UNKNOWN

INCONNU

English Abstract

A repair bladder manufactured to meet the demands of
small pipe rehabilitation.
The said bladder will be flexible as to navigate
through clean-outs as well as 45 degree elbows and
90 degree elbows. The said bladder will still be able
to stay firm enough to be able to be launched through
clean-outs and pushed into place and keep its shape.
The bladder should also be of a flow-through design
as to allow water to pass through. The bladder will
also be made of a material that will not stick to cured
resin. This bladder will also be reusable. The
bladder will be made of gum rubber so as to allow
the bladder to pull away from the repair.
The bladder will consist of two end caps made of
aluminum or other light material. These caps will be
joined by a non-stretching hose which will allow
liquids to pass through. The extruded rubber sleeve is
positioned over these ends and fastened. Air fittings
are attached and harness receiving ends are attached.

Claims

PAGE 05
CLAIMS FOR BLADDER
An apparatus for carrying a resin. sleeve into place in
small diameter pipe
Bladder will be flexible to navigate around corners but
firm enough to keep its shape.
Bladder will allow liquid to pass through it.
Will be made of gum rubber so it won't stick to the
resin
It will be reusable
Bladder will have receiving brackets to receive push
harness
The bladder will always return to its original diameter
after being deflated
The bladder will be able to conform to any pipe shape
The bladder will be capable of being inflated with
air or water

Description

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y
Seeing how curre~rt repair bladders are large and
cumbersome,
This invention seeks to provide a transport device for
carrying resin lmpregpated felt into place to repair
pipeline that is ~ ' m r or r, mallet.
This bladder can easily be ppslaed into place by using a
mini-carvers with sarness or it can be pulled in.
1
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05/10/2000 23:58 9056975999 CA 02307711 2000-OS-10 PAGE 06
~,~;~,CKGROZJ~TD Ol~ T,RE llVVENT~4N
Repairing underground conduit without digga.ag is
known in the art, however There are pzoblems with
conventional systems when trying to adapt them to
small pipe repair.
t The first is that current bladders are large and would
be unable to navigate around bends or corners. This
bladder is small in diameter so that it can negotiate
small pipe.
.Another drawback is that these reusable bladders are
very rigid and would be unable to be launched thmugh
a clean-out. 'I"his Bladder is very flexible and can easily
negotiate deflections.
t If you do use a flexible bladder it won't hold its shape
when trying to push it into place.
t One more problem is that when you introduce air into
these conventional bladders they increase in diameter
end this would cut down on the space to work and the
view of the damaged pipe therefore limiting your
capability to line-up the sleeve bridging the damage,
This bladder will be able to accept a small amount of
air so as to hold its shape without increasing its
diameter.
Conventional repairs all need to be pulled into place
requiring a nnulti-man crew. This bladder can be
pushed into place.
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05/10/2000 23:58 9056975999 CA 02307711 2000-OS-10 PAGE 07
r Amother drawback is the fact that all other systems
use a releasing agent to release the bladder from the
repair. By using gum rubber which always wants td
return to its original size, it pops itself off the repair
with n,o help fi»m an outer sleeve or releasing agent.
r As mentioned before if you use a section of full liner
it is not firm enough to push into place, so by using a
2" gum rubber bladder air is introduced in a small
amount to allow the bladder to become firm enough
to be pushed but not enough to increase its diameter.
6
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05110/2000 23:58 9056975999 CA 02307711 2000-OS-10 PAGE 08
Figure # 1 shows the insides of the repair bladder.
The hose connecting the end caps is made of a non
stretch hose so that the Guzo Rubber can inflate outwards
as opposed to length wise. This hose also acts as. a flow
through tube allowing liquids to pass through the bladder.
Figure 1 also shows the and caps.
Fleure # 2:
Figure # 2 shows the outer gum tubbe~r sleeve which fts
over top of the insides of the bladder. The outer sleeve is
made of pure gum rubber.
F #
Figure # 3 shows the bladder completely built and how
the bladder will inflate.
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Representative Drawing