DIE FOR CASTING JUNCTIONS OF A COATING OF A PIPELINE

• US 20190322061A1
• Filed: 11/23/2017
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saipem SPA (Saipem)
• Original Assignee: Saipem SPA (Saipem)
• Inventors: Muratori, Valerio, Simone, Francesco
• Granted Patent: US 10,889,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14606 Mould cavity sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14598 Coating tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14622 Lining the inner or outer surface of tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/345 using a porous mould wall or a part thereof, e.g. made of sintered metal
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/766 on the end part of a tubular article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/845 by moulding material on a relative small portion of the preformed parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 58/181 for non-disconnectible pipe joints in general F16L13/00

Abstract

A die for casting junctions of a coating of a pipeline is configured to be coupled to the pipeline to form an annular shaped closed compartment about a tubular joint portion comprising a tubular wall, which extends about a designated axis; a plurality of centering devices configured to align the axis of the tubular wall with a longitudinal axis of the pipeline; two annular walls arranged respectively at the opposite ends of the tubular wall; and two pluralities of vent openings arranged along the tubular wall respectively at each of the annular walls; and at least one feeding port configured to supply polymer material into the closed compartment.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A die comprising:

a tubular wall which extends about an axis;

a plurality of centering devices configured to align the tubular wall such that the axis of the tubular wall with a longitudinal axis of a pipeline;

a first annular wall arranged at one end of the tubular wall;

a first plurality of vent openings arranged along the tubular wall within a first designated distance of the first annular wall;

a second annular wall arranged at an opposite end of the tubular wall;

a second plurality of vent openings arranged along the tubular wall within a second designated distance of the second annular wall; and

at least one feeding port configured to supply polymer material into an annular-shaped closed compartment formed about a tubular joint portion of the pipeline when the die is coupled to the pipeline.

15. The die of claim 14, wherein each of the vent openings comprises:

a hole defined by the tubular wall, and

an insert of porous material which is configured to enable air to pass through the hole and stop a flow of the polymer material.

16. The die of claim 14, wherein the first plurality of vent openings and the second plurality of vent openings are uniformly distributed along respective areas arranged between the first annular wall and the second annular wall relative to the axis of the tubular wall.

17. The die of claim 14, wherein the first annular wall and the second annular wall are each made of a silicon elastic material with a hardness from 50 Shore A to 70 Shore A.

18. The die of claim 17, wherein the first annular wall and the second annular wall each comprise a base portion fixed to the tubular wall and an end portion configured to be deformed when the end portion comes into contact with the pipeline when the die is coupled to the pipeline.

19. The die of claim 18, wherein the first annular wall and the second annular wall each has a cross-section comprising two sides converging from the base portion of that annular wall towards the end portion of that annular wall.

20. The die of claim 18, wherein the first annular wall and the second annular wall each has a cross-section defining an opening.

21. The die of claim 20, wherein the plurality of centering devices comprise first centering devices and second centering devices, the first annular wall and the second annular wall are arranged between the first centering devices and the second centering devices relative to the axis of the tubular wall.

22. The die of claim 14, wherein the plurality of centering devices comprise a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by the tubular wall and configured to roll along an outer face of the pipeline.

23. The die of claim 14, wherein the feeding port is arranged between the first annular wall and the second annular wall relative to the axis of the tubular wall.

24. The die of claim 14, wherein the tubular wall comprises at least two sectors hinged to each other and configured to be closed about the pipeline.

25. The die of claim 24, wherein the two sectors each comprise a first coupling face and a second coupling face configured to shape couple to the other sector to prevent mutual sliding of said sectors in a radial direction.

26. The die of claim 25, wherein the first coupling face defines a groove parallel to the axis of the tubular wall and the second coupling face defines a relief parallel to the axis of the tubular wall and complementary to the groove