Flexible pipe and method of manufacturing same
A flexible pipe and a method of manufacturing same according to which the pipe is formed by multiple layers of different materials and suitable for use in subsea and land-based applications. (It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure; and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims under 37 CFR § 1.72.)
1 . A method of manufacturing a pipe from coils of wires having a substantially circular cross section, the method comprising:
unwinding the wires from their respective coils;
passing the unwound wires through rollers to flatten each circular cross section to a substantially rectangular cross section as the wires unwind from the coil; and
passing the wires from the rollers and wrapping them around a tubular member.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the act of wrapping comprises:
wrapping a plurality of the wires around the exterior of the tubular member to form a first tensile layer; and
wrapping a plurality of the wires around the exterior of the first tensile layer to form a second tensile layer.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the wires of the first tensile layer are wrapped helically around the exterior of the tubular member and the wires of the second tensile layer are wrapped helically around the first tensile layer in an opposite direction to the wires of the first tensile layer.
4 . The method of claim 2 further comprising extruding an outer sheath over the second tensile layer.
5 . The method of claim 4 further comprising wrapping at least one layer of tape over the second tensile layer and between the second tensile layer and the outer sheath.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the tubular member is a plastic sheath.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the tubular member is a carbon steel strip.
8 . The method of claim 7 further comprising providing a plastic sheath over which the carbon steel strip extends.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the carbon steel strip is helically wound over the plastic sheath.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising providing a collapse resistant, inner helical strip within the plastic sheath.
11 . A method of manufacturing a pipe from a coiled sheet, the method comprising:
unwinding the sheet from the coil;
disposing a plurality of spaced cutters in the path of the sheet as the sheet unwinds from the coil to cut the sheet into a plurality of wires each having a substantially rectangular cross section; and
wrapping the wires around a tubular member.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the act of wrapping comprises:
wrapping a plurality of the wires around the exterior of the tubular member to form a first tensile layer; and
wrapping a plurality of the wires around the exterior of the first tensile layer to form a second tensile layer.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the wires of the first tensile layer are wrapped helically around the exterior of the tubular member and the wires of the second tensile layer are wrapped helically around the first tensile layer in an opposite direction to the wires of the first tensile layer.
14 . The method of claim 12 further comprising extruding an outer sheath over the second tensile layer.
15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising wrapping at least one layer of tape over the second tensile layer and between the second tensile layer and the outer sheath.
16 . The method of claim 11 wherein the tubular member is a plastic sheath.
17 . The method of claim 11 wherein the tubular member is a carbon steel strip.
18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising providing a plastic sheath over which the carbon steel strip extends.
19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the carbon steel strip is helically wound over the plastic sheath.
20 . The method of claim 19 further comprising providing a collapse-resistant, inner helical strip within the plastic sheath.