AU778212B2 - Pipe connector method - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant: NUEVA AG Invention Title: PIPE CONNECTOR METHOD The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: la Pipe connector The present invention relates to a pipe connector for pipes wound from double walled profiled plastic material strips, having a connector sleeve adapted to be placed onto the ends of the pipes to be connected.

Pipe connectors of the kind mentioned above used for connecting two pipe ends together are generally known and are based on a multitude of connecting techniques such as e.g.

connecting flanges by bolts, press fits, etc.

In case of pipes made of double walled profiled plastic material strips a further problem emerges in addition to the connection as such: The pipe end which have been cut to length perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the pipe have end edges of which a part is open and of which a part is closed, because when being cut to size it can not be avoided that also chambers of the double walled basic profile are cut open (because of the double walled profiled strip which extends helically relative to the axis of the pipe). A treating of such pipe end edges is quite intricate and the result is often unsatisfactory. A pipe end which has not been treated gives rise to the danger of inflicting injuries.

A pipe end which has not been treated features following drawbacks: it is quite difficult or even impossible to mount the connector sleeve the outer circumference of pipes having massive walls the outer diameter is always chamfered for this purpose.

-2it allows liquids to penetrate into the inner space of the profiled strip.

the end of the pipe is not protected during transporting or assembling.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a pipe connector specifically for pipes which are not subject to pressures when in operation, which is of a simple design and can be mounted easily and which ensures a sufficiently leak-tight and stable pipe connection without necessitating a treating of the pipe ends which are to be connected together.

According to the present invention there is provided a method for providing a pipe connector sleeve readily adaptable to a pipe end, comprising the steps of: applying an end cap about the circumference of an end of a pipe, said end cap having a generally U-shaped cross-section and adapted to grip-about the end of the pipe, where the end cap is provided with at least one sealing grip; and slidably engaging a pipe connector sleeve about the surface of the end cap, such that the end cap and the pipe connector sleeve provide a leak-proof seal.

Specific embodiments of the subject of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

.o A pipe connector structured in accordance with °i the invention is specifically suitable for the forming of pipe bends when the connector sleeve is correspondingly designed.

Below, the invention will be illustrated in I detail with reference to one embodiment illustrated in the drawings whereby: Fig. 1 is a section through a pipe connector (upper half of the pipe), formed of elements in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 2 is a section through a modified design of an end cap ring.

\\melbfiles\home\JMclach\Keep\Speci\EP\42360-02 Amended pages.doc 20/07/04 3 As illustrated in Fig. i, the pipes i, 2 consisting of wound double wall profiled plastic material strips are to be connected together (The chambers of the pipes can be considerably larger or the wall thickness could be considerably smaller) The coupling or connecting, resp., takes place by means of a connector sleeve 3 which as such is known and which is to be set onto the pipe ends which are to be connected, which preferably are also made of a plastic material such as the pipes 1, 2, and which has at its center portion seen in longitudinal direction thereof bellows like walls 3' such that it is specifically suitable for a forming of arbitrary bends in the pipe line.

Because a sufficient sealing is also demanded in case of pressure less pipe lines, rubber seals of various shapes have been inserted at known connectors.

At the solution in accordance with the invention end cap rings 4, 5 which can be clamped onto the pipe ends i, 2 are slid thereupon, which grip by their U shaped profile around the pipe ends i, 2 and form thereby a protection against the sharp edged end edges of the pipes the sharp edges are produced by the lateral severing of the pipes 1, 2, whereby chambers and webs are cut which does not only gives rise to the danger of injury during their handling, but also forms an obstacle against a correct course of a flow).

The end cap rings 4, 5 include at least at their cirumferential surface which faces the connector sleeve 3 one or a plurality of sealing and clamping ribs 4' and resp., which are contacted by the sleeve in its mounted state in a sealed manner.

4 At the illustrated embodiment the inner circumferential surface of the end cap ring 4, 5 includes also circumferentially extending sealing and clamping ribs 4", which theoretically would allow an inserting of the sleeve 3 into the inner space of the pipe ends.

The connector sleeve 3 will, however, be generally set outside onto the pipes 1,2 such that it is sufficient for the end cap rings 4, 5 to include ribs 5' at the outer circumferetial surface.

The end cap rings 4, 5 can be designed as proper closed rings or may possibly be cut off from U shaped profiled strips (depending from the pipe diameter) and be set onto the pipe ends in such a form.

Figure 2 of the drawings illustrate a section (profile) of a modification of a end cap ring 4, with an elongated outer circumferential surface which alone is equipped with ribs 4'.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context •g requires otherwise due to express language or necessary 25 implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, o. i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further -features in various embodiments of the invention.

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Claims (8)

1. A method for providing a pipe connector sleeve readily adaptable to a pipe end, comprising the steps of: applying an end cap about the circumference of an end of a pipe, said end cap having a generally U-shaped cross-section and adapted to grip-about the end of the pipe, where the end cap is provided with at least one sealing grip; and slidably engaging a pipe connector sleeve about the surface of the end cap, such that the end cap and the pipe connector sleeve provide a leak-proof seal.

2. The method according to claim 1, in which the connector sleeve includes a longitudinal centre portion which is structured to be flexible.

3. The method according to claim 2, in which the centre portion is of a bellows-like configuration having undulating wall portions.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the end cap is formed of a material strip having a U-shaped cross-section and cut to a length depending 0: 25 upon the pipe diameter to which the end cap is to be fitted.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the pipe connector sleeve includes a plurality of circumferentially extending sealing and clamping ribs. **0 s* S6. The method according to claim 5, in which the sealing and clamping ribs are provided on the outer and ooo the inner circumferential surfaces of the end cap.

7. The method according to claim 6, in which the plurality of sealing and clamping ribs having a saw tooth- plurality of sealing and clamping ribs having a saw tooth- \\melbfiles\hom$\Jnclach\eep\Speci\P\42360-02 Amended pages.doc 20/07/04 6 like shape and extending in side by side relationship.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the end cap is made from a plastic material or of rubber material.

9. A method for providing a pipe connector sleeve readily adaptable to a pipe and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 21st day of July 2004 NUEVA AG By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia G* *49 it 4* o* *Sl \\melbfiles\home$\JMclach\Keep\Speci\EP\42360-02 Amended pages.doc 20/07/04