LATERAL LINER WITH SEAL
A lateral liner assembly provides for sealing of the junction between a lateral sewer line and a main sewer pipe. The lateral liner assembly includes a body portion attached to a collar portion. A flange assembly is secured to the collar to provide a rigid base for a seal. The seal supported on the flange seals against the inner surface of the main sewer pipe. The seal provides a desired water tight seal for the junction between the main sewer line and the lateral sewer line.
The application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/062,082 filed on Apr. 3, 2008, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional application Nos. 60/909,747 filed on Apr. 3, 2007 and 60/953,571 filed on Aug. 2, 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention generally relates to a device for repairing a junction between a lateral and main line. More particularly, this invention relates to a liner for improving junction repair sewer liner performance.
A known method of repairing an existing sewer pipe without excavation includes lining an existing sewer pipe with a resin impregnated felt liner. The resin impregnated felt liner is installed within the sewer pipe and held against the walls of the existing pipe until cured. During the curing process, it is desired that the resin adhere to the inner surface of the sewer pipe to provide the desired seal.
This cured liner substantially replaces the existing sewer by providing a new pipe within the existing old pipe. Repair of a junction between a main sewer pipe and a lateral sewer pipe includes a mainline liner portion and a lateral liner portion. In such installations it is desired to provide a seal. The seal of conventional liners depends on adhesion between the resin impregnated felt liner and the inner surface of the sewer pipe.
Disadvantageously, adhesion between the liner and the existing sewer pipe is not as complete as desired. Further, the curing process generates some shrinkage of the liner that also detracts from the desired seal.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a cured in place pipe liner repair that provides a desired seal between an existing sewer pipe and a liner that does not rely on adhesion between the existing sewer pipe and the cured in place felt liner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA disclosed example lateral liner assembly provides for sealing of the junction between a lateral sewer line and a main sewer pipe.
The lateral liner assembly includes a body portion attached to a collar portion. A flange assembly is secured to the collar to provide a rigid base for a seal. The seal supported on the flange seals against the inner surface of the main sewer pipe. The seal provides a desired water tight seal for the junction between the main sewer line and the lateral sewer line.
These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
Referring to
The liner assembly 20 is assembled and installed from the main sewer line 10 into the lateral sewer line 12. A carrier 28 supports the lateral liner assembly 20 during installation. An inflatable bladder 26 attached to the carrier assembly 28 is inflated to push the collar 18 against an inner surface 22 in the main sewer line 10. Upon inflation and securement of the collar portion 18 of the lateral liner assembly 14 against the inner surface 22 of the main sewer line 10, the body portion 20 is inverted into the lateral sewer pipe 12 by techniques known to those skilled in the art.
The flange assembly 16 is secured to the collar 18 by way of a stitch 44 and includes a gasket 36 that seals against the inner surface 22 of the main sewer pipe 10. This gasket 36 provides the desired water tight seal for the junction between the main sewer line 10 and the lateral sewer line 12.
Referring to
The gasket 36 is pushed and held against the inner surface 22 of the main sewer pipe 10 by the rigid parts of the flange assembly 16. The flange assembly 16 provides a rigid member held against the inner surface 22 of the main sewer line 10 to maintain a desired pressure on the gasket 36 that provides the desired sealing of the lateral junction.
Both the collar 18 and tube 20 are comprised of a felt material impregnated with a resin that cures in place during installation. The resin soaked collar 18 and tube 20 are inverted into the position illustrated in
The gasket 36 is a hydrophilic gasket meaning that it expands in the presence of moisture and water. The example flange assembly 16 includes flexible layers of fiberglass surrounding a middle rigid fiberglass. The rigid layer provides a base onto which the hydrophilic gasket 36 is adhered. Although the example includes several flexible layers, one or many layers could also be utilized to provide the desired rigidity of the flange assembly 16.
Referring to
Referring to
During preparation for installation, resin is drawn through the resin-impregnatable material that comprises the tube 20 and the collar 18 into and between the fiberglass layers 30, 32, 34. In this way, the flexible layers 30, 34 are impregnated with a resin material. During the curing process, the tube 20, collar 18 cure and harden along with the fiberglass sheeting of the layers 30, 32, 34. In this way the flange assembly 16 becomes a substantially rigid member that provides support for the gasket 36. The gasket 36 is in turn bonded to the rigid layer 46 through an adhesive bond.
Referring to
Referring to
Flange assembly and collar 18 are held in place by the tube portion 20. The tube portion 20 extends upwardly into the lateral sewer pipe 12. The lateral sewer pipe 12 includes bends, curves and other discontinuities that prevent the tube portion 20 from sliding out of the lateral sewer pipe 12. These discontinuities effectively lock in place the lateral liner assembly 14 such that the rigid flange assembly 16 can exert the desired pressure to maintain the water tight and nature of the seal.
The tube portion 20 includes stitching 48 to form the desired tubular shape form a flat sheet of resin impregnatable material. Other attachment means such as bonding using adhesives or heat are also within the contemplation of this invention.
Referring to
The example liner assembly 50 includes the flange assembly 52 that includes a collar portion 58 and a plate portion 60. The collar portion 58 and the plate portion 60 are constructed of a substantially rigid material. This material is different from the material within the body 54. The rigid flange 52 is constructed of a material such as fiberglass reinforced cloth that becomes substantially rigid upon final curing and hardening of the resin. The material for the flange 52 is attached by way of stitching, adhesion or other attachment methods to the body portion 54. The seal material 56 is spread onto the flange portion 52 and abutted against the interior surface of the main sewer liner 10.
Once the resin within the liner assembly 50 has cured a small amount of shrinkage will occur, however, due to the configuration of most lateral pipes including imperfections, bumps, different turns, twist and gaps that are filled by the body of the lateral liner 54, the liner assembly 50 becomes locked within the sewer pipe. Although the liner assembly 50 may not be completely adhered to the walls of the sewer pipe, the cured liner assembly 50 will not move or shift. The various imperfections, turns, gaps and other features specific to that lateral liner lock the lateral liner in place.
The rigid flange assembly 52 maintains pressure on the seal 56 against the inner surface of the main liner 10. The pressure provided by the substantially rigid flange member 56 maintains the seal 56 in place to provide the desired water tight seal between the lateral liner assembly 50 and the inner surface of the sewer pipe.
The flange assembly 52 is essentially a beam for supporting the seal 56 against the inner surface of the main sewer pipe. The locked in place body portion 54 holds the flange assembly 52 in place regardless of any lack of adhesion to the main sewer liner.
Referring to
The seal material 56 is preferably a material that includes an elasticity that accommodates any separation between the flange 52 and the inner surface of the main line. Further, the seal 56 is sufficiently durable to maintain the desired seal between the flange 52 and the inner walls of the main sewer liner.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
Claims
1. A liner assembly for repairing a main pipe line and a lateral pipe line connected thereto and in communication therewith to form a pipe joint:
- a main liner member and a lateral liner tube in communication with one another through a liner juncture, the lateral liner tube being adapted to extend within the lateral pipe line and the main liner member being adapted to extend within the main pipe line at the pipe joint; and
- a gasket surrounding a portion of the lateral liner tube and the main liner member near the liner juncture, the gasket being made of a hydrophilic material that is impermeable and capable of swelling in response to being exposed to a liquid, thereby forming a seal between the main and lateral liners and the main and lateral pipe lines at the pipe joint.
2. The liner assembly of claim 1 wherein the gasket is attached to the main liner member.
3. The liner assembly of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic rubber.
4. The liner assembly of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic paste.
5. An apparatus for repairing a main pipe line a lateral pipe line connected thereto and in communication therewith to form a pipe joint, the apparatus comprising:
- a bladder assembly comprising a main bladder tube and a lateral bladder tube in communication with one another through a bladder tube juncture;
- a liner assembly comprising a main liner member and a lateral liner tube of resin absorbent material in communication with one another through a liner juncture;
- the lateral bladder tube and the lateral liner tube being adapted to extend within the lateral pipe line with the lateral bladder tube being inside the lateral liner tube and the lateral liner tube being between the lateral pipe line and the lateral bladder tube;
- the main bladder tube and the main liner member being adapted to extend within the main pipe line at the pipe joint with the main liner member being between the main pipe line and the main bladder tube; and
- a band of an impermeable and hydrophilic material disposed on the outside of the main liner member and surrounding the liner juncture, the hydrophilic band capable of swelling in response to being exposed to a liquid, thereby forming a seal between the liner assembly and main pipe line around the point joint.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the impermeable and hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic paste.
7. A method of repairing a main pipe line and a lateral pipe line connected thereto and in communication therewith to form a pipe joint;
- the method comprising: taking a bladder assembly including a main bladder tube and a lateral bladder tube;
- taking a liner assembly including a main liner member and a lateral liner tube in communication with one another through a liner juncture; impregnating the liner assembly with a material capable of curing and hardening;
- positioning a band of impermeable and hydrophilic material on the outside of the main liner member around the liner juncture;
- moving the lateral liner tube and the lateral bladder tube within the lateral pipe line with the lateral bladder tube being within the lateral liner tube; and
- exposing the hydrophilic band to a liquid that causes the band to swell, thereby forming a seal between the liner assembly and the main and lateral pipe lines at the pipe joint.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the lateral liner tube and the lateral bladder tube are inverted into the lateral pipe line.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the impermeable and hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic paste.
10. A liner assembly for repairing a main pipe line and a lateral pipe line connected thereto and in communication therewith to form a pipe joint, the liner assembly comprising:
- a main liner member and a lateral liner tube in communication with one another through a liner juncture, the lateral liner tube being adapted to extend within the lateral pipe line and the main liner member being adapted to extend within the main pipe line about the pipe joint; and
- a band disposed on the outside of the main liner member about the liner juncture, the hand being made of a hydrophilic and impermeable material capable of swelling in response to being exposed to a liquid, thereby forming a seal between the main liner member and the main pipe line near the pipe joint.
11. The liner assembly of claim 10 wherein the band of hydrophilic and impermeable material is ring-shaped and is disposed on the main liner member surrounding the liner juncture.
12. The liner assembly of claim 10 wherein the lateral liner tube is formed from a resin absorbent material.
13. The liner assembly of claim 10 wherein the lateral liner tube and the main liner member are formed from a resin absorbent material.
14. The liner assembly of claim 10 wherein the impermeable and hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic paste.
15. A method of repairing a main pipe line and a lateral pipe line connected thereto and in communication therewith to form a pipe joint; the method comprising:
- taking a liner assembly including a main liner member and a lateral liner tube in communication with one another through a liner juncture;
- positioning a band of hydrophilic and impermeable material on the outside of the main liner member around the liner juncture;
- positioning the lateral liner tube within the lateral pipe line and the main liner member within the main pipe line; and
- exposing the hydrophilic band to a liquid that causes the band to swell, thereby forming a seal between the liner assembly and the main pipe lines near the pipe joint.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the band of hydrophilic and impermeable material is ring-shaped.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the impermeable and hydrophilic material is a hydrophilic paste.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 29, 2012
Publication Date: Oct 18, 2012
Inventor: Darcy Warren (Essex)
Application Number: 13/537,658
International Classification: B23P 6/00 (20060101); F16L 55/16 (20060101);