Cured-In-Place Liner Material And Methods and Systems for Manufacture

A method of making a liner tube having sufficient flexibility to lie substantially flat in a first state and to be substantially circular in cross section in an expanded state, the method comprising:

• wrapping at least a first intermediate layer around a flexible tube, the first intermediate layer overlapping itself to define a first overlap portion at a first circumferential position of the circular cross section when the liner tube is in the expanded state;
• wrapping at least a second intermediate layer around the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer overlapping itself to form a second overlap portion at a second circumferential position of the circular cross section when the liner tube is in the expanded state, the first circumferential position and the second circumferential position being at least 120 degrees apart circumferentially;
• and
• wrapping an outer layer around the second intermediate layer to surround the first and second intermediate layers between the outer layer and the flexible tube,
• the first and second intermediate layers comprising an absorbent material and the flexible tube comprising a substantially impermeable material.

An apparatus for inserting a line within a spool of flexible tubing, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame;
• a first rotation member coupled to the frame and configured to receive a first spool, the first spool would with flexible tubing;
• a transition member coupled to the frame and positioned above the first rotation member and configured and disposed to change a direction of motion of the flexible tubing when the flexible tubing passes over the transition member without damaging the flexible tubing;
• and
• a second spool configured to receive the flexible tubing from the transition member and wind the flexible tubing around the second spool,
• wherein, the transition member is located at a position above the first spool such that the line from a line spool can be strung over the transition member such that the line spool is suspended and can unwind, within a portion of the flexible tubing between the first rotation member and the transition member, as the flexible tubing is unwound from the first spool and the line is unwound from the line spool.

A method of inserting a line within a spool of flexible tubing, the method comprising:

• supporting a first spool wound with flexible tubing on a support such that the flexible tubing can be unwound;
• inserting a line spool wound with line within an open end of the flexible tubing while retaining an end of the line with an end of the flexible tubing;
• stringing the flexible tubing and the line over a transition member such that the line spool remains in a portion of the flexible tubing between the first spool and the transition member, the transition member being positioned above the first spool;
• and
• winding the flexible tubing and the line around a second spool such that the flexible tubing is unwound from the first spool and the line is unwound from the line spool.

An apparatus for assembling a liner tube, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame;
• a plurality of rotation members coupled to the frame to receive spools containing wound layers of material, the rotation members being configured and disposed such that the wound layers of material can be unwound parallel to each other, wherein:
• a tubing rotation member of the plurality of rotation members is configured to receive a spool of flexible tubing;
• first and second rotation members of the plurality of rotation members are configured to receive respective first and second spools of absorbent material, and
• an outer layer rotation member is configured to receive a spool of an outer layer material;
• a first receiver platform coupled to the frame and configured and disposed to receive the flexible tubing and the first absorbent material from the first spool and position the flexible tubing in a substantially flat state against the first absorbent material;
• a folder mechanism coupled to the first receiver platform and configured to fold the first absorbent material around the flexible tubing such that the first absorbent material overlaps with itself along a longitudinal edge to define a first overlap portion on a first surface of the flexible tubing;
• a second receiver platform configured and disposed to receive the folded first absorbent material and the flexible tubing, the second absorbent material and the outer layer material, and position the folded first absorbent material and the flexible tubing against at least one of the second absorbent material and the outer layer material;
• wherein the folded first absorbent material and the flexible tubing, the second absorbent material and the outer layer material are disposed on the second receiver platform such that the second absorbent layer is positioned to be wrapped around the first absorbent material to overlap itself to define a second overlap portion on a second surface of the folded first absorbent material and the flexible tubing, the second surface being opposite the first surface, and the outer layer material is positioned to be wrapped around the second absorbent material to surround the first and second absorbent layers between the flexible tubing and the outer layer material.

An apparatus for impregnating a liner tube with a curable liquid, the apparatus comprising:

• an inclined conveyor belt having a low end and an elevated end, the conveyor belt configured to receive a liner tube at the low end of the conveyor belt and propel the liner tube toward the elevated end, wherein the liner tube is a substantially flat flexible tube comprising an outer layer, an inner layer, and a plurality of intermediate layers, the intermediate layers comprising absorbent material;
• an applicator coupled to a liquid source containing a curable liquid, the applicator being configured to drive the curable liquid through at least one aperture formed in the outer layer into the intermediate layers to impregnate the absorbent material;
• and
• at least one roller configured to compress the liner tube while the conveyor belt propels the liner tube, subsequent to the curable liquid being driven into the intermediate layers, to distribute the curable liquid along a length of the liner tube.

A method of impregnating a liner tube with a curable liquid, the method comprising:

• supporting an end portion of a length of liner tube on a low end of an inclined conveyor belt, the conveyor belt being configured to receive the liner tube at the low end and propel the liner tube toward an elevated end higher than the low end;
• cutting an aperture through one or more outer layers of the liner tube while not cutting through an inner-most layer of the liner tube, the aperture allowing access to two or more intermediate layers between the outer layers and inner layers;
• driving a curable liquid into the intermediate layers of a portion of the liner tube to impregnate absorbent material in the intermediate layers of the portion of the liner tube with a curable liquid;
• propelling the liner tube with the conveyor belt to move the liner tube from the low end to the elevated end;
• and
• while propelling the liner tube from the low end to the elevated end, compressing the portion of the liner tube with at least one roller to distribute the curable liquid along a length of the liner tube.