DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary gasification pipe connection system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the male adapter in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the female adapter in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a dowel stop configuration of the male adapter and the female adapter in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of a ratchet stop configuration of the male adapter and the female adapter in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of a two way release configuration of the male adapter and the female adapter in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of a no way release configuration of the male adapter and the female adapter in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As discussed in detail below, embodiments of the present invention include an improved connection system, wherein the connection system provides a boltless and flangeless mechanism of connecting objects such as gas pipes with desirable sealing. The connection system includes a twist-on mechanism during assembly and twist-off mechanism during disassembly of the objects that makes it convenient for usage. A seal compression force prevents joints that are connected from coming apart.
In an illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1, a cross-sectional view of an exemplary gasification pipe connection system 10 is shown. The system 10 includes two pipes 12 and 14 that are connected to each other via a male adapter 16 and a female adapter 18. An end of the pipe 12 is attached to the male adapter 16 while an end of the pipe 14 is attached to the female adapter 18. An annular seal ring 20 provides sealing between the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 enabling a desirably tight connection. The male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 may be fitted inside the pipes 12 and 14 so as to enable desirable clearance outside. In an example, the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 are welded inside ends of the pipes 12 and 14 respectively.
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatical illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the male adapter 16 as referenced to in FIG. 1. The male adapter 16 includes a first base structure 30 and a neck structure 32 that protrudes out of the first base structure 30. The base structure 30 includes the seal ring 20 as referenced to in FIG. 1. The seal ring 20 may include a material that requires minimal torque for installation while maintaining an effective seal. In an example, the seal ring 20 may include a rubber O-ring seal. The neck structure 32 includes a plurality of first lobes 34 that extend radially outward from the neck structure 32. Each of the first lobes 34 includes a first mating surface contour on a bottom surface 36. The lobes 34 are circumferential flange sections internal to the male adapter 16. In an example, the neck structure 32 may include a hollow annular structure. In another example, the first base structure 30 may include a hollow annular structure. As shown in FIG. 1, the male adapter 16 is welded internal to a pipe 12. This may lead to a constriction in flow area of a liquid or gas through the pipe 12. Hence, providing a hollow structure for the male adapter 16 would minimize constriction in the flow of the liquid or gas. Further, it may be desirable to provide a pipe of a diameter slightly larger than that of the flow area in order to accommodate for the constriction in flow.
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatical illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the female adapter 18 as referenced to in FIG. 1. The female adapter 18 includes a second base structure 40 that includes a plurality of second lobes 42 extending radially inward from the second base structure 40. Each of the multiple second lobes 42 include a second mating surface contour on a top surface 44 that is configured to fit into the first mating surface contour of the bottom surface 36 in the male adapter 16 in FIG. 2. In an example, the second base structure 40 may include a hollow annular structure. As in the case of the male adapter 16 described above, the female adapter 18 is also welded internal to the pipe 14 as shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, this may lead to a constriction in flow area of a liquid or gas through the pipe 14. Hence, providing a hollow structure for the female adapter 18 would minimize constriction in the flow of the liquid or gas.
During coupling of the male adapter 16 with the female adapter 18, the first mating surface contour on the bottom surface 36 of the male adapter 16 is configured to twist on and twist off the second mating surface contour on the top surface 44 of the female adapter 18 in specific directions. While twisting on, the seal ring 20 as referenced to in FIG.1, which is disposed on the first base structure 30 is configured to compress so as to hold the female adapter 18 against the male adapter 16 in an equilibrium position. When the male adapter 16 is twisted on to the female adapter 18, the seal ring 20 gets compressed initially at least twice as much as that it would in the equilibrium position. Once the equilibrium position is reached, the seal ring 20 releases slightly so as to enable a tight connection between the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18. Special contouring of the bottom surface 36 of the male adapter 16 in FIG. 2 and the top surface 44 of the female adapter 18 compresses the seal ring 20 desirably enough to enable required bonding at joints. Various embodiments of contouring of the bottom surface 36 and the top surface 44 are described in detail below in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7.
In an illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 4, an exemplary configuration of the first mating surface contour on the bottom surface 36 of the male adapter 16 in FIG. 2 and the second mating surface contour on the top surface 44 of the female adapter 18 in FIG. 3 is provided. The exemplary configuration 50 is referred to as a dowel stop configuration. In the dowel stop configuration 50, the bottom surface 36 as referenced to in FIG. 2 of the male adapter 16 is twisted on in a direction 52 and twisted off in an opposite direction 54. In the dowel stop configuration 50, the first mating surface contour of the male adapter 16 and the second mating surface contour of the female adapter includes inclined planes 58 and 60 respectively. When the inclined planes 58 and 60 of the first mating surface contour and the second mating surface contour respectively, are aligned, the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 are in an unstable position. Hence, a dowel pinhole 64 is required in both the inclined planes 58 and 60 such that a dowel pin may be inserted to hold the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 together. The compressive annular ring 20 as referenced to in FIG. 1 is compressed so as to create a tight bond between the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 when twisted on as shown in a twist on configuration 62.
In another illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 5, an exemplary configuration of the first mating surface contour on the bottom surface 36 of the male adapter 16 in FIG. 2 and the second mating surface contour on the top surface 44 of the female adapter 18 in FIG. 3 is provided. The exemplary configuration 70 is referred to as a ratchet stop configuration. In the ratchet stop configuration 70, the bottom surface 36 as referenced to in FIG. 2 of the male adapter 16 as referenced to in FIG. 1 are twisted on in a direction 72 and twisted off in the same direction 72. In the ratchet stop configuration 70, the first mating surface contour of the male adapter 16 and the second mating surface contour of the female adapter 18 include two inclined planes 76 and a step 78 between the inclined planes 76. The step 78 allows twisting off the male adapter 16 in only one direction 74. During twist on, as the second mating surface contour of the female adapter 18 encounters the step 78 of the male adapter 16, the female adapter 18 falls in place and gets locked. If the female adapter 18 is further twisted in the same direction 72, it gets unlocked. However, there is no unlocking if twisted in an opposite direction. Such a configuration may be used in a pipe system where a torque is being applied on the pipes in a specific direction. In such a case, the ratchet stop configuration can be designed to twist off only in a direction opposite to the direction of the applied torque. The compressive annular ring 20 as referenced to in FIG. 1 facilitates in providing a tight bond at joint 82 between the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 when twisted on as seen in a twist on configuration 80.
In another illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 6, an exemplary configuration 90 of the first mating surface contour on the bottom surface 36 of the male adapter 16 in FIG. 2 and the second mating surface contour on the top surface 44 of the female adapter 18 in FIG. 3 is provided. The exemplary configuration 90 is referred to as a two way release configuration. In the two way release configuration 90, the bottom surface 36 as referenced to in FIG. 2 of the male adapter 16 as referenced to in FIG. 1 may be twisted on in a direction 92 and twisted off in either direction 92 or 94. In the two way release configuration 90, the first mating surface contour of the male adapter 16 and the second mating surface contour of the female adapter includes three inclined planes 96. The three inclined planes 96 do not prevent twisting off in either direction, as there is no barrier like the step 78 in FIG. 5. Slope of the inclined planes 96 is directly proportional to torque applied during twisting on of the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18. Hence, a gentler slope may be designed for an easier twist on process. The compressive annular ring 20 as referenced to in FIG. 1 facilitates in providing a tight bond between the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 when twisted on as seen in a twist on configuration 98.
In another illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 7, an exemplary configuration 100 of the first mating surface contour on the bottom surface 36 of the male adapter 16 in FIG. 2 and the second mating surface contour on the top surface 44 of the female adapter 18 in FIG. 3 is provided. The exemplary configuration 100 is referred to as a no way release configuration. In the no way release configuration 100, the bottom surface 36 as referenced to in FIG. 2 of the male adapter 16 as referenced to in FIG. 1 may be twisted on in a direction 102 and may not be twisted off in any direction. In the no way release configuration 100, the first mating surface contour of the male adapter 16 and the second mating surface contour of the female adapter 18 include an inclined plane 104, a straight plane 106 and a step 108 between the inclined plane 104 and the straight plane 106. The step 108 acts as a stop lock that locks the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 in place and does not give any degree of freedom to be twisted off. Hence, when the inclined planes 104 of the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 align, the step 108 locks the male adapter and the female adapter thus preventing them from twisting off. The compressive annular ring 20 as referenced to in FIG. 1 facilitates in providing a tight bond between the male adapter 16 and the female adapter 18 when twisted on as seen in a twist on configuration 110.
Some of the non-limiting advantages of the above mentioned connection system are non-inclusion of bolts or flanges to join parts in the system. In addition, the aforementioned embodiments of the invention may be fitted inside pipes or other systems that need to be connected thus enabling an easier process of assembly and disassembly.
While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
Patent Application
20070284880
