Modular Helical Pipeline Assembly for Ring-Stiffness and Leak Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing plastic pipelines, especially large aperture ones, face challenges in transportation and construction due to low ring-stiffness and high costs, and lack effective leakage detection mechanisms, making it difficult to manage rainwater and maintain urban drainage systems efficiently.

Innovation Solution

The development of an intelligent module spiral pipeline with arch-shaped units featuring reinforcing ribs, clamping and fixing devices, and integrated leakage detection systems, along with a specialized winding machine that uses an arc-shaped chute rail and parallel twisting device to create a spirally wound pipeline with enhanced ring-stiffness and modular assembly for reduced costs and increased efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional extrusion moulded pipelines are used, then the pipeline can be produced continuously, but the ring-stiffness is low and transportation is troublesome

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvering-stiffnessVSAvoidtransportation and construction
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The pipeline is divided into modular units that can be separately manufactured and then assembled. Each module is injection or compression moulded at factories, then assembled as building blocks on site to form the complete pipeline. This segmentation increases ring-stiffness while maintaining ease of transportation and construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite material structures within the modular units, combining different materials to achieve high ring-stiffness. The modular design with reinforcing structures creates a composite system that maintains strength while being divisible for easy transportation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If modularized pipes are used, then transportation and construction become easier, but the cost increases due to secondary processes and frame winding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransportation and constructionVSAvoidsecondary process and frame winding
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the complex frame winding secondary process from the manufacturing system. By using direct injection or compression moulding of modular units, the unnecessary intermediate steps are removed, reducing both device complexity and cost while maintaining ease of assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The modular units are pre-assembled into complete pipeline sections at the factory before transportation. This preliminary assembly reduces on-site construction complexity and eliminates the need for complex frame winding operations during installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If pipelines are buried underground, then they are protected from environmental damage, but leakage detection becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection from environmental damageVSAvoidleakage detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates leakage detection systems that provide real-time feedback about pipeline integrity. Sensors embedded in or attached to the modular units detect leakage conditions and transmit information to monitoring systems, enabling quick identification of problems even when buried underground.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent may incorporate visual indicators or sensors that change color or emit signals when leakage is detected. This allows for easy visual detection of leakage issues without requiring complex underground inspection equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP3604879B1Intelligent module pipeline, intelligent module helical pipeline winding machine and winding method therefor
Publication Date: 2022.07.13 ZHONGSHI PIPE IND CO LTD
  • EP3604879B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3604879B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3604879B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

An intelligent module pipeline, an intelligent module helical pipeline winding machine and a winding method thereof. In the cross section of the pipeline, a plurality of intelligent modules (1) are clamped and helically wound end to end to form a circular pipeline; each of the intelligent module units is an arch-shaped module which is formed by injection molding or compression molding; the each intelligent module unit is provided a reinforcing rib structure inside, a fixing device for fixing and clamping from left to right on the side surfaces, and a clamping device for fixing and clamping end to end at the edges. An arc-shaped chute rail is provided on the front surface of a working panel of the winding machine; the arc-shaped chute rail is provided with at least one pair of feed rollers (107), and is further provided with a locking device (108) and a parallel twisting device (106); the same intelligent module units are arranged end to end on the arc-shaped chute rail, and then are locked by means of the locking device, to form a semicircular pipe diameter by means of the feed rollers; then the parallel twisting device twists the semicircular pipe diameter in parallel to change the winding rail; and the intelligent module units are wound in a staggered arrangement to form helical winding pipelines.