A diameter-expanding tool head and a diameter-expanding method thereof, the tool head comprises an expanding section forming convex portions and concave portions disposed at intervals on an outer peripheral surface, any one of the concave portions is formed between any two of the convex portions, each of the convex portions has a convex peak, the convex peak is a part farthest from an axis, each distance is equal, the convex peaks are connected to form a diameter-expanding surface spanning each of the concave portions. The expanding section is rotatably inserted into a channel of a body to be expanded, and is in discontinuous contact with the channel through the convex and concave portions, a diameter of at least a part of the body to be expanded is expanded to form a diameter-expanded channel, and an inner wall surface of the diameter-expanded channel is flush with the diameter-expanding surface.

A cured in place liner system and associated connections and methods are disclosed. The cured in place pipe system forms a completely rehabilitated, stand-alone, fluid-tight flow path between upstream and downstream portions of an existing pipe system. The rehabilitated flow path is stand-alone in that the liner system does not rely on structure of the portion of the pipe system through which the liner system is installed to define the fluid-tight flow path. The flow path between upstream and downstream portions of the liner system is defined by and made fluid-tight solely by components of the rehabilitation system such as cured in place liners and couplers. The portion of the pipe system through which the rehabilitation system is installed merely provides a path (e.g., through the ground) through which the cured in place liner system can be inserted. After the cured in place liner system is installed, the liner system forms a fluid-tight flow path between an upstream portion of the pipe system and a downstream portion of the pipe system. Various types of connections may be used. In addition, various types of methods may be used in forming the connections, such as using a mold to cure connecting sections of the cured in place liners in desired configurations (e.g., having a generally circular outer profile) for forming connections with the liners.

A composite tube may include a body having a longitudinal centerline axis and an end portion having a tapered section and an end rim. At least one of a radially outward edge and a radially inward edge of the end rim may be non-circular. The end rim may be circumferentially continuous, and the tapered section may diverge radially outward in a direction from the body to the end rim. A joint assembly may include a support wedge that at least partially engages at least one of a radially inward surface of the end portion and a radially outward surface of the end portion of the composite tube.

A cured in place liner system and associated connections and methods are disclosed. The cured in place pipe system forms a completely rehabilitated, stand-alone, fluid-tight flow path between upstream and downstream portions of an existing pipe system. The rehabilitated flow path is stand-alone in that the liner system does not rely on structure of the portion of the pipe system through which the liner system is installed to define the fluid-tight flow path. The flow path between upstream and downstream portions of the liner system is defined by and made fluid-tight solely by components of the rehabilitation system such as cured in place liners and couplers. The portion of the pipe system through which the rehabilitation system is installed merely provides a path (e.g., through the ground) through which the cured in place liner system can be inserted. After the cured in place liner system is installed, the liner system forms a fluid-tight flow path between an upstream portion of the pipe system and a downstream portion of the pipe system. Various types of connections may be used. In addition, various types of methods may be used in forming the connections, such as using a mold to cure connecting sections of the cured in place liners in desired configurations (e.g., having a generally circular outer profile) for forming connections with the liners.

A method of manufacturing a connector for a fluid transfer conduit comprises: manufacturing a tube which runs parallel to a central axis C from fibre-reinforced polymer, said tube comprising a hub portion 206 and a flange-forming portion 208 located adjacent to the hub portion 206, wherein the hub portion 206 comprises continuous circumferentially oriented fibre-reinforcement 210; and the hub portion 206 and the flange-forming portion 208 comprise longitudinally oriented fibre-reinforcement 212 which runs continuously from the hub portion 206 into the flange-forming portion 208; and bending the flange-forming portion 208 away from the central axis C such that it extends from the hub portion 206 at an angle to the central axis C.

A method of manufacturing a connector for a fluid transfer conduit comprises: manufacturing a tube which runs parallel to a central axis C from fibre-reinforced polymer, said tube comprising a hub portion 206 and a flange-forming portion 208 located adjacent to the hub portion 206, wherein the hub portion 206 comprises continuous circumferentially oriented fibre-reinforcement 210; and the hub portion 206 and the flange-forming portion 208 comprise longitudinally oriented fibre-reinforcement 212 which runs continuously from the hub portion 206 into the flange-forming portion 208; and bending the flange-forming portion 208 away from the central axis C such that it extends from the hub portion 206 at an angle to the central axis C.

A method of manufacturing a composite (e.g. fibre-reinforced polymer) connector for a fluid transfer conduit includes: manufacturing a continuous fibre pre-form net 150 that is shaped to comprise a hub-forming portion 156 and a flange-forming portion 158, the continuous fibre pre-form net comprising continuous fibre reinforcement 110 and a common support layer 151 to which the continuous fibre reinforcement 110 is secured by being stitched thereto; placing the continuous fibre pre-form net 150 into a mould, the mould being shaped such that the hub-forming portion 156 forms a tubular hub portion which extends along a central axis and the flange-forming portion 158 forms a flange portion which extends from the hub portion at an angle to the central axis; and introducing polymer into the mould so as to form a composite connector comprising the flange portion and the hub portion.

A method of manufacturing a composite (e.g. fibre-reinforced polymer) connector for a fluid transfer conduit includes: manufacturing a continuous fibre pre-form net 150 that is shaped to comprise a hub-forming portion 156 and a flange-forming portion 158, the continuous fibre pre-form net comprising continuous fibre reinforcement 110 and a common support layer 151 to which the continuous fibre reinforcement 110 is secured by being stitched thereto; placing the continuous fibre pre-form net 150 into a mould, the mould being shaped such that the hub-forming portion 156 forms a tubular hub portion which extends along a central axis and the flange-forming portion 158 forms a flange portion which extends from the hub portion at an angle to the central axis; and introducing polymer into the mould so as to form a composite connector comprising the flange portion and the hub portion.

A method of manufacturing a flanged composite component is provided. The method includes coupling a composite structure to s first composite material. The method includes coupling a second composite material to the composite structure and placing a first expansion device within the composite structure. A forming element is coupled to at least one of the first composite material, the composite structure, and the second composite material against the mold. The method includes coupling a pressure element to the forming element to define a space among the mold, the forming element, and the pressure element. The method includes expanding the first expansion device to impart a force to the second composite material to move the second composite material away from the composite structure and into the space to facilitate forming a first flange.

A method of manufacturing a flanged composite component is provided. The method includes coupling a composite structure to s first composite material. The method includes coupling a second composite material to the composite structure and placing a first expansion device within the composite structure. A forming element is coupled to at least one of the first composite material, the composite structure, and the second composite material against the mold. The method includes coupling a pressure element to the forming element to define a space among the mold, the forming element, and the pressure element. The method includes expanding the first expansion device to impart a force to the second composite material to move the second composite material away from the composite structure and into the space to facilitate forming a first flange.