Pressurized Conduit Rodder Extends Reach to 1000 Feet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional duct rodders flex or undulate when moving through underground conduits, limiting their effective length and often becoming lodged due to obstructions, making them unsuitable for long runs beyond 600 feet.
Innovation Solution
A pressurized rodder assembly with a fluid-filled tube and a rigid rod, where the fluid is emitted through a nozzle to clear obstructions and maintain the rod's straightness, ensuring efficient movement through conduits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a conventional duct rodder is used to clear obstructions in conduits, then the rod can move through short distances (400-600 feet), but the rod flexes or undulates and becomes lodged, limiting its effective length
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic pressure by introducing compressed air or gas into the rod through a hollow core or external ports. This internal pressurization creates rigidifying forces that prevent flexing and undulation, allowing the rod to maintain its straight configuration over extended lengths (up to 1000 feet or more) without becoming lodged in conduits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and mechanical properties of the rod by varying the internal pressure parameter. By adjusting the pressure level, the rod transitions from a flexible state (during insertion) to a rigid state (during obstruction clearing), optimizing performance for different operational phases and extending effective length while preventing lodging
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid rod is used to maintain straightness, then the rod can extend further without flexing, but the rod cannot navigate obstructions or bends in the conduit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamically adjustable rod system where the degree of rigidity can be changed in real-time. The rod can be pressurized to become rigid for maintaining straightness over long distances, then depressurized to become flexible for navigating bends and clearing obstructions, and re-pressurized again for continued extension. This dynamic property transition resolves the contradiction between stability and adaptability
3Length of moving object
If the rod is pressurized with fluid to maintain rigidity, then the rod can extend through longer conduits without flexing, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the rod with multi-functionality to reduce overall system complexity. The hollow rod structure serves multiple purposes: it provides the structural element for obstruction clearing, acts as a pressure vessel for rigidity maintenance, and functions as a conduit for fluid delivery. This integration eliminates the need for separate external pressurization equipment and simplifies the overall system while enabling extended reach
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 pressurized rodder assembly effectively extends through conduits of up to a thousand feet without flexing, efficiently clearing obstructions and allowing for the insertion of cables by maintaining the rod's rigidity and propulsion.
Implementation Method 1
A pressurized rodder assembly with a fluid-filled tube and a rigid rod, where the fluid is emitted through a nozzle to clear obstructions and maintain the rod's straightness
Data Source
AI summary
A rodder assembly to be moved through an underground conduit includes a tube adapted to receive fluid under pressure. In some embodiments the rodder assembly includes at least one rigid rod, and a nozzle is attached to the tube to discharge fluid from the tube.