The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 20, 2001
Filed:
May. 19, 2000
Loren C. Swor, Duncan, OK (US);
Lee Wayne Stepp, Comanche, OK (US);
Donald W. Winslow, Duncan, OK (US);
Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Duncan, OK (US);
Abstract
A packer apparatus for sealing between a tubing string and a casing in a wellbore is disclosed. The packer apparatus includes a seal assembly disposed about a packer mandrel. Upper and lower seal wedges are disposed about the packer mandrel above and below the seal assembly and may be inserted between the seal assembly and the packer mandrel to radially expand the seal assembly into engagement with the casing. The seal assembly includes an expandable elastomeric seal element having anti-extrusion bridge elements disposed in recesses at the upper and lower ends thereof. The anti-extrusion elements form an almost complete circle and thus are arcuately shaped having first and second ends with a gap therebetween. The anti-extrusion bridge elements are preferably automatically radially retractable elements so that when the seal wedges are removed from between the seal assembly and the packer mandrel, the automatically radially retractable anti-extrusion elements will apply a radially inwardly directed force sufficient to cause the seal assembly to radially retract and close around the packer mandrel.