JP2008546964A - Improvements and installation methods in or relating to pipelines - Google Patents

Abstract

  A pipe node (10) is disclosed, and at its opposite ends (16, 17), connecting means (18, 24) are provided that hold adjacent nodes together and keep them axially separated. The opposite ends of the pipe nodes are inclined with respect to the normal of the XX axis of the pipe nodes, so that adjacent pipe nodes can be inclined with respect to each other by rotating around the longitudinal axis. ing. Sealing means (47) is provided for sealing the pipe formed from such a large number of pipe nodes from end to end against the ingress or leakage of liquid. A pipe installation method is also described that drives the pipe assembly along a curve by thrusting individual pipe nodes forward, connecting together, and rotating about a longitudinal axis.

Description

  The present invention relates generally to pipelines, and more particularly to an improved pipeline having means for fastening adjacent pipe nodes together.

  Pipes for transporting liquids have traditionally been made in various lengths or by assembling pipe joints that are provided at the ends with means for connecting to adjacent pipe joints. Various techniques have been used to achieve this goal. For example, steel pipes and cast iron pipes are conventionally provided with radial flanges at their ends, each end having a plurality of holes in a circumferential array around the pipe opening, The flanges are placed facing each other and bolted or riveted together to connect two adjacent pipe nodes.

  More recently, metal pipes have been connected by welding, and plastic pipes have been connected by welding. For the latter purpose, it is usual to provide the pipe with an outer sleeve or collar, provide an additional area in direct contact with the solvent, and provide a suitable liquid tight seal.

  A land drainage pipe, customarily made of soil, has an enlarged end, whose inner diameter matches the inner diameter which is the main length of the pipe, so that the end of its main length is its enlarged It is adapted to the part that has been made. Thereafter, cementitious material is used in the space that seals the joint to prevent leakage of the liquid carried by the pipeline.

  These pipe node connection technologies share one feature. That is, they tightly fasten the pipe joints, sometimes with a fluid tight seal, and always form joints that prohibit the mutual movement of adjacent pipe joints, especially rotation about their respective longitudinal axes.

  In order to drain land areas, it has been customary to introduce land drainage pipelines underground, accept surface water and carry it away to a suitable destination, usually a waterway.

  Large urban drainage similarly includes the installation of underground drainage pipes, which are often placed directly under the roadway. This is partly because the roadway particularly requires drainage, and partly because the construction of the roadway includes excavation work that promotes the burial of underground pipelines.

  However, such underground pipelines may be damaged over a long period of time, especially where ground movement may have occurred or where tree roots may have caused local pressure. unknown. The weight of traffic traveling on the ground that supports the drainage pipeline can also result in compression and damage to the pipeline.

  Pipeline damage can result in distortion of the original shape of the pipe (this is particularly common with pitch fiber pipes that have been widely used since the second half of the 20th century) and breakage (which can occur in clay pipes or other hard materials) May become a significant problem). Distortion often results in lumen narrowing problems and the possibility of agglomeration or blockage, while breakage results in leakage problems.

  There is now a widespread need to restore many urban drainage systems. However, it is very expensive and time consuming to excavate along the drain line and form a groove that allows the replacement pipe to be installed in the same way that the original pipe was installed. When placed along a road, it causes its destruction.

  The only way that a stale pipe can be revived without the need to drill a wide range of grooves is to form pits that are continuously arranged along the length of the stale pipe, and usually into existing pipes Involves introducing a pipe liner inside an existing pipe by drawing or pushing a new pipe made of plastic material. This technique has many advantages, but also has limitations. The most important advantage is that extensive excavation of grooves and the consequent devastating conditions can be avoided.

  The distance between successive pits must be relatively small due to the frictional forces involved in applying force to the liner into the existing pipe, and if the pipe has only a slight warp or bend, This point gets worse. However, depending on the environment, pipes have fairly significant bends, and until now the only way that could have been revived was to completely excavate the bend area and replace the defective pipe .

  One common problem when the main drainage pipe is arranged along the center of the roadway is that the inlet pipe from the drainage pipe is arranged along the side of the roadway.

For drainage purposes, the roadway is warped, so that the surface water flow takes the shortest path from the center of the road to the side, and the path is parallel to the curb of the road leading to the grazing above the rainwater. Along the drain. The rainwater will pass through the pipe that turns 90 degrees and falls into the main drainage pipe, and the water can return toward the center of the roadway. The water coming from the roadway without the risk of causing the liquid in the drainage to flow back into the ditch and cause pollution (although this happens sometimes when the main drainage is overloaded during floods). This configuration is used to ensure that can flow into the main drain.
WO 92 / 19901A

  The present invention seeks to provide a novel means that can solve or at least mitigate some of the above problems.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, there is a pipe node used for forming a pipeline, and adjacent pipes can be joined to opposite ends of a substantially cylindrical wall surface of the pipe node. A coupling means is provided that allows relative rotation about a longitudinal axis extending at least approximately along the length of the knot and that holds it against axial separation.

  In a preferred form of the invention, the connecting means is integrally formed as a body part of the pipe node itself.

  The present invention further provides a pipe node as defined herein wherein the coupling means does not necessarily allow relative rotation of adjacent pipe nodes, or such relative rotation is possible, The case where it becomes impractical because of the accompanying frictional force is also included.

  Preferably, in the pipe node as defined herein, the connection means is formed so as to be snap-connected, and the adjacent pipe nodes are held by the elastic force of the material constituting the snap connection means. There may be. As in the first form mentioned above, when the snap connection means are formed in one piece, the material of the pipe node itself must, of course, allow such a snap connection.

  The snap coupling means may be formed in the wall thickness of the pipe node itself.

  To allow for the production feasibility of curved pipe assemblies, adjacent connected pipe nodes are oriented at their respective longitudinal axes and are angled with respect to each other by selecting a relative orientation about each longitudinal axis. As formed, at least one end of the cylindrical wall of the pipe node may be inclined at an angle that is not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe node.

  The main body of the pipe may be an injection molded resin material.

  To form a pipe node that is oriented so as to form a straight or bent pipe assembly, the opposite of the pipe node relative to the same or opposite direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe node The end may be inclined. Similarly, the inclination may be the same angle (ie, in terms of size) with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe node, or may be at a different angle.

  In a preferred form of the invention, the snap coupling means comprises an annular groove or an indentation at one end of the pipe node and an annular bead or an annular ridge at the other end, the groove or indentation being reentrant. Having a shape, the bead or ridge is connected to the body of the pipe node by an annular wall that is thinner than either the bead or ridge or the wall of the body of the pipe node. This point will be expressed as a narrow part or a neck part in the cross section.

  The cross-sectional shape of the groove or indentation may be asymmetric, similar to that of a bead or ridge, so that once a snap connection occurs, a certain elastic force can be applied.

  In another aspect of the present invention, in a pipe assembly in which a plurality of pipe joints end-joined in a row are formed by a snap connection with a plurality of pipe joints as defined herein, bend along its length. There is provided a method of lining an existing pipe or water channel having a section or bend, the method comprising directing individual pipe nodes to the entire pipe assembly to be substantially straight, and to the water channel or existing pipe. Introducing the pipe assembly and advancing it until the leading pipe node meets the bend, the bend of the waterway or any adjacent end of the existing pipe, and around the longitudinal axis of the pipe assembly; Until the longitudinal axis of the leading pipe node is generally and substantially inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe assembly in the plane of the bend or bend. Rotating the pipe assembly; and further advancing the pipe assembly until the next adjacent pipe node joins a bend or bend in the waterway or existing pipe in the waterway or existing pipe; Around the longitudinal axis of the pipe assembly, until the longitudinal axis of the next adjacent pipe node is inclined generally and substantially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe assembly in the plane of the bend or bend. Rotating the pipe assembly, and repeating the advancing and rotating steps until the pipe assembly is sufficiently advanced along the bend in a channel or existing pipe.

  The invention further encompasses a pipe assembly comprising a plurality of pipe nodes as defined herein and connected end-to-end.

Further, the present invention encompasses a pipeline assembly method that includes the following steps:
i) arranging the two pipe nodes as defined herein as relative end joints;
ii) arranging the connecting means in an operative relationship;
iii) combining the connecting means of these two pipe nodes and holding them together;
iv) further arranging the pipe nodes in a row in an end-to-end relationship with the pipe nodes at the continuous end of the assembly thus formed until a sufficiently long assembly is formed. Steps.

  The present invention may also be considered to include a method for reinstating an existing pipeline having pipe joints connected in series with bends or bends therein.

Various embodiments will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a different configuration.
FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a similar schematic side view of the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing the embodiment of FIG. 4 in the third configuration.
FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a further embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the roadway showing the arrangement of drain pipes under the roadway.
FIG. 8 is a detailed enlarged view of the drain arrangement of FIG. 7, showing the manner in which the pipe assembly is used to form or line the bend in FIGS.
FIGS. 9 (a) and 9 (b) are enlarged cross-sectional views of an improved seal and coupling arrangement, respectively, suitable for use with the pipe node of the present invention.

  Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a pipe assembly schematically indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprising a plurality of similar pipe nodes 11 illustrated in more detail in FIG.

  Each pipe node 11 includes a substantially cylindrical wall surface 12 having inner and outer cylindrical surfaces 13 and 14, respectively. The pipe node 11 has two opposing ends 15 and 16, each opposing end being substantially flat and inclined at an angle α with respect to a radial plane perpendicular to the XX axis of the cylindrical wall surface 12. To do.

  The angle α is typically in the region of 3-5 degrees, but may be larger for special purposes. The end faces 15 and 16 are inclined with respect to the radial plane so as to be opposite to each other. As can be seen from FIG. 3, in the axial section, this forms a trapezoidal outline.

  FIG. 1 shows an assembly consisting of such nodes. Each adjacent node is oriented with its inclined end walls 15, 16 facing in the opposite direction to that of the next adjacent node so that the pipe assembly 10 as a whole can be seen, as can be seen in FIG. Is substantially linear.

  The end face 15 of the pipe node 11 has an annular ridge 17, which is in the cross section with a neck 19 formed by two undercut sides 20, 21, with a substantially annular mushroom head. Part 18. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the mushroom-shaped head 18 is asymmetric and has a bias toward the radially outer portion of the pipe node 11.

  The opposite end portion 16 of the pipe node 11 has an angle α which is the same as the inclination of the end face 15 and is inclined so as to correspond to and opposite to the radial plane orthogonal to the XX axis. Is formed with a circumferential groove 22 having a narrow neck 23 and an enlarged bottom 24. The shape of the circumferential groove 22 substantially matches the cross-sectional shape of the raised portion 17 at the opposite end of the pipe node 11.

  Effectively, the neck 23 of the groove 22 is formed by two narrow walls 25, 26 which themselves have an enlarged end 25a which can be elastically bent and reduced necks 26a, 25b, 26b. Thereby, in order to join two pipe nodes 11 end-to-end, simply place the ridge 17 at the entrance of the groove 22 or at the neck 23 and propel it so that the two pipe nodes are joined. All you need to do is apply force.

  In this case, the elastically flexible reduced necks 25b, 26b of the walls 25, 26 allow them to bend out and the mushroom head 18 of the ridge 17 enters the enlarged bottom 24 of the groove 22. Is allowed. Once the two pipe nodes snap-coupled together are securely held, if sufficient force is applied to overcome the frictional resistance due to the circumferential connection between the ridges 17 and the grooves 22, XX Relative rotation about the axis is possible.

  1-3, the pipe node 11 has a relatively longer circumferential sector illustrated by wall section A in FIG. 3 and a relatively shorter section illustrated by wall section B in FIG. It will be appreciated that it has a circumferential sector.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when adjacent pipe nodes are arranged together with their respective circumferential sectors A and B, the XX axis of each adjacent pipe node is the XX axis of that adjacent pipe node. Is inclined by an angle 2α. However, if the respective circumferential sectors A and B are arranged opposite to each other, and each adjacent circumferential sector A and the short circumferential sector B of its adjacent pipe node 11 are aligned, The assembly takes a linear arrangement as shown in FIG.

  4 and 5 show another embodiment. In that form, the opposed end walls are inclined at the same angle and oriented in the same direction relative to the radial plane, rather than the opposed end being inclined opposite to the radial plane. Accordingly, in the axial section, the pipe node has a parallelogram shape rather than a trapezoidal shape as in the embodiment of FIGS.

  When the adjacent pipe nodes are rotated about their respective axes, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, they are arranged in a straight line as shown in FIG. 4 or in a curvilinear shape as shown in FIG. Arrangement can be taken.

  However, this embodiment only allows two adjacent pipe nodes to be curved. This is because if you rotate the third pipe node, you can only get a curve in the opposite or reactive sense. This may be advantageous if, for example, there is a kinking in the pipeline to be lined.

  FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of the present invention having an orthogonal end wall with snapped ridges and grooves corresponding to that of FIG. Therefore, the details are not described here. By providing orthogonal end walls, the pipe nodes of FIG. 6 can be snapped together, allowing both compressive and tensile relative axial forces to act between two adjacent nodes. .

  Of course, in this embodiment, the relative angular position about the longitudinal axis of each pipe node does not change the linear arrangement of the pipe assembly. For this reason, the pipe nodes formed by this embodiment may be longer than those shown in FIGS. 1-3, and the snap connection is more than a means of achieving pipe bending. Rather, it can simply be used as a means of interconnecting adjacent pipe nodes at the ends.

  FIG. 7 illustrates a typical situation where pipe bending is required to relocate existing aging pipes.

  In FIG. 7, a roadway surface 30 is shown that typically has a warp or bend between a high peak 31 and a low edge 32. At the rim 32 there is a longitudinal groove 33 delimited between the rim 32 of the roadway 30 and an edge stone 34 standing between the roadway 30 and a sidewalk or pavement 35.

  The respective gratings 36 are arranged at intervals along the groove 33. Each grating covers the rainwater trough 37, which communicates with the underground pipe 38, which extends below the road surface towards the center line of the roadway 30 and terminates at the right angle bend 39, Open to the top of the drain pipe 40.

  By introducing and proceeding with the pipe liner, even if an attempt is made to redraw the drainage pipe 38, it can only reach point C in FIG. 7, located at the beginning of the right angle bend 39.

  In order to complete this bend, the pipe assembly shown in FIGS. 1-3 may be used as shown in FIG. Here, the right angle bend 39 in the existing pipe is shown together with an assembly consisting of the pipe section 11 (only the first and second sections are shown) introduced into the pipe 38 and advanced.

  Whatever the angular direction of the pipe node 11 about the XX longitudinal axis of the pipe assembly, the point on the peripheral rim at the tip of the leading pipe node 11 is finally the outermost radial direction of the pipe bend 39. It comes in contact with the wall.

  In FIG. 8, this point is illustrated as a point on the shorter sector B, but it can be any point on the periphery as well. If the advancing motion of the pipe assembly is restrained by this contact, it is only necessary to turn the pipe assembly about the XX axis. Since the corresponding contact surface of the adjacent pipe node 11 is inclined, the entire assembly tends to rotate around the XX axis.

  However, the tip pipe node 11 only rotates towards the point where the tip of the longer peripheral sector A contacts the curved side wall of the pipe bend 39, beyond which the pipe node cannot rotate. This is because the longer peripheral sector A passes through the wall surface of the pipe node 39.

  As a result, the contact surface between the first pipe node 11 and the next adjacent pipe node 11 is dominated by shear forces that allow these two elements to rotate about the XX axis relative to each other, Thus, the tip pipe node can take the position indicated by the broken line outline in FIG.

  In this regard, as the pipe assembly is further advanced, the next adjacent pipe node will move to the same position as when the first pipe node was engaged with the bent pipe wall 39. Thus, when the pipe assembly is further rotated, the second pipe node 11-until the bent arrangement as illustrated in FIG. 2 is provided throughout the pipe assembly while occupying the interior of the pipe bend 39. Corresponding relative rotation occurs between 2 and the third pipe section 11-3, and so on.

  The arrangement of FIG. 9 may be utilized because it is worthwhile to provide a reliable liquid tight seal when two adjacent pipe nodes are engaged with each other. This figure, like that of FIG. 3, shows the cooperating wall parts of two adjacent pipe nodes on an enlarged scale and in cross section.

  However, in FIG. 7, the tube wall surface 40 has a groove 41 with a narrow neck portion 42, and the neck portion 42 has a mushroom-shaped head portion 44, a raised portion 43 formed in a corresponding shape, and a narrow neck portion 45. However, it can be snap-connected. The peripheral raised portion 43 may be the same in all respects as the raised portion 17 in the embodiment of FIG.

  However, the groove 41 is different in that it has a V-section recess 46 at the bottom of the groove or at the bottom of the circumferential main section 41 of the groove. In use, the seal ring 47 is attached to the mouth of the V-section recess 46 and is positioned by friction.

  When the raised portion 43 is snap-coupled to the groove 41, the seal ring 47 is pushed deeper into the V-section recess 46 and presses the top portion 47 of the mushroom-shaped head portion 44 on both sides of the internal spaces 49 and 50, respectively.

  The slope of the side wall of the V-section recess 46 helps to push the seal ring 47 into the mushroom-like head, so that no matter which side of the wall is subjected to higher pressure (e.g. (Alternatively, even if the outside of the pipe is at a low pressure), this pressure enters the interior space 48 between the two walls, pressing the seal ring 47 more firmly into the interior space 49 or 50, thereby sealing. Increase pressure and ensure a strong seal.

It is a general | schematic side view of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a general | schematic side view which shows embodiment of FIG. 1 in a different structure. It is a similar partial expanded sectional view of embodiment of FIG. It is a similar outline | summary side view of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a general | schematic side view which shows embodiment of FIG. 4 in a 3rd structure. It is a partially expanded sectional view of the further embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of a roadway which shows the drain pipe arrangement | positioning under a roadway. FIG. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the drain arrangement of FIG. 7, showing the manner in which the pipe assembly is used to form or line the bend in FIGS. (A), (b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an improved seal and coupling arrangement suitable for use with the pipe node of the present invention.

Claims (16)

A pipe node used to form a pipeline, wherein adjacent nodes can be joined to opposite ends of a substantially cylindrical wall surface of the pipe node, and at least approximately the length of the pipe node. A coupling means is provided which allows relative rotation about a longitudinal axis extending along the axis and holds it so as not to be separated in the axial direction;
A pipe node, wherein the connecting means is provided with means for sealing the pipe node against liquid leakage or entry. The pipe node according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means is integrally formed as a part of a main body of the pipe node itself. The pipe node according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the connecting means is formed so as to be snap-connected, and the adjacent pipe nodes are held by an elastic force of a material constituting the connecting means. The pipe node according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the snap connecting means is formed within a wall thickness of the pipe node itself. The pipe nodes connected adjacently are oriented at their respective longitudinal axes and are angled with respect to each other by selecting a relative orientation about each longitudinal axis. A pipe node according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least the end of the wall is inclined at an angle that is not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe node. 6. A pipe node according to claim 5, wherein the opposite ends of the pipe node are inclined in the same direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe node. 6. A pipe node according to claim 5, wherein the opposite end of the pipe node is inclined in an opposite direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe node. The pipe node according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the opposite ends of the pipe node are inclined at the same angle (size only) with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe node. The connecting means includes an annular groove or an annular recess at one end of the pipe node, and an annular bead or an annular ridge at the other end, and the groove or the recess has a reentrant shape. The bead or the raised portion is connected to the body of the pipe node by an annular wall thinner than either the bead or the raised portion or the wall surface of the body of the pipe node;
Pipe section according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the groove or the recess has a recess which itself receives a sealing element. The pipe node of claim 9, wherein the groove or indentation axis and the bead or ridge axis are asymmetric. The pipe node according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the main body of the pipe is formed by injection molding a resin material. 12. A pipe knot according to any of claims 9, 10 and 11, wherein the sealing element is connectable within the recess and is a compressible bead, piece or ring. A pipe assembly in which a plurality of pipe nodes according to any one of claims 1 to 11 are connected to each other at their ends. In a pipe assembly comprising a plurality of pipe nodes formed end-to-end by connecting together a plurality of pipe nodes having connecting means, an existing pipe or water channel having a bend or a bend along its length. Lining, a lining method,
Introduce the pipe assembly into the channel or the existing pipe, and the leading pipe node meets the adjacent end of either the bend, the bend of the channel or the existing pipe Steps to go to,
Rotate the pipe assembly about the longitudinal axis of the leading pipe node until the longitudinal axis of the leading pipe node is tilted with respect to the longitudinal axis of an adjacent pipe node of the pipe assembly Steps,
Further advancing the pipe assembly until the next adjacent pipe node joins the bend or the bend in the channel or the existing pipe;
Further pipe assembly about the longitudinal axis of the next adjacent pipe node until the longitudinal axis of the next adjacent pipe node is inclined relative to the longitudinal direction of the nearest member of the pipe assembly; A rotating step;
A lining method comprising: repeating the advancing step and the rotating step, and advancing the pipe assembly around a bend in the water channel or the existing pipe. A pipeline assembly method,
i) arranging two pipe nodes according to any of claims 1 to 11;
ii) arranging the connecting means in an operational relationship;
iii) combining the connecting means of these two pipe nodes and holding them together;
iv) further positioning the pipe nodes so that they are in an end-to-end relationship with the continuous end pipe nodes of the assembly thus formed until a sufficiently long assembly is formed. A method for assembling a pipeline. A usage that uses continuously joined pipe nodes to revive existing pipelines with bends or bends inside.

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