Self-Expanding Pipe Repair Stent for In-Service Leak Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe repair methods require shutting down piping systems, which is inconvenient and costly, and often necessitate extensive construction, including digging up streets and sidewalks.
Innovation Solution
A stent comprising a spring and a sealing layer that can be expanded within a pipe to create a watertight seal at the site of damage, allowing for repair without shutting down the piping system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional pipe repair methods are used, then the pipe break can be sealed, but the piping system must be shut off and extensive construction is required
Solution Approach 1:
The stent is inserted into the pipe in a compressed state through existing access points, then expanded in-place to perform the repair. This nesting approach allows the repair device to be transported and deployed without requiring system shutdown or extensive construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent uses self-expanding spring mechanisms that automatically expand to seal the pipe break after insertion, eliminating the need for external shutdown procedures or complex construction activities. The device performs the sealing function autonomously once deployed.
2Reliability
If the pipe is shut off for repair, then the break can be fixed, but customer convenience and operational costs are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The stent enables continuous fluid flow through the pipe during the repair process. The device is deployed while the system remains operational, and the sealing action occurs without interrupting service, thereby maintaining customer convenience and operational continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The self-expanding mechanism automatically performs the sealing function after insertion, requiring no shutdown or manual intervention that would disrupt service. The repair process occurs autonomously while the piping system continues to operate normally.
3Reliability
If extensive construction is performed, then the pipe can be accessed for repair, but time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stent is nested within a delivery catheter that can be inserted through existing pipe access points. This eliminates the need for extensive construction to access the pipe, as the repair device is delivered through the existing infrastructure without requiring street digging or sidewalk removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The repair function is extracted from the traditional construction-based approach and embodied in a self-contained stent device. This extraction allows the repair to be performed through minimal access points without requiring extensive construction activities, thereby reducing both time and costs.
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
Enables efficient and minimally invasive pipe repair by allowing fluid flow to continue uninterrupted during the repair process, reducing costs and minimizing disruption to customers and infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (510) and a seal (530). The stent (100) can be expanded within a pipe (550) such that the seal (530) engages an inner wall (552) of the pipe (550)
Implementation Method 2
The spring (510) can be a wave-pattern spring
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
Example aspects of a stent for repairing a pipe and a method for repairing a pipe are disclosed. The stent can comprise a spring, the spring defining an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a void; and a seal on the outer surface of the spring; the stent configurable in a compressed orientation, wherein the spring is compressed, and an expanded orientation, wherein the spring is expanded.