Pipes and tubular conduits – Flexible – Spirally wound material
Patent
1996-02-26
1997-09-23
Scherbel, David
Pipes and tubular conduits
Flexible
Spirally wound material
138139, 138122, 138154, F16L 1116
Patent
active
056694202
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates mainly to a flexible metallic tube comprising hollow channels and a flexible tubular conduit comprising at least one such flexible metallic tube and process for making it.
Coflexip, one of the applicant companies, has for many years produced and marketed flexible tubular conduits of great lengths, with high mechanical strength, that can be used particularly for transporting hydrocarbons, in particular as part of an offshore oil production installation.
Current embodiments of "rough bore" type conduits comprise a double-interlocking, shaped metal strip constituting an inner tube that is resistant to crushing, an inner fluidtight sleeve, an armoring intended to give the flexible tubular conduit a considerable resistance to internal pressure and to axial pulling and a protective outside sleeve. These flexible tubular conduits can further be completed by one or more intermediate sleeves.
On the other hand, flexible tubular conduits called "smooth bore" are known whose inner wall consists of a fluidtight inside tube.
A particularly effective double-interlocking, shaped metal strip of known type is particularly described in French patent application No. 89/15272 filed on Nov. 21, 1989 by Coflexip, one of the applicant companies, published under the No. 2,654,795.
A plastic deformation of a flat metal strip such as a stainless steel band, to impart to it the shape of a double-interlocking shaped strip is performed. To form the tube, the spiral winding of the shaped strip is performed, i.e., its helical winding with slight pitch with interlocking of the shaped metal strips. After interlocking of two successive turns, a final plastic deformation of the strip is performed that is necessary to complete the interlocking.
According to this invention, a flexible metallic tube comprising at least one hollow channel is produced. By hollow compartment is meant an elongated closed volume of approximately constant section spirally wound around the axis of the tube.
The section of the hollow channel is, preferably, closed, the section of the hollow channel then being continuous. In a particular embodiment, the section of the hollow channel is closed by approximately contiguous joining of two elements constituting the wall of the hollow channel.
In a particular embodiment, the section of the hollow channel is closed by approximately contiguous joining of two elements constituting the wall of the hollow channel. As a variant, the section can be completely closed, the section of the hollow channel then being continuous.
The tube according to this invention comprises at least one metal shaped strip spirally wound with a slight pitch around the axis of the flexible conduit formed by the tube, the two lateral parts of the shaped strip constituting radial bearing surfaces which provide the axial interlocking of the shaped strip, at least one of these two radial bearing surfaces exhibiting the shape of a hollow channel, and the shaped strip further comprising at least one straight middle part forming a radial support bearing surface and corresponding to a cylindrical part of the tube.
The hollow channel of the tube according to this invention comprises, in planes that are approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the flexible conduit, a first radial face arranged on the side of the central part of the shaped strip, and a second radial face which constitutes one of the two lateral edges of the shaped strip. The hollow channel comprises, in a complementary way, two approximately cylindrical faces, one inner and the other outer, arranged so that they make it possible for the hollow channel to participate effectively in the resistance of the flexible conduit to radial forces, particularly to crushing forces.
The axial interlocking achieved by the radial bearing surfaces of the shaped strip makes it possible to limit, in a determined and precise way, the amplitude of the displacements that can, in the axial direction of the flexible conduit, affect the turns formed by the shaped strip. The shaped strip
REFERENCES:
patent: 712418 (1902-10-01), Rudolph
patent: 781560 (1905-01-01), Scognamillo
patent: 907692 (1908-12-01), Hervey
patent: 1145434 (1915-07-01), Pechstein
patent: 1593016 (1926-07-01), Campbell
patent: 1954724 (1934-04-01), Collom
patent: 2045540 (1936-06-01), DeBenedetti
patent: 2066473 (1937-01-01), Jorgensen
patent: 2118584 (1938-05-01), Aime
patent: 2402497 (1946-06-01), Johnson
patent: 3041855 (1962-07-01), Hanlein
patent: 3204666 (1965-09-01), Lindsay et al.
patent: 3255780 (1966-06-01), Squirrell
patent: 3311133 (1967-03-01), Kinander
patent: 3459233 (1969-08-01), Webbe
patent: 3495628 (1970-02-01), Boender
patent: 3687169 (1972-08-01), Reynard
patent: 3771570 (1973-11-01), Coleman
patent: 3811470 (1974-05-01), Ahlquist
patent: 4377186 (1983-03-01), Genini et al.
patent: 4531551 (1985-07-01), Eichelberger et al.
patent: 4567916 (1986-02-01), Antal et al.
patent: 4706713 (1987-11-01), Sadamitsu et al.
Bail Guy Le
Feret Jany
Herrero Jose Mallen
Hook James F.
Scherbel David
LandOfFree
Casing and flexible tubular conduit comprising such a casing and does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Casing and flexible tubular conduit comprising such a casing and, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Casing and flexible tubular conduit comprising such a casing and will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1935461