Pressurized Push Rod for Internal Pipe Patch Placement Around Bends
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plumbing repair methods, such as using fiberglass rods, face challenges in navigating pipe fittings like 90° bends due to inflexibility, leading to breakage and difficulty in applying patches from within buried pipes, which complicates repairs and often results in broken equipment being stuck inside the pipe.
Innovation Solution
A pressurized push rod device comprising a flexible yet rigid pipe with air-tight fittings at both ends, allowing compressed air to inflate an air bladder for pushing a patch into place without the need for multiple air lines, and featuring crimp retainers and shoulders for secure attachment, enabling navigation through pipe fittings without breaking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a fiberglass rod is used to push an air bladder through pipe fittings, then the rod can maintain structural integrity, but the rod cannot navigate 90° bends due to inflexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The push rod is divided into multiple telescoping sections that can extend and retract. When navigating 90° bends, the rod segments can flex relative to each other while maintaining overall structural integrity. The segments connect via telescoping mechanisms that allow angular displacement without breaking the rod.
Solution Approach 2:
The push rod transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic telescoping structure. The telescoping sections allow the rod to adapt its shape and angle as it moves through pipe fittings, enabling navigation of 90° bends while maintaining the force transmission capability needed to push the air bladder.
2Reliability
If multiple air lines are used to inflate the bladder, then the bladder can be inflated reliably, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air line is merged with the push rod structure itself. The push rod contains an internal passage that serves as the air line, eliminating the need for separate external air lines. This integration maintains reliable bladder inflation while significantly reducing device complexity and the number of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The push rod serves multiple functions: it mechanically pushes the air bladder through the pipe, provides structural support, and contains the internal air passage for inflating the bladder. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate air lines and reduces overall device complexity.
3Force
If a rigid push rod is used to maintain force transmission, then force can be transmitted effectively, but the rod breaks when encountering pipe fittings
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid push rod is segmented into telescoping sections that can flex at the joints. Each segment maintains sufficient rigidity for force transmission, while the telescoping connection allows angular displacement when encountering pipe fittings, preventing breakage while maintaining force transmission capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The push rod's physical parameters (length, angle, segment position) are dynamically changed as it navigates pipe fittings. The telescoping sections extend and retract, and angles between segments adjust, allowing the rod to bend without breaking while maintaining the mechanical force needed to push the bladder through the pipe.
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 device allows reliable insertion and inflation of a bladder to apply patches effectively within pipes, reducing the risk of breakage and enabling efficient repair by minimizing tensional stress on the push rod, allowing for successful patch application and easy retrieval without leaving equipment stuck inside the pipe.
Implementation Method 1
allowing compressed air to inflate an air bladder for pushing a patch into place
Data Source
AI summary
A pressurized push rod system and device for repairing pipe failures from inside the pipe is provided. In one embodiment, a pipe includes a first fitting and a second fitting allowing air to pass through the pipe and into an air bladder. The system includes a pressurized push rod device which attaches to an air bladder and an air compressor to inflate an air bladder within a pipe and thereby apply a patch to a failure within the pipe from inside the pipe.