Onesubsea IP UK Limited

Diamould Limited

Allan Nicholson

David Kitchen

A contact module for a component of an electrical connector includes a housing with a bore formed within the housing and a shuttle pin slidably received within the bore of the housing. The contact module may further include a biasing mechanism to bias the shuttle pin towards a mating end of the housing, an electrical contact positioned adjacent the bore of the housing, and a diaphragm positioned within the housing with a fluid channel formed between one side of the diaphragm and the electrical contact.

Wet mate connector

An electrical power wet-mate assembly includes a compliant-insulated pin assembly and a ceramic-insulated pin assembly. Those pin assemblies are physically and electrically engaged to one another. The compliant-insulating material may be a thermoplastic, and the ceramic-insulating material may be alumina. The electrical power wet-mateable assembly may be used in conjunction with a pressure containing device such as a subsea tree to form a wet-mateable connection system. The electrical power wet-mate assembly is capable of operating in high pressure differential and high temperature environments. A plurality of ceramic-insulated pin assemblies may be welded to a connector body to form a pressure barrier system. The cavities created by the ceramic-insulated pin assemblies and the compliant-insulated pin assemblies may be filled with a dielectric oil. Individual pressure compensators may be dispersed equally between the pin assemblies.

Electrical power wet-mate assembly

A latching connector receptacle includes a receptacle body configured to receive a plug, a biased release ring coupled to the receptacle body, and a latch dog assembly coupled to the receptacle body. The latch dog assembly includes a moveable latch dog configured to matingly engage the plug and matingly engage the release ring, and a moveable latch indicator configured to move in response to movement of the latch dog.

Latching connector system and associated method

An electrical connector, for use in underwater applications. The connector comprises a male component having a least one contact pin and a female component having a contact module. The male and female components engage, in use, to form a watertight electrical connection between the at least one contact pin and the contact module. The female component further comprises a biassing module, which comprises a first biassing means and a second biassing means. The first biassing means is located radially within the second biassing means with respect to the longitudinal axis of the female component. The first biassing means such that the biassing strength of the biassing module can be tailored to control the insertion rate of the male connector during coupling of the male component to the female component accommodating large variations in axial engagement length.

Wet mateable connector

A sealing system for use with a sub-sea connector. The sealing system comprises an actuation sleeve retaining a ball valve within the exposed end of the sleeve and a valve control system connecting the ball valve to an actuation member and applying a force to the ball valve such that it is urged into a closed position. A biassing means controls the sealing force of the ball valve.

Sealing system for connector

An electrical connector and method of making the electrical connection are disclosed for use in particularly arduous conditions, such as down hole oil production applications. The invention provides high electrical integrity with an ability to accommodate steady and/or fluctuating mechanical forces placed via the cable into the connector. Synergy between the mechanical and electrical aspects of the design is taught in which an insulating member, fitted with annular upstands, co-operates with a mechanically soft, essentially incompressible, insulating substance (gel) to cause vibrations in the cable to be dissipated over a length of the insulated cores inside the connector rather that at a single point where it would cause the core to fracture. In addition, annular collars of the gel are provided between the insulating member and the crimped pin-core connections and between the annular upstands and insulated cores to give further cushioning. Because the core insulation sits deep inside the annular upstand of the insulating member and gel collars, this creates a good electrical interface with a long creepage distance. The method covers the creation of the gel collars, alignment of contact pins and insulated cores and assembly of the connector.

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Barrow-in-Furness, United Kingdom

Allan Nicholson