Method of dispensing a material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9772059-B2
Application number	US-201313804975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

A method and system for dispensing a material through a delivery apparatus is provided. The material initially comprises or is manipulated to comprise a low viscosity. The material either can comprise a curable material or can comprise initiators, which can be activated to raise the viscosity at a later time and position. The low viscosity material is moved through the delivery apparatus for a relatively long distance using low energy. Upon nearing an end use application, the material and/or initiators can be activated by a curing agent, such as a light or heat source, such that the viscosity of the material be raised prior to the end use application thereof. Therefore, the present invention provides a method and system for moving a material normally having a higher viscosity a long distance requiring lower energy and pressure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of dispensing a material through a delivery apparatus having a starting end and a distal end, comprising:
pumping a material capable of changing viscosities through the delivery apparatus;
at least partially changing the viscosity of the material via a UV-light source while pumping the material; and
dispensing the material comprising the at least partially changed viscosity at the distal end of the delivery apparatus;
wherein the material capable of changing viscosities flows unimpeded through the UV-light source.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the material comprises a UV-curable material.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the UV-light source comprises a light tunnel including a plurality of light initiators.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the viscosity of the material is changed at the distal end of the delivery apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of at least partially changing the viscosity of the material comprises raising the viscosity.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising curing the dispensed material.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising removing the delivery apparatus after dispensing the material.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of at least partially changing the viscosity of the material comprises at least partially curing the material while pumping.

9. A method of moving a liquid material through an apparatus to an end use application, comprising:
providing a material having a first viscosity;
moving the material through the apparatus and towards the end use application; and
changing the viscosity of the material to a viscosity higher than the first viscosity via a curing agent while continuing to move the material towards the end use application;
wherein the changing of viscosity occurs as the material having a first viscosity passes through the curing agent in an unimpeded manner; and
dispensing the material comprising the higher viscosity at a distal end of the apparatus.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising dispensing the material at the end use application.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the end use application comprises a closed end of the apparatus.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the curing agent is external of the apparatus to at least partially cure the material to change the viscosity.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the curing agent is UV-light.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the material further comprises a heat-curable initiator.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the curing agent is heat.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the end use application is pipe repair.

17. A system for moving a material to an end use application, comprising:
a delivery apparatus comprising a first end and a second end;
a material capable of changing viscosities capable of being pumped through the delivery apparatus and towards the end use application; and
a curing agent adjacent the delivery apparatus to at least partially raise the viscosity of the material prior to dispensing of the material from the second end of the delivery apparatus;
wherein the material capable of changing viscosities flows unimpeded as the material flows past the curing agent.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the curing agent is a UV-light that raises the viscosity of the material by at least partially curing the material.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the end use application is a pipe in need of repair.

20. A system for moving a material to an end use application, comprising:
a delivery apparatus comprising a first end and a second end;
a material capable of changing viscosities capable of being pumped through the delivery apparatus and towards the end use application;
a curing agent adjacent the delivery apparatus to at least partially raise the viscosity of the material;
wherein the curing agent is a UV-light that raises the viscosity of the material by at least partially curing the material;
wherein the material capable of changing viscosities flows unimpeded as the material passes the UV-light; and
the delivery apparatus is a hose, and the UV-light comprises a tunnel at least partially surrounding the hose.

Assignees

• Lmk Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Mathey Jason M

Classifications

• B05D7/22

  to internal surfaces, e.g. of tubes · CPC title

• B05D3/067

  Curing or cross-linking the coating · CPC title

• B29C2035/0827

  using UV radiation · CPC title

• F16L55/18

  Appliances for use in repairing pipes (F16L55/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05D3/12

  by mechanical means · CPC title