Abstract:
A drip line installation kit apparatus and method is provided for puncturing a conduit. The kit includes a clamping means having a clamp member to engage the conduit, the clamp member having a guiding channel oriented at a predefined angle to the conduit. A coupling means engages the guiding channel and a punch fits within the coupling means so as to align with the guiding channel and maintain a conduit puncturing punch end at the predefined angle to the conduit. A punch press engages the coupling means and drives the punch into the conduit thereby puncturing the conduit.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The drip line installation kit, apparatus and method described herein relates to dispensing additives directly in a fluid line. More specifically, it relates to a fast and convenient way for installing a collar for automatic dispensing units that dispense additives in supply conduits. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Auto dispensing units have become very common. For example, in the field of sanitation, it is common to add small frequent doses of sanitary solutions in flush lines. Without limiting the scope, the description provided herein concentrates on sanitation applications as sanitation applications expose a wide range of problems. The solutions presented have wide ranging applications to other fields requiring dispensing additives directly into a supply conduit. For example, the benefits may be derived in a wide range of industries ranging from addition of enzymes to addition of minor ingredients during production. 
         [0003]    In the sanitation industry, the installation of a drip line to dispense cleaning/de-scaling, disinfecting and/or sanitizing solutions directly in a flush line typically requires the use of an electric drill to install a drip collar on a flush pipe. Such installation is often a time consuming and costly undertaking. Making a small hole on a round wet pipe with a dull drill bit, particularly when the pipe is already installed and cannot be moved, or there is not adequate work space or access to electrical power, is frustrating and often leads to holes being made in undesirable locations on the pipe. There is no room for mistake and making the second hole would result in a leaking pipe. 
         [0004]    There is a need to provide drip line installation kit which addresses the above identified concerns. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In accordance with a broad aspect, there is provided a drip line installation kit for puncturing a conduit comprising: clamping means to engage the conduit, the clamping means having a clamp member having a guiding channel therethrough, the guiding channel having a longitudinal axis oriented at a predefined angle to the conduit; coupling means to engage the guiding channel, the coupling means having a longitudinal bore therethrough; and a puncturing assembly including: a punch to fit within the longitudinal bore of the coupling means so as to maintain a conduit puncturing punch end at the predefined angle to the conduit; and a punch press to engage the coupling means and the punch to drive the punch into the conduit thereby puncturing the conduit. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a method of puncturing a conduit comprising the steps of: engaging the conduit with a clamping means, the clamping means having a clamp member having a guiding channel therethrough, the guiding channel having a longitudinal axis oriented at a predefined angle to the conduit; engaging the guiding channel with a coupling means, the coupling means having a longitudinal bore therethrough; fitting a punch within the longitudinal bore of the coupling means so as to align with the guiding channel and maintain a conduit puncturing punch end at the predefined angle to the conduit; engaging a punch press with the coupling means and the punch; and using the punch press to drive the punch into the conduit, thereby puncturing the conduit. 
         [0007]    It is to be understood that other aspects of the drip line installation kit, apparatus and method therefor will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various embodiments are shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the drip line installation kit, apparatus and method therefor is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The features and advantages of the drip line installation kit, apparatus and method therefor will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached diagrams wherein like reference numerals indicate similar parts throughout several views. Several aspects are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in detail in the figures, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic elevational diagram showing an exemplary supply conduit to which a drip line is to be installed; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic elevational break out diagram showing a saddle clamp for the drip line in relation to the supply conduit; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a schematic elevational diagram showing a saddle clamp installed on the supply conduit; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a schematic elevational diagram showing a coupling affixed to the saddle clamp; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a schematic elevational break out diagram showing a conduit puncturing assembly in relation to the saddle clamp; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a schematic elevational diagram showing a cutaway view the conduit puncturing assembly; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a schematic elevational diagram showing removal of the puncturing assembly; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a schematic elevational diagram showing the supply conduit punctured; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram showing a cutaway view of an alternative conduit puncturing assembly; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram showing a cutaway view through of yet another conduit puncturing assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    A drip line installation kit is provided for addressing at least some the above identified problems in the art. 
         [0020]    The drip line installation kit includes clamping means, coupling means and a conduit puncturing assembly. 
         [0021]    The clamping means provides resilient engagement with a conduit to be punctured. Without limiting the scope of the invention, the clamping means includes a pipe clamp. For example, in accordance with a first embodiment, the pipe clamp is a saddle clamp as shown in  FIG. 2  at  20 , which may be the same saddle clamp ultimately employed in connecting the drip line (not shown) to the supply conduit  10 . The saddle clamp  20  as shown in  FIG. 2  includes a split body having symmetric clamp bodies  22 ,  24 . 
         [0022]    Saddle clamp body  24  typically includes an internal clamp body guiding channel  23  adapted to receive a drip line (not shown). The drip line may be received directly within the clamp body channel or via drip line attachment arrangement such as shown at  30  in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , a conduit puncturing assembly  50  includes a tubular coupling  40 , a punch  52  and a punch press  54 . 
         [0024]    Tubular coupling  40  has a longitudinal bore  42  therethrough (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) and in accordance with the first embodiment presented herein, tubular coupling  40  is adapted to engage the clamp body guiding channel  23  so that the longitudinal bore  42  and the guiding channel  23  are aligned. In accordance with one implementation, clamp body guiding channel  23  has an interior thread and the tubular coupling  40  having a complimentary exterior thread, is adapted to threadingly engage the saddle clamp body guiding channel  23 . In the alternative, as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  6 , the drip line attachment  30  having external threading is used to engage the clamp body guiding channel  23  and facilitate attachment of the tubular coupling  40 , which now has internal threading. 
         [0025]    A punch is sized to freely pass longitudinally through the longitudinal bore  42  of the tubular coupling  40 . The punch is characterized by a tip having a hardness greater than the hardness of the conduit  10  to be punctured. For example, the punch may be substituted with a drill bit, a nail or a screw. A screw punch  52  is shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  9  and  10 . 
         [0026]    Punch press  54  is employed to mechanically urge punch  52  into conduit  10  by applying a driving force against punch  52 . For example,  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6  show tubular coupling  40  having a threaded bore  42  and a bolt  56  acting as a punch press. In using a bolt  56  as a punch press  54 , tubular coupling  40  and the punch  52  must be sized to permit the bolt  56  to threadingly engage the threaded bore of coupling  40  over a sufficient depth so as to prevent thread damage between the bolt  56  and the threaded coupling bore  42 . While other punch press  54  implementations are envisioned to provide substantially the same result of driving the punch through the conduit  10 , the use of a screw punch  52  and bolt  56  punch press has been found advantageous from convenience and ease of use perspectives. In particular, a screw punch has the advantage of being easily removable from the conduit  10 , once a hole has been made. 
         [0027]    In use, an installer selects a desired location on a supply conduit  10 , such as but not limited to a copper pipe, where a drip line is to dispense or inject an additive as shown in  FIG. 1 . The saddle clamp  20  is installed. If the saddle clamp  20  is the same saddle clamp intended to be employed to ultimately connect the drip line to the supply conduit  10 , installation of the saddle clamp  20  prior to supply conduit piercing allows the installer to ascertain appropriate fit. 
         [0028]    With the saddle clamp  20  installed, drip line attachment arrangement (hardware)  30 , if any, is removed. The removal of drip line attachment hardware leaves clamp body guiding channel  23  free of obstructions. If gaskets are employed in connecting the drip line to the supply conduit, these may have to be removed before installation of the saddle clamp  20  on the supply conduit  10  for puncture in order to prevent gasket damage from any debris or burrs resulting from conduit puncture. 
         [0029]    Following the removal of drip line attachment hardware  30 , tubular coupling  40  is attached typically in line with the clamp body guiding channel  23 . For a threaded saddle clamp body guiding channel  23 , coupling  40  is threaded therein, employing external thread. Implementations are envisioned wherein the drip line attachment arrangement  30  includes an external thread about a longitudinal axis of the saddle clamp channel, in such cases the tubular coupling  40  may be attached to such external thread via an internal bore threaded  42  without completely removing the drip line attachment hardware  30  (see  FIG. 6 ). 
         [0030]    Following the installation of the coupling  40 , screw punch  52  is inserted in the internal bore  42  of coupling  40 . 
         [0031]    With the screw punch  52  inserted in the coupling  40 , the punch press bolt  56  is threadingly engaged into the internal bore  42  of the coupling  40 . Tightening the punch press bolt  56  with a suitable wrench provides the necessary force amplification required to cause the screw punch  52  to pierce the conduit  10  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Tightening the punch press bolt  56  initially experiences increasing resistance followed by a somewhat sharp drop in resistance signaling that the punch has passed through the conduit wall. 
         [0032]    Typically, in piercing the conduit wall the punch  52  gets lodged in the conduit wall. At least the punch press bolt  56  and the coupling  40  may be removed. Depending on the pipe clamp and/or drip line attachment used, the clamp  20  may also have to be removed. Next the punch is removed. In the case of a screw punch  52 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , the screw is simply unscrewed with a screwdriver. Should a larger hole  80  be desired, a screw of a thicker gage may be screwed in to widen it. Alternatively, if safe access to electrical power is available, a drill may be employed using the punched hole as a guide. Preferably the area around the puncture  80  is sanded smooth and any burrs around the puncture hole removed completing the puncturing process as shown in  FIG. 8 . The final step is to attach the drip line, including replacing any gaskets removed during the piercing stage of the installation. 
         [0033]    While using the same pipe clamp for puncturing the conduit and for the eventual drip line connection may be preferred, a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that not all pipe clamps adapted for connecting drip lines to conduits are well suited for providing the necessary clamping to puncture the conduit. 
         [0034]    For example, in the first embodiment the saddle clamp  20  is shown to have an inner diameter equal to an outside diameter of conduit  10 , such correspondence between the diameters enables use of the same clamp for both puncturing and subsequent drip line installation. In accordance with another embodiment, a U-clamp  90  shown in  FIG. 9  may be employed. The U-clamp  90  includes a U-shaped member  92  having an inner diameter and a bar  94 . The inner diameter of the U-shaped member  92  is selected to be larger than the outside diameter of the conduit  10  to be punctured. U-clamp  90  may be employed for conduits  10  having a range of outer diameters. The ends  96  of the U-shaped member  92  may be threaded. 
         [0035]    Bar  94  includes a number of apertures. A pair of apertures  98  allow the threaded ends  96  of the U-shaped member  92  to slidably engage the bar  94 , a pair of nuts  99  being employed to urge the bar  94  against the U-shaped member  92  thereby providing the clamping action. A central aperture defines a bar guiding channel  100  through the bar  94 , which may be formed at a predetermined angle μ with respect to the conduit  10  to be clamped and pierced as shown for example in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0036]    A flanged tubular coupling  140  is slidably engaged in the bar guiding channel  100  with the flange being urged by the bar  94  against the conduit  10 . Guiding channel  100  may stepped, as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , to accommodate the flanges on tubular coupling  140 , however, this is not necessary where the flanges are thin. When compared to the first embodiment, the flanged tubular coupling  140  needs to be slidably engaged in the bar guiding channel  100  prior to the clamp  90  installation. 
         [0037]    In use, punch  52  is slidably engaged in the coupling  140  and punch press  54  provides the force necessary to drive the punch  52  through the conduit wall.  FIGS. 9 and 10  show a screw punch  52 . While using a screw is convenient, and has the advantage of being easily removable from the conduit wall once pierced, a large internal bore diameter  42  of the tubular coupling  40 / 140  in needed to slidably accommodate the screw head within the bore  42 . In some cases, depending on the diameter of the conduit  10  relative to the internal diameter of the tubular coupling  40 / 140 , it may be advantageous to use a punch  52  per se. For conduit  10 /tubular coupling  40 / 140  combinations, where the conduit  10  diameter approaches that of the internal diameter of coupling  40 / 140 , guiding of the punch  52  becomes important in order to provide controllable piercing. In determining what a workable “long screw punch” is, in practice it has been noticed that the closer the length of the screw punch  52  is to the inner diameter of coupling bore  42 , the more there is a chance for the screw punch  52  to approach the conduit at a skew angle and either provide an undesirably located hole  80  or become lodged in the coupling  40 / 140 . A skew piercing angle error may be minimized by either using a longer screw  52  and therefore a longer tubular coupling  40 / 140 , or a punch per se that is tightly sized and shaped to the bore diameter  42 . 
         [0038]    The installation kit, apparatus and methods described eliminate the use of a hand drill for the installation of a drip line to a conduit and similar installations. It is fast, sufficiently accurate and convenient way for making a hole on a pipe without using a drill bit. When the drip line clamp is used to puncture the conduit, the methods of piercing the conduit and installing the drip line for dispensing units can be combined saving time. 
         [0039]    It is further noted that the herein described apparatus and method is advantageous for making a small hole in a round pipe, particularly when the pipe is already installed and cannot be moved, or there is not adequate work space or access to electrical power and if the pipe is wet and slippery. 
         [0040]    The previous detailed description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present drip line installation kit, apparatus and method. Various modifications to the embodiments presented will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the apparatus and method described herein. Thus, the present drip line installation kit, apparatus and method is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular, such as by use of the article “a” or “an” is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more”. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout the disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed by the elements of the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims.