Seal sleeve and assembly including such a seal sleeve

Abstract

A seal sleeve having a seal sleeve wall comprising a swellable polymer material having elastomeric properties so that the seal sleeve has non-swollen state and an expanded state, wherein the seal sleeve wall has a closed circumference that extends around a central longitudinal axis, the seal sleeve wall having a non-swollen thickness that is defined by the distance between an inner surface and an outer surface of the seal sleeve wall in the non-swollen state, the non-swollen thickness being less than the radial width of a circumferential space between an inner and an outer element that has to be closed off by the seal sleeve, wherein at least one of the end surfaces extends in a plane that includes a sharp angle (α) with the longitudinal axis.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A seal sleeve comprising an assembly including:
 at least one sealing member that includes a seal sleeve wall comprising a swellable polymer material having elastomeric properties so that the seal sleeve has a non-swollen state and an expanded state, the seal sleeve wall having a closed circumference that extends around a central longitudinal axis and that has a certain length in the direction of the central axis, wherein the seal sleeve wall has a non-swollen thickness that is defined by the distance between an inner surface and an outer surface of the seal sleeve wall in the non-swollen state and having an expanded thickness that is defined by the distance between the inner surface and the outer surface of the seal sleeve wall in the expanded state; and   at least one end member including an end surface that is directed away from the at least one sealing member and that extends in a plane that includes an acute angle with the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         11 . The seal sleeve according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one end member includes two end members between which the at least one sealing member is positioned. 
     
     
         12 . The seal sleeve according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one sealing member has two opposite end surfaces that extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and wherein each end member has an end surface that is directed to and in contact with an associated one of said two opposite end surfaces of the sealing member and that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the perpendicular end surface of the respective end member is opposite to the end surface of that end member that is directed away from the sealing member and that extends in a plane that includes the acute angle with the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         13 . The seal sleeve according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one sealing member includes a cylindrical core having a central part with an outer diameter that is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the seal sleeve wall and that includes threaded holes in which bolts may be screwed to provide a connection between an inner element and the sealing member. 
     
     
         14 . The seal sleeve according to  claim 10 , wherein the cylindrical core has two outer parts that extend axially away from the central part along the longitudinal axis, the seal sleeve wall being connected with the outer parts. 
     
     
         15 . The seal sleeve according to  claim 14 , wherein the two outer parts include holes in which the material of the seal sleeve wall extends to form a firm connection between the outer parts and the seal sleeve wall. 
     
     
         16 . The seal sleeve according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one end member includes threaded holes in which bolts may be screwed to provide a connection between an inner element and the end member. 
     
     
         17 . The seal sleeve according to  claim 16 , wherein each threaded hole of the at least one end member extends along a screw axis associated with that hole which screw axis includes an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the seal sleeve wall, such that, when a screw is tightened, the end member is urged in a direction along the longitudinal axis from the end surface that extends in a plane that includes a sharp angle with the longitudinal axis towards the opposite end surface of the end member. 
     
     
         18 - 27 . (canceled)