This invention relates to a connector valve assembly for an inflatable packer device. Particularly, this invention relates to a connector valve assembly for insertion between a five line fluid input assembly and an inflatable packer device having connecting means for four input lines.
Sealant systems, such as the acrylamide type, have been utilized in the past with packer devices to repair sewer line leaks. And these, as well as other sealant systems, have generally been utilized with four fluid inlet line systems. Because the acrylamide sealant systems have come under environmental scrutiny and because the packer devices which utilize the four inlet line systems have been found functionally limited in properly testing and subsequently sealing the interior wall surfaces of sewer lines, the connector assembly of this invention was developed to overcome these difficulties and inadequacies.
Other sealant systems have been and are also being developed for use with inflatable packer devices to test and repair sewer pipes. These systems generally use a two component chemical sealant system, i.e., a two component urethane sealant system, which uses a viscous sealing gel and an activator fluid. And, thus, along with the two compressed air supply generally required for an inflatable packer device, if an appropriate testing media is desired for use, it is necessary to have a five inlet line suspply system.
To overcome the need for a five inlet line system and a four inlet pipe inflatable packer device, it has been proposed to utilize one of the chemical components of a two part sealant system, i.e., the activator component, for the test mode operation of the packer to test for leaks in a pipe or sewer line. This practice has monetary as well as other disadvantages. Another alternative, is the restructure of the interior plumbing of the inflatable packer device itself. This solution has similar disadvantages and would also yield smaller through-flow areas of for sewage materials through the device.
The connector valve assembly of this invention provides an inflatable packer device with the functional use of a separate test media line without the added expense of retooling the packer device itself. And, despite the longstanding need of such a connector valve assembly for use with inflatable packer devices, none in so far as is known, has been developed.
The connector valve assembly of this invention is useful for providing the chemical sealant components, a test media fluid and compressed air to the external couplings of an inflatable packer device. The connector assembly permits the transfer of these fluids from their respective fluid sources to the couplings of a packer device. And, importantly, the connector assembly provides the effective use of an additional test media line to the packer without requiring an additional internal line in the packer design, and without effecting its normal operation. The connector assembly also is useful in providing an operator with means to test a pipeline for leaks and to repair any leaks found, from a remote location.
The connector valve assembly of this invention provides a means external the inflatable packer of yielding an additional useful line source to the interial lines of the device itself. This connector valve assembly does so in a functional and inexpensive manner, and one which does not interfere with the repair function of the packer device.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds