Raised Pipeline Sleeve Alignment for Reliable Internal Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for effective and efficient techniques for sealing pipelines that also facilitate ease of manufacture, assembly, and operation.
Innovation Solution
The use of a raised pipeline sleeve with recessed sleeve shoulders and a central portion shaped to conform to the inner surface of the pipeline pipes, along with a raised hump that engages and conforms to the inner surface as the sleeve is inserted, to facilitate sealing and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional pipeline sealing mechanism is used, then sealing reliability is maintained, but installation complexity and alignment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The raised hump is pre-formed on the sleeve body before installation. During installation, this pre-formed hump automatically engages with the pipeline inner surface to establish proper alignment and positioning, eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures while ensuring reliable sealing contact is achieved.
Solution Approach 2:
The raised hump acts as an intermediary element between the sleeve body and the pipeline inner surface. It facilitates the interaction by providing a dedicated engagement point that guides the sleeve into proper position and ensures consistent contact with the sealing surface, thereby simplifying installation while maintaining sealing reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid sleeve structure is used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to various pipeline shapes and tolerances deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve body incorporates a raised hump with specific local geometric features that are designed to engage with the pipeline inner surface. This localized structural variation allows the otherwise precision-manufactured sleeve to adapt to variations in pipeline shape and tolerances, as the hump can accommodate different surface profiles while maintaining overall manufacturing precision.
3Ease of operation
If additional alignment features are added to the sleeve, then alignment ease is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The raised hump serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as an alignment feature by engaging with the pipeline inner surface to establish proper positioning, and it also serves as part of the sealing mechanism by providing a contact surface for the seal. This merging of alignment and sealing functions into a single structural element avoids increasing device complexity while improving alignment ease.
Data Source
AI summary
A raised pipeline sleeve for a pipeline includes a tubular sleeve body insertable into pipeline pipes. Recessed sleeve shoulders are radially positioned about each end of the tubular sleeve body with a central portion therebetween. An outer surface of the tubular sleeve body along the central portion is shaped to conform to an inner surface of the pipeline pipes. The recessed sleeve shoulders are recessed a distance radially below the central portion to support a pipeline seal between the recessed sleeve shoulders and the pipeline pipes. A raised hump extends radially from the central portion along the outer surface of the tubular sleeve body. As the tubular sleeve body is inserted in the pipeline pipes, the pipeline pipes engage the raised hump and conform the raised hump to the inner surface of the pipeline pipes whereby installation of the tubular sleeve body into and alignment of the tubular sleeve body about the pipeline pipes is facilitated.