# US 9,038,670 B2 · Polymer tube comprising an identification sensor, as its manufacturing process

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- Number: US 9,038,670 B2
- Document ID: US9038670B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/891,119
- Filed: 2013-05-09
- Published: 2013-10-10
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2010-11-10
- Assignees: Ryb S.A.
- Applicants: Ryb S.A.
- Inventors: Bernard Vinoy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038670B2

## CPC

- F16L 55/00: Devices or appurtenances for use in, or in connection with, pipes or pipe systems (F16L1/00 - F16L53/00, F16L57/00, F16L59/00 take precedence; repairing or joining pipes on or under water F16L1/26; cleaning of pipes B08B9/02, e.g. removal of blockages B08B9/027; devices for preventing bursting of water pipes by freezing E03B7/10)
- F16L 1/11: for the detection or protection of pipes in the ground
- G01V 15/00: Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object (record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00)
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- Y10T 156/10: Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A polymer tube for conducting a pipe buried underground, having a plurality of RFID tags arranged at regular intervals along the tube and a protective layer of the RFID tags.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A polymer tube for detecting a pipe buried underground, said tube comprising:
the polymer tube;
a plurality of radio-tags arranged at regular intervals along the tube; and
a protective layer of said tags;
wherein each of said radio-tags comprise a resonant circuit split into interconnected subassemblies of low inductance, so that the resulting resonant circuit has an increased capacitive value being less sensitive to the stray capacitances present depending of the permittivity of the environment, in particular in a moist environment.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The polymer tube according to claim 1 wherein said radio-tags are situated on a ribbon wrapped around the tube.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The Polymer tube according to claim 1 wherein said radio-tags are located on a sheet of polymer before welding its ends to the tube.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The polymer tube according to claim 1 wherein said radio-tags are located on a continuous tape glued on one generatrix of the tube.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The polymer tube according to claim 1 wherein said radio-tags are directly glued after pre-forming.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The polymer tube according to claim 1, further comprising a protective polymer layer protecting said radio-tags during bending and packaging of the tube and the operations involved before and during installation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The polymer tube according to claim 1, comprising communication means for communicating identity, characteristics relevant to the manufacturing process of the tube and the localization of the tube.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The polymer tube according to claim 7 wherein it is adapted to the realization of a water distribution pipeline (e.g. drinking water) or gas, or for protecting an electric wire or optical fiber.

### Claim 9

A method of manufacturing a tube of polymer dedicated for an underground pipeline, said method comprising the steps:
providing a polymer tube;
providing a ribbon comprising a series of RFID (Radio Frequency ID) tags, each having a longitudinal axis at an angle α relative to the axis of said tape;
winding said tape around the polymer tube at an angle equal to said angle α so as to align the longitudinal axes of the RFID tags with the axis of the tube;
covering with a protective layer;
wherein each of said RFID tags comprise a resonant circuit split into interconnected subassemblies of low inductance, so that the resulting resonant circuit has an increased capacitive value being less sensitive to the stray capacitances present depending of the permittivity of the environment, in particular in a moist environment.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said protective layer is made of polymer material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said RFID tags comprises means for communicating identity, characteristics of the manufacturing process and localization data of the tube.

### Claim 12

A method of manufacturing a tube of polymer dedicated for an underground pipeline, said method comprising the steps:
providing a polymer tube;
providing a polymer sheet comprising, at regular intervals, radio-tags;
covering the tube with said polymer sheet so as to align ends of said polymer sheet;
welding the ends;
optional covering with a layer of protection;
wherein each of said radio-tags comprise a resonant circuit split into interconnected subassemblies of low inductance, so that the resulting resonant circuit has an increased capacitive value being less sensitive to the stray capacitances present depending of the permittivity of the environment, in particular in a moist environment.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein said layer of protection is made of polymer material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein said radio-tags comprises means for communicating identity, characteristics of the manufacturing process and localization data of the tube.

### Claim 15

A method of manufacturing a tube of polymer dedicated for an underground pipeline, said method comprising the steps:
providing a polymer tube;
providing a continuous strip having, at regular intervals, RFID (Radio Frequency ID) tags;
bonding of the strip;
covering with a protective layer;
wherein each of said RFID tags comprise a resonant circuit split into interconnected subassemblies of low inductance, so that the resulting resonant circuit has an increased capacitive value being less sensitive to the stray capacitances present depending of the permittivity of the environment, in particular in a moist environment.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15, wherein said protective layer is made of polymer material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15, wherein said RFID tags comprises means for communicating identity, characteristics of the manufacturing process and localization data of the tube.

### Claim 18

A method of manufacturing a tube of polymer dedicated for an underground pipeline, said method comprising the steps:
providing a polymer tube;
preforming a radio-label so that its shape coincides with the radius of curvature of the tube;
direct gluing on a generatrix of the tube;
covering with a protective layer;
wherein said radio-label comprises a resonant circuit split into interconnected subassemblies of low inductance, so that the resulting resonant circuit has an increased capacitive value being less sensitive to the stray capacitances present depending of the permittivity of the environment, in particular in a moist environment.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method according to claim 18, wherein said protective layer is made of polymer material.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method according to claim 18, wherein said radio-label comprises means for communicating identity, characteristics of the manufacturing process and localization data of the tube.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The polymer tube according to claim 1 wherein said radio-tags are located within a separate package which can be clamped, screwed, glued or welded on the tube.