Patent Application

App. No. 12/590,510

Abstract

Claims (42)

1 . The method of providing a clamping connection comprising

providing one or more clamping hubs,

providing two or more clamping segments to engage said clamping hubs,

constraining said clamping segments to move approximately radially with respect to said clamp hubs,

providing a tension band around said clamping segments which slides circumferentially relative to said clamping segments, and

adjusting the ratio of the contact area of said tension band to said clamping segments and the contact area of said clamping segments to said clamping hubs to compensate for a difference in loading on said clamping hubs due to sliding friction between said tension band and said clamping hubs.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising said clamping connection is on a subsea drilling riser.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising said tension band comprises a multiplicity of tension segments.

4 . The method of claim 3 further comprising said loading on said clamping hubs due to a particular clamping segment is directly proportionate to a circumferential length of said particular clamping segment.

5 . The method of claim 3 further comprising said loading on said clamping hubs from said clamping segments is inversely proportionate to the contact area between said clamping hubs and said clamping segments.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a plurality of ridges in said contact area of said two or more damping segments to said one or more clamping hubs.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising selectively coating at least one of said tension band and said two or more clamping segments to provide a selected coefficient of friction in said contact area of said tension band to said two or more clamping segments.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein said coefficient of friction is in a range between 0.085 and 0.20.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing that said tension band is tightened by rotating a single threaded member.

10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing that an amount of variation in loading around said one or more clamping hubs is less than 10% of a maximum radially directed load applied to said one or more clamping hubs.

11 . A clamping connection which secures two ends of pipes together, comprising:

clamping hubs disposed on said two ends of said pipes;

at least two clamping segments positioned circumferentially to said clamping hubs, said at least two clamping segments each comprising interior rounded surfaces that engage said clamping hubs around a circumference of said clamping hubs, said at least two clamping segments having different circumferential lengths;

a tension band which encircles said clamping segments;

an adjustment member which rotates to tighten said tension band to thereby urge said plurality of clamping segments radially inwardly toward said clamping hubs.

12 . The clamping connection of claim 11 , wherein said tension band further comprises at least two tension segments, and at least one pivotal connection between said at least two tension segments.

13 . The clamping connection of claim 11 , further comprising constraining structures that limit rotational movement of said at least two clamping segments with respect to said clamping hubs while permitting radial movement of said at least two clamping segments with respect to said clamping hubs;

14 . The clamping connection of claim 11 , wherein said adjustment member consists of a single threaded member.

15 . The clamping connection of claim 11 , wherein said different circumferential lengths are selected to produce a selected range of variation in load applied around a circumference of said clamping hubs.

16 . A clamping connection which secures two ends of pipes together, comprising:

clamping hubs disposed on said two ends of said pipes;

at least two clamping segments which comprise interior rounded surfaces that engage said clamping hubs around a circumference of said clamping hubs;

constraining structures that limit rotational movement of said at least two clamping segments with respect to said clamping hubs while permitting radial movement of said at least two clamping segments with respect to said clamping hubs;

a tension band which encircles said at least two clamping segments; and

an adjustment member to tighten said tension band to thereby urge said at least two clamping segments radially inwardly toward said clamping hubs around said circumference of said clamping hubs.

17 . The clamping connection of claim 16 , wherein said adjustment member consists of a single rotatable threaded member.

18 . The clamping connection of claim 16 , wherein said rounded interior surfaces of said at least two clamping segments comprise different circumferential lengths.

19 . The clamping connection of claim 18 , wherein said different circumferential lengths are selected to produce a selected range of variation in load applied around said circumference of said clamping hubs.

20 . The clamping connection of claim 16 wherein said tension band comprises at least two tension segments and at least one pivotal connection between said at least two tension segments.

21 . The clamping connection of claim 16 wherein said clamping hubs define a nose and a mating receptacle.

22 . A method of providing a clamping connection between ends of pipes, comprising

providing one or more clamping hubs;

providing two or more circumferential clamping segments to engage a circumference of said one cr more clamping hubs;

providing a tension band around said clamping segments which slides circumferentially relative to said clamping segments to urge said two or more circumferential clamping segments into engagement with said circumference of said one or more clamping hubs, and

providing that differences in circumferential lengths of said two or more circumferential clamping segments are selected to limit load variations around said circumference of said one or more clamping hubs applied by said two or more circumferential clamping segments.

22 . The method of claim 21 further comprising providing that said variation in load is less than 10% of a maximum load applied around said circumference of said clamping hubs.

23 . The method of claim 21 further comprising providing that said variation in said load applied by said two or more circumferential clamping segments on said circumference of said clamping hubs results from frictional forces between said tension band and two or more circumferential clamping segments, and further providing that said differences in circumferential lengths of said two or more circumferential clamping segments is selected to offset said frictional forces.

Assignments (8)