5017results about "Apparatus for laying cables" patented technology

A surgical robotic system includes a robotic arm, an end effector movably connected thereto and provided with a movable end effector element driven by an actuator, and a force sensor arranged between the robotic arm and the end effector. The actuator is formed by a hydraulic cylinder. The robotic arm is provided with a hydraulic line connected to said hydraulic cylinder of the end effector.

A reader / writer is provided which is capable of speedily recognizing a correspondence between one end and the other end of a fiber-optic cable when a plurality of fiber-optic cables is laid. The reader / writer according to the present invention reads, on receiving through the fiber-optic cable a signal that is an instruction to read data from a RF tag mounted to an end of the fiber-optic cable, data from the RF tag through radio communication, and transmits the read data through the fiber-optic cable. Also, on receiving through the fiber-optic cable a signal that is an instruction to write data into the RF tag and a signal indicating the write data, the reader / writer writes the write instruction and the write data into the RF tag through radio communication.

A system and method for deploying and / or retrieving a cable underwater. In an embodiment, a system comprises a cage, comprising a guidance system adapted to be remotely operable subsea by a vessel; a communications link operatively linking the guidance system and the vessel; and a non-palletized reel rotatably and removably mounted within the cage, the reel adapted to receive an unspoolable length of cable, the cable comprising two fee ends. In an exemplary method, the reel, onto which cable is spooled is removably and rotatably housed in a cage adapted for remote control use underwater and the cage lowered by a vessel to a position proximate a seafloor. The cage is maneuvered along a predefined flight pattern in substantially a single plane with respect to the seafloor while selectively releasing the cable from the reel. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of meaning of the claims.

A hauling shroud, a cable termination and methods of hauling a fibre optic cable with a pre-connected optic termination along a conduit. The hauling shroud protects the optic termination when being hauled along the conduit. The hauling shroud includes a first housing member and a second housing member such that the first housing member and the second housing member can be joined together to enclose the optic termination. At least one anchoring member is used, for example, connecting pins, such that at least one strengthening element of the fibre optic cable engages with the anchoring member inside an internal cavity formed within the hauling shroud. Alternatively, at least two strengthening elements of the fibre optic cable are attached together to form a loop which engages with the at least one anchoring member, e.g., the connecting pins. This prevents any hauling forces from being applied to the optic termination.

A cable management system (20) is provided including a rack (22) for holding telecommunications equipment (24), and a ribcage cable support member (60) along a vertical side of the rack. The ribcage cable support member includes a plurality of forwardly and rearwardly extending ribs (116, 118). The ribs each include cable retention tabs (124). A plurality of spools (70) are provided for cable storage on the ribcage cable support member. Holes (82) through the ribcage cable support member allow access between the front and rear portions. An additional rack may be positioned on an opposite side of the ribcage cable support member to the first rack, and two columns of ribs are provided. Resilient plastic edge protectors (150) may be fitted onto the ribs (119). The ribs may be shaped to provide integral edge protection.

The invention relates to apparatus for depositing a lubricant coating on a cable, the cable including a sheath made by means of an extruder followed by a cooling vessel. Downstream from the cooling vessel, the apparatus includes a heater member followed by a deposition chamber for depositing a lubricant material.

An apparatus and method for high-resolution reflectometry that operates simultaneously in both the time and frequency domains, utilizing time-frequency signal analysis and a chirp signal multiplied by a Gaussian time envelope. The Gaussian envelope provides time localization, while the chirp allows one to excite the system under test with a swept sinewave covering a frequency band of interest. High resolution in detection of the reflected signal is provided by a time-frequency cross correlation function. The high-accuracy localization of faults in a wire / cable can be achieved by measurement of time delay offset obtained from the frequency offset of the reflected signal. The apparatus enables one to execute an automated diagnostic procedure of a wire / cable under test by control of peripheral devices.

A robotic apparatus and method for treatment of system of conduits and lateral sub-conduits comprising a remotely controlled robotic vehicle which navigates main conduits which delivers a series of tools to locations within the conduit. The mule's tools comprise a variety of devices including a tape head and a transport housing for a second remotely controlled robotic vehicle, or mouse which can be deployed for traversing and treating sub-conduits. Further, a method to install one or more small diameter flexible elongate members, such as conductors or sheathes to the inside of the system of conduits comprises advancing an elongate member through the conduit system with the mule or mouse, anchoring the elongate member and then taping the elongate member with the taping head while retreating out of the conduit. Preferably the tape is pre-shaped to minimize wrinkling upon application and more preferably, greater security and tape bonding strength is achieved by spraying over the tape and elongate member.

Pulling grip housing assemblies for a fiber optic assembly are disclosed. In one embodiment, the pulling grip assembly is comprised of a pulling grip housing for receiving part of a fiber optic assembly. A pulling grip sleeve is also provided. The pulling grip sleeve has at least one sleeve locking feature suitable for cooperating with a housing locking feature of the pulling grip housing to secure the pulling grip housing to the pulling grip sleeve. In this manner, the pulling grip housing can easily be secured to the pulling grip sleeve and removed when pulling of a fiber optic assembly is completed. The pulling grip housing and pulling grip sleeve can also be reused for pulling other fiber optic assemblies.

A cable deployment system and method for laying a cable on the sea floor. The cable deployment system includes a cable having a first cable section connected to a riser cable section. The riser cable section includes an armor that is connected to a drum capable of containing a required length of the first cable section. A stinger is attached to the drum and shaped to allow the first cable section to exit the drum. The cable deployment system also includes a tensioning device attached to the drum. The tensioning device is capable of maintaining a tension in the first cable section during deployment of the first cable section from the drum. The method of deploying the cable in deep water from a surface vessel includes the steps of containing the first cable section within the drum and lowering the drum from the surface vessel. An end of the first cable section is secured to the sea floor and the first cable section is deployed from the drum onto the sea floor.

A multi-gimbal configured transition protectively interfaces a mooring and communication cable to a communication ocean buoy. The transition interface contains a segmented, flexible sheath formed of a plurality of pivotally interconnected gimbal rings having mutually adjacent interior apertures through which one or more communication link members pass. Successive gimbal rings are orthogonally pivotally interconnected with one another so as to make the flexible sheath flexible in three dimensions. Upper ends of one or more communication link members are connectable with a communication cable connection fixture of the buoy. Lower ends of the communication link members are connectable to communication cable terminal connectors of a terminal end of the mooring cable.

A method of compensating for thermal contraction of superconducting and cryo-resistive cables. The method includes the steps of determining a compensation length for a cable such that when the cable is subjected to an operating temperature, the cable is in or near a stress-free state, and installing the cable into a pipe such that portions of the cable extend outwardly past ends of the pipe. The method further includes the steps of marking each end of the cable such that the determined compensation length is visibly shown, forcing the cable into the pipe at an ambient installation temperature such that a cable pattern is formed therein, and maintaining the cable in the pipe to prevent the cable from being pushed out of the pipe.

An electric power transmission cable includes at least one first section provided with cable armour made of a first metallic material, and at least one second section provided with a cable armour made of a second metallic material, wherein the second metallic material has ferromagnetic properties substantially lower than those of the first metallic material.

A blowing head for a blown fibre installation, the blowing head including a buckling detector in the transmission line being installed and decreasing the drive forces applied to the transmission line, preventing mechanical damage occurring to the transmission line.

A rod having an embedded optical fibre has a stiff composite outer layer (10) to make the rod self straightening to enable it to be pushed into a pipe or borehole from a spool. This can help enable a reduction of friction between rod and conduit and can enable longer reach. A barrier layer is provided to separate the fibre from the composite layer. The rod can be retrieved after use. The rod can be narrow enough to enable normal flow along the pipe or borehole, and can be injected and retrieved even when the pipe or borehole is pressurised. The fibre can be used for remote sensing of conditions along the conduit. Other tools can be inserted by the rod during the intervention.

A cable rack mounted cable puller and installation system for removably attaching to a cable rack and efficiently removing / installing cable upon the cable rack. The cable rack mounted cable puller and installation system includes a first support frame attachable to a first rail upon a cable rack, and a second support frame attachable to a second rail upon the cable rack. A shaft is rotatably supported between the upper portions of the support frames to receive a length of cable. A plurality of securing brackets are pivotally attached to a base of the support frames to selectively surround the rails. A plurality of securing fasteners within the securing brackets allow for tightening of the support frames to the rails. A coupler is attached to an end of the shaft for connecting a powered tool thereto to drive the shaft for pulling or dispensing cable. The support frames are preferably comprised of an extendable structure for accommodating cables positioned at various heights. A clutch device is preferably attached to one of the support frames for preventing a reverse rotation of the shaft during operation thereof.

The invention relates to a process for introducing an optical cable, in the form of a microcable or minicable (1), in solid ground (17) with the aid of a laying unit (23). The microcable or minicable (1) used for this purpose comprises a homogeneous and pressurized-water-tight tube (8) which has an external diameter of from 2.0 to 10 mm and into which optical waveguides (3) are introduced.

An apparatus and method for high-resolution reflectometry that operates simultaneously in both the time and frequency domains, utilizing time-frequency signal analysis and a chirp signal multiplied by a Gaussian time envelope. The Gaussian envelope provides time localization, while the chirp allows one to excite the system under test with a swept sinewave covering a frequency band of interest. High resolution in detection of the reflected signal is provided by a time-frequency cross correlation function. The high-accuracy localization of faults in a wire / cable can be achieved by measurement of time delay offset obtained from the frequency offset of the reflected signal. The apparatus enables one to execute an automated diagnostic procedure of a wire / cable under test by control of peripheral devices.

A device and method for clamping and pulling an elongated item such as a wire or cable through a path such as in a conduit for a main body with a bore, and inwardly directed pivoting teeth. The teeth are arranged in circular bands. The end of the item is gripped after insertion of the item, and is cut off and ejected when the pulling is completed.

As a framework member 50 of a vehicle deforms, a bracket attached to the framework member 50 also deforms. An inverter 20 which is attached to the framework member 50 via a bracket 60 also deforms. Thus, following the deformation of the framework member 50 of the vehicle, the bracket 60 and the inverter 20 deform accordingly to result in a rather small amount of relative deformation among the framework member 50, the bracket 60, and the inverter 20. In addition, a high voltage line 40 attached to the bracket 60 also deforms following the deformation of the bracket 60. Therefore, even in the event of an accident, the high voltage line 40 can be secured in a space reserved between framework member 50 and inverter 20, which significantly reduces the possibility of disconnection of the high voltage line 40.

A method for installation of an underground pipe includes an initial step of boring a pilot hole through the ground at a predetermined grade angle by extending a drill string having a steerable boring bit mounted thereon through the ground. Upon reaching an end location for the pilot hole, the bit is removed from the drill string, and an expander having a diameter greater than the pilot hole is attached to the drill string, which expander is backed by an impact device such as a pneumatic impactor including a striker that delivers repeated impacts to a rearwardly facing surface of the expander, and by a pipe drawn along behind the expander. The expander is pulled back through the pilot hole at the grade angle while the impactor is operated to aid progress of the expander through the ground and pull the pipe into place behind the expander. Typically in this method the replacement pipe is coupled to a rear end of the expander and the boring bit has a sonde housing containing a sonde attached thereto to indicate to an operator the orientation of a steering face on the boring bit.

A flexible innerduct guide tube assembly configured to contain a cable within a conduit is provided. The innerduct assembly includes a plurality of guide tubes, each tube configured to contain at least one cable, wherein the tubes are disposed and bundled within a protective textile sleeve. Each guide tube may contain means for pulling a cable into the tube, and such pulling means may include pull cord or tape, or any other means suitable for installing a cable into the guide tube. Other principal features of the invention relate to the material of which the innerduct guide tube assembly is formed, as well as methods for manufacturing and using the innerduct assembly.

A technique for installing a length of cable assembly and coiled tubing includes application of both compressive and tensile forces on the cable assembly. The compressive forces are applied to the cable assembly in a compression station at an entry end of the coiled tubing. Tensile forces are applied to the cable assembly by a wire line or a similar structure situated at an exit end of the coiled tubing. Following installation of the cable assembly in the coiled tubing, the coiled tubing may be transported to an application site, and coupled to equipment, such as a submersible pumping system. The submersible pumping system may then be deployed by extension of the coiled tubing and cable assembly. Additional lengths may be obtained by joining subassemblies formed by the tensile and compressive force technique. The technique reduces residual elongation or strain in the cable assembly as compared to conventional methods.

An elongated sleeve structure for insertion and protection of elongated items within a duct is disclosed. The sleeve structure is formed from a flexible sleeve woven from warp and fill yarns to produce opposed layers in closely spaced relation. The layers have a common seamless edge and are joined along a second edge by a knit stitch formed by interlooping of successive traverses of the fill yarn which is common to both layers. The layers are of equal width and are resiliently separable into a spaced apart relationship defining a central space which accommodates the elongated items. A pull tape is positioned between the opposed layers for drawing the elongated items through the sleeve central space once the sleeve structure is positioned within the duct. Multiple sleeve structures may be joined together in an assembly using an attachment piece allowing a plurality of sleeve structures to be pulled simultaneously.

Methods and apparatus for deploying a line in a borehole using coiled tubing are presented. Methods are applicable for use in deploying a line in a coiled tubing when the coiled tubing is spooled on a reel or deployed in a wellbore. A line reel provided in a pressure housing is used to supply a line for deployment using fluid flow in coiled tubing. The line reel assembly and deployments methods are suitable for use under well pressure. The line may comprise fiber optics. Subsequent to deployment of coiled tubing with a line dispose therein, the coiled tubing may be withdrawn, leaving the line in the wellbore.