CN107975652B

CN107975652B - Pipe repair tool

Info

Publication number: CN107975652B
Application number: CN201711005080.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 杨培正
Original assignee: Hong Kong and China Gas Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hong Kong and China Gas Co Ltd
Priority date: 2016-10-24
Filing date: 2017-10-24
Publication date: 2022-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2037-10-24
Also published as: HK1248794A1; CN207621570U; CN107975652A

Abstract

The invention discloses a pipe repair tool (10) for repairing a portion (8) of a pipe (9) or the like, comprising: a tubular body (100) having at least two shells, a first and a second shell (110, 120), closable together to surround the tube portion (8) and defining a cavity (200) around the tube portion (8) containing a sealant (210) to protect the tube portion (8) from leakage; a retaining device (130) adapted to retain the first and second housings (110, 120) in a closed position around the tube portion (8), the retaining device (130) being connected with at least one of the first and second housings (110, 120); and an opening (160) in or on the body (100) to introduce the sealant (210) into the cavity (200).

Description

Pipe repair tool

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a pipe repair tool for use in repairing pipes, particularly, but not exclusively, pipes for transporting gas (e.g. gas or natural gas) or liquid (e.g. water or oil).

Background

Pipes for transporting gas or liquid are manufactured for long service, typically decades, but the need for repair (or repair) is inevitable if not damaged or maintained. Pipes installed outdoors are particularly susceptible to damage or corrosion.

Replacing defective pipe sections is an obvious solution, but is generally not preferred, particularly for pipes embedded in or extending through walls or concrete. In quite a few cases, it is recommended that maintenance (not to be replaced), for example, maintenance or repair of the pipeline or system to extend or maximize its life expectancy.

The present invention seeks to alter or at least alleviate this disadvantage by providing a new or otherwise improved pipe repair tool.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a pipe repair tool for repairing a portion of a pipe, comprising: a tubular body having at least two shells, a first shell and a second shell, the first shell and the second shell being closeable together to surround the tube portion and defining a cavity around the tube portion to contain a sealant to protect the tube portion from leakage; and a retaining device adapted to retain the first housing and the second housing together in a closed position around the tube portion, the retaining device being connected to at least one of the first housing and the second housing; and an opening in or on the body for introducing the sealant into the cavity.

Preferably, the body has a circular cross-section.

Preferably, the body has two shells, the first and second shells each having a cross-section for extending 180 ° around the pipe section in the closed position.

Preferably, at least two housings of the body are distinct components.

In a preferred embodiment, the retaining means comprises a first part and a second part connected to the first housing and the second housing respectively and mutually engaging with each other to retain the first housing and the second housing in the closed position.

More preferably, the first and second portions of the retaining means have complementary shapes for interengagement to retain the first and second housings in the closed position.

More preferably, the first and second portions of the retaining mechanism have a raised portion and a ring, respectively, wherein the ring is engageable around the raised portion.

Preferably, the retaining means is operable by a snap action.

Preferably, the body has opposite first and second ends, at each of which a retaining device is provided at each interface between the first and second housings, respectively.

Preferably, the body has said openings at each of its opposite first and second ends, one of the openings being for the introduction of the sealant into the cavity and the other opening being for the escape of the sealant when the cavity is filled with the sealant.

In a preferred embodiment, the body has an inner flange at least one of its open opposite first and second ends that restricts the opening through the end of the body.

More preferably, the inner flange is connected to the body by a frangible connection for removal of the connection to widen the opening through the associated end of the body.

More preferably, the frangible connection comprises a first line of weakness extending around the inner flange and at least one second line of weakness extending across opposite inner and outer sides of the inner flange.

More preferably, said frangible connection comprises a series of said second lines of weakness extending radially across said opposite inner and outer sides of said inner flange.

In a preferred embodiment, the body comprises engagement means at least one of its opposite first and second ends for coaxially engaging with further engagement means on the opposite first and second ends of the body of a further pipe repair tool.

In a preferred embodiment, the body comprises engagement means at one of its opposite first and second ends for coaxial engagement with the other of the opposite first and second ends of the body of another pipe repair tool.

More preferably, the engagement means is integrally formed or connected with said one of its opposite first and second ends.

Preferably, the engagement means comprise complementary outer and inner cross-sections for insertedly engaging abutting ends of the bodies of the two pipe repair tools.

Preferably, the abutting ends of the bodies of the two pipe repair tools have complementary outer and inner cross-sections for insertionally engaging, the complementary outer and inner cross-sections providing the engagement means.

More preferably, the first end of the body has an outer cross-section which is slightly smaller than an inner cross-section of the second end of the body for coaxial engagement into the second end of the body of another pipe repair tool.

More preferably, said body has a uniform external section, except for said first end, which is made smaller by the presence of the annular step.

Preferably, the body is made of a transparent or translucent material and comprises at least one volume indicator for the cavity.

Drawings

The present invention will now be described more particularly, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pipe repair tool according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the pipe repair tool of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the pipe repair tool of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a left end view of the pipe repair tool of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a right end view of the pipe repair tool of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an inside front view of the pipe repair tool of FIG. 1 taken along line VI-VI;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the pipe repair tool of FIG. 1 with its two housings separated;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the pipe repair tool of FIG. 1 being used on a pipe for which repair is to be performed;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are opposite left and right end views of the pipe repair tool of FIG. 8;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 8, showing the introduction of sealant into the pipe repair tool;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 9, showing the filling of sealant into the pipe repair tool;

FIG. 11 is another cross-sectional view of the pipe repair tool of FIG. 1 used on a pipe for its repair (in a slightly different position);

11A and 11B are opposite left and right end views of the pipe repair tool of FIG. 11;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 11, showing the filling of sealant into the pipe repair tool;

FIG. 13 corresponds to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 showing the filling of sealant into the pipe repair tool; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of two pipe repair tools of FIG. 1 coaxially joined together for use.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1-14 of the drawings, there is shown a pipe repair tool 10 embodying the present invention for repairing pipes and the like. The pipe to be repaired may be a pipe 9 or the like, e.g. a pipe, a conduit, a throat, a hose or a body, which may be made of metal or plastic material for transporting gas (e.g. gas or natural gas) or liquid (e.g. water or oil). In the present case, the pipe 9 is a riser pipe on the outer wall of the building for supplying gas to the floors, which riser pipe extends horizontally through the wall into the building or in each case vertically. The tube 9 is exposed to air and is therefore susceptible to corrosion and/or damage, with the result that holes/crevices or generally leaks 7 are present in the section 8 of the tube 9.

The construction and operation of the pipe repair tool 10 is now described. Broadly speaking, the pipe repair tool 10 has a tubular body 100 including at least one first and

second housing

110 and 120 closeable together to surround the segment 8 and define a tubular cavity 200 around the segment 8 to contain a sealant to protect or prevent leakage or further leakage from the segment 8. The pipe repair tool 10 comprises a holding device 130 adapted to hold the first and

second housings

110 and 120 together in a closed position around the section 8. The holding means 130 is connected to at least one of the first and

second housings

110 and 120. There is simultaneously an opening 160 in the body 100 or on the body 100 to introduce the sealant 210 into the cavity 200.

In most cases (but not exclusively), the body 100 of the pipe repair tool 10 has a substantially circular cross-section, or an overall substantially cylindrical configuration. This results in cavity 200 having an annular or tubular shape when body 100 is fitted over and around tube segment 8.

In this particular embodiment, the body 100 is manufactured to have only two housings, which are first and

second housings

110 and 120, which are preferably different components. In the closed position, the

shells

110 and 120 have a substantially semi-circular cross-section to extend around the opposite sides of the segment 8 by approximately 180 °.

In various embodiments, the 2

housings

110 and 120 may be manufactured in an integrally formed configuration with their adjacent longitudinal edges integrally connected by a narrow foldable panel that extends along the length of the body 100. The

shells

110 and 120 can then be opened and closed by the folding action of the folded plates and thereafter the retaining means 130 are brought over the free longitudinal edges of the shells 110a and 120 to lock the

shells

110 and 120 in the closed position around the pipe 9 to be serviced.

Turning to the description of the retaining device 130, it includes first and

second portions

131 and 132 that are connected to the first and

second housings

110 and 120, respectively, and that mutually engage with each other to retain the first and

second housings

110 and 120 in the closed position. Generally, the first and

second portions

131 and 132 of the retaining device 130 have complementary shapes for engaging each other to retain the first and

second housings

110 and 120 in the closed position. Specifically, the first and

second portions

131 and 132 include a raised portion 131P and a ring 132L, respectively, wherein the ring 132L is engageable around the raised portion 131P. The raised portion 131P and the ring 132L are of complementary shape and they are designed to snap together so that the retaining device 130 is generally operable by a snap action.

Body 100 has an oval shape and includes opposing first and second ends 101 and 102, both of which should be preferentially locked closed between

housings

110 and 120. Thus, at each of the first and second ends 101 and 102, a retaining device 130 is provided at each interface between the first and

second housings

110 and 120, respectively, i.e. between adjacent longitudinal edges of the

housings

110 and 120. At two such interfaces, and taking into account the two ends 101 and 102 of the body 100, a total of four retaining devices 130 are made, each of which is constituted by a pair of mutually engaged projections 131P and a ring 132L.

Turning briefly to the description of opening 160, it may be formed through small holes in the wall of either or both of

housings

110 and 120. In practice, at least two openings 160 or holes 161 or 162 are required at the opposing first and second ends 101 and 102 of the body 100, with one hole 161 for introducing sealant 210 into the cavity 200 (e.g., by injection) and the other hole 162 for spilling any excess sealant 210 when the cavity 200 is filled with sealant 210.

For additional details of the embodiments described herein, the body 100 has an inner flange 140 at each (or at least one) of its open, opposing first and second ends 101 and 102, respectively, that restricts the opening through that end 101/102 of the body 100. The inner flange 140 is in two parts, one part on the first housing 110 and the other part on the second housing 120. At least one inner flange 140 (or both in the depicted embodiment) is connected to body 100 by a frangible connection 141 to remove connection 141 to enlarge the opening through the associated end 101/102 of body 100. The frangible connection 141 includes a first line of weakness 141A extending annularly about the inner flange 140 and at least one second line of weakness 141B extending across opposite inner and outer sides of the inner flange 140.

Frangible connection 141 preferably includes a series of second lines of weakness 141B extending radially on opposite inner and outer sides of inner flange 140 to facilitate disassembly and consequent removal of flange 140.

As shown in fig. 8 to 10, the body 100 of the pipe repair tool 10 is fitted to and around the pipe segment 8 at a position where it covers the leak point 7 at about the middle length thereof, and forms a cavity 200 (fig. 8). For best results, a steel reinforced epoxy putty layer was pre-applied to repair the leakage points 7 (fig. 9). Subsequently, an appropriate amount of sealant 210 is introduced or injected into the cavity 200 via the hole 161. The sealant 210 is then left for forming, thereby fixing or blocking the leak point 7 (fig. 10). The pipe repair tool 10 can be left attached to the pipe 9 for improved protection or removed by first releasing the retaining raised portion 131P and the ring 132L. For best results, the formed encapsulant 210 should occupy the entire cavity 200.

Fig. 11-13 (which correspond to fig. 8-10) show a similar operation of the pipe repair tool 10, wherein the leak point 7 is now at a location near the tee 5 of the connection pipe 9, at or near the end of the pipe segment 8. The tee has three legs, including one leg 6, the leg 6 being connected to a pipe section 8 by its integral female threaded spigot and being relatively thicker than the pipe section 8. The leak 7 (where it is) can only be repaired by a pipe repair tool 10 extending to cover the abutting ends of the legs 6 of the tee 5, preferably to a position behind the associated female threaded sleeve (as shown).

To fit over the thicker leg 6 of the tee 5, the first end 101 of the body 100 is internally slightly widened within the end 101 along the annular line of weakness 141A (fig. 11A) by removal of the inner flange 140.

The sealant 210 is preferably two-part, high expansion foam duct sealants (which wet and adhere to metal, plastic and concrete materials) can seal pipes and throats of different sizes, base materials and shapes, and will conform around complex cable filling configurations. The sealant 210 extends and hardens into a "closed cell" rigid structure, and the permanent (but removable) seal blocks water and gas under moderate pressure.

While the leak 7 may be single or small or in small clusters (in which case the body 100 of the pipe repair tool 10 is of sufficient length to cover it), a longer damaged section (including, for example, a relatively long crevice or line of the leak 7) would require the use of a longer pipe repair tool of sufficient length to cover the crevice or line of the leak 7. The longer pipe service tool is conveniently provided by two (or more) pipe service tools 10 connected together.

The body 100 (at least one of its opposing first and second ends 101 and 102) includes an engagement means 150 that coaxially engages the other of the opposing first and second ends 101 and 102 of the body 100 of the other pipe service tool 10. In other words, the body 100 (at one of its opposing first and second ends 101 and 102) comprises an engagement means 150 for coaxially engaging the other of the opposing first and second ends 101 and 102 of the body 100 of the other pipe service tool 10. By providing the engagement mechanism 150, two or more pipe repair tools 10 can be continuously engaged together for repairing a longer section 8 of pipe 9.

In the embodiment described, each of the first and second ends 101 and 102 of the body 100 is provided with engagement means 150, respectively, and in particular engagement means 151 and 152 for the first and second ends 101 and 102, respectively, either in their entirety or connected to the

respective end

101 and 102.

The engagement devices 151 and 152 may include: complementary outer and inner sections 151C and 152C of abutting ends 101/102 and 102/101 of the bodies 100 of two pipe service tools 10 that are insertedly connected. That is, the abutting ends 101/102 and 102/101 of the bodies 100 of the two pipe service tools 10 have complementary outer and inner cross-sections 151C and 152C that are insertedly connected, the complementary outer and inner cross-sections 151C and 152C providing the engagement means 150.

More specifically, the first end 101 of the body 100 has an outer cross-section 151C that is slightly smaller than an inner cross-section 152C of the second end 102 of the body 100 for coaxial engagement (i.e., fitting, insertion or plugging) to the second end 102 of the body 100 of another pipe repair tool 10. The body 100, except for its first end 101, has a uniform cross section, which is made smaller or thinner for the cross-sectional dimensions by the presence of the annular step 153, which results in a reduced outer cross section 151C.

Returning to the encapsulant 210, it has an expansion ratio of about 10 to 1 (i.e., 10: 1) so that it will expand about 10 times in volume when formed. The body 100 of the subject pipe repair tool 10 is preferably made of a transparent (or translucent) plastic material, and this allows visual inspection of the state of the sealant 210 inside, for example to check whether the amount of sealant 210 is sufficient to fill the cavity 200, or in particular whether there are any unfilled areas near the leak 7.

To facilitate injection of an appropriate amount of sealant 210 into the cavity 200 of the pipe repair tool 10, the (transparent) wall of the body 100 is preferably provided with one or more volume indicating markings (e.g. by printing or during moulding into the shape in the described embodiment). The volume indicating markings may take, for example, a series of 9 markings 209 and/or one marking 201, the 9 markings 209 dividing the lumen 200 into increments of 10% of its length for use of the tube service tool 10 in the vertical position, one marking 201 indicating the lowest 10% volume of the (tubular) lumen 200 for use of the tube service tool 10 in the horizontal position.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various other modifications and/or alterations to the described embodiments may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pipe repair tool for repairing a portion of a pipe, the pipe repair tool comprising:

a tubular body having at least two shells, a first shell and a second shell, the first shell and the second shell being closeable together to surround the tube portion and define a cavity around the tube portion containing a sealant to protect the tube portion from leakage;

a retaining device adapted to retain the first housing and the second housing together in a closed position around the tube portion, the retaining device being connected to at least one of the first housing and the second housing; and

an opening in or on the body for introducing the sealant into the cavity, characterized in that:

the body having an inner flange at least one of its open opposed first and second ends, the inner flange restricting an opening through the ends of the body,

the inner flange is connected to the body outside the inner flange by a frangible connection for removal of the connection to widen an opening through an associated end of the body, an

The frangible connection includes a first line of weakness extending around and outboard of the inner flange and a series of second lines of weakness extending across opposite inboard and outboard sides of the inner flange.

2. The pipe repair tool of claim 1 wherein the body has a circular cross-section.

3. The pipe repair tool of claim 1 wherein said body has two housings, said two housings being said first housing and said second housing, each said housing having a cross section for extending 180 ° around said pipe section in said closed position.

4. The pipe repair tool of claim 1 wherein the at least two housings of the body are distinct components.

5. The pipe repair tool according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the retaining means comprises a first portion and a second portion connected with the first housing and the second housing, respectively, and mutually engaging with each other to retain the first housing and the second housing in the closed position.

6. The pipe repair tool of claim 5 wherein the first and second portions of the retaining device have complementary shapes for engaging with each other to retain the first and second housings in the closed position.

7. The pipe repair tool of claim 6 wherein said first and second portions of said retaining device have a raised portion and a ring, respectively, said ring being engageable around said raised portion.

8. Pipe repair tool according to claim 5, wherein the retaining means are operable by a snap action.

9. The pipe repair tool of claim 5 wherein the body has opposite first and second ends, a retaining device being provided at each interface between the first and second housings at each of the first and second ends, respectively.

10. The pipe repair tool of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the body has the openings at first and second opposite ends thereof, one of the openings for introducing the sealant into the cavity and the other opening for spilling the sealant when the cavity is filled with the sealant.

11. The pipe repair tool of claim 1, wherein the body comprises engagement means at least one of its opposing first and second ends for coaxially engaging the other of the opposing first and second ends of the body of another pipe repair tool.

12. The pipe repair tool of claim 1, wherein the body comprises engagement means at one of its opposite first and second ends for coaxially engaging the other of the opposite first and second ends of the body of another pipe repair tool.

13. The pipe repair tool of claim 11, wherein the engagement means is integrally formed with or connected to the one of the first and second opposite ends thereof.

14. The pipe repair tool according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the engagement means comprises complementary outer and inner cross sections for insertedly engaging abutting ends of the bodies of the two pipe repair tools.

15. A pipe repair tool according to any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the abutting ends of the bodies of the two pipe repair tools have complementary outer and inner cross-sections for insertional engagement, the complementary outer and inner cross-sections providing the engagement means.

16. The pipe repair tool of any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the first end of the body has an outer cross-section which is slightly smaller than an inner cross-section of the second end of the body for coaxial engagement into the second end of the body of another pipe repair tool.

17. The pipe repair tool of claim 16, wherein said body has a uniform outer cross-section, except for said first end, which is made smaller than an inner cross-section of said second end of said body by the presence of an annular step.

18. The pipe repair tool according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and 11 to 13, wherein the body is made of a transparent or translucent material and comprises at least one volume indicator mark for the cavity.