Conduit repair fixture and method

Abstract

A unitary conduit repair coupling for joining first and second conduits each having open ends spaced from one another a predetermined distance, wherein the repair coupling comprises a unitary tubular body having a first end portion with an elongated female portion and an opposite second end portion with a male portion, the unitary body having a total length greater than the predetermined distance between the ends of the first and second conduits, the female portion having an internal size capable of receiving the first conduit end, the male portion having an external size capable of entering into the second conduit end, and the female portion having sufficient length to permit a retracting displacement over the end portion of the first conduit to permit positioning of the male portion in alignment with the second conduit and subsequent displacement into the second conduit end while maintaining contact with the first conduit.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This patent application is related to a patent application of the same title filed Feb. 14, 2003, Ser. No. 10 / 074,924, now abandoned and Disclosure Document 471014 deposited on Mar. 17, 2000.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] This invention relates to a simple unitary, conduit repair fitting, for repair of a damaged conduit and its associated connection to a valve or the like wherein a small section of the conduit is removed and an elongated female portion of the conduit repair fitting is slid over a first open end of the damaged conduit and subsequently extended into a female portion located at the end of the second conduit open end to complete the connection. An adhesive is used to secure the conduit repair fitting to the damaged first conduit to the end the second conduit. The invention also relates to a method of repairing damaged conduits wherein a unitary conduit repair fitting with a pre-glued interior elongated female portion and pre-glued exterior male portio...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016] It is a major object of the invention to provide a repair method for repairing a damaged underground conduit wherein a minimal amount of excavation is required. To this end relatively short length of a damaged conduit is cut out and removed, and no substantial bending of the buried conduit is needed to install the unitary conduit repair fixture or coupling and connect and secure it with the conduit to complete the repair.

[0017] Also another object of this invention is to obviate the prior need to extensively excavate the damaged conduit and bend or flex the cut pipe upward and downward in order to position the repair device and the conduits into alignment for final connection. Because excavation is minimized it reduces the labor necessary to repair buried conduits such as landscape irrigation systems thus cause minimal damage to tree roots, turf grass, flower beds and landscaping in general.

[0019] The present invention can be practiced on any irrigation or piping system in which only the damaged portion of the conduits or pipe is accessible. The invention permits a localized conduit repair operation using the unitary conduit repair fixture or coupling thereof as a simple, quick and easily installed device and method of installation.

[0020] A still further object of the invention is to provide some simplification to the repair of irrigation pipe systems and the like, making it possible to provide a one-piece conduit repair fitting or coupling adapted for the repair of commonly damaged irrigation pipe. In addition the invention provides a unitary conduit repair coupling for use in plastic pipe repair wherein the adhesive, cement or glue is applied to both the female and male portions of the conduit repair fitting or coupling, to one exposed end portion of one broken / cut pipe, and to a female receptacle such as a Tee, collar or other coupling, valve or the like that has been secured to the opposite end portion of the connecting pipe. The method of using this invention includes applying the adhesive, cement or glue to the conduit repair fitting or coupling then inserting one end of the pipe into the elongated female portion; then sliding or pulling the repair fitting or coupling back in the opposite direction over the pipe to permit alignment of its male portion with a female portion of a coupler or receiver that is installed on the end of the second pipe to complete the repair. The method of this invention is accomplished in a short time span before the adhesive, cement or glue becomes set and rendering the parts sealed and immovable.

[0022] It is another object of the present invention to provide an aligned pipe joint repair device in the form of a one-piece male-female conduit repair fitting or coupling for pipe repairs of reasonable brevity and length which creates little or no added flexural or compressive stress to the existing pipeline or pipe system.

[0024] Also, the present invention overcomes major short comings of the prior art because it is a unitary structure and has no moving parts such as pistons, telescopic members, 0-rings or the like that are subject to failure, incorrect installation or damage as do the prior art devices. Another shortcoming of the prior art that is overcome by this invention is the avoidance of the need to excavate and evacuate long sections of the pipe in order to repair it. Because this invention only repairs the damaged section of the pipe it requires only a minimal excavation of the damaged section and slightly more for maneuvering the invention into place and installation of it. Because excavation is confined to only a relatively small zone the disruption to the landscape is also minimal and easily repaired.

Problems solved by technology

Repairs of an irrigation system are usually needed to the segment of a pipe adjacent to a flow control valve or a sprinkler head because these components of an irrigation system are near or at the surface of the earth and they are damaged by vehicles driving over them, lawn mowers cutting them or other traffic that bends and or breaks them.

In the case of underground mounted valves they may simply break or wear out and need replacement.

In any case the most typical location for an irrigation system to be damaged is in the segment of the pipe near a valve or sprinkler head wherein the pipe is broken thus permitting an unintended flow of water from the pipe.

Examination of such damage to irrigation systems has shown that the pipe is most often broken within either adjacent to a valve or sprinkler head or within a few inches thereof.

This reconstruction process can involve considerable labor to dig the pipe free for an extended distance.

Also, due to physical limitations of some irrigation systems involving multiple pipes or other earthen obstacles such as concrete barriers driveways, walkways foundations the described manner of repair may be very difficult if not impossible.

Both the evacuation of water and the excavation of earth are time consuming as well as messy depending upon the local conditions.

This exact measurement can be time consuming and result in wasted material and time if not done with care and precision.

However, in practice, it has been observed that great difficulty is encountered in installing these repair coupling devices.

These external patch repair devices suffer from a distinct disadvantage because the damaged section is not removed and replaced therefore the irrigation pipe, valve, sprinkler head, or fitting may continue to erode under the seal of the patch.

Because of continued eroding the repair is only temporary and a permanent patch will eventually need to be installed in the irrigation system.

Considering the complexity of some of these devices they can be costly to produce and assemble as well as being subject to damage if not kept extremely clean prior to installation.

As a result it has been noted that where such pipe repair devices are used the adjacent pipe sections, and connected Tee-joints, connection collars, valves and sprinkler heads may incur further damage due to the dynamic forcing action inherent with use of this character of repair device.

All of the prior art connectors have shortcomings that render them difficult to use in repairing damaged pipes of an irrigation system where the ends of the damaged pipe are either buried in the ground or otherwise immovable.

Some of these devices require extensive excavation to be installed.

And, other devices have extendable members that are subject to creating difficult installations or may by their inherent nature cause other problems in an irrigation piping system.

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