Method and Apparatus for Repairing Main and Lateral Pipes

Abstract

A method of repairing portions of pipes including a main pipe and lateral pipes extending between a first and second manhole, including providing a liner assembly having both a main liner member and a lateral liner tube extending from the main liner member and capable of everting from within the main liner member to a position in one of the one or more lateral pipes, impregnating a portion of the liner assembly with a material capable of curing and hardening, positioning the liner assembly a distance from the first manhole, and everting the main liner member within the main pipe while simultaneously everting at least one of the one or more lateral liner tubes into one of the one or more lateral pipes. The predetermined distance enables the main liner tube to line the portion of the pipe in need of repair in the pipe without lining the entire pipe.

1 . A method of repairing a portion of a pipe or pipes including a main pipe extending between a first and second manhole and one or more lateral pipes extending from the main pipe, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a liner assembly comprising a main liner member and one or more lateral liner tubes extending from the main liner member and capable of everting from within the main liner member to a position in one of the one or more lateral pipes;   impregnating at least a portion of the liner assembly with a material capable of curing and hardening;   positioning the liner assembly at a predetermined distance from the first manhole and towards the second manhole; and   everting the main liner member within the main pipe and at least one of the one or more lateral liner tubes into one of the one or more lateral pipes;   wherein the predetermined distance enables the main liner member to line the portion of the pipe in need of repair without lining the entire pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of allowing the material to cure and harden. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance is zero, such that the liner assembly is positioned adjacent the first manhole. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the impregnating step is performed on a portion of the liner assembly that is at a distance from a first end of the liner assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the impregnating step is performed on multiple portions of the liner assembly that are separated by portions of the liner that are free from the material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of measuring the location of the portion of the main pipe to be repaired. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the measuring step is performed by using a camera attached to a cord. 
     
     
         8 . A method of making a cured-in-place pipe repair to a lateral pipe in fluid communication with a main pipe and having an area in need of repair, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an elongated bladder tube having a first bladder tube end and a second bladder tube end;   providing a liner tube;   positioning the liner tube within at least a portion of the bladder tube such that the liner tube is spaced apart from the first end and the second end of the bladder tube by a first and a second predetermined distance;   impregnating the liner tube with a material capable of curing and hardening;   inverting the bladder tube within the main pipe and into the lateral pipe to an inverted position with the liner tube on the outside of the bladder tube adjacent the area in need of repair;   wherein the first and second predetermined distance enables the liner tube to invert with the bladder tube proximate the area in need of repair in the lateral pipe.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of permitting the uncured resin to cure and harden. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of removing the bladder tube from the main pipe, leaving the liner tube cured in place. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the liner tube does not extend into the main pipe in the inverted position during the inverting step. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the liner tube is a first liner tube, and further comprising the steps of:
 providing a second liner tube;   positioning the second liner tube within at least a portion of the bladder tube such that the second liner tube is spaced apart from the first end and the second end of the bladder tube by a third and a fourth predetermined distance; and   securing the liner tube within the bladder tube using an adhesive or solvent.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first liner tube and the second liner tube are separated by an amount of the bladder tube that is free from any material capable of curing and hardening. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of securing the liner tube within the bladder tube using an adhesive or solvent. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of attaching the first end of the bladder tube to a launching device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of positioning the launching device remote from the lateral pipe. 
     
     
         17 . A method of repairing portions of pipes including a main pipe extending between a first and second manhole and one or more lateral pipes extending from the main pipe, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a liner assembly comprising a main liner member having a first end and a second end, and one or more lateral liner tubes extending from the main liner member and capable of everting from within the main liner member to a position in one of the one or more lateral pipes;   impregnating a portion of the liner assembly with a material capable of curing and hardening, the portion being a predetermined distance from the first end;   everting the main liner member within the main pipe and at least one of the one or more lateral liner tubes into one of the one or more lateral pipes; and   permitting the uncured rosin to cure and harden;   wherein the predetermined distance enables the main liner member to line the portion of the pipe in need of repair in the pipe without lining the entire pipe.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the impregnating step further comprises impregnating a second portion of the liner assembly a second predetermined distance from the first end. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the portion of the liner assembly and the second portion of the liner assembly are separated by a third portion of the liner assembly that is free from the material capable of curing and hardening. 
     
     
         20 . Tire method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of measuring the location of the portion of the main pipe to be repaired. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the measuring step is performed by using a camera attached to a cord. 
     
     
         22 . A method of aligning an apparatus to repairing portions of pipes including a main pipe extending between a first and second manhole and one or more lateral pipes extending from, the main pipe, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a liner assembly comprising a main liner member having a first end and a second end, and one or more lateral liner tubes extending from the main liner member and capable of everting from within the main liner member to a position in one of the one or more lateral pipes, the liner assembly located at a first manhole;   impregnating a portion of the liner assembly with a material capable of curing and hardening, the portion being a predetermined distance horn, the first end;   everting the main liner member at least partially; and   inserting a robot having a camera in the second manhole, the camera facing the second end of the main liner member;   aligning the main liner member by rotating the main liner member by pressing a remotely-controlled guide plate disposed on the robot against the second end of the main liner member and rotating the guide plate until the main liner member reaches a desired orientation.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the main liner comprises an alignment mark, and the camera includes a reference mark at the desired orientation. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the desired orientation for the alignment mark is at a 12:00 position. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of fully everting the main liner member within the main pipe while simultaneously or continuously everting at least one of the one or more lateral liner tubes into one of the one or more lateral pipes, the fully everting step occurring after the aligning the main liner member step. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the predetermined distance enables the main liner member to line the portion of the pipe in need of repair in the pipe without lining the entire pipe. 
     
     
         27 . A method of aligning a cured-in-place pipe repair apparatus to a main pipe in fluid communication with at least one lateral pipe and having an area in need of repair, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an elongated bladder tube having a main bladder and a lateral bladder, and a first main bladder tube end and a second main bladder tube end;   providing a liner tube;   positioning the liner tube within at least a portion of the bladder tube;   impregnating the liner tube with a material capable of curing and hardening;   inverting the bladder tube within the main pipe and into the lateral pipe to an at least partially inverted position with the liner tube on the outside of the bladder tube adjacent the area in need of repair;   providing a robot including a camera and a guide plate at a second end of the main pipe;   aligning the lateral bladder with a lateral pipe by pressing the guide plate against the second end of the main bladder tube and rotating the guide plate until a mark on the second end of the maim bladder tube aligns with a reference mark on the camera.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the reference mark on the camera is at the 12:00 position. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising the step of fully everting the main liner member within the main pipe while simultaneously or continuously everting at least one of the one or more lateral liner tubes into one of the one or more lateral pipes. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising the step of securing the liner tube within the bladder tube using an adhesive or solvent. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising the step of attaching the first end of the bladder tube to a launching device. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of positioning the launching device remote from the lateral pipe at a first end of the main pipe.