Device and method for repairing pipe with a repair assembly having a lighting assembly
AssigneeMoray Group, LLC
InventorsCHRIS RAS, KEVAN TAYLOR, SARAN KUMAR BOYILLA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for repairing a pipeline. The apparatus includes a liner assembly made of resin absorbent material. The liner assembly is configured to be impregnated with a light-activated resin. The apparatus also includes a bladder assembly configured to expand to press the main liner member against the interior wall of the pipeline and a lighting assembly configured to provide light at the wavelength which initiates curing of the light-activated resin.
Claims42
An apparatus for repairing a main pipeline and a lateral pipeline connected thereto and in communication therewith to form a pipe juncture, the apparatus comprising:
- a liner assembly having a main liner member and a lateral liner tube of resin absorbent material in communication with one another through a liner juncture;
- a bladder assembly having a main bladder tube and a lateral bladder tube in communication with one another through a bladder juncture;
- a lighting assembly having a main light pack and a lateral light train;
- wherein the lateral bladder tube, the lateral liner tube, and the lateral light train are configured to extend within the lateral pipeline with the lateral light train being inside the lateral bladder tube, the lateral bladder tube being inside the lateral liner tube, and the lateral liner tube being between the lateral pipeline and the lateral bladder tube;
- wherein the main bladder tube, the main liner member, and the main light pack are configured to extend within the main pipeline.
28-31. (canceled)
The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising a woven sleeve strain relief mechanism positioned around the lateral light train.
A method of repairing a main pipeline and a lateral pipeline connected thereto and in communication therewith to form a pipe juncture, the method comprising:
- taking a launcher device;
- taking a liner assembly including a main liner member and a lateral liner tube in communication with one another through a liner juncture;
- taking a bladder assembly including a main bladder tube and a lateral bladder tube in communication with one another through a bladder juncture;
- taking a lighting assembly including a main light pack and a lateral light train;
- impregnating the liner assembly with a light-activated resin having a first light-activated initiator configured to initiate curing the light-activated resin at a first wavelength;
- moving the lateral liner tube, the lateral bladder tube, and the lateral light train from the launcher device to the lateral pipeline with the lateral light train being within the lateral bladder tube and the lateral bladder tube being within the lateral liner tube;
- expanding the main bladder tube to press the main liner member against the main pipeline;
- expanding the lateral bladder tube to press the lateral liner tube against the lateral pipeline;
- illuminating the lighting assembly at the first wavelength to initiate curing of the light-activated resin impregnated within the liner assembly.
44-97. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.