EP-4737012-A1 - INJECTION MACHINE FOR REPAIRING CONDUITS AND PIPES

EP4737012A1EP 4737012 A1EP4737012 A1EP 4737012A1EP-4737012-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an injection machine (1) for easy repairing of conduits and/or pipes, without requiring construction work, wherein said injection machine (1) comprises a frame (2) and a linear actuator (3), which consists of a pneumatic cylinder, which in turn comprises a support (31) to which two cartridges (4) of materials for repairing conduits can be coupled. The injection machine (1) further comprises a mixer element (5) configured to receive the materials for repairing conduits, from each of the cartridges (4), and mix said materials, and a sprinkler head (6) connected to the mixer element (5), which comprises an inlet for compressed air fluid and a joint outlet for mixed materials and said compressed air fluid. The linear actuator (3) is configured to extract and steer, towards the mixer element (5), the materials for repairing conduits from the cartridges (4), when said linear actuator (3) is activated; such that the sprinkler head (6) is configured to spray the mixture of materials from the cartridges (4), using the compressed air introduced into said sprinkler head (6). The invention further comprises a method for repairing conduits or pipes using the injection machine (1) described.

Inventors

CALVO VILLANUEVA, Javier

Assignees

DISTRA CHEMICAL, S.L.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20240620

Claims (16)

An injection machine (1) for repairing conduits and pipes, characterised in that it comprises: - a frame (2); - a linear actuator (3), preferably a pneumatic cylinder, supported on the frame (2), wherein said linear actuator (3) comprises a support (31) configured to couple two cartridges (4) of materials for repairing conduits; - a control and operation system for the injection machine (1); - a mixer element (5) configured to receive the materials for repairing conduits, from each of the cartridges (4) couplable to the support (31) of the linear actuator (3), and mix said materials; - a sprinkler head (6), connected to the mixer element (5), which comprises an inlet for compressed air fluid, and a joint outlet for mixed materials and said compressed air fluid; wherein the linear actuator (3) is configured to extract and steer or convey, towards the mixer element (5), the materials for repairing the conduits from the cartridges (4) couplable to the support (31) of the linear actuator (3), when said linear actuator (3) is activated; and wherein the sprinkler head (6) is configured to spray the mixture of materials from the cartridges (4), using the compressed air introduced into said sprinkler head (6).
The injection machine (1), according to the preceding claim, wherein the linear actuator (3) comprises a pneumatic cylinder comprising an effective diameter between 50 and 300 mm and a stroke comprised between 150 and 350 mm.
The injection machine (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the linear actuator (3) comprises sliding rods (32), preferably four sliding rods (32), inside the linear actuator (3), being configured to linearly move two pistons (33) of the linear actuator (3).
The injection machine (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the support (31) of the linear actuator (3) comprises fixed rods (34), oriented in a direction of actuation of the linear actuator (3), said fixed rods (34) being connected to attachment plates (35) by end portions of said fixed rods (34), wherein the fixed rods (34) are configured to support the two cartridges (4) of materials for repairing conduits.
The injection machine (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the support (31) of the linear actuator (3) is configured to couple two cartridges (4) of the same or different volumes.
The injection machine, according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a centring device (7) connected to the sprinkler head (6).
The injection machine, according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a compressed air inlet (12) in the frame (2), configured to connect the injection machine (1) to an air compressor; and a first flexible conduit (8), configured to flow compressed air from the frame (2) to the sprinkler head (6).
The injection machine, according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a second flexible conduit (9), configured to convey the mixture of the materials mixed by the mixer element (5) to the sprinkler head (6).
The injection machine, according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the mixer element (5) and the sprinkler head (6) are comprised in a single device.
The injection machine, according to any of the preceding claims, comprising two third flexible conduits (10), each configured to separately convey the material from each cartridge (4) up to the mixer element (5).
The injection machine (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control and operation system is configured to control a rotation speed of the sprinkler head (6) by regulating the injection of compressed air to said sprinkler head (6) as well as the output speed of materials from the cartridges (4) by regulating the linear actuator (3).
The injection machine (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control and operation system comprises an air injection flow regulator and a control panel (11) comprising three control knobs, two pressure regulators and two pressure gauges.
The injection machine (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the materials for repairing conduits contained in the cartridges comprise a two-component resin.
The injection machine (1), according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a connection to an electrical source.
The injection machine (1), according to the preceding claim, comprising a direct current motor.
A method for repairing damaged pipes using an injection machine, as defined in any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: - inserting the sprinkler head (6) inside a conduit to be repaired; - activating the linear actuator (3) and injecting compressed air into the sprinkler head (6); - spraying the mixture of materials for repairing conduits using the sprinkler head (6), wherein said mixture of materials comprises a two-component resin.

Description

Object of the invention The present invention consists of an injection machine, the configuration and design of which allows for quick, and therefore economical, repair of pipes or conduits damaged by cracks, fissures or breaks that can generate infiltrations within the enclosures in which they are located. The present invention has application in the field of construction, more specifically in the repair of any type of conduits, especially conduits arranged to convey or flow fluids, which are installed and are difficult to access by the user. Technical problem to be resolved and background of the invention It is common, in buildings of any type comprising plumbing or sanitation installations, the existence of problems with the pipes or conduits comprised by said installations, especially if said pipes or conduits have a long useful life. Problems such as deterioration due to use over time, breakage due to inadequate use or surrounding installations, leaks in joints due to poor quality installation. Normally, in order to solve said problems, it is required to cut or open the wall or enclosure where the entire conduit can be located, until finding the point or area where infiltrations or leaks are being created that can affect the integrity of the building. Once the damaged conduit or pipe is located, depending on the damage, it may be necessary to replace the affected pipe or section with a new one, with the economic cost that this entails, due to the time required to carry out said task, as well as the materials used. Likewise, these repairs generate a series of inconveniences for the users of the buildings where the breakdown is located, related to the generation of dust, breakage of decorative elements such as tiles, which can cause additional costs depending on the type of facility. Due to this, a system is required that allows these repair operations to be carried out, causing the least possible inconvenience to the user and at a lower cost than that required for the aforementioned repairs. For this reason, there are machines or systems on the market aimed at repairing conduits or pipes by injecting resins, using probes or cannulas that allow said conduits to be sealed from the inside. The problem with these systems is generated by an irregular distribution of the repair resins over the section of the damaged pipe, which can hinder the correct operation of said pipe, use of resins with reduced resistance to the required use, or the difficulty of getting the resin to places that are difficult to access due to the complexity of the path of the pipe to be repaired. Description of the invention To solve the problems mentioned above, the present invention proposes an injection machine for repairing conduits and pipes, which comprises: a frame;a linear actuator, preferably a pneumatic cylinder, supported on the frame, wherein said linear actuator comprises a support configured to couple two cartridges of materials for repairing conduits;a control and operation system for the injection machine;a mixer element configured to receive the materials for repairing conduits, from each of the cartridges couplable to the linear actuator support, and mixing said materials; anda sprinkler head connected to the mixer element, comprising an inlet for compressed air fluid, and a joint outlet for mixed materials and said compressed air fluid; wherein the linear actuator is configured to extract and steer, towards the mixer element, the materials for repairing conduits from the cartridges couplable to the linear actuator support, when said linear actuator is activated; and wherein the sprinkler head is configured to spray the mixture of materials from the cartridges, using the compressed air introduced into said sprinkler head. Although the injection machine requires cartridges with material for its operation for repairing damaged conduits or pipes, said cartridges, being consumable elements, are not part of the invention as such, and can be marketed separately. The invention of the defined injection machine is configured to be assembled to said cartridges and to mix the different components same have therein. The defined frame allows holding the mechanical components of the injection machine that are not introduced inside the conduits or pipes to be repaired, such as the linear actuator, as well as the elements comprised in the control and operation system of the injection machine. That is, all the buttons and pressure gauges that allow the user to control their operation from the outside of said conduits. Preferably, the frame is made of stainless steel as it is a material suitable for the use described. As indicated, the linear actuator preferably comprises a pneumatic cylinder, since the injection machine comprises an operation which, also preferably, does not require an electrical connection or batteries to spray the repair material, being just required to have a connection to a compressor or an element that can provide