GB2361274A - Connector with recessed fixing device - Google Patents

Connector with recessed fixing device Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2361274A
GB2361274A GB0105198A GB0105198A GB2361274A GB 2361274 A GB2361274 A GB 2361274A GB 0105198 A GB0105198 A GB 0105198A GB 0105198 A GB0105198 A GB 0105198A GB 2361274 A GB2361274 A GB 2361274A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
connector
shaft
portions
socket
fixing device
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0105198A
Other versions
GB0105198D0 (en
Inventor
Allan Glennie
Murray Mcintosh
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sub Sea Offshore Ltd
Original Assignee
Sub Sea Offshore Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sub Sea Offshore Ltd filed Critical Sub Sea Offshore Ltd
Publication of GB0105198D0 publication Critical patent/GB0105198D0/en
Publication of GB2361274A publication Critical patent/GB2361274A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
    • E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
    • E21B33/035—Well heads; Setting-up thereof specially adapted for underwater installations
    • E21B33/0387—Hydraulic stab connectors
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
    • E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
    • E21B33/035—Well heads; Setting-up thereof specially adapted for underwater installations
    • E21B33/038—Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser
    • E21B33/0385—Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser electrical connectors
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L39/00—Joints or fittings for double-walled or multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Quick-Acting Or Multi-Walled Pipe Joints (AREA)

Abstract

A connector for use on a subsea installation comprises first and second portions 1, 31 adapted to receive and connect respective conduits. A fixing device holds the first and second portions together, at least part of which is provided within a recess of the first or second portions, and preferably comprises a shaft 20 provided entirely inside the first portion and a shaft receiving socket 50 provided entirely inside the second portion. A Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) may be used to engage the end of the shaft 20s so as to fix the first portion to the second portion. When the shaft and socket are fully engaged connector portions 17, 18, 37, 38 may engage so as to form the connection between the conduits.

Description

11 1 2361274 1 1 "Connector" 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 This invention relates to a connector and particularly to a type of connector commonly called a stab connector for connecting hydraulic and/or electrical conduits (or others), and is typically used in subsea structures for connecting e.g. a manifold to a control conduit leading to some other undersea structure or to a control centre on a rig, ROV or other control means.
Existing stab connectors commonly comprise first and second portions each having mating connector terminals for individual hydraulic or electrical lines, each connector portion having a body and some form of fixing device to secure the two portions together when they are connected.
According to the present invention there is provided a connector comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being adapted to receive and connect respective conduits in order to connect a conduit associated with the first portion to 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 is 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 a conduit associated with the second portion, the first and second portions having a fixing device to hold the first and second portions together, wherein at least a portion of the fixing device is recessed within the first or the second portion.
In a preferred embodiment, the fixing device is entirely recessed in the bodies of the first or second portions, and in one preferred embodiment, the fixing device comprises a shaft recessed in the body of the first portion and a socket that is recessed in the body of the second portion. The shaft recessed in the first portion may be adapted to be received within the socket recessed in the body of the second portion and the shaft and socket are typically adapted to be secured together, for example by corresponding screw threads on the respective shaft and socket. In such an embodiment, the shaft is typically rotatable within the body of the first portion, and may be mounted on bearings or seals etc as required to rotate relative to the body of the first portion. Some means of securing the fixing device other than screw threads can be used instead, such as clips or clamps, etc.
Typically the first portion is a free or outboard hub of the connector that is attached to the terminus of one or more conduits to be connected to an inboard or fixed hub (i.e. the second portion) that may be on a subsea installation such as a manifold etc.
Typically the free hub and associated cables or conduits etc are carried by diver or ROV etc to the 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 3 fixed hub and is offered to it, the fixing device being engaged between the two connector portions as or before the connector is finally made up.
Recessing the fixing device within the connector portion(s) minimises the prospect of damage to the fixing device (e.g. to the threads of the shaft) if it is protruding from the first connector portion. The two connector portions can thus be offered up by an ROV in poor or zero visibility etc without fear of damaging delicate fixing mechanisms that protrude from the connector portions.
Similarly, recessing the socket in the body of the fixed hub also reduces the prospects for damage of the threads or other fixing device on the socket while the connector is being made up.
Typically the connector has guide means such as guide pins and/or tapered front edges or faces to assist in the initial make-up of the connector. Typically the mating faces of the connector portions can have tapered wedge members adapted to guide the two portions together, receptacles and probes etc as is commonly known, and plastic or otherwise resilient bumpers in order to avoid damage to the body, connectors or fixing device of the connector portions.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the drawings in which:- 1 4 1 Fig 1 is a side sectional view of a first portion of a 2 connector; Fig 2 is a sectional view through the line A-A of Fig 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 is 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Fig 3 is an end view of the Fig 1 portion from the arrow B; Fig 4 is a side sectional view of a second portion of the connector; and Fig 5 is an end view of the Fig 4 second portion from the arrow C.
Referring now to the drawings, a first portion 1 of a connector for connecting control lines to a subsea manifold (not shown) has a body 5, a mating plate 10 having terminal connector halves for the control lines and an ROV interface bracket 12 for connection to an ROV. The bracket 12 is fastened by screws 6 to one end of the body 5 and the plate 10 is fastened by screws 7 to the other end of the body 5. The portion 1 also has an optional clamp 15 for holding a bundle of hydraulic hoses and electrical conduits etc (not shown) extending from a control centre at a remote location. The hoses extend through the clamp and are held by bolts 16 in the known manner before being connected to the terminal connector halves 17, 18 etc in plate 10. Alternatively the hoses etc can be routed through or attached to a central rigid pipe (not shown) before being attached to the connector halves on the plate 10.
The body 5 has a hollow bore in which a shaft 20 is held captive. The shaft 20 is mounted on bearings 22,23 that permit its rotation in the bore of the 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 is 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 but axial movement of the shaft 20 is restricted by the bracket 12 and by a neck portion 5n of the bore of the body 5. The shaft extends through the neck 5n into a wider part of the bore 5w but does not extend beyond the end of the plate 10 fastened to the opposite end of the body 5 from the bracket 12. The shaft 20 is thus recessed in the bore of the body 5.
The shaft has a thread 20t on its outer surface in the region of the wide part of the bore Sw. At its opposite end from the plate 10, the shaft 20 extends into the bracket 12 and presents a torque shoulder 20s for a torque tool on an ROV to engage and apply torque to the shaft in order to rotate it relative to the body 5.
The second portion 31 of the connector shown in Figs 4 and 5 has a body 35 with a central hollow bore capable of receiving the first portion 1, a front face 32 to mate with the first portion on initial making up of the connector, a back plate 40 having connector halves 37,38 to mate with the connector halves 17,18 on the first connector, and a socket 50 to receive the shaft 20. The back plate 40 is fixed to the body 35 via screws 33, and the front face 32 has a tapered neck portion 32n attached thereto via screws 34 and opening outwards of the body 35.
The socket 50 has an internal thread 50t on an inner portion thereof that co-operates with the thread 20t on the outer surface of the shaft 20. The back plate 40 has guide pins 41 extending from the back plate 40 into 6 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 the bore of the body 35, for co-operation with sockets 11 on the first portion 1. The body 35 of the second portion 31 also has guide slots 34 that co-operate with guide pins 14 on the outer surface of the first portion In use, the first portion 1 is attached to an ROV via the bracket 12. The ROV engages a torque tool such as a spanner with the torque shoulder 20s of the shaft turning the shaft on its axis when the connector is being made up. The first portion 1 is offered up to the second portion so that the tapered neck portion 32n of the front face 32 guides the first portion 1 into the bore of the body 35 of the second portion. The guide pins 14 co-operate with the guide slots 34 to ensure that the correct angular relationship is maintained between the two portions and that the correct connector halves are aligned in the made-up connector, and the pin (s) 41 engage in the socket (s) 11 to assist in final alignment of the two portions 1,31.
When the first portion has moved into the body 35 of the second portion 31 in the correct alignment, the shaft 20 engages in the socket 50 and the shaft can be rotated in the socket 50 to screw the shaft 20 and socket 50 together by means of the threads 20t,50t. The two portions can therefore be held together by the fixing device comprising the shaft 20 and socket 50 without having exposed fixing device that can be damaged as the connector is being made up.
When the shaft 20 and socket 50 are fully screwed together the connector portions 17, 37 and 18,38 etc v,--_ 7 2 3 4 5 6 mate and the connection is made up between the conduits associated with the first portion and those associated with the second portion.
Modifications and improvements can be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.
8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 3.
21 22 23 24 4.
26 27 28 29 31 32

Claims (1)

  1. Claims:
    A connector comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being adapted to receive and connect respective conduits in order to connect a conduit associated with the first portion to a conduit associated with the second portion, the first and second portions having a fixing device to hold the first and second portions together, wherein at least a portion of the fixing device is recessed within the first or the second portion.
    2. A connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing device is entirely recessed in the first and/or second portion.
    A connector as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the fixing device comprises a shaft recessed in the first portion and a shaftreceiving socket recessed in the second portion.
    A connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the shaft and socket are adapted to be secured together.
    A connector as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein co-operating screw threads are provided on the shaft and socket.
    9 1 6. 2 3 4 6 7.
    7 8 9 11 8.
    12 13 14 is 9.
    16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 A connector as claimed in any one of claims 3, 4 and 5, wherein one of the shaft and the socket is movable relative to the other within its connector portion.
    A connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of the shaft and the socket is provided with bearings to facilitate movement relative to its connector portion.
    A connector as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein at least one of the shaft and the socket is sealed to its connector portion.
    A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first portion is a subsea free hub and the second portion is a fixed hub on a subsea installation.
    10. A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, having a guidance mechanism to assist in the initial make-up of the connector.
    11. A connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein the guidance mechanism comprises mating faces of the connector portions with tapered wedge members adapted to guide the two portions together.
    12. A connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein the guidance mechanism comprises receptacles and co-operating probes.
    1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 13. A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, having resilient members in order to combat damage to the portions or fixing device upon making up the connector portions.
    A connector as hereinbefore described, with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.
GB0105198A 2000-03-02 2001-03-02 Connector with recessed fixing device Withdrawn GB2361274A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0050138 2000-03-02

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0105198D0 GB0105198D0 (en) 2001-04-18
GB2361274A true GB2361274A (en) 2001-10-17

Family

ID=9906065

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0105198A Withdrawn GB2361274A (en) 2000-03-02 2001-03-02 Connector with recessed fixing device

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2361274A (en)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2003023184A1 (en) * 2001-05-17 2003-03-20 Subsea Offshore Limited Connector
GB2408299A (en) * 2003-11-14 2005-05-25 Subsea 7 Bv Connector with bayonet fitting and having shear pin
GB2442104A (en) * 2006-09-19 2008-03-26 Energy Equipment Corp Connector with forked arm securing assembly
WO2008145168A1 (en) * 2007-05-31 2008-12-04 Cameron International Corporation Multicoupler
GB2467192A (en) * 2009-01-23 2010-07-28 Viper Subsea Ltd A bayonet-style stabplate connector having two secondary release mechanisms
GB2473444A (en) * 2009-09-09 2011-03-16 Vetco Gray Controls Ltd A stabplate connection for subsea wells
WO2014066107A2 (en) * 2012-10-23 2014-05-01 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Sub-sea multiple quick connector assembly
CN104712868A (en) * 2015-01-16 2015-06-17 宝鸡石油机械有限责任公司 Underwater multi-channel hydraulic fast connecting device
NO20200779A1 (en) * 2020-07-03 2021-02-10 Vetco Gray Scandinavia As Self-adjusting connection system

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4611831A (en) * 1984-06-14 1986-09-16 S.A. Des Etablissements Staubli Connection device for simultaneously connecting a series of circuits
US4673313A (en) * 1985-04-11 1987-06-16 Mobil Oil Corporation Marine production riser and method for installing same
EP0382484A2 (en) * 1989-02-08 1990-08-16 Hollister Incorporated Hermaphroditic coupling for anatomical thermal system
US5219185A (en) * 1990-11-13 1993-06-15 Itw Fastex Italia S.P.A. Snap-on fluidtight pipe connecting device
US5417459A (en) * 1994-02-24 1995-05-23 Sonsub, Inc. Subsea umbilical connector
US5669595A (en) * 1994-09-07 1997-09-23 Bytheway; Quinn Jonathon Water tap for basins, baths, and the like

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4611831A (en) * 1984-06-14 1986-09-16 S.A. Des Etablissements Staubli Connection device for simultaneously connecting a series of circuits
US4673313A (en) * 1985-04-11 1987-06-16 Mobil Oil Corporation Marine production riser and method for installing same
EP0382484A2 (en) * 1989-02-08 1990-08-16 Hollister Incorporated Hermaphroditic coupling for anatomical thermal system
US5219185A (en) * 1990-11-13 1993-06-15 Itw Fastex Italia S.P.A. Snap-on fluidtight pipe connecting device
US5417459A (en) * 1994-02-24 1995-05-23 Sonsub, Inc. Subsea umbilical connector
US5669595A (en) * 1994-09-07 1997-09-23 Bytheway; Quinn Jonathon Water tap for basins, baths, and the like

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2390654A (en) * 2001-05-17 2004-01-14 Subsea Offshore Ltd Connector
GB2390654B (en) * 2001-05-17 2004-11-10 Subsea Offshore Ltd A bayonet type connector
WO2003023184A1 (en) * 2001-05-17 2003-03-20 Subsea Offshore Limited Connector
GB2408299A (en) * 2003-11-14 2005-05-25 Subsea 7 Bv Connector with bayonet fitting and having shear pin
GB2442104A (en) * 2006-09-19 2008-03-26 Energy Equipment Corp Connector with forked arm securing assembly
WO2008145168A1 (en) * 2007-05-31 2008-12-04 Cameron International Corporation Multicoupler
GB2464006A (en) * 2007-05-31 2010-04-07 Cameron Int Corp Multicoupler
GB2464006B (en) * 2007-05-31 2011-10-19 Cameron Int Corp Multicoupler
US8499839B2 (en) 2009-01-23 2013-08-06 Viper Subsea Limited Connection device
GB2467192A (en) * 2009-01-23 2010-07-28 Viper Subsea Ltd A bayonet-style stabplate connector having two secondary release mechanisms
GB2467192B (en) * 2009-01-23 2013-03-13 Viper Subsea Ltd Connection device
GB2473444A (en) * 2009-09-09 2011-03-16 Vetco Gray Controls Ltd A stabplate connection for subsea wells
GB2473444B (en) * 2009-09-09 2013-12-04 Vetco Gray Controls Ltd Stabplate connections
US8662181B2 (en) 2009-09-09 2014-03-04 Vetco Gray Controls Limited Stabplate connections
WO2014066107A2 (en) * 2012-10-23 2014-05-01 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Sub-sea multiple quick connector assembly
WO2014066107A3 (en) * 2012-10-23 2014-12-31 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Sub-sea multiple quick connector assembly
US9624955B2 (en) 2012-10-23 2017-04-18 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Sub-sea multiple quick connector assembly
CN104712868A (en) * 2015-01-16 2015-06-17 宝鸡石油机械有限责任公司 Underwater multi-channel hydraulic fast connecting device
NO20200779A1 (en) * 2020-07-03 2021-02-10 Vetco Gray Scandinavia As Self-adjusting connection system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0105198D0 (en) 2001-04-18

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)