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US 10,627,038 B2Granted
Devices and methods for repairing pipes
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorsCody Badger, Clifton Braun, Adam Tank
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Example aspects of a pipe repair device and a method for repairing a pipeline are disclosed. The pipe repair device can comprise a body; a sensor attached to the body for detecting the leak in the pipe; a transport mechanism attached to the body for transporting the pipe repair device along the pipe; and a repair mechanism comprising a repair material for repairing the leak.
Claims17
A pipe repair device for repairing a leak in a pipe comprising:
- a body;
- a sensor attached to the body for detecting the leak in the pipe;
- a transport mechanism attached to the body for transporting the pipe repair device along the pipe;
- a repair mechanism comprising a stent reconfigurable between a compressed orientation and an expanded orientation, the stent comprising a spring and a seal, the seal comprising a repair material for repairing the leak, the spring biasing the stent to the expanded orientation;
- and
- a power supply and a motor, a tether connecting the power supply to the motor, the power supply supplying power to the motor.
3 more elements
A method for repairing a pipeline comprising:
- inserting a pipe repair device into the pipeline, the pipe repair device comprising a stent, the stent comprising a spring and a sealing layer wrapped around a circumference of the spring;
- detecting a leak at a leak region in the pipeline;
- transporting the pipe repair device through the pipeline to the leak region;
- expanding the stent from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration;
- and
- biasing the spring against the sealing layer to press the sealing layer against the leak.
3 more elements
A method for repairing a pipe comprising:
- isolating a controlled volume around a leak region of the pipe, wherein isolating the controlled volume around the leak region of the pipe comprises pressing a flexible cap against an inner surface of the pipe;
- creating a fluid impermeable seal around the controlled volume;
- and
- inserting repair material into the controlled volume.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.