GB2621036A

GB2621036A - Locatable sleeve

Info

Publication number: GB2621036A
Application number: GB2316271.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stanley Van Hinsbergh Gregory
Original assignee: Advanced Innergy Ltd
Current assignee: Advanced Innergy Ltd
Priority date: 2021-04-07
Filing date: 2022-03-30
Publication date: 2024-01-31
Also published as: TW202308250A; GB202316271D0; WO2022214786A1; GB202104951D0

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing an end region of an outer sleeve element, disposed over a portion of a rigid support body, against an outer surface of a wall of a facility are disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a rigid support body, locatable at least partially through an aperture in a wall of a facility, comprising a through bore extending from a first end to a further end of the support body; an outer sleeve member, locatable over a region of the support body and slidable with respect thereto, wherein the outer sleeve member comprises a first drive surface that is spaced apart from a further drive surface that moves with the support body; and a swellable member at least partially disposed in an expansion region between the first drive surface and the further drive surface.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . Apparatus for providing an end region of an outer sleeve element, disposed over a portion of a rigid support body, against an outer surface of a wall of a facility, comprising: a rigid support body, locatable at least partially through an aperture in a wall of a facility, comprising a through bore extending from a first end to a further end of the support body; an outer sleeve member, locatable over a region of the support body and slidable with respect thereto, wherein the outer sleeve member comprises a first drive surface that is spaced apart from a further drive surface that moves with the support body; and a swellable member at least partially disposed in an expansion region between the first drive surface and the further drive surface.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising: the first drive surface comprises a radially inwards facing surface portion of an inner surface of the outer sleeve and the further drive surface comprises a radially outwards facing surface portion of an outer surface of the rigid support body.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: the first drive surface and the further drive surface flare out towards an exterior facing end region associated with the rigid support body.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: the first and further drive surfaces flare out smoothly in a substantially parallel spaced apart relationship inclined with respect to a primary axis associated with a through-bore of the rigid support body or at least one of the first and further drive surfaces is a stepped surface progressively stepped radially outwards and optionally each of the first and further surfaces is stepped and is a mating surface whereby a space between the first and further surfaces remains substantially constant.
5. The apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising: the swellable member is a hydrophilic material that expands when in contact with seawater or brackish water or freshwater.
6. The apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising: the outer sleeve has a first end and a remaining end and the first end of the outer sleeve is oblique to an imaginary plane orthogonal to a primary axis associated with a through- bore of the rigid support body; and the remaining end of the outer sleeve comprises a surface substantially in a further imaginary plane orthogonal to the primary axis and substantially parallel with the first imaginary plane.
7. The apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising: the outer sleeve member is manufactured from a polymeric material, the polymeric material optionally being substantially water resistant.
8. The apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising: a base portion associated with the further drive surface and locatable at a first terminal end of the further drive surface, comprising a radially extending flange region, the base portion optionally being integrally formed with the rigid support body.
9. The apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising: a lip portion associated with the further drive surface and locatable at a further terminal end of the further drive surface, the lip portion comprising a flared-out region, the lip portion optionally being integrally formed with the rigid support body.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 when dependent on claim 8, further comprising: the swellable material, when in a non-swollen state, is confined between the flared-out region of the lip portion and the flange region of the base portion.
11. A method for providing an end region of an outer sleeve element, disposed over a portion of a rigid support body, against an outer surface of a wall of a facility, comprising: providing a rigid support body at least partially through an aperture in a wall of a facility, the rigid support body outside the wall being at least partially covered by an outer sleeve member; and via a swellable member disposed in an expansion region between a first drive surface of the outer sleeve member and a further drive surface that moves with the rigid support body and is spaced apart from the first drive surface, providing a drive force, responsive to the swelling of the swellable member, on the first drive surface to urge the outer sleeve member in a first direction of motion substantially towards an outer surface of the wall of the facility.
12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising: the swellable member comprises hydrophilic material and swelling the swellable member occurs responsive to take up of water in the swellable member.
13. The method as claimed in claim 11 or 12, further comprising: immersing the swellable member in a fluidic environment to thereby enlarge the swellable member in at least one dimension.
14. The method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising: urging the outer sleeve member in the first direction of motion whereby the swellable member is disposed axially adjacent to the outer sleeve member.
15. The method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14, further comprising: urging the outer sleeve member in the first direction of motion such that a terminal end of the outer sleeve member covers a lip portion associated with the further drive surface, the lip portion comprising a flared-out region, the lip portion optionally being part of the rigid support body.
16. The method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15, further comprising: urging the outer sleeve member in the first direction of motion such that a terminal end of the outer sleeve member is disconnected from a base portion associated with the further drive surface, the base portion comprising a radially extending flange region, the base portion optionally being part of the rigid support body.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising: urging the swellable member into an abutting relationship with the radially extending flange region of the base portion.
18. The method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 17, further comprising: as the outer sleeve is urged towards the outer surface of the wall, urging a first end of the outer sleeve into an abutting relationship against the outer surface.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising: as the outer sleeve is urged into said an abutting relationship, narrowing a spaced apart distance between the end of the outer sleeve and a wall abutment surface of at least one retaining element that is in an abutting relationship with an inner surface of the wall thereby squeezing the wall between the retaining element and the outer sleeve.
20. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising: as the wall is squeezed, generating a clamping force that secures the rigid support body at a predetermined position with respect to the aperture.