Pipe repair device
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorsCody Badger, Clifton Braun, Adam Tank
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipe repair device includes a body defining a first body end, a second body end, and a middle body section therebetween; a foldable arm pivotably attached to the body to radially reposition the foldable arm relative to the body, the foldable arm comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first segment extending between the body and the second segment, wherein the second segment is substantially parallel to the body; and a locomotion subsystem configured to drive the pipe repair device through a pipe, the locomotion subsystem mounted to the second segment of the foldable arm and configured to engage an inner surface of the pipe.
Claims21
A pipe repair device comprising:
- a body defining a first body end, a second body end, and a middle body section therebetween;
- a foldable arm pivotably attached to the body to radially reposition the foldable arm relative to the body, the foldable arm comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first segment extending between the body and the second segment, wherein the second segment is substantially parallel to the body;
- a locomotion subsystem configured to drive the pipe repair device through a pipe, the locomotion subsystem mounted to the second segment of the foldable arm and configured to engage an inner surface of the pipe;
- and
- a stent configurable in a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the stent is mounted to the body in the compressed configuration.
A pipe repair device comprising:
- a body defining a first body end, a second body end, and a middle body section therebetween;
- a foldable arm pivotably attached to the body to radially reposition the foldable arm relative to the body, the foldable arm comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first segment extending between the body and the second segment, wherein the second segment is substantially parallel to the body;
- and
- a locomotion subsystem configured to drive the pipe repair device through a pipe, the locomotion subsystem mounted to the second segment of the foldable arm and configured to engage an inner surface of the pipe;
- wherein:
- the second segment of the foldable arm defines a first segment end pivotably coupled to the first segment of the foldable arm;
- the second segment further defines a second segment end distal to the first segment end;
- the second segment end is a free end;
- a first spring extends between the first segment and the second segment;
- and
- the first spring biases the second segment radially outward from the first segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.