AU2006252012A1

AU2006252012A1 - Pipe lining anchor apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: AU2006252012A1
Application number: AU2006252012A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Edmund Thomas James Ahern
Original assignee: NUFLOW TECH ASIA PACIFIC Pty L
Current assignee: NUFLOW TECH (ASIA PACIFIC) Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2006-12-12
Filing date: 2006-12-12
Publication date: 2008-06-26
Also published as: AU2007237304A1

Description

UN

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT PIPE RELINING ANCHOR APPARATUS AND METHOD The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: INO PIPE RELINING ANCHOR APPARATUS AND METHOD 0 STECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to pipeline repair and/or reinforcement. In N 5 particular, the present invention relates to installation assemblies for pipeline liners, pipeline liners per se and methods for installing pipeline liners.

BACKGROUND

SAny reference to prior art in the following description is not to be taken to O 10 imply that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

Pipeline liners are often used to repair and/or reinforce broken or weak areas in pipeline networks such as sewer systems, gray water systems and the like.

One approach to relining is to make use of an inflatable bladder around which a resin soaked repair tube of felt-like material is located. With reference to Figure 1, a line 2 is run from a first access hole 4 down to a mains 6 that has a hole 8 which requires repair. The end of the line is retrieved with a rod and hook and wound around a winch 10. The other end of the line is attached to a relining bladder 14 which is winched down until it is located adjacent the hole.

An air hose 12 trails from the bladder so that once it is in position the bladder can be inflated by means of compressor 16 in order to force the resin soaked felt against the pipe section to be repaired. Subsequent to the resin curing, the bladder is deflated and winched out for removal leaving the cured repair tube in place.

The above-describe method works well where two access holes are available on either side of the portion of pipe to be repaired. However, where only one access hole is located nearby the portion of pipe to be repaired, the correct location and installation of the repair section becomes problematic.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and means of relining a pipe in situations where only one access hole is conveniently available.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION SAccording to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pipe Srelining system including: a releasable anchoring assembly for placement fast within a pipe; a pipe repair assembly for location within the pipe; and C means to vary the position of the pipe repair assembly relative to the anchoring assembly.

I 10 The releasable anchoring assembly will preferably include an inflatable bladder.

Preferably the inflatable bladder includes a valve or port for connection of a fluid hose such as an air hose.

The valve or port may be arranged for releasable connection to the fluid hose.

In a preferred embodiment the valve or port is arranged to facilitate slow deflation of the bladder upon release of the fluid hose.

The pipe repair assembly typically includes a repair bladder about which is located a repair tube for impregnation with a repair compound.

The means to vary the position of the pipe repair assembly may include a pulley coupled to the releasable anchoring assembly.

In one embodiment the means to vary the position of the pipe repair assembly includes a line located about the pulley having an end releasably fastened to the pipe repair assembly.

Preferably the line is releasably fastened to the pipe repair assembly by a remotely operable shackle. That is, a shackle which can be opened from a distance to release the line.

3 N According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a

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0 method of repairing or reinforcing a region of a pipe including the steps of: fixing an anchor assembly within the pipe in advance of the region; drawing a pipe repair assembly toward the anchor assembly in order N 5 that the pipe repair assembly be located adjacent the region; and repairing said region by means of the repair assembly.

SThe step of locating the anchor assembly within the pipe may include pushing the anchor assembly with a rod terminating in a video camera assembly.

NCO OIn one embodiment the step of drawing the pipe repair assembly toward the anchor assembly is performed by means of a line attached at one end to the pipe repair assembly and drawn about a pulley of the anchor assembly.

Preferably the step of fixing the anchor assembly within the pipe includes inflating a bladder portion of the anchor assembly so that it abuts and becomes fast with inner walls of the pipe.

According to a final aspect of the invention there is provided a releasable anchoring assembly for placement fast within a pipe, said assembly including: an inflatable bladder; a valve or port in communication with the interior of the bladder for connection of a fluid hose; and a line engaging feature for engaging a line under tension from a pipe repair assembly.

In one embodiment the line engaging assembly is a pulley.

The valve or port in communication with the interior of the bladder may be arranged to permit slow deflation of the bladder upon detachment of the fluid hose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient 4 IDinformation for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make Creference to a number of drawings as follows: Figure 1 depicts a prior art pipe repair system.

SFigure 2 depicts the installation of a releasable anchoring assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

SFigure 3 depicts the installation of a pipe repair assembly in accordance with I 10 the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 depicts the retrieval of the releasable anchoring assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to Figure 2, in one embodiment the present invention includes an inflatable anchor bladder 18 coupled to an air hose 26 by means of a releasable fluid valve valve or "port" 20. A pulley 22 is coupled to the anchor bladder and a line 24 is run about the pulley.

In use the bladder 18 is partially inflated so that it is relatively firm but still free to move within pipe 6. The partially inflated bladder 18 is then pushed into place by means of a flexible rod 32. In the preferred embodiment the rod 32 extends through an access hole, e.g. access hole 4 of Figure 1, and terminates on a video camera assembly 28. The video camera assembly is connected to a video monitor on the surface. An operator on the surface, with the aid of the monitor, is able to push the bladder past hole 8 to a position in advance of the hole as shown. Once anchor bladder 18 is located in advance of hole 8 it is fully inflated by means of air hose 26 so that it firmly abuts the inner wall of pipe 6 and becomes anchored in place due to friction with the inner walls. A quick jerk may then be applied to air hose 26 sufficient to release it from the releasable fluid valve connector 20. The fluid valve connector is configured to slowly allow air to egress from anchor bladder 18 so that the anchor bladder very slowly deflates. this correct?***] The air hose 26, rod 32 and camera assembly 28 are then withdrawn back up and IDout of pipe 6 leaving the bladder 18 and pulley 22 in place with line 24 run about pulley 22.

CT One end of line 24 is then connected to a repair bladder assembly 34 as c 5 shown in Figure 3. The repair bladder assembly 34 includes an inner rubber bladder 36 around which a felt-like repair tube 38, soaked with a repair Scompound such as resin, is located. A release sleeve (not shown) is typically located between the repair tube 38 and the rubber bladder 36 so that the bladder does not adhere to the repair tube subsequent to the resin curing.

I 10 One end of line 24 is coupled to a remote release shackle 23. The other end of line 24 runs between the release sleeve and the inner rubber bladder 26 and up out of access hole 4 to an operator on the surface. A shackle release line 40 similarly runs from shackle 23 between the release sleeve and the inner rubber bladder 36 up to the surface operator.

The surface operator pulls on the free end of line 24 in order to draw repair bladder assembly 34 towards anchor bladder 18. Upon the mid-section of repair bladder assembly 34 coming adjacent the hole 8, as shown in figure 3, the operator pulls on the shackle release line 40. Pulling on the release line opens shackle 24 so that the shackle end of line 24 can be pulled over pulley 22 and thence between the release sleeve and bladder 36 and out of the access hole.

Air is then applied to repair bladder 36 by means of air hose 42 so that the repair bladder forces the repair tube 38 against the inner wall of the pipe thereby sealing hole 8. Once the resin of the repair tube has cured the repair bladder 36 is deflated and withdrawn, along with the release sleeve, by pulling on air hose 42.

The anchor bladder 18, has now partially deflated and can be removed by catching pulley loop 21 with a retrieval hook 44 as shown in Figure 4.

It will be realised that numerous variations and embodiments of the invention are possible. For example, in the previously described preferred embodiment I the anchoring means is provided in the form of an anchor bladder 18.

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OHowever, any contrivance might be used that is capable of being anchored at a desired position within the pipe. Similarly, in the preferred embodiment a repair bladder assembly is used to repair the pipe. However, other repair N 5 apparatus are known. For example, pipes are sometimes repaired by mobile in-pipe units that spray repair compounds onto the inner walls of pipes. Such a mobile unit might be used in some embodiments as an alternative to repair bladder assembly 34.

I 10 Similarly, in the preferred embodiment that has been described, a release Oshackle was used to de-couple line 24 from repair bladder assembly 34. In other embodiments a remotely controlled electrical actuator might be used or line 24 might be provided with a region of weakness susceptible to breakage in response to a strong jerk being applied to the line. Furthermore, while a line and pulley system has been used in the preferred embodiment, other suitable means to vary the position of the pipe repair assembly relative to the releasable anchoring assembly might also be adopted.

It will then be realised that in compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein merely describes preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.

It is also to be understood that in the present specification and claims, any occurrence of the word "comprising" and its derivatives including "comprises" and "comprise" is intended to include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A pipe relining system including: a releasable anchoring assembly for placement fast within a pipe; C a pipe repair assembly for location within the pipe; and means to vary the position of the pipe repair assembly relative to the C releasable anchoring assembly.

S2. A pipe relining system according to claim 1, wherein the releasable IDanchoring assembly includes an inflatable bladder.

3. A pipe relining system according to claim 2, wherein the inflatable bladder includes a valve or port for connection of a fluid hose.

4. A pipe relining system according to claim 3, wherein the valve or port is arranged for releasable connection to the fluid hose.

A pipe relining system according to claim 4, wherein the valve or port is arranged to facilitate slow deflation of the bladder upon release of the fluid hose.

6. A pipe relining system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pipe repair assembly includes an repair bladder about which is located a repair tube for impregnation with a repair compound.

7. A pipe relining system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means to vary the position of the pipe repair assembly includes a pulley coupled to the releasable anchoring assembly.

8. A pipe relining system according to claim 7, wherein the means to vary the position of the pipe repair assembly includes a line located about the pulley having an end releasably fastened to the pipe repair assembly. 8

9. A pipe relining system according to claim 8, wherein said line is O releasably fastened to the pipe repair assembly by a remotely operable shackle.

A method of repairing or reinforcing a region of a pipe including the steps of: fixing an anchor assembly within the pipe in advance of the region; drawing a pipe repair assembly toward the anchor assembly in order that the pipe repair assembly be located adjacent the region; and Irepairing said region by means of the repair assembly.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the step of locating the anchor assembly within the pipe includes pushing the anchor assembly with a rod terminating in a video camera assembly.

12. A method according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the step of drawing the pipe repair assembly toward the anchor assembly is performed by means of a line attached at one end to the pipe repair assembly and drawn about a pulley of the anchor assembly.

13. A method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the step of fixing the anchor assembly within the pipe includes inflating a bladder portion of the anchor assembly so that it abuts inner walls of the pipe.

14. A releasable anchoring assembly for placement fast within a pipe, said assembly including: an inflatable bladder; a valve or port in communication with the interior of the bladder for connection of a fluid hose; and a line engaging feature for engaging a line under tension from a pipe repair assembly.

An assembly according to claim 14, wherein the line engaging assembly is a pulley. 9 INO O

16. An assembly according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the valve or port in communication with the interior of the bladder is arranged to permit Sslow deflation of the bladder upon detachment of the fluid hose.

17. A method of repairing or reinforcing a pipe substantially as described c-i herein with reference to the drawings. in

18. An apparatus for repairing or reinforcing a pipe substantially as IO described herein with reference to the drawings. Dated this 12th Day of December 2006 Nu Flow Technologies 2000 Pty Ltd by its attorneys Eagar Buck Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys