Radius control

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing an outer collar member of an end fitting for a flexible pipe. The apparatus comprises an outer collar body portion and an outer collar neck portion extending away from the outer collar body portion. The neck portion is arranged to be secured to a portion of flexible pipe body in a slotted position between layers of the flexible pipe body. The position is located between an outer sheath of the flexible pipe body and at least one armour layer of the flexible pipe body wherein the outer collar body portion comprises a curved inner surface region for determining a radius of curvature of wires of the armour layer bent away from an axis of the flexible pipe bodies and supported by the curved inner surface when the pipe body is mounted in the end fitting.

1 . Apparatus comprising an outer collar member of an end fitting for a flexible pipe, comprising:
 an outer collar body portion; and   an outer collar neck portion extending away from the outer collar body portion and arranged to be secured to a portion of flexible pipe body in a slotted position between layers of the flexible pipe body, said position being located between an outer sheath of the flexible pipe body and at least one armour layer of the flexible pipe body; wherein   said outer collar body portion comprises an inner surface region for determining a radius of curvature of wires of the armour layer bent away from an axis of the flexible pipe body and supported by the inner surface when the pipe body is mounted in the end fitting.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said outer collar member comprises:
 a substantially cylindrical neck portion defining an open mouth at a first end region of the outer collar member and a further open mouth at a remaining end region of the outer collar member defined by the outer collar body portion.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said outer body portion is turned outwardly from the collar neck portion at said remaining end region, said inner surface being located at a core region of said outer collar body portion. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said outer collar member comprises:
 a substantially cylindrical neck portion defining an open mouth at a first end of the outer collar member and a partially closed mouth at a remaining end region of the outer collar member.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said partially closed mouth is partially closed by the outer collar body portion which is inwardly turned with respect to the neck portion, said inner surface being located at an end region of the inwardly turned portion of the collar body portion. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the neck portion of the outer collar member is tapered to aid in a slotting process during which an open mouth of the outer collar member is urged between layers of the flexible pipe. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said inner surface region comprises a curve shaped region. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said inner surface region comprises a linear shaped region. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus comprising an inner collar member of an end fitting for a flexible pipe, comprising:
 an inner collar body portion; and   an inner collar neck portion extending away from the inner collar body portion; wherein   an end region of said neck portion comprises an outer surface region for determining a radius of curvature of wires of an armour layer of a portion of flexible pipe body, said wires being bent away from an axis of the flexible pipe body and supported by the outer surface region when the pipe is mounted in the end fitting.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the inner collar member comprises a substantially cylindrical neck portion defining an open mouth at a first end thereof and a further open mouth at a remaining end thereof.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 the inner collar body portion is located at the remaining end of the neck portion and is turned outwardly with respect to the neck portion.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said first end comprises a flexible pipe body end and said remaining end comprises an end fitting body end. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said outer surface region comprises a curve shaped region. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein said outer surface region comprises a linear shaped region. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus for securing wires of an armour layer in an end fitting of a flexible pipe, comprising:
 an inner collar member of an end fitting for a portion of flexible pipe body; and   an outer collar member for the flexible pipe body; wherein   each of the inner collar member and outer collar member include wire supporting surfaces arranged to determine a radius of curvature of wires of an armour layer of the flexible pipe body when the wires are bent away from an axis of the flexible pipe body and supported by the surfaces when the pipe is mounted in the end fitting.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the wire supporting surfaces of the inner collar member and the outer collar member are curved and share a common radius of curvature. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the wire supporting surfaces of the inner collar member and the outer collar member are linear and share a common angle of incidence with an axis of the flexible pipe body. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16  or  claim 17 , further comprising:
 wherein said inner collar member and outer collar member are located in the end fitting so that an inner surface region of the outer collar member is in a spaced apart relationship with respect to an outer surface region of said inner collar member.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 space between said outer and inner surface regions matches a diameter dimension of at least one wire of the armour layer.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 said inner collar member and outer collar member are arranged to clamp the wires of the armour layer therebetween.   
     
     
         21 . A method for securing wires of an armour layer of a portion of flexible pipe body in an end fitting, comprising the steps of:
 bending wires of an armour layer away from an axis of the flexible pipe body at a predetermined location; and   supporting the wires at said predetermined location via a support surface of at least one of an end fitting inner collar member and/or an end fitting outer collar member, said support surfaces having a shape which ensures that a radius of curvature of wires supported by the support surface does not fall below a predetermined minimum radius of curvature.   
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 supporting the wires via respective surfaces of both the inner and outer collar members.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the steps of:
 supporting the wires via respective mating surfaces of both the inner and outer collar members.   
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 securing said inner collar member to said outer collar member thereby clamping the wires between said respective curved surfaces.   
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in  claim 21  further comprising the steps of:
 supporting wires via a curve shaped support surface of at least one of an end fitting inner collar member and/or an end fitting outer collar member.   
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 25  wherein at least one curve shaped support surface has a radius of curvature selected to determine the radius of curvature of supported wires. 
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 21  further comprising the steps of:
 supporting wires via a linear shaped support surface of at least one of an end fitting inner collar member and/or an end fitting outer collar member.   
     
     
         28 . The method as claimed in  claim 27  wherein at least one linear shaped support surface has an angle of incidence with an axis of the flexible pipe body selected to determine the radius of curvature of supported wires. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled)