Patent Application
20080048446
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to the same parts in the several views and in which:
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures.
The assembly 10 of the present invention may be incorporated into variously shaped couplings, such as Y-couplings as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,859. In addition the assembly 10 may also used on straight lengths of pipe.
In the following description of the assembly 10, a preferred embodiment is described in which the tube is a pipe, the tubular body portion 12 is cylindrical in shape, and the retainer 18 is in the general shape of a ring.
Referring to
The assembly 10 further comprises a gasket 34 housed within the gasket retaining space 22. Gasket 34 is elastomeric. Preferably, the gasket is annular in shape when used in a cylindrical body portion. Gasket 34 includes an annular gasket portion 36 having a top end 38 and a bottom end 40, and preferably circumferential ribs 41a and 41b on the inside face 43 of the annular gasket portion 36. Bottom end 40 of the annular gasket portion 36 is received within the pocket 30. Gasket 34 also includes a sleeve portion 42 extending radially inwardly toward the axis of the body portion 12 from the annular gasket portion 36. Preferably, the sleeve portion 42 extends from the top end 38 of the annular gasket portion 36. Gasket 34 further comprises an annular top portion 44 extending from the top end 38 of the annular gasket portion 36.
In a preferred embodiment, far end 45 of sleeve portion 42 is thicker than the closer end 47. This feature allows the gasket 34 to create a better seal as will be explained in greater detail below. Further, gasket 34 is made from typical elastomeric material, such as EPDM and nitrile (a copolymer of butadiene and acrylonitrile). Gasket 34 preferably is made from a single elastomer and has an Elastomer Durometer in the range of about 45 to about 65, most preferably about 60 to about 65. As well, gasket 34 may have a dual elastomer construction, where the inside elastomer is relatively softer than the outside elastomer. In such a dual elastomer construction, the outside elastomer preferably has an Elastomer Durometer in the range of about 60 to about 80, and the inside elastomer preferably has an Elastomer Durometer in the range of about 40 to about 60, most preferably about 45.
The third component of the assembly 10 is a retainer 18 that is adapted for mounting over the wall 24 that defines the gasket retaining space 22. The retainer 18 is preferably made of a rigid plastic material and is adapted to retain the gasket 34 housed within the gasket retaining space 22. The retainer 18 has a generally inverted j-shape comprising a top retainer portion 48, which in the embodiment shown in
The exterior engaging leg 54 together with the exterior face 28 further comprise a retaining assembly. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in
As shown in
In use, when a tube or pipe is inserted into the opening 16 and received in the assembly 10, the tube or pipe compresses the sleeve portion 42 of the gasket 34 against the annular gasket portion 36. This compression of these parts of the gasket 34 occurs at a compression zone on the gasket 34. Generally, the compression zone is located at one or both of the circumferential ribs 41a and 41b, and in the embodiment where the sleeve portion 42 has a thicker far end 45, the compression zone will generally be located near the lower circumferential rib 41b. Further, it is also possible to make lower rib 41b bigger than upper rib 41a to ensure that the compression zone is created at the lower rib 41b. A further advantage to having a thicker far end 45 on the sleeve portion 42 is to create a better water impermeable seal when the tube or pipe is placed in the assembly 10.
When a tube or pipe is inserted into assembly 10, the creation of the compression zone in the gasket 34 will create a radially outward force against the wall 24. Thus, it will be seen that it is advantageous to have the retaining assembly located anywhere along the length of the exterior engaging leg 54, preferably it is located opposite the annular gasket portion 36, and most preferably the retaining assembly is located opposite the compression zone.
Thus, when a tube or pipe is inserted into assembly 10, the sleeve portion 42 of the gasket 34 acts to create a liquid impermeable seal between the outside wall of the tube and the gasket 34. As well, the radially outward force created by the compression of the sleeve portion 42 on the annular gasket portion 36 does at least three additional things. First, it assists in holding the pipe in the assembly 10. Second, the annular gasket portion 36 is compressed against the interior face 26 of the wall 24 thus creating a seal at the gasket/wall interface. Third, the compression creates a radially outward force that further locks the retainer 18 in place without the need of any extraneous material such as glue, solvents etc.
When assembly 10 is in use with a tube or pipe retained within it, a pressure is typically created in the interior space of the assembly 10. This pressure, in combination with gasket 34 that has annular gasket portion 36 and sleeve portion 42, will further assist in creating a better seal at the interface between the annular gasket portion 36 and the interior face 26. As well, the pressure creates a longitudinal force on gasket 34 towards the top end 38 of the annular gasket portion 36. This, in turn, pushes interior leg 50 of the retainer 18 in an upward longitudinal direction (upward being in the direction of the first end 14 of the assembly), thereby assisting in further locking the retainer 18 in position because notch 58 is caused to be held within groove 62. This pressure also creates a radially outward force causing wall 24 to deflect outward, thereby further locking the retainer 18.
The body portion 12 and the retainer 18 of the assembly 10 is preferably made of any suitable hard plastic, such as PVC, polypropylene, etc. PVC is the preferred material of construction used.
As seen in
In the embodiment of the assembly 10 shown in
Although the present invention has been shown and described with respect to its preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other changes, modifications, additions and omissions may be made without departing from the substance and the scope of the present invention as defined by the attached claims.
