Apparatus for sealing leaks in fluid transport tubes and / or fluid reservoirs - Patents.com

Abstract

A device (10, 100) for sealing leaks in a wall (70) of a pipe or reservoir having a hole (80), comprising an elastomeric plate (40) pressed against the wall at the hole, a force applicator (12, 14, 16, 50) and a force distributor (20) pressed against the elastomeric plate, and means for applying a tightening torque to the force applicator. According to a main feature of the invention, the force distributor (20) has an inner surface (28) configured to press against the elastomeric plate (40), the inner surface having an active area corresponding to the protrusion (25) and a non-active area located around the protrusion, the active area generating a pressure in the elastomeric plate that is greater than the pressure generated in the elastomeric plate by the non-active area of ​​the force distributor (20) when a tightening torque is applied to the force applicator.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of devices for repairing pipes using rings, strips or sleeves that are pressed against the exterior surface of the pipe, and in particular to devices for sealing leaks in fluid carrying pipes and / or fluid reservoirs. [Background technology]

[0002] Pipes transporting fluids, especially pressurized fluids such as oil and gas, can undergo a deterioration in wall thickness, which can lead to cracks and leaks. The technique of repairing leaking pipes and / or reservoirs consists of applying an elastomer to the leaking point, located inside a sleeve formed by clamping two half shells around the pipe. This sealing device has several disadvantages. On the one hand, the clamping pressure of the sleeve on the pipe must be sufficient for the elastomer to exert the necessary pressure to contain the leak. On the other hand, since the half shells are installed in a pipe of a given diameter, it is necessary to provide as many shells of different diameters as there are pipes of different diameters. A device consisting of two half shells cannot be installed in reservoir diameters that can reach several meters.

[0003] Another technique described in EP 1104532 consists of applying an elastomeric plate to the crack using a force applicator and a force distributor and applying a force to the force applicator using a clamping mechanism placed around the pipe. The force applicator transmits a force to the elastomeric plate at the crack site, forcing the elastomer to deform to conform to the shape of the crack and thus seal said crack. This device allows a counter pressure to be applied at the interface between the elastomer and the pipe to counter the internal pressure of the fluid contained in the pipe. This counter pressure occurs thanks to the mechanical tension of the clamping mechanism placed around the pipe and around the device.

[0004] Such a sealing arrangement has the advantage that it can be installed on many pipe diameters, however, it has several disadvantages.

[0005] On the one hand, the elastomer plate is permanently subjected to high pressure, compressing the plate and shearing the elastomer at the hole edges due to the pressure difference between the edge and the interior of the hole. This permanent high amplitude shear can damage the elastomer and cause leakage.

[0006] On the other hand, if the mechanism is subjected to a maximum tightening torque of 40 N.m, the pressure on the elastomer plateaus at approximately 80 bar at 20 °C. This means that to reach higher pressures the tightening torque must be increased, however, exceeding a tightening torque of 40 N.m causes the elastomer plate to deteriorate and become ineffective.

[0007] Furthermore, even with a maximum tightening torque of 40 N, the back pressure at the leak point drops rapidly over time and is no longer able to adequately resist the internal pressure of the fluid, causing leakage from the sealing device approximately 10 days after installation. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to produce a pipe leak sealing device comprising an elastomeric plate and means for applying pressure to the plate to impose a back pressure at the elastomer / pipe interface sufficient to permanently seal the leak.

[0009] solution The present invention therefore aims at a device for sealing leaks in the wall of a pipe or reservoir having a hole, comprising an elastomeric plate pressed against the wall at the hole, a force applicator and a force distributor pressed against the elastomeric plate, and means for applying a tightening torque to the force applicator. According to a main characteristic of the invention, the force distributor has an inner surface adapted to be pressed against the elastomeric plate, the inner surface having an active area corresponding to the protrusion and a non-active area located around the protrusion, the active area generating a pressure in the elastomeric plate that is greater than the pressure generated in the elastomeric plate by the non-active area of ​​the force distributor when a tightening torque is applied to the force applicator.

[0010] The objects, objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a force applicator and force distributor according to a first embodiment of a sealing device according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the force applicator and force distributor of FIG. 1; [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a force applicator and force distributor according to a second embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a force applicator and a force distributor of a sealing device according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of a force applicator and force distributor of a sealing apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a sealing device pressed against a pipe before tightening. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing device pressed against the pipe after tightening. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 6 with an alternative embodiment of the elastomeric plate. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 with an alternative embodiment of the elastomeric plate. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 shows a sealing device according to the present invention with the force applicator and the force distributor separated. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a force applicator and force distributor according to a third embodiment of a sealing device according to the present invention; [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the force applicator and force distributor of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 shows a sealing device according to a third embodiment of the invention in place on a pipe. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a sealing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Generally, the various components shown are not to scale and, for convenience, in the following description, only the term pipe is used, although the sealing device according to the invention can be mounted on a pipe or a reservoir. The sealing device 10 according to the invention comprises a force applicator 12 arranged around the pipe and arranged to transmit the tension of a clamping means for clamping the sealing device according to the invention. The force applicator 12 thus converts this tension into a force. According to the invention, the clamping means consists of at least one strap, forming a clamping belt. The strap-like clamping belt, due to its flexibility and flexibility, is able to absorb uneven defects of the pipe and can be mounted on pipes and reservoirs with large diameters of several meters (diameters of 4-5 m, even 10 meters).

[0013] The force applicator 12 comprises bidirectional slits on its outer surface. The force applicator comprises a first series of slits 23 along a plane perpendicular to the direction ZZ' when the axis ZZ' denotes the longitudinal direction of the pipe, and a second series of slits 21 along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis ZZ'. The slits define a number of protrusions 22 with a variable thickness along the radial direction. The slits allow the force applicator to be attached to pipes of various diameters. The protrusions 22 of the force applicator 12 have a difference in thickness over the width of the force applicator, and when the length of the force applicator is considered along the axis ZZ', the variable thickness of the force applicator is maximum in the symmetry plane passing through the axis ZZ' and decreases towards the side edges of the force applicator. Thanks to the difference in thickness of the protrusions 22, the force transmitted by the tightening belt is distributed uniformly over the entire width of the force applicator. This force applicator is very suitable for pipes of very small diameters.

[0014] Thus, the force applicator 12 transmits the tension of the tightening belt, which is converted into forces in each of the lobes, which transmit these pressures to the force distributor 20 .

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the force distributor 20 is disposed on the inner surface of the force applicator 12 facing the pipe, which may be concave or flat. The force applicator 12 and the force distributor 20 are flexible and can be opened or closed to fit a wide range of pipe diameters. The force distributor 20 includes a preferably circular protrusion 25 located on the inner surface 28, which is preferably in the center of the inner surface. The protrusion has a constant thickness and has fillets or rounded edges. The material used for the force applicators 12, 14 and the force distributor 20 is preferably a rigid but deformable plastic material, such as polyamide, polypropylene, or polycarbonate.

[0016] According to a second embodiment shown in Fig. 3, a cross-section along a plane perpendicular to the axis ZZ', which always represents the longitudinal direction of the pipe, the force applicator 14 is provided on its outer surface with a first series of slits 23 along a plane perpendicular to the axis ZZ' and a second series of slits 21 along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis ZZ', which together define a number of protrusions 22. The protrusions 22 are of the same thickness, except for those at the two edges of the force applicator parallel to the longitudinal axis ZZ', the thickness of which decreases towards the longitudinal edges of the force applicator in order to avoid sharp edges and thus limit wear of the straps forming the tightening belt.

[0017] Like the force applicator 12, the force applicator 14 is coupled to a force distributor 20 which comprises protrusions 25 on its inner surface 28. The force applicator 14 thus transmits the tension of the tightening belt which is converted into forces in the respective protrusions which transmit these pressures to the force distributor 20. According to the invention, whatever the embodiment, the clamping means are separate parts from the force applicator and the force distributor.

[0018] According to FIG. 4, the force applicator 12 or 14 and the force distributor 20 are shown in a cross-section along a plane passing through the axis ZZ' and cutting the force applicator and the force distributor into two equal parts. This cross-section is a longitudinal section. As can be seen, the width of the slits 23 is sufficient for the projections 22 to have room to move relative to one another if the pipe surface contains bumps, for example due to roughness. The depth of the slit 23 located opposite the projection 25 is maximum and is deeper than the depth of the other slits. The difference in depth is 10-20% of the maximum depth, which is clearly visible from the cross-section in FIG. 4. This feature provides a certain flexibility over the entire surface of the force distributor. Due to the fact that this surface 28 is curved, the inner surface 28 is provided over its entire circumference with a rim 26, which is only visible at the longitudinal edge in FIG. 4, although this curvature is not a limitation of the device 10 according to the invention. FIG. 5 shows a front view of the force distributor 20.

[0019] A circular protrusion 25 is centered on the inner surface 28 of the force distributor. At its thickest point, the height of the protrusion 25 is determined by the diameter of the protrusion, which size is adapted to the size of the device. More precisely, the maximum height of the protrusion 25 is equal to the square of the diameter of the protrusion, so that the stiffness of the protrusion is constant regardless of its size. The edges of the protrusion 25 are replaced by fillets or roundings with a thickness of 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

[0020] The inner surface 28 of the force distributor 20 consists of an active area, which corresponds to the surface of the protrusion 25, and a non-active area, which is located on the inner surface 28 around the protrusion 25, including the rim 26. The area of ​​the active area corresponds to 25% to 40% of the area of ​​the non-active area. The distribution of the non-active area is larger because, when the sealing device is placed on the wall of the pipe, the active area is directly above the hole, and the non-active area covers the entire surface corresponding to the circumference of the hole. Thanks to the force applicator and the force distributor, the force transmitted by the tightening belt is distributed evenly over the entire surface of the force distributor, which is configured to come into contact with the pipe. This surface includes the active area and the non-active area.

[0021] Figures 6 to 9 are cross-sectional views through axis ZZ' of the sealing device 10 in position against a leak in the wall of a pipe. As in figure 4, the curvature of the contact surface with the pipe is not shown. Figures 6 and 8 show the sealing device 10 according to the invention in position before clamping, while figures 7 and 9 show the sealing device 10 according to the invention when in clamped position against a leak point in a pipe.

[0022] In FIG. 6, an elastomeric plate 40 is placed on the wall 70 of the pipe so as to cover a hole 80 causing the leakage of the pipe contents. The elastomeric plate 40 comprises one or more materials. According to a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the elastomeric plate 40 is of a single material and is made of a homogeneous material. The elastomeric plate 40 is covered by a force distributor 20 and a force applicator 12. When these three parts constituting the sealing device according to the invention are clamped against the pipe 70 at the location of the leakage point 80 thanks to clamping means consisting of at least one strap forming a clamping belt, the force distributor doubles the pressure exerted by the force applicator against its contact surfaces, by which the force is transmitted to the elastomer. Since the contact surface of the projections, and therefore of the working area, is smaller than the mounting surface corresponding to the entire area of ​​the working and non-working areas, as a result the pressure exerted by the working area on the elastomer is greater than the pressure exerted by the force applicator.

[0023] FIG. 7 shows a sealing device 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention clamped to a pipe by clamping means not shown, such as a clamping belt with one or more straps. The maximum clamping torque of the clamping belt is 40 N.m. The force distributor 12 exerts a clamping pressure on the elastomeric plate, which due to its elasticity is deformed and crushed against the wall 70 of the pipe. As can be partially seen in FIG. 7, the elastomer in contact with the working area is more stressed and therefore deforms more than the elastomer in contact with the non-working area. The part of the elastomeric plate 40 in contact with the working area of ​​the force distributor is deformed until part of the material enters the hole 80. The whole of the elastomeric plate 40 is subjected to the pressure associated with the existing elastic collapse.

[0024] At the location of the hole in the pipe, the elastomer is subjected to the pressure of the internal fluid and also to a crushing of the working area corresponding to the protrusion 25 of the force distributor 20. Around the hole in the pipe, the elastomer is crushed between the non-working area of ​​the force distributor 20 and the wall 70 of the pipe. Directly above the hole, the elastomer is subjected to greater stresses and deformations than those experienced by the part of the elastomer located around the hole.

[0025] The working area of ​​the force distributor 20, corresponding to the protrusion 25, generates a pressure on the elastomer plate that is greater than the pressure generated by the non-working area of ​​the force distributor 20. The two areas of the force distributor generate a pressure distribution that imposes a large counter pressure proportional to the internal pressure level of the fluid at the point of the leak and a lower, but necessary and sufficient pressure around the leak to ensure a permanent sealability of the sealing device according to the invention without damaging the elastomer. By appropriately selecting the force applicator, the geometry of the force distributor and the properties of the elastomer, the device according to the invention is able to generate stresses that are able to resist the internal pressure of the fluid without reaching the stress values ​​of damage to the elastomer. The working area of ​​the force distributor 20, corresponding to the protrusion 25, therefore has a constant stiffness, independent of its size. Depending on the material used for the force distributor, the stiffness is between 500N / m and 5000N / m, and especially if the force distributor is made of polyamide, between 1400N / m and 1700N / m. The internal pressure of the fluid in the pipe can reach 80 bar.

[0026] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9, the elastomeric plate 40 is composed of at least two different materials: a first material 41 constituting the top and edges of the elastomeric plate 40, and a second material 42 constituting the center and bottom of the elastomeric plate. The second material 42 constitutes the bottom surface of the elastomeric plate 40, the top and side edges of which are surrounded by the first material 41, the bottom surfaces of each material being in the same plane and configured to contact the wall 70 of the pipe at the hole 80. The second material is configured to be pressed against the hole 80 to cover it. The second material is an elastomer having a hardness higher than that of the elastomer constituting the first material. For example, the elastomer of the first material 41 has a hardness less than 70 Shore and the elastomer of the second material 42 has a hardness greater than 70 Shore. The elastomeric plate is made by overmolding the first material onto the second material or by bi-injection molding. The force distributor 20 is positioned on the elastomeric plate 40 such that its inner surface matches the radius of curvature of the pipe wall 70 and the protrusion 25 is centered on the second portion 42 of the elastomeric plate 40 .

[0027] Figure 9 shows the sealing device 10 according to the invention clamped to a pipe by means of clamping means, not shown, such as straps forming a clamping belt. The maximum clamping torque of the clamping belt is 40 N.m. The force distributor 20 applies a clamping pressure to the elastomeric plate, which, due to its elasticity, is deformed and crushed against the wall 70 of the pipe. The second material portion 42 is deformed until part of the material enters the hole 80. Directly above the hole, the elastomer of the second material portion 42 is subjected to greater stresses and deformations than the elastomer of the first material portion 41 located around the hole.

[0028] The working area corresponding to the protrusion 25 generates a pressure on the elastomeric plate that is greater than the pressure generated by the non-working area of ​​the force distributor 20. These two areas of the force distributor result in a pressure distribution that imposes a large counter pressure proportional to the internal pressure level of the fluid at the point of the leak and a lower, but necessary and sufficient, pressure around the leak to guarantee a permanent sealability of the sealing device according to the invention without damaging the elastomer. For a tightening torque of 40 N.m, the pressure exerted by the sealing device according to the invention exceeds 80 bar at 20°C thanks to the protrusion 25, whereas it plateaus at 80 bar in the absence of the protrusion. The exerted pressure is therefore increased thanks to the piston-like protrusion 25, which is arranged perpendicular to the hole 80 in the center of the elastomeric plate 40. Upon tightening, the second part 42 of the elastomeric plate 40 is deformed more than the first part and is subjected to large shear stresses at the edge of the hole 80. The second material 42 is made of a higher hardness elastomer, which has good resistance over time and deteriorates slower than the lower hardness elastomer of the first material. The first material 41 has much less shear stress than the second material, is softer and more waterproof. In case of a sealing problem with the second material 42, the first material acts as a second barrier, ensuring sealing and further extending the life of the sealing device.

[0029] According to another alternative embodiment of the invention, the elastomeric plate 40 includes a third material in the second material 42, similar to how the second material 42 is included in the first material 41, but smaller in size. The third material constitutes the lower surface of the elastomeric plate 40, which is surrounded at its top and side edges by the second material 42, and which is configured to contact the wall 70 of the pipe at the hole 80, with the lower surfaces of the three materials lying in the same plane. The third material is configured to press against the hole 80 and cover it. The third material is an elastomer having a hardness higher than the hardness of the elastomer constituting the second material.

[0030] FIG. 10 shows an alternative embodiment of the sealing device, in which the force applicator and the force distributor are separated from each other by being two separate parts. The sealing device according to this alternative has the same technical effect as the sealing device shown previously, the force applicator and the force distributor showing the only parts of the device. This alternative differs only in the manufacturing process. FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the sealing device 10 along a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ZZ'. The force applicator 16 is provided on its outer surface with two-way slits: a first series of slits 23 along a plane perpendicular to the axis ZZ' and a second series of slits 21 along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis ZZ', the slits together defining a plurality of protrusions 22. The projections 22 of the force applicator 16 have a thickness variation across the width of the force distributor, and when the length of the force distributor is considered along the axis ZZ', the variable thickness of the force applicator is maximum in the plane of symmetry through the axis ZZ' and decreases towards the side edges of the force applicator. The force applicator 16, like the force applicators 12 and 14, is intended to distribute the tightening force of the tightening belt.

[0031] The inner surface 28 of the force distributor 20 is provided with a protrusion 25 at its center. The circular or elliptical protrusion 25 has a constant thickness or a maximum thickness at the center and decreases towards the edge. The force distributor 20 is configured to be inserted between the force applicator 16 and the elastomeric plate 40. The use of the force distributor separately from the force applicator is suitable for use in pipes containing low pressure fluids that do not require a pressure of 80 bar at the elastomeric plate. The material used for the force applicator 16 and the force distributor 20 is preferably a hard but deformable plastic material such as polyamide, polypropylene or polycarbonate.

[0032] According to a third embodiment of the invention, shown in figures 11 to 14, the sealing device 100 is suitable for pipes with a diameter of 1.50 m and above. The sealing device 100 comprises a solid force applicator 50, preferably pierced along the axis ZZ' by three fixing holes 53 opening into the lateral wall of the force applicator 50. The force applicator 50 has a force distributor 20 on its inner surface oriented towards the pipe. The force distributor 20 comprises a circular or elliptical protrusion 25 located on the inner surface 28, which protrusion is preferably central to the inner surface. The protrusion has a constant thickness or a maximum thickness in the centre and decreases towards the edges.

[0033] As with the other embodiments of the seal device 10, the force distributor 20 of the seal device 100 is comprised of an active area corresponding to the surface of the protrusion 25 and a non-active area located on the outer inner surface 28 of the protrusion 25, including the rim 26. The features and advantages of the force distributor 20 described in the first and second embodiments also apply to the third embodiment. The alternative embodiments described above with respect to the elastomeric plate and with respect to the different force applicators and force distributors are compatible with this embodiment.

[0034] In addition to the force applicator 50 and the force distributor 20, the sealing device 100 includes a tightening belt support in the form of a strap 60. The tightening belt support in the form of a strap is made up of two retaining flanges 52 and means, such as assembly screws 56, for tightening and holding the retaining flanges against the lateral walls of the force applicator 50. The two flanges 52 are also connected by two cylindrical tension bars 58, which are freely rotatable about their respective longitudinal axes. The tightening belt in the form of a strap 60 is mounted so as to be positioned above the force applicator 50, between the two flanges 52 and under the tension bars 58, before being tightened around the pipe 70. The freedom of rotation of the tension bars 58 facilitates the positioning of the sealing device 100 in the hole before tightening.

[0035] As can be seen in Figure 14, the tension bar 58 is spaced from the longitudinal wall of the force applicator so that the tightening belt, in the form of a strap, makes an angle alpha of 10 to 20 degrees with this wall. This angle is large enough to avoid any interference with the strap, but small enough to reduce the frictional forces of the strap against the pipe and concentrate the tightening force on the force applicator 50. This has the added benefit of preventing part of the tightening force of the strap from being absorbed by frictional forces.

[0036] The device according to the invention has the advantage that it can accommodate weakened pipes, since it concentrates the stress at the leak without placing undue stress on the pipe.

Claims

1. A sealing device (10, 100) for sealing leaks in a wall (70) of a pipe or reservoir having a hole (80), comprising: an elastomeric plate (40) pressed against the wall at the hole; a force applicator (12, 14, 16, 50) and a force distributor (20) pressed against the elastomeric plate; and means for applying a tightening torque to the force applicator, such as a strap forming a tightening belt.

1. A sealing device comprising: a force distributor (20) having an inner surface (28) configured to press against the elastomeric plate (40), the inner surface having an active area corresponding to a protrusion (25) and a non-active area located around the protrusion, the active area generating a pressure on the elastomeric plate that is greater than the pressure generated by the non-active area of ​​the force distributor (20) when the tightening torque is applied to the force applicator.

2. 2. The sealing device (10) of claim 1, wherein the force applicator (12, 14, 16) comprises on its outer surface two-way slits: a first series of slits (23) along a plane perpendicular to a ZZ' axis, ZZ' representing the longitudinal direction of the pipe, and a second series of slits (21) along a direction parallel to the ZZ' axis, the slits defining a plurality of protrusions (22).

3. 3. The sealing device of claim 2, wherein the protrusion of the force applicator has a thickness variation across a width of the force distributor, such that, when the length of the force distributor is considered along an axis ZZ', the variable thickness of the force applicator is greatest at a plane of symmetry passing through the axis ZZ' and decreases towards the lateral ends of the force applicator.

4. 3. The sealing device (10) according to claim 2, wherein the slit (21) of the force applicator (12) located opposite the protrusion (25) has a depth greater than the other slits.

5. A sealing device (10) as described in claim 3, wherein the depth of the slit (21) of the force applicator (12) located opposite the protrusion (25) is deeper than the other slits.

6. 3. The sealing device of claim 2, wherein the protrusions of the force applicator have the same thickness except for protrusions at two edges of the force applicator that lie parallel to the longitudinal axis ZZ′, the thickness of the protrusions at the edges decreasing towards the longitudinal edges of the force applicator.

7. 2. The sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the force applicator (50) is solid and pierced along an axis ZZ' by three fixing holes (53) opening into its lateral wall, and comprises two retaining flanges (52) and means, such as assembly screws (56), for clamping and holding the retaining flanges against the lateral wall of the force applicator (50), the two flanges (52) being in turn connected by two tension bars (58) in the form of cylinders freely rotatable about their respective longitudinal axes, the tightening belt in the form of a strap (60) being mounted on the force applicator (50) in such a way that it is located between the two flanges (52) and below the tension bars (58) before being tightened around the pipe (70), the tension bars (58) being spaced from the longitudinal wall of the force applicator (50) so that the tightening belt in the form of a strap forms an angle alpha of 10 to 20 degrees with said wall.

8. 8. The sealing device (10, 100) of claim 1, wherein the projection (25) is circular and centered on the inner surface (28) of the force distributor, the maximum height of the projection (25) is equal to the square of the diameter of the projection, and the stiffness thereof is constant regardless of size.

9. The sealing device (10, 100) according to claim 8, wherein the protrusion (25) of the force distributor (20) has a stiffness of 500 N / m to 5000 N / m.

10. 8. The sealing device (10, 100) according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer plate (40) comprises a first material (41) constituting the top and edges of the plate and a second material (42) constituting the central and bottom parts of the plate, the second material being surrounded at its top and side edges by the first material, the second material being an elastomer having a hardness higher than that of the elastomer constituting the first material, and the undersides of the different materials being in the same plane and constituting the underside of the plate that contacts the wall (70) of the pipe at the hole (80), and the second material being configured to be pressed against the hole.

11. 11. The sealing device (10, 100) of claim 10, wherein the elastomeric plate (40) comprises a third material contained in the second material (42), the third material being surrounded by the second material at its top and side edges, the lower surface of the third material being in the same plane and constituting the lower surface of the elastomeric plate (40) that contacts the wall (70) of the pipe at the hole (80), the third material being configured to be pressed against the hole (80) and cover the hole, and the third material being an elastomer of higher hardness than the hardness of the elastomer constituting the second material.

12. The sealing device (10, 100) of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the force applicator (12, 14, 16, 50) and the force distributor (20) are two separate parts.

13. 8. The sealing device (10, 100) of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the material used to manufacture the force applicator (12, 14, 16, 50) and the force distributor (20) is selected from among hard plastic materials such as polyamide, polypropylene, or polycarbonate.

14. The sealing device (10, 100) according to claim 13, wherein the projections (25) of the force distributor (20) made of polyamide have a stiffness of 1400 N / m to 1700 N / m.

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