Patent ID: 7210531

Claim:
A protective element for a riser segment, said protective element comprising an elongated buffer body, and several, spaced-apart feet connected with the elongated buffer body, the several, spaced-apart feet being provided with an engagement part arranged for engaging on a main pipe of a bendable riser segment, a distance between the engagement part of the several, spaced-apart feet and the elongated buffer body being such that in a mounted condition on the main pipe a part of the elongated buffer body located farthest from the main pipe is located farther from the main pipe than auxiliary pipe elements arranged on the main pipe so as to extend beyond the auxiliary pipe elements and provide damage and shock protection for the auxiliary pipe elements, the elongated buffer body being made of a plastic material, and a bending stiffness of the elongated buffer body between two adjacent feet being less than a bending stiffness of the main pipe of the bendable riser segment so that the elongated buffer body avoids hampering bending of the bendable riser segment.