Abstract: A modular subsea equipment assembly including a modular base frame and a plurality of modular superstructure devices for selective attachment to the modular base frame for supporting various components and for attachment to underwater cables. The modular base frame includes a frame member forming an outer periphery of the base frame, and a plurality of cross bars extending between opposite portions of the frame member in one or more directions, the frame member and cross bars having at least upper surfaces each having a plurality of connection points for attaching selected modular devices of the assembly to the base frame in a plurality of different possible configurations.

Abstract: A coriolis flow sensor is disclosed. The coriolis flow sensors comprises a first substrate layer, a second substrate layer, and a third substrate layer. The first substrate layer comprises a first wall. The second substrate layer comprises a second wall. The third substrate layer is disposed between the first and second substrate layers in a stacked configuration. The third substrate layer defines a flow path. The first and second walls of the respective first and second substrates and the flow path defined by the third substrate layer define a first flow channel configured to receive a fluid therethrough. A first actuator is configured to generate vibrations in the first flow channel. The first flow channel is mechanically moveable.

Abstract: An underwater rolling seal connector assembly has releasably mateable connector units with one or more rolling seals mounted in front faces of units. The rolling seals are rotatable back and forth between a closed position sealing one or more chambers within the respective units which contain one or more contacts and an open position in which bores through the seals are open to allow contacts in one unit to pass through the seal openings and engage contact in the other unit. A shell of one connector unit has inwardly facing cam formations and each rolling seal has outwardly directed eccentric rotators configured for engagement with respective cam formations on mating and de-mating of the connector units, whereby travel of the respective rotators along the respective cam formations during mating and de-mating rotates the rolling seals into the open and closed positions, respectively.

Abstract: One or more insulated conductive wire assemblies are incorporated in a pressure balanced, oil-filled (PBOF) hose. Each conductive wire assembly has a pair of conductive wires each having an insulation layer, an insulating material surrounding the insulated wires, and an outer insulating layer surrounding the insulating material. The insulating material may be selected to have a dielectric constant substantially matching the dielectric constant of the oil in the PBOF hose, so that the insulated pair of conductors perform in the same way both before and after the assembly is submerged in oil in the jumper hose. One or more parameters of the conductive wire assembly are selected such that the assembly has a predetermined impedance when submerged in oil within the PBOF hose.

Abstract: A pressure-balanced enclosure for subsea use, and in particular for use as a submersible junction box in which subsea cables can be joined. The apparatus maintains a balanced pressure within the termination chamber; it is field installable, testable, and repairable. The termination chamber is not oil-filled; instead, it is substantially filled with a solid particulate fill material which includes a portion of elastomeric material.

Abstract: The present invention provides optical connectors and optical feedthrough systems that can be mated and unmated in a harsh environment, such as underwater, and is particularly concerned with a method and apparatus for securing and sealing an optical feedthrough or connector from the surrounding turbid environment.

Abstract: An electroplating system and method has a needle anode associated with an XYZ or multi-direction positioning device and is configured for plating internal surfaces of holes in metal products. The needle anode is positioned such that an insertion portion of the needle anode is centered over a hole and inserted to a predetermined depth in the hole, with a discharge end located a predetermined distance from the inner end of the hole. Plating solution is supplied to the needle anode and flows continuously during plating from the discharge end of the needle, through a gap between the needle anode and inner surface of the hole, and out of the open end of the hole into a drain. In one example, the metal object is a terminal of an electrical connector and the hole is a solder cup at a terminal end of the connector.

Abstract: A harsh environment connector has first and second connector units which each have at least one contact chamber in which at least one contact is located. Seal assemblies at the front ends of the respective contact chambers include seal members which rotate about the longitudinal axis of the connector as the units are mated to allow contacts of one connector unit to pass through aligned seal openings and into engagement with contacts in the other connector unit. Each seal assembly has a seal clamp member and the seal and seal clamp members are relatively rotatable during mating and de-mating between a first position when the units are unmated in which the seal openings are clamped shut by the seal clamp member and a second position when the units are mated in which clamp portions of the seal clamp member are offset from the seal openings.

Abstract: The present invention provides optical connectors and optical feedthrough systems that can be mated and unmated in a harsh environment, such as underwater, and is particularly concerned with a method and apparatus for securing and sealing an optical feedthrough or connector from the surrounding turbid environment.

Abstract: Messages on controller area net work (CAN) buses are communicated over subsea optical links. An adaptor couples a CAN bus to an optical link. The adaptor detects a direction of transmission, that is, whether a signal began on the CAN bus coupled to the adaptor or on the optical link coupled to the adaptor. Signals from the CAN bus are conditionally transmitted to the optical link depending on the detected direction of transmission. The adaptor can operate at the physical layer without analyzing contents of the CAN bus communications.

Abstract: An underwater rolling seal connector assembly has releasably mateable plug and receptacle units with one or more rolling seals mounted in front faces of receptacle and plug units. The rolling seals are rotatable back and forth between a closed position sealing one or more chambers within the respective units which contain one or more contacts and an open position in which bores through the seals are open to allow contacts in one unit to pass through the seal openings and engage contact in the other unit. Actuators automatically rotate the rolling seals into the open position during mating and back into the closed position on de-mating. At least one actuator assisting device is located in at least one of the units and associated with the rolling seal in that unit to bias the seal back to the closed position during de-mating.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus determining a position of a submersible vehicle within a body of water are provided. A method comprises determining an initial position of the vehicle while the vehicle is at or near a water surface. The method further comprises coupling the vehicle and a base node to a weight and determining a position of the base node once the base node and vehicle have reached the floor of the body of water using acoustic modems of the vehicle and a surface vessel to aid in calculating the position as they descend, and acoustically transferring the at rest position on the seafloor from the vehicle to the node. The method further comprises decoupling the vehicle from the node and weight and determining a position of the vehicle based on the position of the base node and acoustic signals exchanged between acoustic modems of the vehicle and the base node.

Abstract: A coriolis flow sensor is disclosed. The coriolis flow sensors comprises a first substrate layer, a second substrate layer, and a third substrate layer. The first substrate layer comprises a first wall. The second substrate layer comprises a second wall. The third substrate layer is disposed between the first and second substrate layers in a stacked configuration. The third substrate layer defines a flow path. The first and second walls of the respective first and second substrates and the flow path defined by the third substrate layer define a first flow channel configured to receive a fluid therethrough. A first actuator is configured to generate vibrations in the first flow channel. The first flow channel is mechanically moveable.

Abstract: An electrical penetrator assembly has a ceramic housing with a through bore, a first electrical conductor extending through at least part of the bore and terminating and having an outer end outside the bore and a second end, and a second electrical conductor having a first end in electrical communication with the second end of the first conductor and an outer end. The second end of the first conductor and the first end of the second conductor are in electrical communication and at least one of the conductors is movable relative to the other conductor to accommodate expansion and contraction as a result of temperature variations, and first and second seals extend between respective ends of the ceramic housing and the first and second conductor, respectively.

Abstract: Technologies are provided for underwater measurements. A system includes an underwater vessels including: a plurality of sensors disposed thereon for measuring underwater properties; and a programmable controller configured to selectively activate the plurality of sensors based at least in part on underwater pressure. A user may program at what pressure ranges certain sensors are activated to measure selected properties, and may also program the ascent/descent rate of the underwater vessel, which is correlated with the underwater pressure.

Abstract: An underwater rolling seal connector assembly has releasably mateable plug and receptacle units with one or more rolling seals mounted in front faces of receptacle and plug units. The rolling seals are rotatable back and forth between a closed position sealing one or more chambers within the respective units which contain one or more contacts and an open position in which bores through the seals are open to allow contacts in one unit to pass through the seal openings and engage contact in the other unit. Actuators automatically rotate the rolling seals into the open position during mating and back into the closed position on de-mating. At least one actuator assisting device is located in at least one of the units and associated with the rolling seal in that unit to bias the seal back to the closed position during de-mating.

Abstract: A coupler mechanism comprising plug and receptacle units sealably mates and de-mates first and second reservoirs. In the mating sequence, the plug and receptacle units are brought together so that their end-seals are pressed tightly against each other axially, thus forming a sealed barrier between the units and the outside environment. Once the face-to-face seal between the units has been established, further engagement displaces slidable seal elements laterally, thereby creating an opening between the reservoirs, the opening remaining sealed from the outside environment before, during and after mating. The sequence for demating the units is just the reverse of the mating sequence. One embodiment of the invention applies the aforementioned construction to harsh-environment electrical, fiber-optical, and hybrid electro-optical connectors.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sealably joining cables to pressure-balanced submersible junction boxes. The apparatus maintains a balanced pressure within the termination chamber; it is field installable, testable, and repairable. The termination chamber is not oil-filled; instead, it is substantially filled with a solid particulate fill material. An apparatus and method for sealably containing the cable's bitter end within the termination chamber are further provided. The apparatus includes a cable termination assembly having a chamber with a first end including a load bearing cable-attachment to sealably join a cable to the chamber, and a second end including an underwater connector. Within the chamber one or more optical and/or electrical conductors from the cable are terminated to respective one or more attachment points of the connector. The apparatus prohibits cable pistoning into the termination chamber.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a multilayer jacket for a seismic streamer is disclosed. The multilayer jacket comprises an outer layer comprising a water-resistant and wear-resistant material. The multilayer jacket further comprises an inner layer comprising a hydrocarbon impermeable material.

Abstract: To provide a protective coat on a refrigerated sample collector for a corrosive environment a unitary frame includes a support unit with condenser and evaporator coils mounted to the support unit and an orifice connecting the condenser and evaporator coils. The evaporator coils, condenser coils and a restrictor are powder coated after being connected, whereby an effective seal is provided for the restrictor, condenser coils and evaporator coils after they are assembled to the support. The unitary frame can be easily removed or connected as a unit to the sample collector. The bottle rack for the sample collector is made by injection molding two halves of the rack each of which has a matching surface and a bottle positioning surface. The matching surfaces are fastened together by placing the matching surfaces together back to back whereby locating members are spaced apart a sufficient distance.