End-piece of a flexible pipe for transporting fluid, associated flexible pipe and method

A flexible pipe, comprising a central section including a polymer sheath and armor elements arranged around or inside the polymer sheath, the flexible pipe comprising at least one end-fitting mounted at one end of the central section, the at least one end fitting including:

• at least one end region of the polymer sheath;
• end sections of the armor elements arranged around or in the end region of the polymer sheath;
• an end vault defining a central bore for letting the fluid flow, extending along a central axis;
• a cover defining, along with the end vault, a chamber for receiving the end sections of armor elements;
• at least one sealing assembly comprising at least one crimping ring, the crimping ring comprising at least one bulge radially inserted into the polymer sheath;
• an annular seal, arranged in contact with the polymer sheath away from the crimping ring;
• the annular seal including a central annular region deformable radially toward the polymer sheath, and two stiffened annular peripheral regions, located on either side of the central region along the central axis, the peripheral annular regions being movable toward each other to activate the radial deformation of the central region toward the polymer sheath from a rest configuration to an active sealing configuration around the polymer sheath.

A method of assembly of an end-fitting of a flexible pipe, comprising:

• providing an end region of a polymer sheath of the flexible pipe and end sections of armor elements of the flexible pipe arranged around or in the end region of the polymer sheath;
• fitting an end vault defining a central bore for the letting the fluid flow along a central axis, and a cover defining, along with the end vault, a chamber for receiving the end sections of armor elements;
• assembling at least one sealing assembly comprising at least one crimping ring, the crimping ring comprising at least one bulge inserted radially into the polymer sheath;
• placing an annular seal in contact with the polymer sheath away from the crimping ring;
• the annular seal including a central annular region deformable radially toward the polymer sheath, and two stiffened annular peripheral regions located axially on opposite sides of the central region, the method comprising moving the peripheral annular regions toward each other to activate a radial deformation of the central region toward the polymer sheath from a rest configuration to an active sealing configuration around the polymer sheath.