Adjustable CIPP Liner Feeding for Air Inverter Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing CIPP liner feeding systems are labor-intensive and time-consuming, especially when the truck cannot be positioned near the air inverter unit, leading to frictional sticking and misalignment issues during installation, which disrupts the rehabilitation process of conduit and piping systems.
Innovation Solution
A CIPP liner feeder system with an adjustable feed roller attached to the air inverter unit, capable of rotating in different directions depending on its position, and connected to a tractor's lifting/lowering structure for efficient feeding from either the front or rear, along with a motor for controlled rotation and a connecting structure for stability and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If workers manually pull and manipulate the CIPP liner from the truck, then the liner can be fed into the air inverter unit from a distance, but the process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
A feed roller is introduced as an intermediary device between the liner source and the air inverter unit. The feed roller automatically feeds the liner into the air inverter unit, eliminating the need for workers to manually pull and manipulate the liner, thus resolving the contradiction between feeding from distance and maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The feed roller is designed to automatically feed the liner without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by mechanically advancing the liner through the feeding mechanism, reducing labor intensity while maintaining installation speed
2Reliability
If workers manually manipulate the CIPP liner to prevent it from becoming stuck, then the liner can be fed through the conduit, but the process is disrupted and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The feed roller acts as a mediator that provides controlled, consistent feeding of the liner into the air inverter unit. This controlled feeding mechanism prevents the liner from becoming frictionally stuck, eliminating the need for manual manipulation and preventing installation disruptions
Solution Approach 2:
The feed roller performs preliminary action by pre-positioning and smoothly advancing the liner into the air inverter unit before inversion occurs. This preliminary controlled feeding prevents sticking issues from arising in the first place, avoiding time loss during installation
3Reliability
If the air pressure within the CIPP liner lifts the air inverter unit upwardly, then the liner can be inverted, but the unit becomes misaligned and installation is slowed
Solution Approach 1:
The feed roller is positioned and configured to counterbalance the upward lifting force generated by air pressure during inversion. By providing a downward stabilizing force, the feed roller maintains proper alignment of the air inverter unit, preventing misalignment while allowing the inversion function to proceed
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system reduces manual labor and minimizes frictional sticking by allowing controlled and efficient feeding of the CIPP liner into the air inverter unit from various angles, enhancing the installation speed and accuracy of CIPP liners in conduit rehabilitation.
Implementation Method 1
The CIPP liner often times becomes frictionally stuck in the air inverter unit
Data Source
AI summary
A CIPP liner feeder system for efficiently feeding CIPP liner into an air inversion unit. The CIPP liner feeder system generally includes a feed roller attached to an air inverter unit that is adjustable to a first position for feeding a CIPP liner into the air inverter unit from the front or a second position for feeding a CIPP liner into the air inverter unit from the rear. A motor is connected to the feed roller to rotate the feed roller in a first direction when the feed roller is in the first position and a second direction when the feed roller is in the second position. A connecting structure is attached to the air inverter unit for connecting to a lifting/lowering structure of a tractor.