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US 2017/0326784 A1Published application
Pipe-liner eversion system and method
OwnerSimon Sandersinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pipe-liner system for lining a pipe and methods of use thereof. A continuous, eversible extended liner is formed from a pipe-liner attached to an extender-tube via a substantially leak-proof connection there between. Lengths of the extender-tube and the pipe-liner are each chosen so that the pipe-liner is caused to be accurately positioned within the pipe upon everting the extended liner into the pipe by a pressurized fluid. The pipe-liner is held against an interior surface of the pipe being lined by inserting an inflatable bladder into the extended liner and filling the bladder with pressurized fluid. When a resin in the pipe-liner has hardened, the bladder is removed and the extender-tube is detached from the pipe-liner.
Claims20
A method of lining a pipe having a pipe opening end (112) fluidly connected to a pipe interior surface (114), said method comprising:
- a. providing an eversible extended liner (150), said extended liner (150) comprising:
- i. an eversible, substantially-impermeable, elongate, extender-tube (120) having an extender-tube first end (122) and an extender-tube second end (124), wherein a selectable extender-tube length is measured from the extender-tube first end (122) to the extender-tube second end (124);
- and
- ii. an eversible, flexible, elongate, tubular, pipe-liner (130) having a pipe-liner first end (132) and a pipe-liner second end (134), wherein a selectable pipe-liner length is measured from the pipe-liner first end (132) to the pipe-liner second end (134), wherein the extender-tube second end (124) is connected to the pipe-liner first end (132) via a removable, substantially leak-proof connection (160), wherein the combined extender-tube (120) and the pipe-liner (130) form a single continuous eversible tube, referred to as the extended liner (150);
- b. choosing the extender-tube length so that the pipe-liner (130) is caused to be accurately positioned within the pipe (110) upon eversion into the pipe (110);
- c. choosing the pipe-liner length so that the pipe-liner (130) is caused to be accurately positioned within the pipe (110) upon eversion into the pipe (110);
- d. placing the extender-tube first end (122) exterior to the pipe (110) at a predetermined position from the pipe opening end (112) so that the pipe-liner (130) is caused to be accurately positioned within the pipe (110) upon eversion into the pipe (110);
- e. everting the combined extender-tube (120) and pipe-liner (130) via fluid under pressure that has been introduced into an interior of the extended liner (150) to drive at east part of the eversion process progressively so that:
- i. the extender-tube (120) is first to evert and drags the pipe-liner (130) through the everted extender-tube (120);
- ii. the pipe-liner (130) then everts after eversion of the extender-tube (120) is completed;
- and
- iii. the pipe-liner (130) becomes positioned at a desired position within the pipe (110) via the selected predetermined extender-tube length, the selected predetermined pipe-liner length, and the placement of the extender-tube first end (122) exterior to the pipe (110) at the predetermined position from the pipe opening end (112);
- and
- f. detaching the extender-tube (120) from the pipe-liner (130) via the removable, substantially leak-proof connection (160) and removing the detached extender-tube (120) from the pipe (110).
11 more elements
A pipe-liner system (100) for lining a pipe interior surface (114) of a pipe (110), wherein the system (100) comprises:
- a. an eversible, flexible, substantially-impermeable, elongate, extender-tube (120) having an extender-tube first end (122) and an extender-tube second end (124), wherein a selectable extender-tube length is measured from the extender-tube first end (122) to the extender-tube second end (124);
- b. an eversible, flexible, elongate, tubular, pipe-liner (130) having a pipe-liner first end (132) and a pipe-liner second end (134), wherein a selectable pipe-liner length is measured from the pipe-liner first end (132) to the pipe-liner second end (134);
- and
- c. a removable, substantially leak-proof connection (160) connecting the extender-tube second end (124) to the pipe-liner first end (132);
- wherein the combined extender-tube (120) and the pipe-liner (130) form a single continuous eversible tube, hereinafter referred to as an extended liner (150),
- wherein the extender-tube length and the pipe-liner length are each chosen so that the pipe-liner (130) liner is caused to be accurately positioned within the pipe (110) upon eversion of the extended liner (150),
- wherein for installation, the extender-tube first end (122) is disposed exterior to the pipe (110) at a selectable predetermined position from the pipe opening end (112),
- wherein the combined extender-tube (120) and pipe-liner (130) can be everted via fluid under pressure that has been introduced into an interior of the extended liner (150) to drive at least part of the eversion process progressively so that the extender-tube (120) can first evert and drag the pipe-liner (130) through the everted extender-tube (120) so that the pipe-liner (130) can then evert after the eversion of the extender-tube (120) is completed so that the pipe-liner (130) becomes positioned at a desired position in the pipe (110) via the selected predetermined extender-tube length, the selected predetermined pipe-liner length, and the placement of the extender-tube first end (122) exterior to the pipe (110) at the selected predetermined position from the pipe opening end (112).
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.