Institut Francais Du Pe'trole

Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle

Societe Nationale Industrielle Et Aerospatiale

Societe Anonyme Dite: Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle

Aerospatiale

Institute Francois Du Petrole

Areospatiale

Institut Francais Du Petrole Et Aerospatiale

Societe Aerospatiale

Astrium Sas

Marcel Auberon

Charles P Sparks

Pierre Odru

Guy Metivaud

Jean-Francois Fuchs

Albert Phan

Jean-Philippe Leard

Michel Huvey

Claude L Bournazel

Jean-Fran&ccedil;ois Fuchs

Jean-Jacques Thouraud

Jacques Behar

Jacques Schmitt

Philippe Pillois

Michel Dolbeau

Daniel Cabanel

Jacques Valverde

Jean-François Fuchs

Method for producing a connecting rod, particularly a monoblock composite connecting rod, and the resulting connecting rod is provided by placing preimpregnated fibers on an extractable mandrel, with the following successive stages. Embodying on a rigid central shaft a meltable mandrel with a shape corresponding to that of the connecting rod; winding and/or laying down the preimpregnated fibers according to a predetermined number of layers and an inclination of the fibers with respect to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel; polymerization with a homogeneous compacting pressure being applied to the entire outer surface of the unit; and then final operations for removing the mandrel and machining to required dimensions of the connecting rod.

Method for producing a monoblock composite connecting rod by placing preimpregnated fibers on an extractable mandrel and connecting rod obtained thereby

Process for optimizing the features of multilayered tubes made of fibrous composite materials, allowing to maintain within the specified limits the limit elongations and stresses which they withstand in response to the applied strains. The process comprises selecting at least two optimized features characteristic of each layer (its thickness and the winding angle of the fibers for example) by starting from an initial tube selected a priori. Through small deviations applied to the parameters, the relations between small deviations applied to the parameters and the variations of the resulting limit elongations and stresses are determined, as well as the inverse relations relating the variations of the limit elongations and stresses to the parameter deviations. Knowing these inverse relations allows, in one or several stages, to find out the deviations to be applied in order to make up the measurable differences between the limit elongations and stresses of the optimized tube and the tube selected a priori. Application to the achievement of tubular pipes for the oil industry for example.

Process for optimizing multilayered tubes made of composite materials

A composite material tube, withstanding the internal pressure, and comprising at least two layers of pressure reinforcement fibers, or pressure resistant layers, wound at an angle at least equal in absolute value to 70.degree., with respect to the center axis of the tube. The two layers both undergo radial expansion under an effect of the pressure, with one of these two layers being inside the other. A circumferential modulus of elasticity of the external layer is greater than the circumferential modulus of elasticity of the internal layer.

Tube comprising composite layers with different modulii of elasticity

Process for manufacturing a variable stiffness line and associated

A method for producing a connecting rod, particularly a monoblock composite connecting rod, by placing preimpregnated fibers on an extractable mandrel, with the following successive stages. Embodying on a rigid central shaft a meltable mandrel with a shape corresponding to that of the connecting rod; winding and/or laying down the preimpregnated fibers according to a predetermined number of layers and an inclination of the fibers with respect to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel; polymerization with a homogeneous compacting pressure being applied to the entire outer surface of the unit; and then final operations for removing the mandrel and machining to required dimensions of the connecting rod.

Method for producing a monoblock composite connecting rod by placing

A method for hooping and maintaining in compression a core by a sheath, with the sheath being made of a composite material and having an internal cross section which is less than an external cross section of the core. The core and the sheath are aligned by centering them with respect to each other, and a prior tensile force is exerted over the core to provide a suitable sealing between the portion in contact of each of the ends of the core and of the sheath. A pressurized fluid is injected into the sheath in a direction of the core, to increase the cross section of the sheath by expanding the sheath in a circumferential direction. The core is thereby gradually inserted into the sheath. When the insertion is complete, fluid injection is ceased and an expendable portion of the sheath is cut off.

Method for hooping and maintaining in compression a core by a sheath

A method of joining a tube of composite material and a tubular metal fitting includes, winding filaments of pre-impregnated fibers to produce a tube with a longitudinal axis. The fibers that provide tensile strength for the tube are at a tensile fiber angle relative to the longitudinal axis. A tubular metal fitting is introduced at least partially into an end of a tube section, with inner and outer parts of the fitting being located inside and outside of the tube section. The inner and outer parts are secured by inserting penetrating elements extending radially through the tube section and the parts of the fitting. The penetrating elements are arranged in uniform circumferential alignments which are equally spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis. Each circumferential alignment defines an alignment plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and spaced by a distance which is a function of an integer, the number of circumferential alignments, the interval between two consecutive penetrating elements in the same circumferential alignment and the tensile fiber angle.

Method for mechanical joining a tube of composite material and a

A composite material tube, substantially insensitive to the variations of elongation under the effect of the internal pressure, comprising a number n of stable layers of reinforcement fibers, the fibers of each layer (i) being placed at the same winding angle in absolute value, referenced theta, with respect to the axis of the tube with an equal proportion of fibers wound at said angle in one direction (.vertline.theta.vertline.) as fibers wound in the opposite direction (-.vertline.theta.vertline.), the fibers of each layer being buried in a matrix which adheres to these fibers. The fibers of the same layer and the associated matrix have a volume referenced Y, the parallel fibers of the same layer and the associated matrix having overall a modulus of elasticity in the natural direction of the fibers, referenced E, wherein said n layers of fibers comply as a whole with the following relationship:

Composition material tube substantially insensitive to the variations of

Fibers, which are substantially longitudinally profiled, are wound both around a cylindrical mandrel and a metallic double cone-shaped tip which is engaged onto said mandrel. Said fibers are turned back about studs distributed on a ring which is mounted on a threaded portion extending from the tip, whereupon said longitudinal fibers are binded thereto by means of circumferential fibers before the polymerization process of the tube has been completed. The composite tubes thus produced may be used in off-shore oil prospecting.

Method for affixing a metallic tip to a tube made of composite wound

The present invention concerns a receptacle for the storage of fluid under pressure and comprising an internal casing with axis X,X' and having one central cylindrical section and two extremity sections, an armouring encompassing said casing and leaving clear at the convex extremity section a cap centered on axis X,X'. According to the invention, the outer contour (8) of said convex extremity section (2b) of the casing (2) has, as a longitudinal section, a shape which is at least approximately elliptical so that the ratio G of the small half axis to the major axis is such that:

Receptacle for the storage of fluid under pressure

There is provided a process for providing a metal connector fixed to a pipe of composite material and a pipe thus made. A pipe carries at one of its extremities a metal connector, and a first film of elastomer being interposed between the two and adhering to each of them an adhesive. At the level of this extremity, the pipe also carries a metal casing which is held solidly on the connector by a band and a second film of an elastomer which is interposed between the casing and the pipe and adheres by means of an adhesive to each of them. The pipes according to the invention are suitable for use in offshore oil exploration.

Growing community of inventors

Le Haillan, France

Marcel Auberon