Guide rod

A guide rod for guiding two subsea components together, the guide rod configured to be both inserted and locked into a receptacle on one of two subsea components, the guide rod comprising:

• an element, the element being substantially hollow and cylindrical, the element including a first circumferential shoulder towards a first end, a second circumferential shoulder towards an opposite second end, and a plurality of openings, each opening extending radially through the element and extending axially along the element opening up the element from the first end to at least the second circumferential shoulder, the plurality of openings forming elongate flexible sections of the element, and extending through the first circumferential shoulder;
• a wedge located inside the element, the wedge being substantially cylindrical and comprising a cone shaped section, the wedge restricted from rotating relative to the element, the wedge including an end being outside of the element, the wedge configured to move axially relative to the element;
• and
• a cone coupled to the end of the wedge, the cone being cone shaped with a vertex pointing away from the element, the cone defining a hollow space for at least a part of the elongate flexible sections of the element.

A guide rod for guiding two subsea components together, the guide rod configured to be both inserted and locked into a receptacle on one of two subsea components, the guide rod comprising:

• an element, the element being substantially hollow and cylindrical, the element including a first circumferential shoulder towards a first end, a second circumferential shoulder towards an opposite second end, and a plurality of openings, each opening extending radially through the element and extending axially along the element opening up the element from the first end to at least the second circumferential shoulder, the plurality of openings forming elongate flexible sections of the element, and extending through the first circumferential shoulder;
• a wedge located inside the element, the wedge being substantially cylindrical and comprising a cone shaped section, the wedge restricted from rotating relative to the element, the wedge including an end being outside of the element, the wedge configured to move axially relative to the element;
• an electric motor coupled to the wedge for moving the wedge axially relative to the element;
• and
• a cone coupled to the end of the wedge, the cone being cone shaped with a vertex pointing away from the element, the cone defining a hollow space for at least a part of the elongate flexible sections of the element.

A guide rod for guiding two subsea components together, the guide rod configured to be both inserted and locked into a receptacle on one of two subsea components, the guide rod comprising:

• an element, the element being substantially hollow and cylindrical, the element including a first circumferential shoulder towards a first end, a second circumferential shoulder towards an opposite second end, and a plurality of openings, each opening extending radially through the element and extending axially along the element opening up the element from the first end to at least the second circumferential shoulder, the plurality of openings forming elongate flexible sections of the element, and extending through the first circumferential shoulder;
• a wedge located inside the element, the wedge being substantially cylindrical and comprising a cone shaped section, the wedge restricted from rotating relative to the element, the wedge including an end being outside of the element, the wedge configured to move axially relative to the element, the wedge having an external thread;
• a mechanism coupled to the wedge to axially move the wedge relative to the element, the mechanism including an electric motor that drives the wedge to move axially relative to the element, the mechanism including an internal thread that couples to the external thread of the wedge;
• and
• a cone coupled to the end of the wedge, the cone being cone shaped with a vertex pointing away from the element, the cone defining a hollow space for at least a part of the elongate flexible sections of the element.