# US 12,111,008 B2 · Electrofusion fittings for lined pipes

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- Number: US 12,111,008 B2
- Document ID: US12111008B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/208,846
- Filed: 2023-06-12
- Published: 2024-01-18
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-07
- Assignees: Subsea 7 Limited
- Applicants: Subsea 7 Limited
- Inventors: Christopher Bruce; Chris Woods; Andrew Cupples; Ross McSkimming
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111008B2

## CPC

- F16L 58/181: {for non-disconnectable pipe joints}
- B29C 65/3468: {characterised by the means for supplying heat to said heated elements which remain in the join, e.g. special electrical connectors of windings (B29C65/3668 takes precedence)}
- B29C 65/3476: {being metallic}
- B29C 65/3604: {characterised by the type of elements heated by induction which remain in the joint}
- B29C 66/5221: {for forming coaxial connections, i.e. the tubular articles to be joined forming a zero angle relative to each other}
- B29C 66/612: {Making circumferential joints}
- B29D 23/003: {Pipe joints, e.g. straight joints}
- F16L 13/0263: {having an internal coating}
- F16L 47/03: Welded joints with an electrical resistance incorporated in the joint
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)

## Abstract

A liner bridge for a lined pipeline has bores extending through a tubular wall and terminals fitted in the bores, each terminal being exposed to an inward side of the wall for conducting electricity to an electrofusion element. A sealing interface between each terminal and its surrounding bore has one or more projecting formations of the terminal and at least one complementary formation of the bore engaged with the or each of the projecting formations. The interface can also include a sealing mass in the bore.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liner bridge for a lined pipeline, the liner bridge comprising:
a tubular wall;
at least one bore extending through the wall from an inward side to an outward side;
at least one electrofusion element;
a terminal fitted in the or each bore and having a contact end exposed to the inward side of the wall for conducting electricity to the or each electrofusion element; and
a fluid sealing interface between the terminal and the surrounding bore;
wherein the fluid sealing interface comprises at least one projecting formation of the terminal extending radially outwardly with respect to the bore and at least one complementary formation of the bore extending radially inwardly with respect to the bore, engaged with the or each projecting formation of the terminal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein a castellated side profile of the terminal comprises at least two projecting formations spaced along the terminal and a recess defined between and separating those projecting formations.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The liner bridge of claim 2, wherein the castellated side profile is a sawtooth profile.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The liner bridge of claim 2, wherein the bore is expanded radially outwardly from an initial diameter by the presence of the terminal and the terminal is wider at the recess than the initial diameter of the bore.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein:
a contact end portion of the terminal has a taper that narrows the terminal from a projecting formation toward the contact end; and
the complementary formation of the bore defines a correspondingly tapered seat.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The liner bridge of claim 5, wherein the contact end portion of the terminal and the complementary formation of the bore are frusto conical.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein the bore is expanded radially outwardly from an initial diameter by the presence of the terminal and the terminal is wider at the or each projecting formation than the initial diameter of the bore.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The liner bridge of claim 7, wherein the or each complementary formation of the bore is defined by radially inward resilient relaxation of the radially expanded bore around the or each projecting formation of the terminal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises a head that defines the contact end and the projecting formation, and a stem that extends along the bore and is narrower than the bore, defining an annular space between the stem and the bore.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The liner bridge of claim 9, wherein the annular space contains a sealing mass that bears against the head, the stem and the bore.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein the fluid sealing interface comprises adhesive disposed between the terminal and the bore.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The liner bridge of claim 11, wherein the adhesive is disposed between the projecting formation of the terminal and the complementary formation of the bore.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein the or each projecting formation extends continuously and circumferentially around the terminal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein the or each projecting formation is integral with the terminal.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein the or each complementary formation extends continuously and circumferentially around the bore.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein the or each complementary formation is integral with the wall defining the bore.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein the tubular wall is of resilient material that conforms to the or each projecting formation of the terminal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein the fluid sealing interface comprises a sealing mass in the bore at an end of the terminal opposed to the contact end.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The liner bridge of claim 1, wherein the or each bore aligns with a circumferential groove extending around the outward side of the wall.

### Claim 20

A method of manufacturing a liner bridge for a lined pipeline, the method comprising:
inserting a terminal into a bore that extends through a tubular wall of the liner bridge, leaving a contact end of the terminal exposed to an inward side of the wall for conducting electricity to at least one electrofusion element of the liner bridge; and
forming a fluid sealing interface by engaging at least one projecting formation of the terminal extending radially outwardly with respect to the bore with at least one complementary formation of the bore extending radially inwardly with respect to the bore.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, comprising seating a tapered portion of the terminal into a correspondingly tapered seat of the bore.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, comprising applying axial force to the terminal to press the tapered portion of the terminal into engagement with the seat.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, comprising maintaining said axial force on the terminal by engaging a projecting formation of the terminal with at least one complementary formation of the bore.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, comprising expanding the bore radially outwardly from an initial diameter by inserting the terminal into the bore.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, comprising forming at least one complementary formation by radially inward resilient relaxation of the radially expanded bore around the or each projecting formation of the terminal.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the bore remains wider than the initial diameter at the complementary formation.

### Claim 27 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, comprising inserting the terminal into the bore from an outward side of the wall.

### Claim 28 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the or each complementary formation conforms resiliently to at least one projecting formation of the terminal.

### Claim 29 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further comprising placing a sealing mass into the bore to bear against the terminal and the bore.

### Claim 30 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, comprising applying adhesive to the terminal and/or to the bore prior to inserting the terminal into the bore.