Stents and methods for repairing pipes
Example aspects of a stent for repairing a pipe and a method for repairing a pipe are disclosed. The stent for repairing a pipe can comprise a spring comprising a metal wire and defining a tubular structure, the spring defining an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a void, an axis extending through the void; and a sealing layer defining a sleeve, the sealing layer wrapped around a circumference of the spring and engaging the outer surface of the spring; the stent configurable in a compressed configuration, wherein the spring is compressed, and an expanded configuration, wherein the spring is expanded
1. A stent for repairing a pipe comprising:
a spring comprising a metal wire and defining a tubular structure, the spring defining an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a void, an axis extending through the void, and wherein the metal wire of the spring defines a wave pattern which undulates axially relative to the axis; and
a sealing layer defining a sleeve, the sealing layer wrapped around a circumference of the spring and engaging the outer surface of the spring;
the stent configurable in a compressed configuration, wherein the spring is compressed, and an expanded configuration, wherein the spring is expanded.
2. The stent of claim 1 , wherein the spring is configurable in a rolled configuration and an unrolled configuration.
3. The stent of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener coupling the sealing layer to the spring.
4. The stent of claim 3 , wherein the fastener is a zip tie.
5. The stent of claim 3 , wherein:
the spring further comprises a spring loop; and
the fastener extends through the spring loop and engages the sealing layer to couple the sealing layer to the spring.
6. The stent of claim 1 , wherein the spring further comprises a plurality of tabs extending radially inward towards the void, each of the tabs defining an opening.
7. The stent of claim 6 , further comprising a compression mechanism extending through each of the openings, the compression mechanism contracting the stent to the compressed configuration.
8. The stent of claim 1 , further comprising a secondary sealing layer.
9. The stent of claim 1 , wherein an expansion ratio of a diameter of the stent in the expanded configuration to a diameter of the stent in the compressed configuration is between 1.2/1 and 3/1.
10. The stent of claim 1 , wherein the metal wire is formed from a sheet of metal.
11. A method for repairing a pipe comprising:
providing a stent comprising a spring and a sealing layer, the stent configurable in an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration, wherein an expansion ratio of a diameter of the stent in the expanded configuration to a diameter of the stent in the compressed configuration is between 1.2/1 and 3/1;
applying a compression force to the stent to orient the stent in the compressed configuration, which comprises engaging a compression mechanism with a tab of the stent and contracting the stent radially inward with the compression mechanism;
navigating the stent to a crack in a pipe;
removing the compression force from the stent;
expanding the stent to the expanded configuration within the pipe; and
engaging an outer surface of the sealing layer with an inner wall of the pipe.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the compression mechanism extends through an opening in the tab.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein navigating the stent to a crack in the pipe comprises inserting the stent into a pipeline at an existing access point of the pipeline and driving the stent through the pipeline to a location of the crack.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein expanding the stent to the expanded configuration within the pipe comprising biasing the sealing layer radially outward by a spring force of the spring.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein engaging an outer surface of the sealing layer with an inner wall of the pipe comprises pressing the outer surface of the sealing layer against the crack to form a watertight seal between the sealing layer and the inner wall and prevent leakage at the crack.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the stent further comprises a fastener coupling the sealing layer to the spring.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the spring comprises a metal wire formed from a sheet of metal.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the metal wire defines a wave pattern in an axial direction.
19. A stent for repairing a pipe comprising:
a spring comprising a metal wire and defining a tubular structure, the spring defining an outer surface and an inner surface, the spring comprising a spring loop, the inner surface defining a void, an axis extending through the void;
a sealing layer defining a sleeve, the sealing layer wrapped around a circumference of the spring and engaging the outer surface of the spring; and
a fastener coupling the sealing layer to the spring, the fastener extending through the spring loop and engaging the sealing layer;
the stent configurable in a compressed configuration, wherein the spring is compressed, and an expanded configuration, wherein the spring is expanded.
20. A stent for repairing a pipe comprising:
a spring comprising a metal wire and defining a tubular structure, the spring defining an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a void, an axis extending through the void, the spring further comprises a plurality of tabs extending radially inward towards the void, each of the tabs defining an opening; and
a sealing layer defining a sleeve, the sealing layer wrapped around a circumference of the spring and engaging the outer surface of the spring;
the stent configurable in a compressed configuration, wherein the spring is compressed, and an expanded configuration, wherein the spring is expanded.
21. The stent of claim 20 , further comprising a compression mechanism extending through each of the openings, the compression mechanism contracting the stent to the compressed configuration.