Pipe Slitting Apparatus With Wire Rope Tensioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pipe replacement methods lack efficient mechanisms for quick attachment and removal of tools along the length of the tooling during the process of splitting and expanding existing pipes for new pipe installation, especially in curved or complex pipe paths.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus comprises a slitter with tapered blades for pipe slitting, an expander with a frusto-conical section for pipe expansion, and a beacon for magnetic field emission, all attached to a wire rope for simultaneous pulling and expanding, allowing for the replacement of existing pipes with minimal obstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional pipe replacement methods are used, then existing pipes can be replaced, but the process requires extensive manual handling and is difficult to adapt to curved paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical pulling systems with a magnetic field-based beacon system. The beacon emits magnetic fields that guide the tooling through curved paths without requiring extensive manual handling or physical manipulation, enabling adaptation to complex pipe geometries while reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The beacon acts as an intermediary between the tooling and the pipe path. By emitting magnetic fields, it provides continuous guidance information that enables the tooling to follow curved paths automatically, eliminating the need for direct manual control and enhancing adaptability to complex geometries
2Productivity
If tools are attached to wire rope for pipe slitting and expansion, then pipe replacement can be performed, but quick attachment and removal mechanisms are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic attachment mechanisms that allow tools to be quickly connected and disconnected from the wire rope. The system transitions between attached and detached states efficiently, enabling rapid tooling changes without complex manual operations, thus improving productivity while maintaining manageable device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The tooling system is segmented into modular components that can be independently attached and removed from the wire rope. This segmentation allows each tool (slitter, expander, beacon) to be quickly deployed and retrieved without affecting other components, enhancing attachment speed while keeping individual module complexity low
3Productivity
If slitter and expander are pulled through existing pipe simultaneously, then pipe replacement efficiency is improved, but tooling must remain unobtrusive along the length
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the beacon within the expander assembly, which itself is positioned behind the slitter. This nested configuration allows multiple tools to be pulled through the existing pipe simultaneously in a compact arrangement, improving efficiency while minimizing the overall profile and keeping the tooling unobtrusive within the pipe conduit
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 method enables efficient and unobtrusive pipe replacement by slit-expanding existing pipes, allowing new pipes to be pulled in simultaneously, reducing the need for manual handling and enhancing the process's adaptability to curved paths.
Implementation Method 1
The beacon assembly is disposed proximate the expander and generates a magnetic field
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for replacing an existing pipe. The apparatus comprises a slitter and expander which surround a wire rope. The wire rope is attached to the expander, and the expander abuts either the slitter or a separation tube disposed between the expander and slitter, such that the slitter and expander are pivotable relative to each other. The apparatus is placed in a pipe to be replaced and pulled. While being pulled, blades on the slitter slit the pipe, while a sloped surface of the expander moves the slit sections apart into surrounding soil. A replacement pipe may be pulled by a pipe putter attached to the expander. A beacon may also be disposed within the apparatus to emit a signal for locating the apparatus white underground.