Composite repair for pipes
AssigneeOdyssian Technology, LLC
InventorBarton E. Bennett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A repair assembly is provided for repairing a pipe that in one embodiment includes a layer of thermoplastic material substantially surrounding the pipe in an area needing repair; a heating element located to provide heat to the layer of thermoplastic material; and an overpress at least partially surrounding the pipe and the layer of thermoplastic material. The layer of thermoplastic material may be configured as a sleeve surrounding the pipe, and the sleeve may be configured in two semicylindrical halves with longitudinal seams where the semicylindrical halves meet. The seams extend generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pipe, and the sleeve may further include outwardly extending flanges along the edges of the semicylindrical halves at the seams.
Claims26
A repair assembly for repairing a pipe comprising:
- a layer of thermoplastic material in a sleeve configuration provided in two semicylindrical halves with longitudinal seams where said semicylindrical halves meet extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pipe, and further including outwardly extending flanges along said edges of said semicylindrical halves at said seams substantially surrounding the pipe in an area needing repair;
- a heating element located to provide heat to said layer of thermoplastic material;
- and
- an overpress at least partially surrounding the pipe and said layer of thermoplastic material.
A repair assembly for repairing a pipe comprising:
- a layer of thermoplastic material substantially surrounding the pipe in an area needing repair;
- a heating element embedded in said layer of thermoplastic material, located to provide heat to said layer of thermoplastic material;
- and
- an overpress at least partially surrounding the pipe and said layer of thermoplastic material.
A repair assembly for repairing a pipe comprising:
- a layer of thermoplastic material substantially surrounding the pipe in an area needing repair;
- a heating element located between the pipe and said layer of thermoplastic material to provide heat to said layer of thermoplastic material;
- and
- an overpress at least partially surrounding the pipe and said layer of thermoplastic material.
A repair assembly for repairing a pipe comprising:
- a layer of thermoplastic material substantially surrounding the pipe in an area needing repair;
- a heating element located to provide heat to said layer of thermoplastic material;
- an overpress at least partially surrounding the pipe and said layer of thermoplastic material;
- and
- a layer of material having a significantly higher coefficient of thermal expansion than said thermoplastic material or said overpress, and located between said layer of thermoplastic material and said overpress.
A repair assembly for repairing a pipe comprising:
- a layer of thermoplastic material substantially surrounding the pipe in an area needing repair;
- a heating element located to provide heat to said layer of thermoplastic material;
- an overpress at least partially surrounding the pipe and said layer of thermoplastic material;
- and
- a second layer of thermoplastic thermoplastic material substantially surrounding the pipe in the area needing repair, both layers of thermoplastic material being provided in semicylindrical halves with longitudinally extending seams where the halves abut, and the longitudinally extending seams of said second layer are rotationally offset from said seams of said first layer.
A repair assembly for repairing a pipe comprising:
- a layer of thermoplastic material extending substantially around the pipe in an area needing repair;
- a heating element;
- an overpress at least partially surrounding the pipe;
- and
- a pair or more of optional strain gauges, at least one strain gauge located in contact with the pipe and at least one strain gauge located in contact with said layer of thermoplastic material.
A method for repairing a pipe, wherein the pipe may be installed in a field application, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying an area in the pipe requiring repair and providing access around said area;
- providing a repair assembly including a layer of thermoplastic material substantially surrounding the pipe in the area needing repair, a heating element, and an overpress at least partially surrounding the pipe and said layer of thermoplastic material;
- installing the repair assembly around the area in the pipe requiring repair;
- activating said heating element to cause said thermoplastic material to flow around and seal the area in the pipe, the thermoplastic material being outwardly restrained by said overpress;
- providing a layer of material having a significantly higher coefficient of thermal expansion than said layer of thermoplastic material or said overpress;
- and
- providing the layer of material having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion between said overpass and said layer of thermoplastic material.
A method for repairing a pipe, wherein the pipe may be installed in a field application, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying an area in the pipe requiring repair and providing access around said area;
- providing a repair assembly including a layer of thermoplastic material provided in two semicylindrical halves and each half includes outwardly extending flanges extending along longitudinally extending side edges thereof and substantially surrounding the pipe in the area needing repair, a heating element, and an overpress at least partially surrounding the pipe and said layer of thermoplastic material;
- installing the repair assembly around the area in the pipe requiring repair;
- and
- activating said heating element to cause said thermoplastic material to flow around and seal the area in the pipe, the thermoplastic material being outwardly restrained by said overpress.
A method for repairing a pipe, wherein the pipe may be installed in a field application, the method comprising the steps of:
- identifying an area in the pipe requiring repair and providing access around said area;
- providing a repair assembly including a layer of thermoplastic material substantially surrounding the pipe in the area needing repair, a heating element, and an overpress at least partially surrounding the pipe and said layer of thermoplastic material;
- installing the repair assembly around the area in the pipe requiring repair;
- activating said heating element to cause said thermoplastic material to flow around and seal the area in the pipe, the thermoplastic material being outwardly restrained by said overpress;
- providing at least two strain gauges;
- attaching at least one of the strain gauges in contact with the pipe;
- attaching at least one strain gauge in contact with the thermoplastic material;
- and
- monitoring the strain in the two gauges to evaluate the integrity of the repair.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.