Pipe repair
AssigneeTurnbull Infrastructure & Utilities Limited
InventorJulian Britton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a method for repairing a partially collapsed pipe. The method comprises fitting a mesh stent around the outside of an actuation assembly of a pipe repair apparatus, and positioning the pipe repair apparatus within a portion of the pipe, at least a part of the portion of the pipe being partially collapsed. The method also comprises causing actuation between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration such that the partially collapsed part of the pipe changes from a partially collapsed form towards a non-collapsed form. The method also comprises removing the pipe repair apparatus from the pipe and leaving the mesh stent in the portion of the pipe.
Claims20
A pipe repair apparatus for repairing partially collapsed pipes, the pipe repair apparatus comprising:
- an actuation assembly comprising:
- a plurality of actuation arms;
- a plurality of hydraulic cylinders;
- and
- a plurality of hydraulic lines, wherein each hydraulic line in the plurality of hydraulic lines supplies hydraulic fluid to a respective hydraulic cylinder in the plurality of hydraulic cylinders, wherein each hydraulic cylinder in the plurality of hydraulic cylinders is configured to move a respective actuation arm in the plurality of actuation arms between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration to move a partially collapsed part of a partially collapsed pipe from a partially collapsed form to a non-collapsed form;
- and
- a control module configured to control each individual hydraulic line in the plurality of hydraulic lines such that each actuation arm in the plurality of actuation arms is actuated independently, wherein the control module is configured to control at least two of the hydraulic lines in the plurality of hydraulic lines such that at least one of the actuation arms in the plurality of actuation arms applies a different force to the partially collapsed pipe compared to at least one other actuation arm in the plurality of actuation arms.
A system for repairing partially collapsed pipes, the system comprising:
- a pipe repair apparatus for repairing partially collapsed pipes, the pipe repair apparatus comprising:
- an actuation assembly comprising:
- a plurality of actuation arms;
- a plurality of hydraulic cylinders;
- and
- a plurality of hydraulic lines, wherein each hydraulic line in the plurality of hydraulic lines supplies hydraulic fluid to a respective hydraulic cylinder in the plurality of hydraulic cylinders, wherein each hydraulic cylinder in the plurality of hydraulic cylinders is configured to move a respective actuation arm in the plurality of actuation arms between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration to move a partially collapsed part of a partially collapsed pipe from a partially collapsed form to a non-collapsed form;
- and
- a control module configured to control each individual hydraulic line in the plurality of hydraulic lines such that each actuation arm in the plurality of actuation arms is actuated independently;
- and
- a mesh stent, wherein:
- the mesh stent is configured to be fitted around an outside of the actuation assembly of the pipe repair apparatus when the plurality of actuation arms are in the retracted configuration;
- and
- in response to the control module controlling a given hydraulic line in the plurality of hydraulic lines such that a given actuation arm in the plurality of actuation arms moves from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration, the given actuation arm exerts a force against the mesh stent and an interior surface of the partially collapsed part of the partially collapsed pipe, such that a part of the partially collapsed pipe changes from the partially collapsed form towards the non-collapsed form.
A pipe repair apparatus for repairing partially collapsed pipes, the pipe repair apparatus comprising:
- an actuation assembly comprising:
- a plurality of actuation arms, wherein each actuation arm is configured to move between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration to move a partially collapsed part of a partially collapsed pipe from a partially collapsed form to a non-collapsed form;
- and
- a control module configured to control each individual actuation arm in the plurality of actuation arms independently, wherein the control module is configured to control at least two of the plurality of actuation arms such that at least one of the actuation arms in the plurality of actuation arms applies a different force to the partially collapsed pipe compared to at least one other actuation arm in the plurality of actuation arms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.