Rupture-resistant fluid transport and containment system
OwnerRichard L. Webberinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Fluid transport and containment systems are protected from rupture related to an expanded volume within the systems. A fluid transport system, such as a water supply pipe, has a relief channel along its length configured for expanding outwardly when fluids contained in the pipe freeze and expand. A unitary pipe configuration including a pipe wall and an integral core structure that can be sealed at each end provides a means for expansion sufficient to resist freeze-induced rupture. Such pipe configurations can be used with conventional pipes and pipe fittings and with adapters adapted to fit both the improved pipes and conventional pipes and pipe fittings.
Claims60
A fluid transport system having an internal volume, the system resistant to rupture due to expansion of the internal volume, comprising:
- a pipe having a length and a pipe wall, the pipe wall having an inside surface and an outside surface and two adjacent edges along the length of the pipe forming an open seam;
- a core structure connected to the inside surface of the pipe wall along the length of the pipe and having an open seam contiguous with the open seam in the pipe wall;
- and
- a hollow expansion channel along the length of the pipe defined by the core structure, wherein the pipe has a center along the length of the pipe and the pipe wall and the core structure are expandable outwardly from the center of the pipe in the direction of the open seams, and wherein when the internal volume expands, the pipe wall and core structure expand sufficiently to accommodate the expanded volume and resist rupture of the system.
A fluid transport system having an internal volume, the system resistant to rupture due to expansion of the internal volume, comprising:
- a pipe having a length and a pipe wall, the pipe wall having an inside surface and an outside surface and two adjacent edges along the length of the pipe forming an open seam;
- a core structure connected to the inside surface of the pipe wall along the length of the pipe and having an open seam contiguous with the open seam in the pipe wall;
- and
- a hollow expansion channel along the length of the pipe defined by the core structure,
- wherein the pipe and the core structure comprise an integral pipe unit, wherein the pipe has a center along the length of the pipe and the integral pipe unit is expandable outwardly from the center of the pipe in the direction of the open seams, and wherein when the internal volume expands, the integral pipe unit expands sufficiently to accommodate the expanded volume and resist rupture of the system.
A fluid container having an internal volume, the container resistant to rupture due to expansion of the internal volume, comprising:
- a plurality of sides, one of the plurality of sides having a length and an inside surface and two adjacent edges along the length of the one side forming an open seam;
- a core structure connected to the inside surface and along the length of the one side and having an open seam contiguous with the open seam in the one side;
- and
- a hollow expansion channel along the length of the one side defined by the core structure,
- wherein the one side and the core structure comprise an integral unit, wherein the integral unit is expandable outwardly in the direction of the open seams, and wherein when the internal volume expands, the integral unit expands sufficiently to accommodate the expanded volume and resist rupture of the system.
A fluid transport system having an internal volume, the system resistant to rupture due to expansion of the internal volume, comprising a pipe having a length and a pipe wall, the pipe having a center along the length of the pipe, the pipe wall comprising at least one depression toward the center and along the length of the pipe, each of the at least one depression defining an external expansion channel, wherein the pipe wall is expandable outwardly from the center of the pipe in the direction of the at least one depression, and wherein when the internal volume expands, the pipe wall expands sufficiently to accommodate the expanded volume and resist rupture of the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.