# US 2014/0154409 A1 · Method and device for applying protective sheeting of polymer material to a pipeline > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154409 A1 - Document ID: US20140154409A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/126,360 - Filed: 2012-05-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-17 - Assignees: Saipem S.P.A. - Inventors: Valerio Bregonzio - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154409A1 ## CPC - B05D 1/265: {Extrusion coatings} - B05C 5/02: {the liquid or other fluent material being discharged through an outlet orifice by pressure, e.g.} from an outlet device in contact or almost in contact, with the work - B05C 9/12: the auxiliary operation being performed after the application (B05C9/14 takes precedence) - B29C 63/06: around tubular articles - B29C 65/028: {making use of inherent heat, i.e. the heat for the joining comes from the moulding process of one of the parts to be joined} - B29C 66/112: {Single lapped joints} - B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)} - B29C 66/12821: {comprising at least two overlap joint-segments} - B29C 66/1286: {comprising at least one bevelled joint-segment} - B29C 66/5326: {said single elements being substantially flat} - B29C 66/652: {moving the welding tool around the fixed article} - B29C 66/72321: {consisting of metals or their alloys} - B29C 66/742: {to metals or their alloys} - B29C 66/81431: {comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove} - B29C 66/8362: {Rollers, cylinders or drums moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined} - F16L 13/0272: {having an external coating} - F16L 58/1063: {the coating being a sheet wrapped around the pipe} - F16L 58/181: {for non-disconnectable pipe joints} - B29C 48/02: Small extruding apparatus, e.g. handheld, toy or laboratory extruders - B29C 48/03: characterised by the shape of the extruded material at extrusion - B29C 48/266: {Means for allowing relative movements between the apparatus parts, e.g. for twisting the extruded article or for moving the die along a surface to be coated} - B29C 65/483: {Reactive adhesives, e.g. chemically curing adhesives} - B29C 65/522: {by spraying, e.g. by flame spraying} - B29C 66/0242: {Heating, or preheating, e.g. drying (B29C66/3464 takes precedence)} - B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)} - B29C 66/7392: {characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic} - B29C 66/81423: {being concave} - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08) - 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) - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL ## Abstract A method of applying protective sheeting of polymer material to a pipeline, the method including the steps of advancing a carriage along an annular path extending about the longitudinal axis of the pipeline; extruding the protective sheeting on the carriage; winding the protective sheeting, as the protective sheeting is extruded, about a cutback on the pipeline; and plastifying the polymer material on board the carriage. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-26. (canceled) ### Claim 27 A method of applying protective sheeting to a pipeline, the method comprising: advancing a carriage along an annular path extending about a longitudinal axis of the pipeline; plastifying a polymer material on board the carriage; on the carriage, extruding the plastified polymer material into a protective sheeting; and as the protective sheeting is extruded, winding the protective sheeting about a cutback on the pipeline. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, which includes storing the plastified polymer material on the carriage. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, which includes advancing the pipeline with respect to the carriage in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline, wherein plastifying the polymer material at least partially occurs as the pipeline advances with respect to the carriage. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, which includes, as the pipeline advances, feeding the polymer material in a solid state to a feed port of a plastifying device on the carriage. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, which includes selectively securing the carriage in an axial direction to the pipeline, wherein winding the protective sheeting about the cutback occurs with the carriage secured to the pipeline. ### Claim 32 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein plastifying the polymer material and extruding the protective sheeting occur in association with a plastifying and extrusion assembly mounted on the carriage, said plastifying and extrusion assembly including an extrusion head with an extrusion port. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, which includes orienting the plastifying and extrusion assembly about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline to adjust a distance between the extrusion port and the cutback as a function of a position of the carriage along the annular path. ### Claim 34 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, which includes pressing the protective sheeting onto the pipeline using a rolling assembly hinged to the carriage, said rolling assembly including a roller. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, which includes: rolling the roller directly downstream from the extrusion port in a first rotation direction of the carriage when extruding the protective sheeting, and keeping the roller pressed onto the protective sheeting in a second rotation direction of the carriage opposite the first rotation direction. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, which includes adjusting a pressure exerted by the roller on the protective sheeting. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein the roller is powered to rotate about an axis of the roller and which includes: adjusting a rotation speed of the roller, and reversing a rotation direction of the roller. ### Claim 38 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, which includes: extruding an initial portion of the protective sheeting with the carriage stationary and positioned such that the initial portion of the protective sheeting is inserted by force of gravity between the pipeline and a roller configured to compress the protective sheeting, and gripping the initial portion of the protective sheeting between the roller and the pipeline. ### Claim 39 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, which includes initiating the winding of the protective sheeting about the cutback when the initial portion of the protective sheeting is gripped between the pipeline and the roller. ### Claim 40 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, which includes: cutting the protective sheeting at an extrusion port upon completion of the extrusion step, and closing the extrusion port. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, which includes using a blade configured to cut the protective sheeting. ### Claim 42 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, which includes adjusting a travelling speed of the carriage as a function of a position of the carriage along the annular path. ### Claim 43 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, which includes adjusting a distance between the pipeline and an extrusion port configured to extrude the protecting sheeting. ### Claim 44 A polymer material protective sheeting application device comprising: a carriage configured to move along an annular path extending about a longitudinal axis of a pipeline, said carnage configured to apply a protective sheeting to a cutback on a pipeline; and a plastifying and extrusion assembly mounted on the carriage and configured to: plastify a polymer material from which the protective sheeting is made, and extrude the protective sheeting on board the carriage. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The polymer material protective sheeting application device of claim 44, wherein the plastifying and extrusion assembly includes a storage tank configured to store the plastified polymer material on board the carriage. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The polymer material protective sheeting application device of claim 44, wherein the plastifying and extrusion assembly includes: a plastifying device, and an extrusion head with an extrusion port. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The polymer material protective sheeting application device of claim 46, wherein the plastifying and extrusion assembly is mounted on the carriage and configured to rotate about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline to remotely adjust a distance between the extrusion port and the cutback. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The polymer material protective sheeting application device of claim 47, wherein the plastifying and extrusion assembly includes a blade hinged to the extrusion head and configured to: cut the extruded protective sheeting at the extrusion port, and close the extrusion port. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The polymer material protective sheeting application device of claim 48, wherein the blade is remote-controlled. ### Claim 50 (depends on 46) The polymer material protective sheeting application device of claim 46, wherein the plastifying device is configured to supply a smaller amount of soft polymer material than a capacity amount of the extrusion head. ### Claim 51 (depends on 44) The polymer material protective sheeting application device of claim 44, which includes a rolling assembly hinged to the carriage and including a roller configured to press the protective sheeting onto the cutback. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The polymer material protective sheeting application device of claim 51, wherein the rolling assembly includes: an articulated link, and an actuator configured to: adjust a pressure exerted by the roller on the protective sheeting and adjust a position of the roller with respect to the cutback. ### Claim 53 (depends on 51) The polymer material protective sheeting application device of claim 51, wherein the roller is contoured and includes: a central portion, two lateral portions smaller in diameter than a diameter of the central portion, and a groove formed in the central portion to adapt the roller to a shape of a central weld bead on the cutback. ### Claim 54 (depends on 51) The polymer material protective sheeting application device of claim 51, wherein the roller is powered to rotate about an axis of the roller.