Patents by Inventor Philippe Francois Espinasse

Philippe Francois 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).

  • Patent number: 10641065
    Abstract: A method for reducing the pressure of fluid within subsea equipment. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a pipe, (b) laying the pipe on the sea floor, (c) providing a connector, (d) connecting the pipe to the subsea equipment via the connector, and (e) extracting fluid from the subsea equipment through the connector and into the pipe. Apparatus for reducing the pressure of fluid within subsea equipment by extracting fluid from the subsea equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: FORSYS SUBSEA LIMITED
    Inventors: Philippe Francois Espinasse, Thomas Parenteau, Antoine Marret
  • Patent number: 10451206
    Abstract: A connection end-piece of a flexible pipe includes an end vault extending along a central axis; an outer cover fixed to the end vault and defining, with the end vault, a reception chamber for receiving an end section of the armor elements of the flexible pipe; at least one annular member applied externally to the armor elements of the flexible pipe, the annular member being at least partially accommodated in the reception chamber between the armor elements and the outer cover. The annular member applies a radial tightening pressure higher than 100 bars onto the armor elements toward the central axis of the flexible pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: TECHNIP FRANCE
    Inventors: Philippe François Espinasse, René Antoine Maloberti, Jean-Christophe Bourget, Guillaume Chaudet
  • Publication number: 20190136671
    Abstract: A method for reducing the pressure of fluid within subsea equipment. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a pipe, (b) laying the pipe on the sea floor, (c) providing a connector, (d) connecting the pipe to the subsea equipment via the connector, and (e) extracting fluid from the subsea equipment through the connector and into the pipe. Apparatus for reducing the pressure of fluid within subsea equipment by extracting fluid from the subsea equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: FORSYS SUBSEA LIMITED
    Inventors: Philippe Francois ESPINASSE, Thomas PARENTEAU, Antoine MARRET
  • Patent number: 9927069
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system (10) for transferring fluid between a first surface installation (11) and a second surface installation (12), comprising a tubular transfer conduit (25) that can be deployed between the two surface installations, the first end (28) of the conduit being connected to piping of the first surface installation (11) while the second end (29) is intended to be connected to a collector (20) of the second surface installation (12), said tubular transfer conduit (25) being suspended beneath a support and guidance structure (40) by a link (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: TECHNIP FRANCE
    Inventor: Philippe François Espinasse
  • Publication number: 20150345680
    Abstract: An end-piece having: an end vault extending along a central axis; an outer cover fixed to the end vault and defining, with the end vault, a reception chamber for receiving an end section of the armour elements; at least one annular member applied externally to the armour elements of an armour layer, the annular member being al least partially accommodated in the reception chamber between the armour elements and the outer cover. The annular member applies a radial tightening pressure higher than 100 bars towards the central axis onto the armour elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Philippe François ESPINASSE, René Antoine MALOBERTI, Jean-Christophe BOURGET, Guillaume CHAUDET
  • Patent number: 9062434
    Abstract: The device of the disclosure comprises an assembly (22) for collecting material on the bed (12) of a body of water (14), a riser (48) for lifting the solid material, and a pump (90) for lifting the solid material collected by the collection assembly (22) in the riser (48) towards the surface facility (26). The device also comprises a separator (42) for generating a stream having a high content of solid material and a stream having a low content of solid material, the separator (42) including a lower outlet (76) for discharging the stream with high content of solid material. The device comprises an upstream hose (40) connecting the collection assembly (22) to the separator (42), and an intermediate pipe (44) connecting the or each discharge outlet (76) of the stream with high content of solid material to the riser (48), the delivery outlet (100) of the pump being tapped into the intermediate pipe (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: TECHNIP FRANCE
    Inventors: Philippe Francois Espinasse, Thomas Parenteau
  • Publication number: 20140041262
    Abstract: The device of the disclosure comprises an assembly (22) for collecting material on the bed (12) of a body of water (14), a riser (48) for lifting the solid material, and a pump (90) for lifting the solid material collected by the collection assembly (22) in the riser (48) towards the surface facility (26). The device also comprises a separator (42) for generating a stream having a high content of solid material and a stream having a low content of solid material, the separator (42) including a lower outlet (76) for discharging the stream with high content of solid material. The device comprises an upstream hose (40) connecting the collection assembly (22) to the separator (42), and an intermediate pipe (44) connecting the or each discharge outlet (76) of the stream with high content of solid material to the riser (48), the delivery outlet (100) of the pump being tapped into the intermediate pipe (44).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Inventors: Philippe Francois Espinasse, Thomas Parenteau
  • Publication number: 20130333804
    Abstract: The invention present disclosure relates to a system (10) for transferring fluid between a first surface installation (11) and a second surface installation (12), comprising a tubular transfer conduit (25) that can be deployed between the two surface installations, the first end (28) of the conduit being connected to piping of the first surface installation (11) while the second end (29) is intended to be connected to a collector (20) of the second surface installation (12), said tubular transfer conduit (25) being suspended beneath a support and guidance structure (40) by a link (52).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventor: Philippe François Espinasse
  • Patent number: 7716803
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a flexible pipe for conveyance of fluid, comprising: winding at least one metal element in a short pitch helix around an inner sealing sheath for withstanding radial forces in the inner sealing sheath; preshaping a metal strip to form at least one ply of tensile armor tendons; winding the ply of tensile armor tendons in a long pitch helix around the at least one metal element; and applying an external protective sealing sheath around the at least one ply of tensile armor tendons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Alain Coutarel, Francois Dupoiron, Philippe Francois Espinasse
  • Patent number: 6843278
    Abstract: The invention concerns a flexible duct (1) comprising from inside outwards a carcass (2) produced by a short-pitched metallic helical winding forming butt gaps (12), an overlapping layer (10) acting as a heat shield consisting of helically wound plastic strips (10a, 10b), a sealed inner pressure sheath (3), extruded in plastic on said overlapping layer (10), at least an armouring web (5) and at least an outer sealing sheath (7). The invention is characterised in that the overlapping strips (10a, 10b) are wound at a winding angle less than 35°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventor: Philippe François Espinasse
  • Patent number: 6779949
    Abstract: For transferring a fluid between at least two floating supports or one floating and one fixed support, a rigid hollow transport line is immersed with a cable suspension system in the sea. A flexible connector links each end of the rigid transport line to one of the supports. The entire rigid transport line including its ends is immersed in the sea at a depth which is greater than the turbulent zone of the sea. Each connector provides continuity of oil flow between the two floating supports via the rigid transport line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: COFLEXIP
    Inventors: Steven Alexander Barras, Pierre Savy, Didier B. Renard, Gene Raborn, Louis George Bill, Philippe François Espinasse
  • Publication number: 20040060610
    Abstract: The invention concerns a flexible duct (1) comprising from inside outwards a carcass (2) produced by a short-pitched metallic helical winding forming butt gaps (12), an overlapping layer (10) acting as a heat shield consisting of helically wound plastic strips (10a, 10b), a sealed inner pressure sheath (3), extruded in plastic on said overlapping layer (10), at least an armouring web (5) and at least an outer sealing sheath (7). The invention is characterised in that the overlapping strips (10a, 10b) are wound at a winding angle less than 35°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventor: Philippe Francois Espinasse
  • Publication number: 20030102044
    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 30, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Alain Coutarel, Francois Dupoiron, Philippe Francois Espinasse
  • Publication number: 20030091396
    Abstract: Device for transferring fluid between at least two floating supports of the type comprising a rigid hollow transport line (1) submerged catenary-fashion in the sea, flexible connecting means (10) connecting each end (2,3) of the rigid transport line (1) to one of the said floating supports (4,5), and it is characterized in that the entirety of the rigid transport line (1) including the said ends (2,3) is submerged in the sea to a depth (P1) which is greater than the said turbulent zone, the said connecting means (10) ensuring continuity of flow of the crude between the two floating supports (4,5) via the said rigid transport line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: Steven Alexander Barras, Pierre Savy, Didier B. Renard, Gene Raborn, Louis George Bill, Philippe Francois Espinasse
  • Patent number: 6415825
    Abstract: The invention concerns a flexible tubular pipe comprising, from inside outwards, a web (1) made of interlocked steel strips, an inner impervious sheath (2) in polymer material, a short-stepped helical winding of interlocked forming wire (3) arranged above the internal sheath (2), at least a hoop (4) consisting of a short-stepped metal wire winding without interlock, at least a long-stepped tractive armouring layer (5) wound around the pressure vault and an outer polymer protective and sealing sheath (8); the sickness (Ef) of the hoop (4) is greater than the thickness (Ez) of the metal forming wire (3), preferably by one to three times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Coflexip
    Inventors: François Dupoiron, Philippe François Espinasse, Patrice Jung, Bernard Jacques Houot
  • Patent number: 6401760
    Abstract: This one-piece subsea flexible multilayer tubular pipe comprises a carcass (1) made of interlocked metal strip, an inner sealing sheath (2) made of a polymer material, a winding of an interlocked metal element (3) wound in a helix with a short pitch, at least one ply (5) of tensile armor layers wound with a long pitch around the pressure vault, where appropriate at least one thermal insulation layer (7) and an outer protective sealing sheath (8); this pipe has, over its length, sections intended for regions of different use and the physical characteristics of at least one of the layers are modified at manufacture over at least one section of the length of the pipe, without modifying the outside diameter of the said layer, so as to tailor the properties of the pipe in this section to the conditions for the zone in which it will be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Coflexip
    Inventor: Philippe François Espinasse
  • Patent number: 6354333
    Abstract: A tubular flexible pipe which from the inside outward includes an inner sealing sheath of polymer, a cylindrical pressure vault comprised of a helical wire winding with gaps between the windings, perhaps a wound tensile armoring layer and a scaling outer sheath. The vault includes an elongated masking element, at least partially masking the gaps between the windings of the wire and being at the inner sheath, The masking element is a wire helically coiled in a recess at the inner face of the vault or is an axial extension of the vault wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Coflexip
    Inventors: François Dupoiron, Philippe François Espinasse, Patrice Jung
  • Patent number: 6253793
    Abstract: A flexible tubular pipe having an internal sheath and a pressure vault around the sheath with a helically would short pitch metal wire. The metal wire has an I-shaped cross-section with a narrowed central web and greater thickness internal and external flanges. Recesses in at least one set of the flanges enable fastening elements to be installed for holding to adjacent wire windings. The ratios of widths of the flanges, height and width of the wire, moments of inertia in the width wise and radial direction are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Corlexip
    Inventors: François Dupoiron, Philippe François Espinasse, Patrice Jung