Patent ID: 8381823

Claim:
A downhole tubular connector comprising a first body portion and a seal provided on the first body portion, the seal being adapted to selectively provide a seal with a downhole tubular, the downhole tubular connector further comprises a seal protector, wherein one of the seal protector and seal is movable with respect to the other of the seal protector and seal, the seal protector or seal being movable from a first position, in which at least a portion of the seal is protected by a first end of the seal protector, to a second position, in which the portion of the seal is exposed; wherein the seal protector is movable from the first position to the second position by contact of the seal protector with the downhole tubular, wherein the downhole tubular connector further comprises a resilient element disposed so as to bias the seal protector to the first position, wherein the seal protector comprises a shoulder and the resilient element engages the shoulder, and wherein a second end of the seal protector at least partially surrounds the resilient element to resist lateral movement of the resilient element.