Pipe Liner Assembly With Frangible Alignment for Lateral Junction Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe repair methods face challenges in maintaining the alignment and stability of liner and bladder assemblies during the repair process, particularly due to rotational and longitudinal movement issues, which can lead to inaccuracies in aligning the lateral liner with the lateral pipe.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a frangible connection system between the main bladder and the launcher, as well as between the liner and the bladder, using snaps or other breakable connections, to prevent rotational and longitudinal movement, combined with a non-reinforced elastic cover to ensure even expansion and maintain alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a main bladder with diameter twice that of the launcher is used, then the bladder can provide sufficient contact with the pipe wall, but the bladder rotates and moves longitudinally during inflation
Solution Approach 1:
The bladder is divided into multiple segments or sections, each capable of independent inflation. This segmentation prevents rotational movement while maintaining contact pressure against the pipe wall, as each segment expands independently rather than as a single large bladder that can rotate.
Solution Approach 2:
Alignment features such as guide rails, alignment pins, or pre-positioned markers are installed on the launcher and pipe before bladder inflation. These preliminary alignment measures ensure the bladder is correctly positioned before expansion, preventing rotation and longitudinal movement during the inflation process.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the bladder is frangibly connected to the launcher, then rotational and longitudinal movement is prevented, but the connection must be designed to break at a specific point
Solution Approach 1:
The frangible connection is designed with predetermined weak points that will break under specific conditions (such as when the bladder reaches a certain inflation pressure or when it contacts the pipe wall). This preliminary design prevents over-inflation damage while maintaining alignment stability during the critical inflation phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible connection uses simple, inexpensive components such as breakable pins, snap-fit features, or adhesive bonds that are designed to fail once. These disposable connection elements provide temporary alignment stability during installation and inflation, then deliberately fail to allow bladder removal or system reset.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a non-reinforced elastic cover is used, then even expansion is ensured, but the cover must be precisely sized to fit the launcher
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic cover is designed with variable thickness or variable elasticity along its length, with thicker or stiffer sections at the ends and thinner or more flexible sections in the middle. This parameter variation compensates for manufacturing tolerances and ensures uniform expansion of the bladder even with slight variations in cover dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the elastic cover have different properties - the end sections may be reinforced or have different elasticity to prevent over-expansion at the edges, while the central section allows greater expansion. This local differentiation ensures uniform overall expansion without requiring extremely precise manufacturing of the entire cover.
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
This solution effectively prevents the bladder and liner assemblies from moving relative to the launcher, ensuring accurate alignment and uniform inflation, thereby enhancing the precision and efficiency of the pipe repair process.
Implementation Method 1
a non-reinforced elastic cover to ensure even expansion and maintain alignment
Data Source
AI summary
A method and means for repairing the junction of a main and lateral pipe are provided. A repair assembly includes a launcher device, a bladder assembly surrounding the launcher device, and a liner assembly surrounding the bladder assembly. The bladder assembly is frangibly connected to the launcher device to maintain the position of the bladder assembly relative to the launcher device during transport and positioning of the assembly. Likewise, the liner assembly, which includes main and lateral liner members, is frangibly connected to the bladder assembly. The frangible connections allow the position of the repair assembly to be maintained. The frangible connections can be broken, such as by inflation and/or tearing or pulling apart of the components of the repair assembly. Thus, the invention provides a way to mitigate the movement of components of the repair assembly during transport and positioning of the repair assembly.