Pipe Joint Clamp and Socket Design for Leak-Free Bond Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for joining pipes and fittings, such as solvent cementing, welding, and adhesive bonding, often require skilled labor and can be inefficient, especially in harsh environments, and may involve VOC emissions or the need for secondary seals to prevent leakage during bonding agent injection.
Innovation Solution
A pipe fitting design featuring a tubular member with a socket and centering device, including a removable clamp that secures the pipe section and allows for uniform bonding agent injection without a secondary seal, enhancing alignment and hoop strength through a reinforcement band or glass fiber reinforcement, and enabling easy assembly with minimal skill.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If injection application method is used to apply bonding agent, then bonding agent can be injected into the gap, but cumbersome clamps and sealing devices are required to prevent leakage during injection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the secondary seal component from the system by designing the pipe stop to extend radially beyond the socket inner surface, creating a natural barrier that prevents bonding agent leakage without requiring additional sealing devices or clamps during injection
Solution Approach 2:
The pipe stop structure serves a dual function: it centers the pipe section and simultaneously prevents bonding agent leakage by extending radially beyond the socket inner surface, eliminating the need for separate sealing components
2Ease of operation
If brush application method is used to apply bonding agent, then bonding agent can be applied to pipe end and fitting socket, but excess bonding agent may be deposited into piping water-way or drip from socket entrance
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe stop acts as an intermediary barrier that receives and contains the bonding agent during injection, preventing it from entering the piping water-way or dripping from the socket entrance, thus eliminating waste and contamination issues
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the problem of excess bonding agent deposition by using injection application with the pipe stop barrier, eliminating the need to carefully control brush application and preventing waste
3Strength
If pipe stop radial length is increased to improve hoop strength, then hoop strength of pipe fitting is improved, but manufacturing complexity may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe stop is constructed from composite materials (thermoplastic, thermoset, or metal) that provide high strength-to-weight ratio, allowing the radial extension to achieve required hoop strength without excessive manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The pipe stop serves multiple functions simultaneously: centering the pipe section, preventing bonding agent leakage, and providing structural reinforcement for hoop strength, thereby justifying its extended radial length without proportionally increasing manufacturing complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a pipe joint between a pipe section and a pipe fitting includes inserting an end of the pipe section into a socket of the pipe fitting, and attaching a removable clamp to the pipe section and pipe fitting. The socket includes a centering device and a pipe stop that is configured to receive the end of the pipe section. The clamp includes a plurality of arcuate segments and a tightening mechanism, and each arcuate member has a removable/replaceable sealing member. The arcuate members are radially compressed via the tightening mechanism to cause the respective sealing members to seal an open end of the gap. A bonding agent is then injected into the gap via a port that extends through the pipe fitting. Once the bonding agent has been injected, the clamp is removed and can be reused.