US 10,451,504 B2 · Intelligent fiber rope termination

Abstract

A cable termination including an integral instrument package providing intelligence. The instrument package may assume many forms and may serve many purposes. In a preferred embodiment, the termination includes a position-determining system and an on-board processor. The processor determines a current location in space for the termination based on the information it is receiving. This positional information may then be transmitted to an external receiver. In the scenario where the termination is attached to a payload, the positional information may be used by an external positioning device (such as a crane) to control the motion of the termination and thereby place the payload in a desired position. The termination also preferably includes load-monitoring and recording features. The termination may also carry one or more ROV's/AUV's.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An integrated termination package for deep water marine operations, comprising:

a. a cable including synthetic fibers, wherein a majority of a tensile load placed on said cable is carried by said synthetic fibers;
b. said cable including a payload end and an extraction point distal to said payload end;
c. an intelligent cable termination connected to said payload end of said cable, said intelligent cable termination including a payload connecting feature;
d. said intelligent cable termination including a housing configured to transmit said tensile load placed on said cable to said payload connecting feature;
e. an instrument package contained within said housing, said instrument package including a processor;
and
f. a communication link contained within said instrument package, wherein said communication link is configured to transmit information from said processor.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Intelligent fiber rope termination

Life of this patent

Intelligent fiber rope termination

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20