Pipe Repair Stent Chassis for In-Place Break Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current pipe repair methods require shutting down piping systems, leading to inconvenience and high costs, as well as extensive construction, including street and sidewalk excavation, due to the lack of effective solutions for sealing pipe wall breaks without disrupting service.
Innovation Solution
A pipe repair stent comprising a gasket with a structural chassis, including reinforcement rings and groove covers, that can be expanded within a pipeline to seal the damaged area, providing structural integrity while allowing for collapsibility for easy transport and deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional pipe repair methods are used, then pipe breaks can be repaired, but the piping system must be shut off and extensive construction is required
Solution Approach 1:
The repair stent is nested within the existing pipeline, with the gasket and reinforcement rings contained within the pipe diameter. The stent can be inserted through the pipeline in a collapsed state and then expanded to provide repair functionality without requiring system shutdown or external access.
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket is designed as a flexible element that can be collapsed for insertion and then expanded to seal against the pipe wall. The flexible nature of the gasket allows it to conform to the pipe interior and provide an effective seal while maintaining the ability to be transported through the pipeline in a compact configuration.
2Reliability
If traditional pipe repair methods are used, then pipe breaks can be repaired, but extensive construction including street and sidewalk excavation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The repair system is segmented into discrete components including the gasket, reinforcement rings, and groove covers that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows the repair device to be inserted as a compact unit through existing access points without requiring extensive excavation or infrastructure disruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The repair stent transitions from a two-dimensional collapsed configuration during insertion to a three-dimensional expanded configuration during operation. This dimensional transformation allows the device to be transported through the pipeline in a compact form and then deployed to provide full circumferential reinforcement and sealing within the pipe interior.
3Strength
If reinforcement rings are exposed, then structural support is provided, but the reinforcement rings are vulnerable to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement rings are nested within protective groove covers that extend along the circumference of the gasket. This nested configuration provides structural support through the reinforcement rings while simultaneously protecting them from external damage through the enclosing groove covers.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove covers act as intermediary protective elements between the reinforcement rings and the external environment. These covers shield the vulnerable reinforcement rings from mechanical damage, corrosion, and other harmful factors while allowing the rings to maintain their structural support function.
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
The pipe repair stent effectively seals pipe wall breaks, reducing construction requirements and costs by allowing for in-place repairs without system shutdown, maintaining pipeline integrity and service continuity.
Implementation Method 1
a gasket defining a first gasket end, a second gasket end, an outer gasket surface, and an inner gasket surface
Implementation Method 2
a first reinforcement ring disposed in the first circumferential groove and a second reinforcement ring disposed in the second circumferential groove
Implementation Method 3
a first groove cover disposed radially outward of and covering the first reinforcement ring, relative to the stent axis, and a second groove cover disposed radially outward of and covering the second reinforcement ring
Data Source
AI summary
A structural chassis for a pipe repair stent includes a first reinforcement ring configured to be received in a first circumferential groove of a gasket; a second reinforcement ring, wherein a chassis axis extends centrally through the first reinforcement ring and the second reinforcement ring, the second reinforcement ring axially spaced from the first reinforcement ring and configured to be received in a second circumferential groove of the gasket; a first groove cover axially aligned with and disposed radially outward of the first reinforcement ring, relative to the chassis axis, to cover and protect the first reinforcement ring; and a second groove cover axially aligned with and disposed radially outward of the second reinforcement ring, relative to the chassis axis, to cover and protect the second reinforcement ring.