Method of repairing existing tube, tool for introducing light radiation device used for method of repairing existing tube

Abstract

To provide a method of repairing an existing tube and a tool for introducing a light radiation device, capable of easily performing a work for introducing the light radiation device into an inside of an uncured lining material while securing quality of the lining material.SOLUTION: A method of repairing an existing tube, that radiates light to a tubular lining material 20 closely in contact with an inner wall surface of the existing tube 70, to cure the lining material includes: a tubular body connection step for connecting one end 50b of a flexible tubular body 50 with one end 20a of the uncured lining material introduced into an inside of the existing tube via cylindrical bodies 40 and 44 so that both ones become a communicated state; a first light radiation device introduction step for introducing a light radiation device 30 into an inside from the other end side 50a of the tubular body; a gas feed step for feeding a gas into an inside of the lining material connected to the tubular body from the other end of the tubular body; and a second light radiation device introduction step for further introducing the light radiation device in a direction toward an inside of the lining material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for repairing existing pipes and a tool for introducing a light irradiation device used in the method for repairing existing pipes, and in particular to a method for repairing existing pipes using a light-curing lining material and a tool for introducing a light irradiation device used in the repair method. [Background technology]

[0002] Existing pipes buried underground, such as sewer pipes, deteriorate over many years of use, and their useful life is generally considered to be about 50 years. In recent years, the number of sewer pipes that have exceeded their useful life has been increasing, and aging sewer pipes can allow groundwater and soil around the pipe to flow into the pipe through cracks in the pipe, causing cavities in the ground and causing the ground to collapse. Sewer pipes are also susceptible to the effects of ground movement such as earthquakes, and for various other reasons, some kind of repair is required at certain times.

[0003] As a method for repairing such existing pipes, a method is known in which a thermosetting or photocurable lining material is used to form an inner layer pipe inside the deteriorated existing pipe.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method for forming an inner-layer pipe using a photocurable lining material. In this repair method, an uncured tubular photocurable lining material is folded and introduced into the interior of an existing pipe (sewer pipe) to be repaired, and then both ends of the lining material are blocked with blocking members. Compressed air is supplied into the blocked space to restore the lining material to its tubular shape and make it adhere to the inner wall surface of the sewer pipe. With the lining material in close contact with the sewer pipe, a light irradiation device introduced inside the lining material irradiates the inner surface of the lining material with light, thereby hardening the lining material, and the inner wall surface of the existing pipe is covered with the hardened lining material (inner-layer pipe).

[0005] In this method of curing the lining material using light irradiation, the curing reaction is faster than in the method of curing a thermosetting lining material by heating, and application time can be shortened. Furthermore, by appropriately increasing the amount of light irradiation per unit time, the curing reaction can be accelerated, shortening the curing time and further shortening the application time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-000924 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The light irradiation device used to harden the lining material has a structure in which multiple light irradiation units are connected in series via a flexible connection structure and is approximately several meters long. To harden the uncured lining material by irradiating it with light, it is necessary to insert such a light irradiation device into the uncured lining material. This uncured lining material is generally made of cylindrical resin (reinforced with glass fiber or the like) manufactured to fit the inner diameter of the existing pipe to be repaired. Because of its considerable weight, when it is introduced into the existing pipe, it is pulled into the existing pipe in a folded, omega-shaped state with a roughly collapsed cross section. Therefore, before the curing process by light irradiation, the light irradiation device must be inserted into the uncured lining material in its collapsed cross section.

[0008] Specifically, a worker had to enter a manhole connected to an existing pipe, manually expand the lining material, which has been crushed into a non-circular shape, into a roughly cylindrical shape within the narrow working space of the manhole to an extent that the entire light irradiation device could be inserted from the sewer pipe opening, and then insert the light irradiation device while maintaining that state, which was an extremely difficult task. Furthermore, if the lining material was forcibly expanded by hand, or if an attempt was made to forcibly insert the light irradiation device after part of the light irradiation device had entered the lining material, there was a risk of damage to the inner surface of the lining material, making it difficult to ensure the quality of the lining material.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a method for repairing existing pipes that uses a light-curing lining material, which allows the work of introducing a light irradiation device into the inside of uncured lining material while ensuring the quality of the lining material, and a tool for introducing a light irradiation device to be used in the method for repairing existing pipes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1: A method for repairing an existing pipe, comprising: irradiating an inner surface of an uncured tubular light-curing lining material that is in close contact with the inner wall surface of the existing pipe with light by a light irradiation device to cure the lining material; a lining material introduction step of introducing the unhardened lining material into the existing pipe; a tube body connecting step of connecting one end of a flexible tube body having both ends open to one end of the lining material via a cylindrical body having both ends open so that the two are in a communication state; a first light irradiation device introducing step of introducing the light irradiation device into the inside of the tube body from the other end side thereof before or after the tube body connecting step; a gas supplying step of supplying gas from the other end of the tube body into the inside of the tube body and the lining material connected to the tube body while the other end of the lining material is closed; a second light irradiation device introduction step of further introducing the light irradiation device toward the inside of the lining material restored to a tubular shape by the supply of the gas; a photo-curing step of irradiating the inner peripheral surface of the lining material with light by the light irradiation device to cure the lining material; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0011] With this configuration, an uncured lining material is introduced into an existing pipe, such as an aged sewer pipe, and the lining material and the tube body are connected in communication with each other by the cylindrical body. Because this tube body is flexible, workers can easily deform the flexible tube body outside the existing pipe (for example, on the ground or in a manhole outside the sewer pipe) and introduce the light irradiation device into it.

[0012] Then, with the other end of the lining material (the end not connected to the tube body) closed, supplying gas into the interior of the lining material from the other end of the tube body causes the gas to enter the connected lining material, restoring the lining material to a nearly circular tubular cross section. The worker can easily introduce the light irradiation device into the lining material by further inserting the light irradiation device introduced into the tubular body toward the interior of the lining material, whose cross section is now nearly circular. This eliminates the difficult task of manually expanding the uncured lining material, which remains crushed under its own weight, and then maintaining that state. This also prevents damage to the lining material caused by the worker forcibly expanding the lining material or forcibly inserting the light irradiation device, thereby ensuring the quality of the lining material.

[0013] The invention described in claim 2 is the repair method described in claim 1, After the second light irradiation device introduction step and before the photocuring step, a tube body removal step of removing the tube body from the cylindrical body to release the connection between the tube body and the lining material, and then removing the tube body; a cylindrical body closing step of attaching a lid having an air hole to the cylindrical body with the lining material attached to close the cylindrical body; a contacting step of supplying additional gas to the lining material through the ventilation hole of the cover body to contact the lining material with the existing pipe; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0014] According to this configuration, when the lining material is adhered to the existing pipe using, for example, high-pressure gas, the tube body is removed and compressed gas is supplied directly into the inside of the lining material, so that a flexible plastic film tube or the like can be used as the tube body, simplifying the installation and removal work of the tube body. In addition, it is not necessary to use a high-strength material that can withstand high-pressure gas for the tube body, and inexpensive and easily available plastic film material can be used, allowing the lining material to restore to its original shape at low air pressure, making installation easier and reducing installation costs.

[0015] The invention according to claim 3 is the repair method according to claim 1 or 2, A towing rope is inserted into the inside of the lining material in advance, When the light irradiation device is introduced into the tube body, the towing rope is connected to the light irradiation device; In the second light irradiation device introduction step, the light irradiation device is introduced into the inside of the lining material by pulling the traction rope from the other end side of the lining material.

[0016] According to this configuration, by pulling the traction rope to which the light irradiation device is connected from the other end side of the lining material, the light irradiation device introduced inside the tube body can be easily pulled into the inside of the lining material, making it easy to introduce the light irradiation device into the inside of the lining material.

[0017] The invention according to claim 4 is the repair method according to claim 1 or 2, The existing pipe is a sewer pipe buried underground and one end of which is connected to a manhole, The cylindrical body is bent into an approximately L-shape, and is installed so that one end opens toward the inside of the sewer pipe and the other end opens toward above the manhole.

[0018] According to this configuration, the connection between the sewer pipe and the manhole is bent in an L-shape, and the L-shaped hard cylindrical body is placed between the lining material and the soft tube body at this connection, so that when the light irradiation device is moved from inside the tube body to inside the lining material, the light irradiation device can be easily bent along the hard cylindrical body, making it possible to easily move the light irradiation device from the manhole side to the sewer pipe side.

[0019] The invention according to claim 5 is the repair method according to claim 1 or 2, The tube body is characterized by being formed of a transparent or translucent material.

[0020] According to this configuration, since the tube body is transparent or semi-transparent, the worker can visually check the state of the light irradiation device introduced inside the tube body. The worker can introduce the light irradiation device into the lining material while visually checking the light irradiation device inside the tube body, making the introduction work of the light irradiation device easy.

[0021] The invention according to claim 6 is the repair method according to claim 1 or 2, The light irradiation device includes an imaging means, In the second light irradiation device introduction step, the image of the inside of the lining material captured by the imaging means is transmitted to a control device located outside the existing pipe.

[0022] According to this configuration, when the light irradiation device is introduced into the inside of the uncured lining material, damage to the lining material can be detected based on the image of the inside of the lining material captured by the imaging means, thereby ensuring the quality of the lining material.

[0023] The invention according to claim 7 relates to a tool for introducing a light irradiation device used in a method for repairing an existing pipe, in which an inner surface of an uncured tubular light-curing lining material that is in close contact with the inner wall surface of an existing pipe is irradiated with light by a light irradiation device to harden the lining material, a hard cylindrical body having both ends open and fixed to the inner circumferential surface of one end of the uncured lining material; a flexible tube body having both ends open and one end connected to one end of the lining material via the cylindrical body so as to be in a communicating state; and a gas supply means for supplying gas from the other end of the tube body to the inside of the tube body and the lining material connected to the tube body.

[0024] According to this configuration, when the lining material is introduced into the existing pipe, a hard cylindrical body is placed on one end of the uncured lining material, thereby maintaining the open state of one end of the lining material, and in this state, the tube body is connected to the cylindrical body, thereby establishing communication between the lining material and the inside of the tube body. Furthermore, after the light irradiation device is introduced into the tube body, gas can be supplied from the other end of the tube body using the gas supply means, thereby supplying gas into the inside of the tube body and the lining material, thereby restoring the lining material to a tubular shape, and the light irradiation device can be easily introduced into the inside of the lining material whose cross section has been restored to an approximately circular shape.

[0025] The invention according to claim 8 is an introduction tool for a light irradiation device according to claim 7, a closing member that closes the opening at the other end of the tube body and has an air supply hole, The gas supply means supplies gas to the inside of the tube body through the air supply hole.

[0026] According to this configuration, after the light irradiation device is introduced into the tube body, the other end of the tube body is blocked with a blocking member, and gas is supplied from the air supply hole provided in the blocking member by the gas supply means.This makes it possible to stably and reliably supply gas at a predetermined pressure into the inside of the tube body and the inside of the lining material while suppressing gas leakage from the other end of the tube body, thereby allowing the lining material to be efficiently restored. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the method for repairing an existing pipe and the tool for introducing a light irradiation device used in the method for repairing an existing pipe of the present invention, one end of an uncured lining material introduced into the existing pipe can be connected to one end of a flexible tube via a cylindrical body, thereby establishing communication between the lining material and the interior of the tube. Furthermore, the light irradiation device can be introduced into the tube from an easy-to-operate location outside the existing pipe. In this state, gas can be supplied into the interior of the tube from the other end of the tube, thereby restoring the lining material to its tubular shape. Further, by moving the light irradiation device inside the tube further toward the lining material, the light irradiation device can be introduced into the restored tubular shape of the lining material, thereby facilitating the introduction of the light irradiation device. Furthermore, since the operator does not need to manually forcefully spread the lining material or forcibly insert the light irradiation device, damage to the lining material can be prevented and the quality of the lining material can be ensured. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a method for repairing an existing pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a process of introducing a light irradiation device. [Figure 3A] FIG. [Figure 3B]FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a lid body is attached to a cylindrical body. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a closure member for a tube body. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the step of introducing a lining material. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a process of installing a cylindrical body. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a process of installing a cylindrical body. [Figure 8] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a process of connecting tube bodies. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the step of introducing a lining material. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the step of introducing a lining material. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the state in which a rehabilitation pipe is installed inside an existing pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] An embodiment of a method for repairing an existing pipe according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1 , in this embodiment, a repair system 10 for implementing the method for repairing an existing pipe is applied to repair a sewer pipe 70, which is an existing pipe buried underground. The repair system 10 repairs the deteriorated sewer pipe 70 by installing a rehabilitation pipe inside the sewer pipe 70 using a photocurable lining material 20. The sewer pipe 70 is disposed between two manholes 72, 73, which are connected to each other. During the repair work, water-stopping members 74, 75 for blocking the flow of sewage are installed on the upstream and downstream sides of the sewer pipe 70. The water-stopping members 74, 75 may be, for example, rubber packers that expand when a fluid such as air is supplied thereto. As shown in Figure 1, in the repair method of this embodiment, an uncured tubular light-curing lining material 20 is adhered to the inner wall surface of a sewer pipe 70, and then the lining material 20 is cured by irradiating the inner surface of the lining material 20 with light using a light irradiation device 30.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the repair system 10 comprises a light-curing lining material 20 that forms a rehabilitated pipe, a light irradiation device 30 for irradiating light onto the lining material 20, a gas supply device 12 that is a gas supply means, traction devices 14 and 15, a styrene concentration detector and a carbon monoxide concentration detector (not shown), a deodorizing device 16, a control device 18, and a first blocking member 24 and a second blocking member 26 that block both ends of the lining material 20. As shown in FIG. 2 , the repair system 10 includes cylindrical bodies 40 and 44, a tube body 50, and a tube body closing member 52. These, together with the second closing member 26, the gas supply device 12, and the towing devices 14 and 15, constitute an introduction tool 11 for introducing the light irradiation device 30 into the lining material 20. In the following description, the tube body closing member 52 will also be simply referred to as the “closing member 52.” During the light curing process of the lining material 20 shown in FIG. 1 , both ends of the lining material 20 are closed by the first and second closing members 24 and 26, and the second closing member 26 is located rearward in the traveling direction of the light irradiation device 30. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the gas supply device 12, the towing device 14, and the control device 18 are mounted on a construction vehicle 60 located on the ground. Each component of the repair system 10 will be described below.

[0031] The lining material 20 is flexible in an uncured state and is formed into a tubular shape that conforms to the shape of the sewer pipe 70 after curing, with an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the sewer pipe 70. Examples of materials for the lining material 20 include an impregnated substrate made of fiber or the like (e.g., a fiber substrate such as glass fiber or polyester fiber, or a nonwoven fabric such as felt) impregnated with a photocurable resin composition. The photocurable resin composition may contain a polymerizable resin, a polymerizable unsaturated monomer, and a photopolymerization initiator. For example, a polymerizable resin such as an unsaturated polyester resin or a vinyl ester resin dissolved in a solvent such as styrene may be used. Examples of photopolymerization initiators that can be used include ultraviolet polymerization initiators that promote resin polymerization under ultraviolet light, and photopolymerization initiators that can promote resin polymerization under the action of both ultraviolet light and visible light. The weight of the lining material 20 can be, for example, 10 kg to 80 kg per meter.

[0032] The lining material 20 includes an inner film and an outer film that protect the inner and outer surfaces, respectively. Examples of materials that can be used for the inner and outer films include polyethylene film, polypropylene film, and polyethylene terephthalate film. The inner film is transparent to at least the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 30, and the outer film is preferably a light-shielding film so that the light irradiated from the light irradiation device 30 does not penetrate outside the photocurable lining material 20 and is used for the photocuring reaction. Examples of light-shielding films that can be used include a laminated film having a colored coating layer, such as yellow, between two transparent polyethylene films. The inner film is peeled off after the lining material 20 has cured.

[0033] The light irradiation device 30 includes an irradiation unit 32, an imaging device 36 serving as an imaging means, and a traveling means 38 such as wheels for moving the light irradiation device 30 within the sewer pipe 70. The light irradiation device 30 is connected to a towing device 14 via a cable 31. The cable 31 has a conductor or the like therein for supplying power to the light irradiation device 30 and also serves as a towing rope for towing the light irradiation device 30. By towing the cable 31 during the light curing operation, the light irradiation device 30 can be advanced from one end (the side of one manhole 73) to the other end (the side of the other manhole 72) within the sewer pipe 70. In this embodiment, the towing device 14, together with the traveling means 38, constitutes a moving means for moving the light irradiation device 30 from one end to the other end within the lining material 20. The light irradiation device 30 is connected to a control device 18 mounted on a construction vehicle 60 on the ground via the cable 31. In the following description, in the photocuring step shown in Fig. 1, the front side (left side in Fig. 1) in the traveling direction of the light irradiation device 30 is referred to as the front side, and the rear side (right side in Fig. 1) in the traveling direction is referred to as the rear side. The light irradiation device 30 has a length of, for example, 1 m to 4 m when the irradiation sections 32 are arranged in a straight line.

[0034] A plurality of irradiation units 32 are provided in a row in the direction of travel of the light irradiation device 30. In this embodiment, four irradiation units 32 are provided with pipes 34 interposed between them, and each irradiation unit 32 is flexibly connected. The number of irradiation units 32 may be one or more. Each irradiation unit 32 is composed of a cylindrical main body and multiple LEDs (light-emitting diodes) 33 attached to the outer surface of the main body. A conductor for supplying power to the irradiation units 32 runs through the inside of a cable 31 connected to the light irradiation device 30 and is connected to a power supply unit mounted on a ground construction vehicle 60. Each irradiation unit 32 can be individually turned on and off by a control device 18 mounted on the construction vehicle 60, and its irradiation output can be individually adjusted. Traveling means 38 is provided between each irradiation unit 32 to enable the irradiation units 32 to move within the pipeline while preventing them from colliding with the inner wall of the tubular lining material 20.

[0035] The imaging device 36 is capable of capturing moving and still images, and may be, for example, a television camera capable of capturing images inside a pipeline. The imaging device 36 is installed at the rear end of the light irradiation device 30. The captured image data is transmitted to the control device 18 and displayed on a display means (for example, a monitor screen) of the control device 18. The imaging device 36 may be attached to both the front end and the rear end of the light irradiation device 30.

[0036] The gas supply device 12 is mounted on a ground construction vehicle 60 and supplies gas to the inside of the lining material 20 via a hose 12a. In this embodiment, a compressor that supplies compressed air is used as the gas supply device 12. The amount of gas supplied per unit time by the gas supply device 12 can be adjusted automatically or manually by a control device 18. The repair system 10 may be configured to include a cooler that cools the gas together with the gas supply device 12, and to be able to supply cooled compressed air.

[0037] The styrene concentration detector and the carbon monoxide concentration detector are respectively positioned downstream of the lining material 20 in the direction of compressed air supply and upstream of the deodorizing device 16, and measure the styrene concentration and carbon monoxide concentration in the air that has passed through the lining material 20.

[0038] The deodorizing device 16 is placed on the ground and performs a process to remove odor-causing substances contained in the gas that has passed through the lining material 20. Specifically, the gas discharged from the lining material 20 is taken into the deodorizing device 16 placed on the ground via the hose 13, where it is subjected to odor treatment and then discharged to the outside. It is also possible to not provide the hose 13 and instead discharge the gas that has passed through the lining material 20 into a manhole 73, where it can be taken into a deodorizing device installed above the manhole 73.

[0039] The control device 18 is configured with, for example, a microcomputer including operation means such as an operation panel and switch buttons, display means such as a monitor screen, information processing means such as a CPU, storage means such as RAM and ROM, and an input / output interface. The control device 18 is connected to each of the light irradiation device 30, gas supply device 12, styrene concentration detector, carbon monoxide concentration detector, and deodorization device 16 via wired or wireless connections, and is capable of recording data received from these devices. Furthermore, the control device 18 is capable of controlling the operating status of the light irradiation device 30, gas supply device 12, and deodorization device 16 based on the received data. For example, the control device 18 is configured to control the traveling speed of the light irradiation device 30, the irradiation output of the irradiation unit 32, and the amount of compressed air supplied by the gas supply device 12 based on the measurement results of a surface temperature sensor (not shown) installed in the light irradiation device 30. Furthermore, images captured by the imaging device 36 installed in the light irradiation device 30 are recorded by the storage means of the control device 18 and can be viewed on a monitor screen installed in the control device 18. The control of other connected devices by the control device 18 can be performed by either or both of automatic control based on received data and manual control performed by an operator using an operating means.

[0040] Next, the cylindrical bodies 40 and 44, the tube body 50, and the blocking member 52, which constitute the introduction tool of the light irradiation device 30, will be described.

[0041] 2, the cylindrical bodies 40, 44 are cylindrical members with both ends open that are installed at the first end 20a, which is one end of the lining material 20. The cylindrical bodies 40, 44 of this embodiment include a first cylindrical body 40 that is fitted into the first end 20a of the lining material 20 and installed thereat, and a second cylindrical body 40 that is connected to the first cylindrical body 40. The first cylindrical body 40 constitutes a part of a first blocking member 24 (see FIG. 1) that blocks the first end 20a of the lining material 20.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3A, the first cylindrical body 40 is made of a hard material (e.g., a hard resin material or a metal material) and has a straight cylindrical shape with both ends open. As shown in FIG. 3B, a lid 42 that closes the opening can be attached to the first cylindrical body 40. In this embodiment, the first cylindrical body 40 has a plurality of protrusions 41 that protrude radially inward on the inner circumferential surface of the annular main body. The protrusions 41 are provided with screw holes 41a. The lid 42 can be detachably attached to the first cylindrical body 40 by screwing the lid 42 and the overlapping protrusions 41 together using screws 42c while closing the opening of the first cylindrical body 40.

[0043] The second cylindrical body 44 is made of a hard material (for example, a metal material such as aluminum or a hard resin material) and is a cylindrical member bent into an L shape as shown in Fig. 2. An elbow pipe, for example, can be used as the second cylindrical body 44. The first cylindrical body 40 and the second cylindrical body 44 can be connected using, for example, screws or the like.

[0044] The tube body 50 has a flexible cylindrical shape with both ends open. For example, a cylindrical film made of a flexible resin such as polyethylene, or a flexible tube with a bellows section can be used as the tube body 50. The thickness of the tube body 50 made of a cylindrical film can be, for example, 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm. The tube body 50 is preferably formed to be transparent or translucent.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the blocking member 52 is formed in a columnar shape and has a through-hole 53a and an air supply hole 53b that penetrate in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the blocking member 52 is cylindrical, and the through-hole 53a is formed in approximately the center of the circle. The through-hole 53a is a hole through which the cable 31 of the light irradiation device 30 is inserted, and the air supply hose 12a extending from the gas supply device 12 is connected to the air supply hole 53b. As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the blocking member 52 has a separable separation portion 52b in a part of its circumferential direction, and the through-hole 53a is formed when the separation portion 52a is joined to the main body portion 52a of the blocking member 52. The cable 31 of the light irradiation device 30 can be easily inserted into the through-hole 53a by inserting the cable 31 into the portion that will become the through-hole 53a with the separation portion 52b separated from the main body portion 52a, and then reconnecting the separation portion 52b to the main body portion 52a. The blocking member 52 can be fixed to the end of the tube body 50 by inserting the blocking member 52 inside the other end portion 50b of the tube body 50 and fixing the tube body 50 and the blocking member 52 with a cable tie 54 or the like.

[0046] Next, a method for repairing a sewer pipe 70 using the repair system 10 will be described. First, as shown in Fig. 5, the uncured lining material 20 is introduced into the sewer pipe 70 from one manhole 72 by the pulling action of a towing device 15 installed on the ground (lining material introduction process). A towing rope 22 is attached to the tip of the lining material 20, and the lining material 20 can be drawn into the sewer pipe 70 by pulling the towing rope 22 using the towing device 15 from the other manhole 73 side.

[0047] Next, the cylindrical bodies 40, 44 are placed on the first end 20a of the lining material 20 (cylindrical body placing step). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a bag 28 is used, and the first cylindrical body 40 is placed on the first end 20a of the lining material 20 while the first end 20a is kept open. The bag 28 is provided with a cylindrical ventilation portion 28b that serves as a gas passage. The bag 28 can be expanded or contracted by supplying gas to the inside of the bag 28 or discharging gas from the inside of the bag 28 through the ventilation portion 28a. Specifically, first, the deflated bag 28 is inserted inside the first end 20a of the lining material 20 (bag inserting step). Then, as shown in FIG. 6, air pressurized from the gas supply device 12 is supplied to the inside of the bag 28 through the hose 12a and the ventilation portion 28a, thereby inflating the bag 28 (bag expanding step). This leaves the first end 20a of the lining material 20 open. In this state, the first cylindrical body 40 is fitted into the first end 20a, and the first end 20a of the lining material 20 is fastened and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical body 40 by the band member 25. This fixes the first cylindrical body 40 to the first end 20a of the lining material 20. Thereafter, air is released from the bag body 28 to shrink the bag body 28, and the bag body 28 is removed from the first end 20a (bag body removal process).

[0048] In this way, by supplying air to the bag 28 inserted inside the lining material 20 to expand it, the first end 20a of the lining material 20 can be kept open, and in this state, the first cylindrical body 40 can be fitted into the first end 20a, making it easy to install the first cylindrical body 40. In addition, since the lining material 20 can be opened with uniform force by air, it is possible to more appropriately prevent damage to the lining material 20. Furthermore, the bag 28 shrinks when the air inside is released, making it easy to remove.

[0049] After the first cylindrical body 40 is installed at the first end 20a of the lining material 20, an L-shaped bent second cylindrical body 42 is connected to the first cylindrical body 40 as shown in FIG. 7. The cylindrical bodies 40, 44 can be connected using bolts or the like. As a result, the cylindrical bodies 40, 44 are installed so that one end opens toward the inside of the sewer pipe 70 and the other end opens toward the top of the manhole 72. Also, as shown in FIG. 7, a towing rope 15a is pre-inserted inside the lining material 20. This towing rope 15a is extended to the outside of the cylindrical bodies 40, 44. If the length of the towing rope 15a is short, it can be extended by connecting a new towing rope 15a. The second cylindrical body 44 is optional, and a configuration in which only the first cylindrical body 40 is installed may also be used.

[0050] Next, as shown in FIG. 8 , one end 50b of the tube body 50 is connected to the first end 20a of the lining material 20 via the cylindrical bodies 40, 44 so that they are in a communication state (tube body connecting step). In this embodiment, the one end 50b of the tube body 50 is placed over the outer peripheral surface of one end of the second cylindrical body 44 to surround the outer peripheral surface, and in this state, the one end 50b of the tube body 50 is fastened and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the second cylindrical body 44 using a band member 27. Note that if the second cylindrical body 44 is not installed, the one end 50b of the tube body 50 can be configured to be fixed to the first cylindrical body 40. Note that the towing rope 15a is omitted from FIG. 8 .

[0051] Next, as shown in FIG. 9 , the light irradiation device 30 is introduced into the tube body 50 from the other end 50a side (first light irradiation device introduction step). When the light irradiation device 30 is introduced into the tube body 50, it is connected to a towing rope 15a inserted into the tube body 50. Because the tube body 50 is formed to be flexible, an operator can easily introduce the light irradiation device 30 into the tube body 50 from the other end 50a side. Furthermore, as in the illustrated example, when the tube body 50 extends from inside the manhole 72 to the ground, the light irradiation device 30 can be introduced into the tube body 50 on the ground. Note that the introduction of the light irradiation device 30 into the tube body 50 (first light irradiation device introduction step) may be performed before the tube body connecting step.

[0052] After the light irradiation device 30 is introduced into the tube body 50, a blocking member 52 that blocks the opening of the other end 50a of the tube body 50 is attached to the other end 50a of the tube body 50 to block the other end 50a of the tube body 50 (tube body closing step). At this time, as shown in Fig. 9, the cable 31 of the light irradiation device 30 is inserted into the through-hole 53a of the blocking member 52.

[0053] Next, with the second end 20b of the lining material 20 closed, gas is supplied from the other end 50a of the tube body 50 into the tube body 50 and the lining material 20 connected to the tube body 50, as shown in FIG. 2 (gas supply step). In FIG. 2, the white arrows indicate the flow of air supplied into the lining material 20. In this embodiment, the second end 20b of the lining material 20 is closed using a second closing member 26 (see FIG. 1). The second end 20b can be closed after the lining material introduction step and before the gas supply step. The second closing member 26 can have a configuration similar to that of the first closing member 24. In this embodiment, the second closing member 26 has a through hole through which the towing rope 15a is inserted and a vent hole to which the exhaust hose 13 is connected. The traction device 15 that pulls the towing rope 15a moves the light irradiation device 30 backward in the direction opposite to the forward direction. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8, air supplied by the gas supply device 12 is supplied into the inside of the tube body 50 through the hose 12a and the air supply hole 53b of the tube body closing member 52. In the gas supplying step, the air pressure of the lining material 20 can be, for example, 0.001 MPa or less, preferably 0.0003 to 0.0008 MPa. Fig. 2 shows a state in which, as air is supplied, the lining material 20 expands with air from a state in which the cross section of the lining material 20 shown in Fig. 9 is crushed, and returns to its tubular shape.

[0054] 10, the light irradiation device 30 is further introduced toward the interior of the lining material 20 whose diameter has been expanded by the supply of gas (second light irradiation device introduction step). In this embodiment, the light irradiation device 30 is drawn into the interior of the lining material 20 by using a traction device 15 to pull a traction rope 15a connected to the light irradiation device 30. Also, in this embodiment, in the second light irradiation device introduction step, an image of the interior of the lining material 20 captured by an imaging device 36 installed on the light irradiation device 30 is transmitted to a control device 18 located outside the sewer pipe 70. The supply of gas into the lining material 20 by the gas supply device 12 may be continued while the light irradiation device 30 is being introduced into the lining material 20, or the supply may be stopped after the lining material 20 has expanded to a required size.

[0055] After the entire light irradiation device 30 has been introduced into the lining material 20, the tube body 50 is detached from the cylindrical body 40 to release the connection with the lining material 20, and the tube body 50 is removed (tube body removal step). In this embodiment, the second cylindrical body 40 is detached and removed together with the tube body 50.

[0056] Thereafter, a lid 42 having an air vent 42b shown in FIG. 3B is attached to the first cylindrical body 40 with the lining material 20 attached thereto, thereby closing the first cylindrical body 40 (cylindrical body closing step). Next, additional gas is supplied to the lining material 20 through the air vent 42b of the lid 42, and the lining material 20 is tightly attached to the sewer pipe 70 (lining material adhering step). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, compressed air is supplied from the gas supply device 12 to the inside of the lining material 20 via the hose 12a, thereby adhering the lining material 20 to the sewer pipe 40. In the lining material adhering step, the air pressure inside the lining material 20 can be set to, for example, 0.03 MPa to 0.1 MPa, preferably 0.05 MPa to 0.07 MPa.

[0057] Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the light irradiation device 30 irradiates the inner peripheral surface of the lining material 20 with light to cure the lining material 20 (photo-curing process). At the photo-curing start position shown in FIG. 1, each irradiation unit 32 is turned on at a predetermined interval, starting from the rear side (the manhole 73 side). After all irradiation units 32 are turned on, the light irradiation device 30 is moved in the forward direction at a predetermined moving speed, as shown by the black arrow in FIG. 1. In the photo-curing process, the light irradiation device 30 can be moved in the forward direction by pulling the cable material 31 with the pulling device 14. During the movement, the inner surface of the lining material 20 is imaged with the imaging device 36 to check for insufficient curing, etc.

[0058] The lining material 20 is cured while being pressed against the inner surface of the sewer pipe 70 by the supply of compressed air from the gas supply device 12. As shown by the white arrows in FIG. 1 , gas heated by the heat generated during the curing reaction is discharged from the lining material 20 by supplying air from one end of the lining material 20 to the other. As shown in FIG. 1 , the direction of air supply from the gas supply device 12 is opposite to the direction of travel of the light irradiation device 30 during the photocuring operation. The speed of the air supply (average flow velocity within the pipe) is, for example, 0.5 m / s or more, preferably about 1 m / s. Furthermore, it is preferable that the air flow within the lining material 20 is turbulent. By supplying air in the opposite direction to the direction of travel or by making the air flow turbulent, the reaction heat generated during photocuring can be efficiently discharged.

[0059] After the curing operation is completed, as shown in Fig. 11, the light irradiation device 30 is removed, the inner film is peeled off, the cured lining material 20 is subjected to pipe opening treatment, and the water-stopping members 74, 75 are removed (pipe opening treatment process). In the pipe opening treatment process, the lining material 20 is cut to fit the opening shape at the joint between the sewer pipe 70 and the manholes 72, 73. The lining material 20 can be cut off, for example, by cutting the cured lining material 20 into a circular shape using a cutter of a cutting machine. As a result, the inner peripheral surface of the sewer pipe 70 is covered with the lining material 20 that has been cured and formed integrally with the inner peripheral surface of the sewer pipe 70.

[0060] As described above, in the method for repairing an existing pipe using the introduction tool 11 for the light irradiation device 30, the lining material 20 in an uncured state is introduced into an aging sewer pipe 70. The lining material 20 and the tube body 50 are connected in a communicating state by the cylindrical bodies 40, 44, and the light irradiation device 30 is introduced into the tube body 50. Because the tube body 50 is flexible, a worker can easily introduce the light irradiation device 30 into the tube body 50 by deforming the flexible tube body on the ground or in a manhole 72 outside the sewer pipe 70. Then, with the second end 20b of the lining material 20 closed, air is supplied into the tube body 50 from the other end 50a, thereby causing the air to enter the lining material 20 connected thereto and expanding the diameter of the lining material 20. The worker can easily introduce the light irradiation device 30 introduced into the tube body 50 into the lining material 20 in an expanded diameter state. This eliminates the difficult task of having an operator manually expand the lining material 20, which is folded under its own weight, and maintain that state. In addition, damage to the lining material 20 when the lining material 20 is forcibly expanded by hand is avoided, so the quality of the lining material 20 can be ensured.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tube body 50 is formed to be transparent or translucent, so that the worker can visually check the state of the light irradiation device 30 introduced inside the tube body 50. The worker can introduce the light irradiation device 30 into the lining material while visually checking the light irradiation device 30 inside the tube body 50, making the introduction work of the light irradiation device 30 easier.

[0062] Furthermore, in the repair method of this embodiment, the light irradiation device 30 introduced inside the tube body 50 can be easily pulled into the lining material 20 by using the traction device 15 to pull the towing rope 15a connected to the light irradiation device 30. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an L-shaped hard second cylindrical body 44 is installed between the lining material 20 and the soft tube body 50 at the connection between the sewer pipe 70 and the manhole 72. Therefore, when moving the light irradiation device 30 from inside the tube body 50 to inside the lining material 20, the light irradiation device 30 can be easily bent along the hard second cylindrical body 44. This makes it easier to move the light irradiation device 30 from the manhole 72 side to the sewer pipe 70 side.

[0063] In addition, in this embodiment, when the light irradiation device 30 is introduced into the inside of the lining material, damage to the lining material 20 can be detected based on the image of the inside of the lining material 20 captured by the imaging device 36, thereby more appropriately ensuring the quality of the lining material 20.

[0064] Furthermore, in the repair method of this embodiment, at the stage of adhering the lining material 20 to the sewer pipe 70 with high-pressure air, the tube body 50 is removed and compressed air is supplied directly into the inside of the lining material 20, so there is no need to use a high-strength material that can withstand high-pressure air as the tube body 50. Therefore, a flexible plastic film tube or the like can be used as the tube body 50, which makes it possible to simplify the installation and removal work of the tube body 50.

[0065] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 10 Repair System 11. Tools for introducing light irradiation devices 12 Gas supply device (gas supply means) 14,15 Traction device 15a Tow rope 16 Deodorizing device 18 Control Device 20 Lining material 30 Light irradiation device 31 Cable material 32 Irradiation unit 36 Imaging equipment (imaging means) 40 First cylindrical body (cylindrical body) 42 Lid 44 Second cylindrical body (cylindrical body) 50 tube body 52 Closure member for tube body (closure member) 70 Sewer pipe 72,73 Manhole

Claims

1. A method for repairing an existing pipe, comprising: irradiating an inner surface of an uncured tubular light-curing lining material that is in close contact with the inner wall surface of the existing pipe with light by a light irradiation device to cure the lining material; a lining material introduction step of introducing the unhardened lining material into the existing pipe; a tube body connecting step of connecting one end of a flexible tube body having both ends open to one end of the lining material via a cylindrical body having both ends open so that the two are in a communicating state; a first light irradiation device introducing step of introducing the light irradiation device into the inside of the tube body from the other end side thereof before or after the tube body connecting step; a gas supplying step of supplying gas from the other end of the tube body into the inside of the tube body and the lining material connected to the tube body while the other end of the lining material is closed; a second light irradiation device introducing step of further introducing the light irradiation device toward the inside of the lining material restored to a tubular shape by the supply of the gas; a photo-curing step of irradiating the inner peripheral surface of the lining material with light by the light irradiation device to cure the lining material; A method for repairing an existing pipe, comprising:

2. After the second light irradiation device introduction step and before the photocuring step, a tube body removal step of removing the tube body from the cylindrical body to release the connection between the tube body and the lining material, and then removing the tube body; a cylindrical body closing step of attaching a lid having an air hole to the cylindrical body with the lining material attached to close the cylindrical body; a contacting step of supplying additional gas to the lining material through the ventilation hole of the cover body to contact the lining material with the existing pipe; The repair method of claim 1, comprising:

3. A towing rope is inserted into the inside of the lining material in advance, When the light irradiation device is introduced into the tube body, the towing rope is connected to the light irradiation device; A repair method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the second light irradiation device introduction process, the light irradiation device is introduced into the inside of the lining material by pulling the towing rope from the other end side of the lining material.

4. The existing pipe is a sewer pipe buried underground and one end of which is connected to a manhole, A repair method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cylindrical body is bent into an approximately L-shape and is installed so that one end opens toward the inside of the sewer pipe and the other end opens toward above the manhole.

5. 3. The repair method according to claim 1, wherein the tube body is made of a transparent or translucent material.

6. The light irradiation device includes an imaging means, A repair method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the second light irradiation device introduction process, the image of the inside of the lining material captured by the imaging means is transmitted to a control device located outside the existing pipe.

7. A tool for introducing a light irradiation device used in a method for repairing an existing pipe, in which an inner surface of an uncured tubular light-curing lining material that is in close contact with the inner wall surface of an existing pipe is irradiated with light by a light irradiation device to harden the lining material, a hard cylindrical body having both ends open and fixed to the inner circumferential surface of one end of the uncured lining material; a flexible tube body having both ends open and one end connected to one end of the lining material via the cylindrical body so as to be in a communicating state; a gas supply means for supplying gas from the other end of the tube body into the inside of the tube body and the lining material connected to the tube body.

8. a closing member that closes the opening at the other end of the tube body and has an air supply hole, 8. The introduction tool for a light irradiation device according to claim 7, wherein the gas supply means supplies gas into the inside of the tube body through the air supply hole.

Images