TÖRNROOS, Olav (Itäinentie 48 B 6, Porvoo, FI-06100, FI)
WECKSTRÖM, Jan (Ruusutie 26, Porvoo, FI-06200, FI)
TÖRNROOS, Olav (Itäinentie 48 B 6, Porvoo, FI-06100, FI)
| Claims 1. A device for opening a branch section closed in connection with the renovation of a pipeline, characterised in that the opening device comprises a body part (4) dimensioned to be essentially smaller than the diameter of the pipeline, which is provided with a fluid-driven drive motor, to the output shaft of which motor is connected a rotating opening tool (5), and to which body part is connected a fluid tube (6) of flexible but pushable material, by means of which the opening device can be pushed inside the pipeline, also past any bends, to the branch section to be opened, whereupon when the fluid tube is pressurised, it becomes rigid so that the opening device can be pushed with sufficient force against the surface closing the branch section (2) opening to be opened. 2. An opening device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the opening tool is a drill head. 3. An opening device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the opening tool is a dome-shaped grinding head (5). 4. An opening device as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the fluid is compressed air. 5. An opening device as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the fluid is water. 6. A method for opening a branch section closed in connection with the renovation of a pipeline, characterised in that in the method is used an opening device which comprises a body part (4) dimensioned to be essen- tially smaller than the diameter of the pipeline, which is provided with a fluid- driven drive motor, to the output shaft of which motor is connected a rotat- ing opening tool (5), and to which body part is connected a fluid tube (6) of flexible but pushable material, by means of which the opening device is pushed inside the pipeline, also past any bends, to the branch section (2) to be opened, in which method the fluid tube (6) is pressurised so that it be- comes rigid and the opening device is pushed with sufficient force against the surface closing the branch section (2) to be opened at the same time as the pressurised fluid rotates the motor. 7. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that compressed air is used as the fluid. 8. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that water is used as the fluid. |
The present invention relates to a device and method for opening a branch section closed in connection with the renovation of a pipeline.
Various methods for renovating the pipelines of residential buildings and other similar sites are available on the market. The most frequently used method is still replacing old pipes with new ones, either by demolishing the old ones and installing new ones in the old locations, or by installing new pipes along new routes, in which case the old pipes may remain at least partly in place. These methods require a lot of work in order to reveal the pipes or to make new routes and install new pipes as well as to renew surface structures due to the pipe renovation. They also cause considerable inconvenience to residents when the pipes of residential buildings are reno- vated and the residents usually have to move out of their apartments for the duration of the renovation project.
Alongside this laborious method of renovation which is, for example in the case of a residential building, nerve-racking to residents, have arisen various quicker methods requiring less demolition work, in which the pipe sections to be renovated are coated/provided with cured-in-place pipes. In the method using cured-in-place pipes, a liner provided with an inner surface of, for example, polyurethane film is used, which is impregnated with a mass mixed with a suitable hardening agent, such as epoxy, polyurethane, polyester or polyurea, and the liner is slipped inside the pipe section to be renovated by pushing, pulling or by blowing compressed air. Once it has hardened, the liner forms essentially uniform internal piping, which is lastly opened at the one or more branch pipes it may comprise. One problem with this method is opening the branch sections. Currently, for example, a drill head at the end of a push rod is used, which is pushed to the branch section and opening is carried out by drilling. The problem is that this type of a solution is only applicable to straight pipe sections, in which case excavation and chipping are required. The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved device and method for opening branch sections that have closed up in a renovation process using cured-in-place pipes or the like.
To achieve this aim, the device according to the invention is characterised in that the opening device comprises a body part dimensioned to be essentially smaller than the diameter of the pipeline, which is provided with a fluid- driven drive motor, to the output shaft of which motor is connected a rotating opening tool, and to which body part is connected a fluid tube of flexible but pushable material, by means of which the opening device can be pushed inside the pipeline, also past any bends, to the branch section to be opened, whereupon when the fluid tube is pressurised, it becomes rigid so that the opening device can be pushed with sufficient force against the surface closing the branch section opening to be opened. The method according to the invention is, on the other hand, characterised in that in the method is used an opening device which comprises a body part dimensioned to be essentially smaller than the diameter of the pipeline, which is provided with a fluid- driven drive motor, to the output shaft of which motor is connected a rotating opening tool, and to which body part is connected a fluid tube of flexible but pushable material, by means of which the opening device is pushed in- side the pipeline, also past any bends, to the branch section to be opened, in which method the fluid tube is pressurised so that it becomes rigid and the opening device is pushed with sufficient force against the surface closing the branch section opening to be opened at the same time as the pressurised fluid rotates the motor. One advantage of the solution according to the invention is that the opening device does not require separate locking means for locking it against the pipe walls to make possible the actual opening work, but the opening may be carried out simply by pushing the opening device by means of the pressure tube, which rigidifies further when pressurised, thus making it possible to exert sufficient pressure on the opening device for pushing it against the surface to be opened.
The invention is described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic view in principle of a pipeline to be renovated to which the solution according to the invention is applicable,
Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic view in principle of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention inside a pipe,
Figure 3 shows a diagrammatic view in principle of another embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention inside a pipe, and
Figure 4 shows a front view of the solution according to Figure 3.
Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic view in principle of the vertical pipe 1 of a pipeline to be renovated with its branch pipe 3. Figure 1 shows the branch section 2 after the hardening of the liner installed in the vertical pipe 1, when it forms a structure extending as a uniform pipe across the branch section. The branch pipe 3 comprises bends which cannot be passed using the known drill head solutions provided at the end of a push rod. The opening device shown in the Figures comprises a body part 4 dimensioned to be essentially smaller than the diameter of the pipeline, which is provided with a fluid-driven drive motor (not shown), to the output shaft of which motor is connected a rotating opening tool 5. To the body part 4 is in addition connected a fluid tube 6 of flexible but pushable material, by means of which the opening device can be pushed inside the pipeline, also past any bends, to the branch section 2 to be opened. When the fluid tube is pressurised, it is further rigidified so that the opening device can be pushed with sufficient force against the surface closing the branch section 2 opening to be opened. The fluid is preferably compressed air, but a solution functioning, for example, with water hydraulics is also conceivable. The opening tool 5 can be fixed to the body part 4 in a pivoted manner, for example, by means of a ball-and-socket joint, and the device can be provided with control means for directing the opening tool to the most advantageous working position with respect to the section to be opened.
The opening device is preferably provided with an endoscope 7 comprising light and image tubes located inside a flexible tube 8 and a lens part 10 at the front end of the endoscope. The endoscope 7 may be separate from the opening device (Figure 2) or fixed to it permanently or detachably, for example, by means of an attachment flange 9 (Figures 3 and 4). If necessary, the attachment flange may also serve as a supporting point when the opening device is turned to different parts of the opening to be opened.