Patents by Inventor Tony Eccleston

Tony Eccleston 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: 9534719
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Tony Eccleston, George Karabelas, Zhimin Tan
  • Patent number: 9217526
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for testing the integrity of a portion of flexible pipe body. The method includes the steps of, via at least one port in an end fitting assembly in which an end of a portion of flexible pipe body is terminated, monitoring at least one parameter associated with an annulus region disposed between layers of the flexible pipe body, the annulus region being connected to the port by a connecting passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventor: Tony Eccleston
  • Publication number: 20150076813
    Abstract: A method and apparatus 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Tony Eccleston, George Karabelas, Zhimin Tan
  • Patent number: 8220129
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing an end fitting to a flexible pipe body are disclosed. The method includes the steps of securing an open end of a portion of flexible pipe body to an inner collar member, urging an open mouth of a body portion of an end fitting towards the flexible pipe body and inner collar member and securing the end fitting body portion to the inner collar member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Wellstream International Limited
    Inventors: Tony Eccleston, George Karabelas, Zhimin Tan
  • Patent number: 8112863
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing wires of at least one armour layer of a portion of flexible pipe body in an end fitting is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of bending wires of at least one armour layer away from an axis of the flexible pipe body at a predetermined location, locating each wire of the armour layer in a respective groove formed in a contact surface of at least one of an inner collar member and an outer collar member of the end fitting and urging contact surfaces of the inner collar member and the outer collar member together to thereby lock wires of the armour layer in a fixed position at said predetermined location in the end fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Wellstream International Limited
    Inventors: Tony Eccleston, George Karabelas, Zhimin Tan
  • Patent number: 8104797
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing an end fitting for a flexible pipe. The apparatus comprises an end fitting body having an open mouth for receiving an open end of a portion of flexible pipe body and an inner collar member to which the end fitting body is securable. The inner collar member includes a collar body portion and a neck portion extending away from the collar body portion. When the end fitting body is secured to the collar member the neck portion of the collar member extends in an axial direction away from the end fitting body to a region proximate to where at least one armour wire layer of the flexible pipe body is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Wellstream International Limited
    Inventors: Tony Eccleston, George Karabelas, Zhimin Tan
  • Publication number: 20100068986
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for testing the integrity of a portion of flexible pipe body. The method includes the steps of, via at least one port in an end fitting assembly in which an end of a portion of flexible pipe body is terminated, monitoring at least one parameter associated with an annulus region disposed between layers of the flexible pipe body, the annulus region being connected to the port by a connecting passageway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventor: Tony Eccleston
  • Publication number: 20100011556
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing an end fitting to a flexible pipe body are disclosed. The method includes the steps of securing an open end of a portion of flexible pipe body to an inner collar member, urging an open mouth of a body portion of an end fitting towards the flexible pipe body and inner collar member and securing the end fitting body portion to the inner collar member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Tony Eccleston, George Karabelas, Zhimin Tan
  • Publication number: 20090322077
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Tony Eccleston, George Karabelas, Zhimin Tan
  • Publication number: 20090250925
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing an end fitting for a flexible pipe. The apparatus comprises an end fitting body having an open mouth for receiving an open end of a portion of flexible pipe body and an inner collar member to which the end fitting body is securable. The inner collar member includes a collar body portion and a neck portion extending away from the collar body portion. When the end fitting body is secured to the collar member the neck portion of the collar member extends in an axial direction away from the end fitting body to a region proximate to where at least one armour wire layer of the flexible pipe body is located.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: Tony Eccleston, George Karabelas, Zhimin Tan
  • Publication number: 20090140517
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing wires of at least one armour layer of a portion of flexible pipe body in an end fitting is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of bending wires of at least one armour layer away from an axis of the flexible pipe body at a predetermined location, locating each wire of the armour layer in a respective groove formed in a contact surface of at least one of an inner collar member and an outer collar member of the end fitting and urging contact surfaces of the inner collar member and the outer collar member together to thereby lock wires of the armour layer in a fixed position at said predetermined location in the end fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Tony Eccleston, George Karabelas, Zhimin Tan
  • Patent number: 7204524
    Abstract: An end fitting, a pipe assembly and a method of assembling a pipe assembly according to which an end fitting is provided with a bore and at least one raised portion is provided on the surface of the housing of the end fitting defining the bore. When an end portion of a pipe is inserted in the bore the raised portion engages the corresponding outer surface of the pipe to provide a seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Wellstream International Limited
    Inventor: Tony Eccleston
  • Publication number: 20040245774
    Abstract: An end fitting, a pipe assembly and a method of assembling a pipe assembly according to which an end fitting is provided with a bore and at least one raised portion is provided on the surface of the housing of the end fitting defining the bore. When an end portion of a pipe is inserted in the bore the raised portion engages the corresponding outer surface of the pipe to provide a seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: Wellstream International Limited
    Inventor: Tony Eccleston