CA3116450A1 - An insertion device for rehabilitation of underground pipes - Google Patents

Abstract

An insertion device for rehabilitation of underground pipes includes an elongated longitudinally oriented body which includes interposed alternating LED
segments rigidly attached to spring segments, wherein the segments are sandwiched between a front end and a back end. The front end includes a front disk for attaching a front of a tubular repair bag thereto; and the rear end includes a rear disk for attaching a rear of the tubular repair bag thereto such that the repair bag mounted to the insertion device creates an air tight space within the repair bag which is extended between the front and rear disk. The rear end further includes a rear push rod holder which includes a receiver for mounting a push rod therein such that the push rod is mounted in the receiver and is adapted to push the insertion device through a pipe to a preselected location.
The insertion device further includes a push rod clamp for demount-ably attaching the push rod to the rear end. The insertion device wherein the front end further includes an eye loop operably connected to the body, the eye loop for attaching a pull cord thereto for pulling the insertion device through a pipe.

Description

File No: 3125-pt CANADA
Title: AN INSERTION DEVICE FOR REHABILITATION OF UNDERGROUND PIPES
Inventors: Montadar Yassen, Christopher Hoclaidge, Thomas Levesque Date Recue/Date Received 2021-04-28 AN INSERTION DEVICE FOR REHABILITATION OF UNDERGROUND PIPES
Field of the Invention [0001] The present concept relates generally to pipe insertion devices, and more particularly relates to an insertion device for rehabilitation of underground pipes.
Summary of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to the repair of pipes and pipelines, and in particular has reference to the repair of underground pipelines and passageways which are known as "laterals", which are pipelines and passageways which connect for example a main sewer pipe to a consumer point such as a domestic dwelling or other building.

[0003] The invention relates to a device for repair of laterals. Basically, in a sewerage system, a main sewer pipe will run underground directly along the line of a main street or thoroughfare, and the users of the system will be connected to the main sewer pipe by means of lateral pipes which extend transversely off the main sewer pipe to user points on opposite sides of the road, street or thoroughfare. The laterals tend to meet the sewer pipe at either 45 degrees or 90 degrees, although in some cases it may be almost any angle.

[0004] In order to repair a damaged section of pipe a device which can transport repair material to the damaged portion of the pipe is inserted into the damaged pipe and urged along the pipe to the damaged portion. The repair material is normally an inflatable repair bag equipped with an outer repair material which when inflated brings the repair material into contact with the inner diameter of the pipe and covers over the damaged section.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-04-28

[0005] The repair material can be a number of known liquid or pasty polymers or composite polymers which are hardened by the application of heat, chemical or light. Once the repair material is hardened it creates a hard water proof, abrasion resistant liner which adheres to the inner surface of the damaged pipe thereby effecting an repair.

[0006] Many of the current day insertion devices cannot pass through bent pipes or pipes that have tight radius curves. Some of the presently used pipe repair devices which can pass through some degree of pipe curvature do so by limiting the overall length of the repair device. In other words these are relatively short devices which as a result may only be able to repair very short sections of pipe.

[0007] The present concept is an insertion device which can pass through both straight and bent pipes without any limitations on the overall length of the insertion device. In fact the insertion device can be made into almost any desired length and yet retain its ability to pass through pipes that have significantly tight radius curves. Additionally the insertion device can repair damaged sections of various lengths by varying the length of the insertion device.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-04-28 Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] With the intention of providing demonstration of characteristics of the device or method, an example or examples are given below without restrictive character whatsoever with reverence to the corresponding figures of preferred embodiments of the device and method as follows:

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic top isometric view of an insertion device.

[00010] Figure 2 is a schematic bottom isometric view of the insertion device.

[00011] Figure 3 is a schematic partial cutaway view of the insertion device deployed in a pipe together with a repair bag.

[00012] Figure 4 is a schematic partial cutaway view of the insertion device deployed in a pipe bifurcation together with a push rod.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-04-28 Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[00013] The present concept is an insertion device 100 for rehabilitation of underground pipes. It includes the following components oriented along a longitudinal axis 109 namely an elongated longitudinally oriented body 102 which includes interposed alternating LED segments 104 rigidly attached to spring segments 106, wherein the segments are sandwiched between a front end 103 and a back end 105. The spring segment 106 may include a coil spring 107 as depicted or it may be any other type of spring that will serve a similar function such as flexible tubing or a simple torsion spring or a circular arrangement of multiple torsion springs.

[00014] The front end 103 includes a front disk 112 for attaching a front 142 of a tubular repair bag 140 thereto. The rear end 105 includes a rear disk 114 for attaching a rear 144 of the tubular repair bag 140 thereto such that the repair bag 140 mounted to the insertion device 100 creates an air tight space within the repair bag which is extends between the front 112 and rear disk 114.

[00015] The rear end 105 further includes a rear push rod holder 120 which includes a rod receiver 124 for mounting a push rod 150 therein. The push rod 150 is mounted in the receiver 124 and is adapted to push the insertion device 100 through a pipe 152 to a preselected location.

[00016] The rear end 105 further includes a push rod clamp 122 for demount-ably attaching the push rod 150 to the rear end 105. The front end 103 further includes an eye loop 110 operably connected to the body 102, the eye loop 110 for attaching a pull cord (not shown in the drawings) thereto for pulling the insertion device 100 through a pipe 152.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-04-28

[00017] Each LED segment 104 includes an array of LED's configured to shine light onto the repair bag 140. Each LED segment 104 includes at least two longitudinally oriented LED arrays 111 divided by interposed guide fins 130, the LEDs 116 configured to shine light onto the repair bag 140 and the fins 130 for protecting the LED
arrays 111 from damage.

[00018] The spring segment 106 is preferably a coil spring 107 which is adapted to resiliently conform to a pipe contour thereby facilitating the passage of the insertion device 100 through non straight sections of the pipe . The spring segment may be a torsion spring which is adapted to resiliently conform to a pipe contour thereby facilitating passage of the insertion device through curved sections of the pipe.

[00019] The rear end 105 includes a compressed air port, not shown in the drawings but familiar with those skilled in the art, for coupling a hose to the rear end, wherein the hose is configured to communicate compressed air into the bag 140 thereby inflating the bag. The rear end may also include an electrical port, not shown in the drawings but familiar with those skilled in the art, for receiving an electrical cable and making an electrical connection, such that the cable is configured to supply power to the LED's 116 for shining light onto the repair bag 140.

[00020] The front end includes a guide bracket 118 with at least three radially oriented wheel struts 170 for mounting a guide wheel 108 thereon. The guide wheels 108 are for roll-ably engaging with an inner surface the pipe.

[00021] The front disc 112 and the rear disc114 include a disk groove 174 for receiving a crimp wire for aiding in fastening the front 142 and rear 144 of the repair bag 140 to the front and rear disks. The crimp wire goes around the outside of the front 142 of Date Recue/Date Received 2021-04-28 the repair bag 140 and urges the bag material into the disc groove 174 and thereby clamps the repair bag front end to the front disc 112.

[00022]
Repair bag 140 normally has a multi-layered skin wherein the inner layer is an air tight light transparent inner silicone balloon which ensures the repair bag is air tight and easily inflatable. The outer layer in this example is a UV light activated composite polymer 148 that hardens by shining UV light onto its surface. The insertion device 100 is equipped with LED's 116 which are Arranged in LED arrays 111 on a LED Segment 104.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-04-28

Claims (11)

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THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED IS DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An insertion device for rehabilitation of underground pipes comprises;
a) An elongated longitudinally oriented body which includes interposed alternating LED segments rigidly attached to spring segments, wherein the segnents are sandwiched between a front end and a back end;
b) the front end includes a front disk for attaching a front of a tubular repair bag thereto; and the rear end includes a rear disk for attaching a rear of the tubular repair bag thereto;
such that the repair bag mounted to the insertion device creates an air tight space within the repair bag which is extended between the front and rear disk;
c) the rear end further includes a rear push rod holder which includes a receiver for mounting a push rod therein;
d) such that the push rod is mounted in the receiver and is adapted to push the insertion device through a pipe to a preselected location.

2. The insertion device claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear end further includes a push rod clamp for demount-ably attaching the push rod to the rear end.

3. The insertion device claimed in claim 1 wherein the front end further includes an eye loop operably connected to the body, the eye loop for attaching a pull cord thereto for pulling the insertion device through a pipe.

4. The insertion device claimed in claim 1 wherein each LED segment includes an array of LED's configured to shine light onto the repair bag.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-04-28

5. The insertion device claimed in claim 1 wherein each LED segment includes at least two longitudinally oriented LED arrays divided by interposed guide fins, the LEDs configured to shine light onto the repair bag and the fms for protecting the LED
arrays from damage.

6. The insertion device claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring segment is a coil spring which is adopted to resiliently conform to a pipe contour thereby facilitating passage of the insertion device through curved sections of the pipe.

7. The insertion device claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring segment is a torsi&
spring which is adopted to resiliently conform to a pipe contour thereby facilitating passage of the insertion device through curved sections of the pipe.

8. The insertion device claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear end includes a compressed air port for coupling a hose to the rear end, wherein the hose is configured to communicate compressed air into the bag thereby inflating the bag.

9. The insertion device claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear end includes an electrical port for receiving an electrical cable and making an electrical connection, such that the cable is configured to supply power to the LED's for shining light onto the repair bag.

10. The insertion device claimed in claim 1 wherein the front end includes a guide bracket with at least three radially oriented wheel struts for mounting a guide wheel thereon, the guide wheels for roll-ably engaging with an inner surface the pipe.

Date Recue/Date Received 2021-04-28

11. The insertion device claimed in claim 1 wherein the front disc and the rear disc include a disk groove for receiving a crimp wire for aiding in fastening the front and rear of the repair bag to the front and rear disks.