:
An expander for radially expanding a tubular element, comprising an expander body connectable to an elongate member for moving the expander in axial direction through the tubular element, the expander body having a first body portion and a second body portion axially displaced from the first body portion, wherein the first body portion has a larger outer diameter than the second body portion; a set of expander segments arranged around the expander body, each segment being movable relative the expander body between a radially extended position in which the segment is axially aligned with the first body portion and a radially retracted position in which the segment is axially aligned with the second body portion; and actuating means for moving each segment between the extended position and the retracted position thereof; wherein the expander segments when in their respective radially extended positions, form a substantially continuous cone surface, and wherein each pair of adjacent segments have a common boundary line along the cone surface, said boundary line extending inclined relative to a radial plane through the longitudinal axis of the expander.