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US 10,627,037 B2Granted
Devices, systems, and methods for locking a conduit
OwnerBarry M. Scottinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conduit locking device includes a housing having a first end, a second end, and a sidewall disposed between the first end and the second end. The conduit locking device may further include a slide engaged with the sidewall of the housing, the slide including an extension arm and an end portion structurally configured to engage with an inner wall of a conduit. The slide may be extendable via the extension arm from a first position substantially adjacent to the sidewall of the housing to a second position disposed away from the sidewall of the housing, where, when in the second position, the slide is configured to retain the conduit locking device at a fixed position within the conduit through the engagement of the end portion with the inner wall of the conduit.
Claims44
A system for locking a conduit, comprising:
- a conduit locking device comprising:
- a housing comprising a first end, a second end, and one or more sidewalls disposed between the first end and the second end;
- a first connector on one or more of the first end and the second end of the housing;
- one or more slides engaged with the one or more sidewalls of the housing, at least one of the one or more slides comprising an end portion structurally configured to engage with an inner wall of a conduit and an extension arm, the at least one of the one or more slides extendable via the extension arm from a first position substantially adjacent to the one or more sidewalls of the housing to a second position disposed away from the one or more sidewalls of the housing, where, when in the second position, the at least one of the one or more slides is configured to retain the conduit locking device at a fixed position within the conduit through the engagement of the end portion with the inner wall of the conduit;
- and
- a fluid chamber within the housing, the extension arm comprising a piston extending through at least one of the one or more sidewalls of the housing and into the fluid chamber, and the first connector comprising a fluid pathway between the fluid chamber and an external environment, the fluid pathway comprising a valve permitting fluid to be moved into the fluid chamber during a locking operation to pressurize the fluid chamber thereby extending the at least one of the one or more slides from the first position to the second position, and the valve permitting fluid to be moved out of the fluid chamber during a releasing operation thereby depressurizing the fluid chamber and retracting the at least one of the one or more slides from the second position to the first position;
- and
- a hydraulic system coupled to the conduit locking device, the hydraulic system comprising:
- a hose having a first hose end and a second hose end, the first hose end comprising a second connector structurally configured for engagement with the first connector of the conduit locking device;
- and
- an actuator engaged to the second hose end, the actuator selectively activatable to perform one or more of:
- dispersing fluid through the hose and into the fluid chamber of the conduit locking device when the hose is connected to the conduit locking device, and
- receiving fluid into the hose from the fluid chamber of the conduit locking device when the hose is connected to the conduit locking device.
10 more elements
A method for locking a conduit, comprising:
- connecting a conduit locking device to a hose, the conduit locking device comprising:
- a housing comprising a first end, a second end, and one or more sidewalls disposed between the first end and the second end;
- a connector on one or more of the first end and the second end of the housing, where connecting the conduit locking device to the hose comprises engaging the connector with a second connector disposed on the hose;
- one or more slides engaged with the one or more sidewalls of the housing, at least one of the one or more slides comprising an end portion structurally configured to engage with an inner wall of a conduit and an extension arm, the at least one of the one or more slides extendable via the extension arm from a first position substantially adjacent to the one or more sidewalls of the housing to a second position disposed away from the one or more sidewalls of the housing;
- and
- a fluid chamber within the housing, the extension arm comprising a piston extending through at least one of the one or more sidewalls of the housing and into the fluid chamber, and the connector comprising a fluid pathway between the fluid chamber and an external environment, the fluid pathway comprising a valve permitting fluid to be moved into the fluid chamber to pressurize the fluid chamber during a locking operation, and the valve permitting fluid to be moved out of the fluid chamber during a releasing operation thereby depressurizing the fluid chamber;
- inserting the conduit locking device into the conduit;
- and
- pressurizing the fluid chamber thereby extending the at least one of the one or more slides from the first position to the second position to lock the conduit.
6 more elements
A system for locking a conduit, comprising:
- a conduit locking device comprising:
- a housing comprising a first end, a second end, and one or more sidewalls disposed between the first end and the second end;
- a first connector on one or more of the first end and the second end of the housing;
- a slide engaged with a sidewall of the housing, the slide comprising an end portion structurally configured to engage with an inner wall of a conduit and an extension arm, the slide extendable via the extension arm from a first position substantially adjacent to the sidewall of the housing to a second position disposed away from the sidewall of the housing, where, when in the second position, the slide is configured to retain the conduit locking device at a fixed position within the conduit through the engagement of the end portion with the inner wall of the conduit;
- and
- a fluid chamber within the housing, the extension arm comprising a piston extending through the housing and into the fluid chamber, the first connector comprising a fluid pathway into and out of the fluid chamber;
- and
- a hydraulic system coupled to the conduit locking device, the hydraulic system comprising:
- a hose having a first hose end and a second hose end, the first hose end engaged with the first connector of the conduit locking device;
- and
- an actuator engaged to the second hose end, the actuator activatable to perform one or more of:
- dispersing fluid through the hose and into the fluid chamber of the conduit locking device, and
- receiving fluid into the hose from the fluid chamber of the conduit locking device.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.