Stents and methods for repairing pipes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11221099-B2
Application number	US-202016836468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2020
Priority date	Apr 3, 2018
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

Example aspects of a stent for repairing a pipe and a method for repairing a pipe are disclosed. The stent for repairing a pipe can comprise a spring comprising a metal wire and defining a tubular structure, the spring defining an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a void, an axis extending through the void; and a sealing layer defining a sleeve, the sealing layer wrapped around a circumference of the spring and engaging the outer surface of the spring; the stent configurable in a compressed configuration, wherein the spring is compressed, and an expanded configuration, wherein the spring is expanded

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A stent for repairing a pipe comprising:
a spring comprising a metal wire and defining a tubular structure, the spring defining an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a void, an axis extending through the void, and wherein the metal wire of the spring defines a wave pattern which undulates axially relative to the axis; and
a sealing layer defining a sleeve, the sealing layer wrapped around a circumference of the spring and engaging the outer surface of the spring;
the stent configurable in a compressed configuration, wherein the spring is compressed, and an expanded configuration, wherein the spring is expanded.

2. The stent of claim 1 , wherein the spring is configurable in a rolled configuration and an unrolled configuration.

3. The stent of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener coupling the sealing layer to the spring.

4. The stent of claim 3 , wherein the fastener is a zip tie.

5. The stent of claim 3 , wherein:
the spring further comprises a spring loop; and
the fastener extends through the spring loop and engages the sealing layer to couple the sealing layer to the spring.

6. The stent of claim 1 , wherein the spring further comprises a plurality of tabs extending radially inward towards the void, each of the tabs defining an opening.

7. The stent of claim 6 , further comprising a compression mechanism extending through each of the openings, the compression mechanism contracting the stent to the compressed configuration.

8. The stent of claim 1 , further comprising a secondary sealing layer.

9. The stent of claim 1 , wherein an expansion ratio of a diameter of the stent in the expanded configuration to a diameter of the stent in the compressed configuration is between 1.2/1 and 3/1.

10. The stent of claim 1 , wherein the metal wire is formed from a sheet of metal.

11. A method for repairing a pipe comprising:
providing a stent comprising a spring and a sealing layer, the stent configurable in an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration, wherein an expansion ratio of a diameter of the stent in the expanded configuration to a diameter of the stent in the compressed configuration is between 1.2/1 and 3/1;
applying a compression force to the stent to orient the stent in the compressed configuration, which comprises engaging a compression mechanism with a tab of the stent and contracting the stent radially inward with the compression mechanism;
navigating the stent to a crack in a pipe;
removing the compression force from the stent;
expanding the stent to the expanded configuration within the pipe; and
engaging an outer surface of the sealing layer with an inner wall of the pipe.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the compression mechanism extends through an opening in the tab.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein navigating the stent to a crack in the pipe comprises inserting the stent into a pipeline at an existing access point of the pipeline and driving the stent through the pipeline to a location of the crack.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein expanding the stent to the expanded configuration within the pipe comprising biasing the sealing layer radially outward by a spring force of the spring.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein engaging an outer surface of the sealing layer with an inner wall of the pipe comprises pressing the outer surface of the sealing layer against the crack to form a watertight seal between the sealing layer and the inner wall and prevent leakage at the crack.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the stent further comprises a fastener coupling the sealing layer to the spring.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the spring comprises a metal wire formed from a sheet of metal.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the metal wire defines a wave pattern in an axial direction.

19. A stent for repairing a pipe comprising:
a spring comprising a metal wire and defining a tubular structure, the spring defining an outer surface and an inner surface, the spring comprising a spring loop, the inner surface defining a void, an axis extending through the void;
a sealing layer defining a sleeve, the sealing layer wrapped around a circumference of the spring and engaging the outer surface of the spring; and
a fastener coupling the sealing layer to the spring, the fastener extending through the spring loop and engaging the sealing layer;
the stent configurable in a compressed configuration, wherein the spring is compressed, and an expanded configuration, wherein the spring is expanded.

20. A stent for repairing a pipe comprising:
a spring comprising a metal wire and defining a tubular structure, the spring defining an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a void, an axis extending through the void, the spring further comprises a plurality of tabs extending radially inward towards the void, each of the tabs defining an opening; and
a sealing layer defining a sleeve, the sealing layer wrapped around a circumference of the spring and engaging the outer surface of the spring;
the stent configurable in a compressed configuration, wherein the spring is compressed, and an expanded configuration, wherein the spring is expanded.

21. The stent of claim 20 , further comprising a compression mechanism extending through each of the openings, the compression mechanism contracting the stent to the compressed configuration.

Assignees

• Mueller Int Llc

Inventors

• Braun Clifton
• Badger Cody
• Halden Karl

Classifications

• F16L2101/60

  Stopping leaks · CPC title

• F16L55/163 Primary

  a ring, a band or a sleeve being pressed against the inner surface of the pipe · CPC title

• F16L55/44

  expandable · CPC title