Tubular Mesh Stent Spring for Internal Pipe Break Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Piping systems often require costly and time-consuming repairs due to breaks in pipe walls, which necessitate shutting down the system and extensive construction, including digging up streets and sidewalks.
Innovation Solution
A stent spring with a tubular mesh structure that is expandable and compressible, featuring a central void and elastic wires, allowing it to be configured for insertion and expansion within a pipe to create a watertight seal, and a method for retaining the stent in a compressed configuration using a compression mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional pipe repair methods are used, then pipe breaks can be sealed, but the piping system must be shut off and extensive construction is required
Solution Approach 1:
The stent spring is designed to be self-expanding once deployed in the pipe, using its inherent elastic memory to automatically seal the break without requiring continuous external actuation or system shutdown. The device serves itself by utilizing the stored elastic energy in its compressed state to expand and seal the pipe breach autonomously.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent spring is pre-compressed to a small diameter before insertion, allowing it to be introduced through the pipe interior without shutting down the system. The preliminary compression enables the device to navigate through the existing pipe structure and be positioned at the break location before expansion occurs.
2Reliability
If traditional pipe repair methods are used, then pipe breaks can be sealed, but grandiose construction including digging up streets is necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The repair function is extracted from the traditional above-ground construction approach and moved inside the pipe itself. The stent spring is deployed through the pipe interior, separating the sealing action from the external environment, thereby eliminating the need for street digging and surface construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent spring is nested within a delivery catheter or compression mechanism during insertion, allowing the compressed device to be transported through the pipe. Once positioned at the repair location, the stent spring is released from its nested state and expands to perform the sealing function.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the stent spring is made expandable for sealing, then it can adapt to pipe interior, but it requires compression mechanism for insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The stent spring transitions from a static compressed state during insertion to a dynamic expanded state during sealing. The device is designed to be compressible for navigation and then expandable for function, utilizing dynamic mechanical transformation to resolve the contradiction between adaptability and insertion complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent spring's physical parameters (diameter, volume, shape) are changed between compressed and expanded states. By varying these parameters, the device can be inserted in a compact form and then transformed to a larger sealing configuration, eliminating the need for complex adjustable mechanisms.
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 the stent spring to be easily inserted and expanded within the pipe to seal leaks, reducing the need for extensive construction and minimizing disruption.
Implementation Method 1
a stent spring configurable in an expanded stent spring configuration and a compressed stent spring configuration
Implementation Method 2
an elastic wire connected to the one or more strands, the elastic wire configured to increase a flexibility of the stent spring
Data Source
AI summary
A stent spring for repairing a pipe includes a substantially tubular mesh structure defining a first structure end and a second structure end opposite the first structure end, the substantially tubular mesh structure comprising a plurality of strands comprising a spring material, wherein the stent spring is expandable and compressible between an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration; and a void extending through the substantially tubular mesh structure from the first structure end to the second structure end, a central axis extending through a center of the void; wherein the plurality of strands comprises a plurality of annular rows of contiguous circular strands, each annular row connected to each adjacent annular row by a connecting strand of the plurality of strands.