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An annular sealing element to seal between metal surfaces for use in flanges, joints, packers and the like, located in oil and gas exploration and production equipment. The sealing element has inner and outer metal deformable surfaces joined at ends, defining an interior volume which is entirely fil

An annular sealing element to seal between metal surfaces for use in flanges, joints, packers and the like, located in oil and gas exploration and production equipment. The sealing element has inner and outer metal deformable surfaces joined at ends, defining an interior volume which is entirely filled with a plastic deformable material. The surfaces are arranged such that on compression of the element from the ends, the element will deform in a controlled manner on a cantilever principle. The volume of filler and the interior volume remain substantially equal during compression so that delamination does not occur. Thus the sealing element provides a seal combining the flexibility of elastomer seals with the integrity of a metal to metal seal.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A flange ring seal assembly, comprising: an annular sealing element providing a seal between a first mating plate of a first flange and a second mating plate of a second flange, comprising an inner sleeve providing an inner deformable surface and arranged concentric with an outer sleeve providing

1. A flange ring seal assembly, comprising: an annular sealing element providing a seal between a first mating plate of a first flange and a second mating plate of a second flange, comprising an inner sleeve providing an inner deformable surface and arranged concentric with an outer sleeve providing an outer deformable surface, each of the inner and outer sleeves being formed of a material liable to plastic deformation, the inner and outer sleeves being joined at respective junctions of opposed first ends and second ends providing a body defining an interior volume entirely bounded by said inner and outer deformable surfaces and said first and second ends, and a deformable filler material within said interior volume;wherein the filler material is a plastic;wherein the inner and outer sleeves each comprise a plurality of fold lines;wherein the element deforms in a predetermined manner when said first ends are brought toward said second ends by deformation of the inner and outer sleeves about their respective fold lines, to thereby seal between the first mating plate and the second mating plate;wherein the inner and outer sleeves define a first shape containing said interior volume, and following deformation the inner and outer sleeves define a second shape, which is a cantilever structure arranged longitudinally between the ends;wherein the first and second shape are annular and are polygonal in longitudinal cross-section; andwherein the first end is arranged to locate in a groove of the first mating plate of the first flange. 2. The flange ring seal assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inner and outer sleeves are deformable metal sleeves. 3. The flange ring seal assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the polygonal longitudinal cross section of the first and second shapes are each-symmetrical about a horizontal plane, equidistant from the ends. 4. The flange ring seal assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the deformable filler material has a first volume which equals the interior volume and both remain substantially equal as the ends are brought together. 5. The flange ring seal assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer deformable surface includes a plurality of outer ridges. 6. The flange ring seal assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sealant material applied to at least a portion of the outer deformable surface. 7. The flange ring seal assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one metal insert located on at least a portion of the outer deformable surface. 8. A method of anchoring an apparatus to an inner surface of a well bore comprising: (a) providing the apparatus having a substantially tubular body and comprising an annular sealing element having a first shape and located around the tubular body, the sealing element comprising an inner sleeve providing an inner deformable surface and arranged concentric with an outer sleeve providing an outer deformable surface, each of the inner and outer sleeves being formed of a material liable to plastic deformation, the inner and outer sleeves being joined at respective junctions of opposed first ends and second ends providing a body defining an interior volume entirely bounded by said inner and outer deformable surfaces and said first and second ends, and a deformable filler material within said interior volume;the filler material having a volume substantially equal to the interior volume;wherein the filler material is a plastic;wherein the inner and outer sleeves each comprise a plurality of fold lines;wherein the element deforms in a predetermined manner when said first ends are brought toward said second ends by deformation of the inner and outer sleeves about their respective fold lines;wherein the inner and outer sleeves define a first shape containing said interior volume, and following deformation the inner and outer sleeves define a second shape, which is a cantilever structure arranged longitudinally between the ends;wherein the first and second shapes are annular and are polygonal in longitudinal cross-section;at least one actuating element arranged around and longitudinally moveable relative to the tubular body the actuating element arranged to contact at least one of said first and second ends of the sealing element;(b) running the apparatus on a working string into the well bore; and(c) moving the actuating element to bring said first and second ends of the sealing element toward each other thereby deforming the sealing element in a controlled manner to provide the second shape in contact with the tubular body and the inner surface of the wellbore while keeping the interior volume and the volume of the filler material substantially equal to provide a pressure across the sealing element between the tubular body and the inner surface of the wellbore thereby anchoring the apparatus to the inner surface of the wellbore. 9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sealing element further comprises one or more ridges disposed on one or more of the inner and outer deformable surfaces, and wherein the method includes abutting one or more of the ridges of the sealing element onto at least the inner surface of the wellbore. 10. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the sealing element further comprises a sealing material disposed on one or more of the inner and outer deformable surfaces, and wherein the method includes abutting the sealing material of the sealing element to at least the-inner surface of the wellbore. 11. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the sealing element further comprises a metal insert disposed on one or more of the inner and outer deformable surfaces, and wherein the method includes abutting the metal insert of the sealing element to at least the inner surface of the wellbore. 12. A method of providing a seal between a first mating plate of a first flange and a second mating plate of a second flange comprising: (a) providing an annular sealing element comprising an inner sleeve providing an inner deformable surface and arranged concentric with an outer sleeve providing an outer deformable surface, each of the inner and outer sleeves being formed of a material liable to plastic deformation, the inner and outer sleeves being joined at respective junctions of opposed first ends and second ends providing a body defining an interior volume entirely bounded by said inner and outer deformable surfaces and said first and second ends, and a deformable filler material within said interior volume; the filler material having a volume substantially equal to the interior volume;wherein the filler material is a plastic;wherein the inner and outer sleeves each comprise a plurality of fold lines;wherein the element deforms in a predetermined manner when said first ends are brought toward said second ends by deformation of the inner and outer sleeves about their respective fold lines,wherein the inner and outer sleeves define a first shape containing said interior volume, and following deformation the inner and outer sleeves define a second shape, which is a cantilever structure arranged longitudinally between the ends;wherein the first and second shapes are annular and are polygonal in longitudinal cross-section;(b) arranging the sealing element between the first mating plate and the second mating plate;(c) moving the first mating plate and/or the second mating plate to bring said first end and said second end of the sealing element toward each other thereby deforming the sealing element in a controlled manner to provide the second shape in contact with the first mating plate and the second mating plate while keeping the interior volume and the volume of the filler material substantially equal to provide a pressure across the sealing element between the first mating plate and the second mating plate thereby providing a seal between the first mating plate and the second mating plate. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first mating plate of the first flange comprises an annular groove disposed therein; wherein said first end of the sealing element is arranged to locate in the groove of the first mating plate of the first flange, and wherein said arranging the sealing element between the first mating plate and the second mating plate includes locating said first end of the sealing element into the groove of the first mating plate. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second mating plate of the second flange comprises an annular groove disposed therein; wherein said second end of the sealing element is arranged to locate in the groove of the second mating plate of the second flange, and wherein said arranging the sealing element between the first mating plate and the second mating plate includes locating said second end of the sealing element into the groove of the second mating plate.