# US 9,752,951 B2 · Balloon catheter apparatus for high pressure leak detection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,951 B2 - Document ID: US9752951B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/229,612 - Filed: 2016-08-05 - Published: 2016-11-24 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-27 - Assignees: Redline Detection, LLC - Applicants: Redline Detection, LLC - Inventors: Zachary Parker; Kenneth A. Pieroni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752951B2 ## CPC - G01M 3/022: {Test plugs for closing off the end of a pipe} - G01M 3/20: using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An inflatable, balloon-type catheter apparatus which is conformable to fit most all intake and exhaust systems to delivery pressure (with or without smoke) to test the fluid integrity of the fluid system. The device is configured to be inserted into the canal of the intake or exhaust system and inflated to seal off the fluid system. The pressurized smoke is passed through the inflated inlet adapter to test for leaks. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A universal inlet adapter for a leak detection device using a pressurized detection media for detecting a leak in a fluid system having a fluid duct, the universal inlet adapter comprising: a pair of rigid end caps; an inflatable bladder engageable with the pair of rigid end caps and being selectively transitional between an inflated configuration and a deflated configuration, the inflatable bladder being configured to be engagable with the fluid duct to form a fluid tight seal therebetween as the inflatable bladder transitions from the deflated configuration to the inflated configuration; and a test fluid delivery tube extending through the inflatable bladder and being fluidly connectable with the leak detection device for delivering the pressurized detection media into the fluid duct for testing; the test fluid delivery tube having a first threaded surface that mates to a second threaded surface of one of the pair of rigid end caps, the first threaded surface and the second threaded surface being configured to enable translatable movement of the at least one of the pair of end caps relative to the test fluid delivery tube so that the distance between the first rigid end cap and the second rigid end cap is adjustable to adjust a configuration of the inflatable bladder. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder defines an internal bladder reservoir, the test fluid delivery tube traversing through the internal bladder reservoir. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder is conformable to the shape of the fluid duct as the inflatable bladder transitions from the deflated configuration to the inflated configuration. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder defines a tubular configuration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 4, wherein the test fluid delivery tube is co-axially aligned with the bladder. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the test fluid delivery tube is an elongate rigid tube. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 1, further comprising an inflation conduit fluidly connected to the inflatable bladder and fluidly connectable to a pressurized fluid source for selectively transitioning the inflatable bladder from the deflated configuration to the inflated configuration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 7, wherein the pair of rigid end caps include a first rigid end cap and a second rigid end cap, the first rigid end cap being connected to the test fluid delivery tube and the inflation conduit, the second rigid end cap being connected to the test fluid delivery tube. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 7, further comprising a hand pump fluidly coupled to the inflation conduit for delivering fluid into the inflatable bladder for causing the inflatable bladder to transition from the deflated configuration to the inflated configuration. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 1, further comprising a pair of locking rings configured to cooperate with respective ones of the pair of rigid end caps to secure the bladder therebetween. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 1, wherein the test fluid delivery tube defines an internal passageway fluidly isolated from the internal bladder reservoir. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The universal inlet adapter recited in claim 1, wherein each rigid end cap extends between the test fluid delivery tube and the inflatable bladder so that the inflatable bladder does not contact the test fluid delivery tube. ### Claim 13 A universal inlet adapter for a leak detection device using a pressurized detection media for detecting a leak in a fluid system having a fluid duct, the universal inlet adapter comprising: a pair of rigid end caps; an inflatable bladder engageable with the pair of rigid end caps and being selectively transitional between an inflated configuration and a deflated configuration, the inflatable bladder being configured to be engagable with the fluid duct as the inflatable bladder transitions from the deflated configuration to the inflated configuration; and a test fluid delivery tube extending through the inflatable bladder and being fluidly connectable with the leak detection device; the test fluid delivery tube and one of the pair of rigid end caps being configured to enable translatable movement of the at least one of the pair of end caps relative to the test fluid delivery tube so that the distance between the first rigid end cap and the second rigid end cap is adjustable to adjust a configuration of the inflatable bladder. ### Claim 14 A method of testing the fluid integrity of a fluid system having a fluid duct, the method comprising the steps of: inserting a leak detection device into the fluid duct, the leak detection device comprising: a pair of rigid end caps; an inflatable bladder having opposed ends and being selectively transitional between an inflated configuration and a deflated configuration, the inflatable bladder being configured to be engagable with the fluid duct to form a fluid tight seal therebetween as the inflatable bladder transitions from the deflated configuration to the inflated configuration; and a test fluid delivery tube extending through the inflatable bladder, the test fluid delivery tube having a first threaded surface that mates to a second threaded surface of one of the pair of rigid end caps, the first threaded surface extending along a length greater than that of the second threaded surface to enable translatable movement of the at least one of the pair of end caps relative to the test fluid delivery tube so that the distance between the first rigid end cap and the second rigid end cap is adjustable to adjust a configuration of the inflatable bladder; inflating the inflatable bladder to create a fluid tight seal between the inflatable bladder and the fluid duct; and directing a test media into the fluid system via the test fluid delivery tube. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method recited in claim 14, wherein the inserting step includes inserting the leak detection device into the fluid duct such that a majority of the bladder is inserted into the fluid duct. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method recited in claim 14, wherein the inflating step includes using a hand pump to inflate the inflatable bladder. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method recited in claim 14, wherein the inflating step includes inflating the bladder to a pressure greater than the pressure of the test media. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of fluidly connecting the test fluid delivery tube to the test media. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method recited in claim 14, wherein the inflating step and the directing steps result in the creation of a pressure differential within the fluid duct on opposed sides of the bladder. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method recited in claim 14, further comprising the steps of: deflating the bladder from the inflated position to the deflated position to break the fluid-tight seal between the bladder; and removing the leak detection device from the fluid duct.