Patents by Inventor Philippe Espinasse

Philippe Espinasse has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20070102922
    Abstract: A device for laying pipes from a laying vessel. The pipes convey a fluid within. The device comprises a lower retaining device to retain a pipe and a lower securing device to support the lower retaining device. An upper retaining device retains the pipe and is able to move translationally with respect to the lower retaining device. Both retaining devices retain the pipe from the inside. An upper securing device to which the lower retaining device can be coupled through a pipe section to be connected in order to release the lower securing device and in order to secure thereto the said upper retaining device after the then lower pipe section has been connected and submerged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventor: Philippe Espinasse
  • Patent number: 7174931
    Abstract: The invention concerns a liquefied gas transfer installation, in particular for liquefied natural gas, adapted to transfer liquefied gas between two surface tanks and distally spaced apart. The installation comprises a transfer line. The transfer line is immersed in water. The invention is applicable to installations for loading ships with natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventor: Philippe Espinasse
  • Publication number: 20060048850
    Abstract: The invention concerns a liquefied gas transfer installation, in particular for liquefied natural gas, adapted to transfer liquefied gas between two surface tanks and distally spaced apart. The installation comprises a transfer line. The transfer line is immersed in water. The invention is applicable to installations for loading ships with natural gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Inventor: Philippe Espinasse
  • Publication number: 20050097720
    Abstract: This flexible tubular pipe 1 comprises at least, from the inside outward, a carcass 3 made of interlocked strip, an internal sealing sheath 4, a cylindrical pressure vault 5 consisting of a winding of an interlocked profiled metal wire would in a helix with a short pitch, at least one ply 7, 8 of tensile armor tendons wound with a long pitch, and an external protective sealing sheath, and it is characterized in that at least one armor ply is made of steel strip 10 advantageously shaped by bending.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Inventors: Alain Coutarel, Francois Dupoiron, Philippe Espinasse
  • Patent number: 6889717
    Abstract: A flexible tubular pipe comprising at least, from the inside outwards, an internal sealing sheath made of a polymer material, a cylindrical pressure vault having an external face and having an internal face placed over the internal sheath. The vault is a winding, in a helix with a short pitch and with a gap between turns, of an interlocked metal profile wire. At least one ply of tensile armour layers is wound with a long pitch. An external protective sealing sheath is made of a polymer. The fastener wire has the same height as the profile wire and is fastened below the neutral fiber of the profile wire. The ratio of the cross section of the profile wire to the cross section of the fastening wire is between 1 and 2 and the ratio of the moment of inertia Iyy of the profile wire to the moment of inertia Iyy of the fastening wire is between 1 and 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Alain Coutarel, François Dupoiron, Philippe Espinasse, Louis Patrice Joël Jung
  • Publication number: 20050089637
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing plated-steel armor wires intended for reinforcement of flexible tubular pipes for transporting hydrocarbons, comprising a plating coating is intimately bonded, by high pressure, to a core made of hardenable steel with moderate mechanical properties, and then the plated wire obtained undergoes a rapid high-temperature hardening step followed by a tempering step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Francois Dupoiron, Philippe Espinasse
  • Patent number: 6840286
    Abstract: A flexible tubular pipe comprising at least one metal profile spiralled in a helix about a longitudinal axis of the flexible pipe. The profile consists of a metal strip, each turn of which comprises two separate box sections which are obtained by bending the said strip so that the free edges of the strip are turned down between the two box sections and are in contact with a strip portion provided on an upraised bulge formed between the two box sections. The contact portion ties approximately along the neutral fiber of the profile. Each box section has a trapezoidal shape. Connectors above or below the profile connect windings. The edges of the connectors extend into the bulges. Profiling or extra elements are provided for the connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignees: Coflexip, Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Philippe Espinasse, Patrice Joël Louis Jung
  • Publication number: 20040154677
    Abstract: This flexible tubular pipe comprises at least, from the inside outwards, an internal sealing sheath (1) made of a polymer material, a cylindrical pressure vault (2) having an external face and an internal face placed over the internal sheath (1), the vault (2) consisting of the winding, in a helix with a short pitch and with a gap between turns, of an interlocked metal profile wire (10), at least one ply (3, 4) of tensile armor layers wound with a long pitch and an external protective sealing sheath (5) made of a polymer; the fastener wire (20) has the same height has the profile wire and is fastened below the neutral fiber of the profile wire, the ratio of the cross section of the profile wire to the cross section of the fastening wire is between 1 and 2 and the ratio of the moment of inertia Iyy of the profile wire to the moment of inertia Iyy of the fastening wire is between 1 and 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: Alain Coutarel, Francois Dupoiron, Philippe Espinasse, Patrice Joel Louis Jung
  • Publication number: 20040074553
    Abstract: It is of the type comprising at least one metal profile (P) spiralled in a helix about a longitudinal axis (A-A) of the said flexible pipe and is characterized in that the profile (P) consists of a metal strip (1), each turn of which comprises two separate box sections (2, 3) which are obtained by bending the said strip so that the free edges (8, 9) of the strip are turned down between the two box sections (2, 3) and are in contact with a strip portion (6) provided on a bulge (5) formed between the two box sections, the said contact portion (6) lying approximately along the neutral fibre (7) of the said profile, and in that each box section (2, 3) has a trapezoidal shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Philippe Espinasse, Patrice Joel Louis Jung
  • Publication number: 20040055657
    Abstract: A flexible tubular pipe comprising a metal carcass helically coiled about a longitudinal axis of said flexible pipe and the carcass comprises a seamed profiled hollow tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Philippe Espinasse, Patrice Joel Luis Jung, Daniel Averbuch, Francois Dupoiron
  • Patent number: 6691743
    Abstract: A flexible tubular pipe having, from the inside outwards, at least, a carcass of an interlocked metal strip, an internal sealing sheath, a cylindrical pressure vault of a winding of an interlocked profiled metal wire wound in a helix with a short pitch, at least one ply of tensile armor wires wound with a long pitch, a wire wound with a short pitch over the ply of armor wires, the wires having a deformable sheath that partially penetrates the gaps between the windings in the at least one ply of armor wires, and an external protective sealing sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Coflexip
    Inventor: Philippe Espinasse
  • Patent number: 6679298
    Abstract: It is of the type comprising at least two reinforcing armour plies (3-6) wound in opposite senses about a longitudinal axis (A—A) and at least one pressure sheath (7), which can collapse in a given direction under the action of external pressure greater than the internal pressure in the said collapsible pipe, the collapse being able to cause a transverse elongation of the said pressure sheath, and it is characterized in that at least one stiffener (8, 9) is provided on at least one surface (7a) of the said pressure sheath, which is made of a thermoplastic, so as, during collapse, to limit the said elongation to a value of less than the elongation threshold of the said thermoplastic. Application especially to the transporting of hydrocarbons in offshore operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Coflexip
    Inventor: Philippe Espinasse
  • Patent number: 6668867
    Abstract: A flexible metal tube with closed section and a flexible pipe comprising such a metal tube, comprising a strip with substantially constant thickness and wound helically around an axis, the strip includes at least a closed section having walls formed by portions of a common turn of the strip, the closed section includes an upper wall and a lower wall and the section is arranged at one end of said strip while the other end terminates in a free edge. The closed section is trapezoidal in cross-section. A bulge radially oriented towards the upper wall of the closed section is provided between the closed section and the free edge of the stirrup. The invention is in particular applicable to flexible tubular pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole & Coflexip
    Inventors: Philippe Espinasse, Patrice Joël Louis Jung, Daniel Averbuch, François Dupoiron
  • Publication number: 20030159745
    Abstract: This flexible tubular pipe 1 comprising, from the inside outwards, at least, a carcass consisting of an interlocked metal strip 3, an internal sealing sheath 4, a cylindrical pressure vault 5 consisting of the winding of an interlocked profile metal wire wound in a helix with a short pitch, at least one ply of tensile armour wires 7 wound with a long pitch and an external protective sealing sheath 8, is characterized by a wire 9 wound with a short pitch over the ply of armour wires 7 so that its deformable sheath 11 partially penetrates the gaps 12 in the said ply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventor: Philippe Espinasse
  • Publication number: 20030116216
    Abstract: It is of the type comprising at least two reinforcing armour plies (3-6) wound in opposite senses about a longitudinal axis (A-A) and at least one pressure sheath (7), which can collapse in a given direction under the action of external pressure greater than the internal pressure in the said collapsible pipe, the collapse being able to cause a transverse elongation of the said pressure sheath, and it is characterized in that at least one stiffener (8, 9) is provided on at least one surface (7a) of the said pressure sheath, which is made of a thermoplastic, so as, during collapse, to limit the said elongation to a value of less than the elongation threshold of the said thermoplastic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: Coflexip
    Inventor: Philippe Espinasse
  • Publication number: 20030070719
    Abstract: Flexible metal tube having a box element and flexible pipe comprising such a metal tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventors: Philippe Espinasse, Patrice Jo?euml;l Louis Jung, Daniel Averbuch, Fran?ccedil;ois Dupoiron
  • Patent number: 5449252
    Abstract: A device for laying tubular conduits from a floating support including a pair of clamps for gripping the tubular conduit. Each clamp can alternately provide a restraining force on the tubular conduit to be laid. The device is characterized in that one of the clamps can move relative to the floating support and is submerged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Coflexip
    Inventors: Rene Maloberti, Alain Coutarel, Philippe Espinasse
  • Patent number: 5380129
    Abstract: A method for laying a pipeline formed of joined rigid and flexible tubular conduits on an underwater surface, particularly an ocean bed, by using a floating support. The method includes the steps of: loading onto the floating support a length of flexible tubular conduit; laying from the support a length of rigid tubular conduit; connecting the ends of the two conduits together; lowering the conduits; and halting the lowering when the rigid conduit hits bottom, while the other end of the flexible conduit is still in the floating support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Coflexip
    Inventors: Rene Maloberti, Alain Coutarel, Philippe Espinasse