Lined Pipe Connection Opener With Safety Ring for Bend Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for opening connections in lined pipes are slow and risky, as they require bulky robots that cannot navigate through tight bends, and there is a risk of damaging the old pipe or the liner.
Innovation Solution
A device with a flexible rotation shaft and a drill head with step-wise tapered cutters and side cutters, along with a safety ring, that can be used to safely and efficiently open connections in lined pipes by drilling through the liner without damaging the old pipe, even in complex pipe geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a robot cutter is used to open connections in lined pipes, then the connection opening can be performed, but the method is slow and risky due to the risk of accidentally damaging the liner or old pipe
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting function is extracted from a bulky robot system and concentrated into a compact drill head with cutters that can be precisely positioned and controlled, eliminating the need for manual robot operation and reducing the risk of accidental damage while maintaining cutting capability
Solution Approach 2:
A camera system acts as an intermediary between the operator and the cutting process, providing visual feedback to ensure precise cutting at the connection location without requiring manual intervention, thereby improving both safety and speed
2Adaptability or versatility
If a robot cutter is used to open connections in lined pipes, then the connection opening can be performed, but the robot is bulky and cannot move through tight bends in the pipe
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting device is segmented into a compact drill head with cutters that can be fed through the pipe lining via a flexible delivery system, allowing navigation through tight bends while maintaining the cutting function at the target location
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting operation is transitioned from a three-dimensional robot manipulation task to a linear feed-through operation where the compact drill head is delivered through the pipe in one dimension, enabling access to locations that would be inaccessible to bulky robots
3Reliability
If the liner covers the whole inner surface of the old pipe, then the pipe renovation is complete, but all connections are blocked and need to be opened
Solution Approach 1:
The connection openings are created as part of the lining installation process itself, before the liner fully cures and before the connections need to be accessed, eliminating the need for separate post-renovation cutting operations and ensuring connection accessibility is built into the renovation process
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 faster and safer opening of connections in lined pipes, allowing for renovation through multiple bends and connections without damaging the pipe or the liner, and can be used in various pipe materials including PVC and PE.
Implementation Method 1
a drill head (32) provided at the front end of the body and having multiple cutters for puncturing and enlarging a hole in the liner (220)
Implementation Method 2
The device also has a safety ring (20) disposed on a round peripheral surface of the body between the drill head (32) and the side cutters (16)
Data Source
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AI summary
A device (50) for opening a connection to a lined pipe is disclosed. The device has a body that includes a front end and a rear end and being rotatable about a rotation axis (RA). The device also has a drill head (32) that has multiple cutters for puncturing and enlarging a hole in a liner, and multiple side cutters (16) have at least one cutting edge (14) parallel to the rotation axis. A safety ring (20) is disposed on the body between the drill head and the side cutters. The safety ring has a circular periphery extending beyond the drill head and the side cutters in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.