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US 10,669,849 B2Granted
Rock anchor inflation and draining system
AssigneeNevada Industrial LLC
InventorsChris Ravencroft, Dwight Peabody
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Rock anchors, inflation chucks, and inflation systems such as those described herein, allow for substantially complete draining of fluids from interior volumes of the rock anchors. In various situations, corrosive fluids may be introduced to the rock anchor, including inflating the rock anchors and during normal use, such as by groundwater intrusion. The inflation chucks described herein include multiple inflation paths for more effectively introducing and draining fluid from rock anchors during inflation processes and during general use.
Claims18
A method for expanding and draining an expandable rock anchor, comprising:
- inserting, at least partially into a borehole, a rock anchor having a first shape having a first diameter that is less than a diameter of the borehole, the rock anchor defining first and second openings to an interior volume of the rock anchor;
- fluidly coupling an inflation system to the interior volume of the rock anchor using an inflation chuck;
- introducing, using the inflation system, a first fluid into the interior volume, thereby causing the rock anchor to expand to a second shape having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter and substantially equal to the diameter of the borehole;
- introducing, by the inflation system, a second fluid into the interior volume through the first opening, thereby displacing the first fluid and causing substantially all of the first fluid to flow out of the interior volume through the second opening, wherein:
- the rock anchor maintains the second shape following the draining of substantially all of the first fluid from the interior volume;
- and
- an exterior surface of the expanded rock anchor engages with an interior surface of the borehole, thereby retaining the rock anchor in the borehole.
4 more elements
An inflation chuck for a rock anchor inflation system comprising:
- a housing defining:
- a cavity configured to receive an end of a rock anchor that is configured to be inserted into a borehole and inflated to engage with an interior surface of the borehole;
- a first inflation path configured to be fluidly coupled to a first passage into an interior volume of the rock anchor;
- and
- a second inflation path configured to be fluidly coupled to a second passage into the interior volume of the rock anchor;
- a housing cover coupled to and at least partially surrounding the housing;
- a retention sleeve disposed in the cavity;
- a first inflation ring configured to be disposed around the rock anchor, the first inflation ring defining one or more first features configured to fluidly couple the first inflation path to the interior volume;
- a second inflation ring configured to be disposed around the rock anchor, the second inflation ring defining one or more second features configured to fluidly couple the second inflation path to the interior volume;
- a first gasket disposed between the first inflation ring and the second inflation ring and configured to extend around the rock anchor and form a seal between the first passage and the second passage;
- a second gasket disposed between the first inflation ring and a surface of the housing cover;
- and
- a third gasket disposed between the second inflation ring and the retention sleeve.
10 more elements
An inflation system for a rock anchor comprising:
- a pump system configured to fluidly couple to an interior volume of the rock anchor to inflate and drain the rock anchor;
- and
- an inflation chuck configured to interface with the rock anchor and fluidly couple the interior volume of the rock anchor to the pump system, the inflation chuck defining:
- a cavity configured to receive an end of the rock anchor;
- a first inflation path configured to be fluidly coupled to a first passage into the interior volume of the rock anchor;
- and
- a second inflation path configured to be fluidly coupled to a second passage into the interior volume of the rock anchor, wherein:
- the inflation chuck comprises:
- a first inflation ring defining one or more first features configured to form part of the first passage into the interior volume of the rock anchor;
- and
- a second inflation ring defining one or more second features configured to form part of the second passage into the interior volume of the rock anchor;
- and
- the pump system is configured to:
- introduce a first fluid into the interior volume to inflate the rock anchor;
- and
- introduce a second fluid into the interior volume to facilitate draining of the first fluid from the rock anchor.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.