High pressure seal back-up

Abstract

A seal mechanism for use with a downhole component comprises a first tubular member and a second tubular member, wherein the first tubular member is disposed within the second tubular member and separated therefrom by an extrusion gap; a circumferential groove disposed on the first tubular member; a seal disposed within the circumferential groove, wherein the seal is selectively positionable into engagement with the second tubular member; and a high pressure seal back-up disposed within the circumferential groove, wherein the distance between an inside diameter of the high pressure seal back-up and an outside diameter of the high pressure seal back-up is configured to remain substantially constant when pressure increases on the high pressure seal back-up, and wherein the high pressure seal back-up is configured to have an increase in its outer diameter in response to a pressure increase.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A seal mechanism for use with a downhole component comprising:
 a first tubular member and a second tubular member, wherein the first tubular member is disposed within the second tubular member and separated therefrom by an extrusion gap;   a circumferential groove disposed on the first tubular member;   a seal disposed within the circumferential groove, wherein the seal is selectively positionable into engagement with the second tubular member; and   a high pressure seal back-up disposed within the circumferential groove, wherein the distance between an inside diameter of the high pressure seal back-up and an outside diameter of the high pressure seal back-up is configured to remain substantially constant when pressure increases on the high pressure seal back-up, wherein the high pressure seal back-up is configured to have an increase in its outer diameter in response to a pressure increase, and wherein the high pressure seal back-up is a wave spring.   
     
     
         2 . The seal mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of locking teeth are disposed on a surface of the high pressure seal back-up and are configured to engage with a plurality of locking teeth disposed on a surface adjacent to the high pressure seal back-up. 
     
     
         3 . The seal mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein a wedge is fixedly attached to a surface adjacent to the high pressure seal back-up. 
     
     
         4 . The seal mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure seal back-up comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: a fluoropolymer, a polyethylene polymer, a silicon polymer, a urethane polymer, a metal, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The seal mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure seal mechanism comprises a one-way seal. 
     
     
         7 . The seal mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure seal back-up is configured to engage the second tubular member in response to a pressure increase on the high pressure seal back-up. 
     
     
         8 . The seal mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the high pressure seal back-ups are disposed within the circumferential groove, wherein the distance between an inside diameter of each of the high pressure seal back-up and an outside diameter of each of the high pressure seal back-up is configured to remain substantially constant when pressure increases on each of the high pressure seal back-up. 
     
     
         9 . The seal mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of second seal back-ups are disposed within the circumferential groove. 
     
     
         10 . A seal mechanism configured for a downhole component comprising:
 a tubular member disposed adjacent to a surface;   a circumferential groove disposed on the tubular member;   a seal disposed within the circumferential groove, wherein the seal is configured to engage with the surface;   a high pressure seal back-up disposed within the circumferential groove, wherein the high pressure seal back-up is configured to extend into an extrusion gap in response to an axial compression; and   a second seal back-up disposed within the circumferential groove that is configured to engage with the high pressure seal back-up.   
     
     
         11 . The seal mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the tubular member and the surface are configured so that the tubular member may move axially along the surface. 
     
     
         12 . The seal mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the high pressure seal back-up is configured to prevent the seal from extruding through the extrusion gap. 
     
     
         13 . The seal mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the high pressure seal back-up is configured so that the distance between an inside diameter of the high pressure seal back-up and an outside diameter of the high pressure seal back-up remain substantially constant when pressure increases on the high pressure seal back-up. 
     
     
         14 . 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 increasing pressure on a seal and a high pressure seal back-up, wherein the seal and the high pressure seal back-up are disposed at least partially within a circumferential groove, wherein the high pressure seal back-up comprises a wave spring;   radially extending the high pressure seal back-up; and   engaging the seal with a tubular member and a surface to form a sealing engagement between the tubular member and the surface.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising decreasing pressure on the seal and the high pressure seal back-up, wherein the high pressure seal back-up radially contracts away from the surface while maintaining a substantially constant distance between an outside diameter of the high pressure seal back-up and an inside diameter of the high pressure seal back-up. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising engaging a wedge fixedly attached to a second surface adjacent to the high pressure seal back-up. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising decreasing pressure on the seal and the high pressure seal back-up, wherein the wedge slows the reduction of the outside diameter of the high pressure seal back-up when pressure decreases on the high pressure seal back-up. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising engaging a plurality of locking teeth disposed on a surface of the high pressure seal back-up with a plurality of locking teeth disposed on a second surface adjacent to the high pressure seal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising decreasing pressure on the seal and the high pressure seal back-up, wherein the plurality of locking teeth disposed on the high pressure seal back-up and engaged with the plurality of locking teeth disposed on the second surface slows the reduction of the outside diameter of the high pressure seal back-up when pressure decreases on the high pressure seal back-up. 
     
     
         21 . The seal mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the high pressure seal back-up is a wave spring. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising engaging a second seal back-up disposed within the circumferential groove with the high pressure seal back-up.