US 11,796,114 B2
Isolation plug with energized seal
Thomas H. McKone, Tulsa, OK (US); Cody A. Parsley, Tulsa, OK (US); and Keelan J. Prewett, Bixby, OK (US)
Assigned to TDW Delaware, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by TDW Delaware, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Apr. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/240,419.
Application 17/240,419 is a continuation of application No. 16/448,890, filed on Jun. 21, 2019, granted, now 10,989,347.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/689,527, filed on Jun. 25, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/688,875, filed on Jun. 22, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0065380 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16L 55/10 (2006.01); F16L 55/132 (2006.01); F16K 7/20 (2006.01); F16L 55/13 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 55/132 (2013.01) [F16K 7/20 (2013.01); F16L 55/13 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pipeline isolation tool [10] comprising:
at least one plugging head [20] including a seal [30] expandable between an unset and a set position;
a plurality of metal support segments [40] located on a side of the seal and moveable in a transverse direction radially outward and inward as the seal moves between the unset and set positions;
each metal support segment of the plurality including a seal-facing surface [41] including at least two inclined thrust surfaces [43A, 43B, 43C] and a concave-portion [45] containing one of the at least two inclined thrust surfaces, a portion [35] of the side of the seal residing within the concave portion when in the unset and set positions;
wherein in the unset position a portion [33] of the seal is covered by adjacent metal support segments of the plurality; and
wherein in the set position the portion of the seal is exposed between the adjacent metal support segments.