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AssigneeQuality Intervention Technology AS
InventorBjorn Bro Sorensen
Estimating the term…
A plug (1, 301) for plugging a line (101), the plug comprising: a seal (2); a first end assembly (10, 310) located at a first end (4) of the seal (2) and a second end assembly (40) located at an opposite second end (5) of the seal (2), the first end assembly (10, 310) comprising at least one gripping member (16, 17, 316, 317) that is configured to grip an inner surface of the line (101); and an actuator (50) configured to draw the first (10, 310) and second end (40) assemblies together when there is a relative motion between the actuator (50) and the first end assembly (10, 310), characterised in that: the actuator (50) is configured to actuate the gripping member (16, 17, 316, 317), and the plug (1, 301) is arranged such that: an initial part of a motion of the actuator 50 actuates the gripping member (16, 17, 316, 317) to grip the inner surface of the line (101), thus inhibiting motion of the first end assembly (10, 310), and a subsequent part of the motion of the actuator (50), relative to the thus motion-inhibited first end assembly (10, 310), draws the second end assembly (40) toward the first end assembly (10, 310) so as to compress the seal (2) such that the seal (2) may seal against the inner surface of the line (101) thus plugging the line (101).
A plug for plugging a line, the plug comprising:
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the motion is a first motion and the plug is arranged such that:
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the motion of the actuator is a rotation.
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the gripping member is pivotable between its non-gripping and its gripping positions.
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the gripping member is slidable between its non-gripping and its gripping positions.
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the gripping member has a generally elongated shape, such as a crescent-shape.
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the gripping member comprises a gripping surface, preferably comprising grooves and ridges and/or comprising a high-friction surface material.
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the gripping member is substantially incompressible and/or inelastic.
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the gripping member is configured such that, when it is actuated to grip the inner surface of the line, it acts to inhibit movement of the plug in the axial and/or circumferential direction of the line.
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first end assembly comprises at least one stop, the stop being arranged so as to limit the movement of the gripping member.
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first end assembly comprises a plurality of gripping members.
A plug a claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the actuator comprises an elongated member that passes through the seal and the first end assembly, the elongated member comprising threads that engage threads on the first end assembly.
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the actuator comprises a torque transmission bar extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the plug proximate the second end of the seal.
A plug as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first end assembly comprises a raised member having a width greater than the width of the seal or remainder of the plug, the raised member being configured to cooperate with the inner surface of the line to provide the first end assembly with some initial resistance to movement during the initial part of the motion of the actuator.
A method of installing a plug inside a line, the plug comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.