SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PIPE COUPLINGS

• US 20120248767A1
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sandra M. Lippka
• Original Assignee: Tyco Fire Products LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Lippka, Sandra M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,404,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/369
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 17/04 with longitudinally split or divided sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/005 made of elastic material, e.g. partly or completely surrounded by clamping devices comprising packing adapted to sealing by fluid pressure F16L17/04, F16L11/20; hose clips F16L33/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A coupling arrangement that includes a gasket seal (40) and a housing (12, 14) having a first lateral side (100) for receiving a first pipe segment (4) and a second lateral side (102) for receiving a second pipe segment (2), the second lateral side (102) being spaced from the first lateral side (100) to define a medial axis (A-A) of the housing. An inner surface (22) of the housing defines a cavity for engaging and housing a gasket seal (40) disposed about the first and second pipe segments. The gasket seal (40) includes a peripheral surface (48) and inner surface (50) which can include features that engage both the housing and the pipe segments to form a fluid tight pipe joint assembly.

Claims

1. A coupling comprising:

a housing; and

a gasket disposed in the housing for forming a seal about a pipe joint, the gasket including;

a first lateral side;

a second lateral side spaced from the first lateral side so as to define a medial axis there between;

an exterior surface; and

an inner surface, the exterior and inner surfaces extending between the first and second lateral surfaces so as to be bisected by the medial axis, the inner surface defining a central leg extending along the medial axis, the inner surface further defining a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip, the first and second sealing lips being disposed about the central leg so as to define a first transition portion of the inner surface extending between the first sealing lip and the central leg and a second transition portion between the second sealing lip and the central leg, the first and second transition portions extending in the direction from the sealing lip towards the medial axis and the peripheral wall so as to define a positive slope.

2. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises

a first lateral side for receiving a first pipe segment;

a second lateral side for receiving a second pipe segment, the second lateral side being spaced from the first lateral side to define a medial axis of the housing; and

an inner surface for engaging and housing the gasket to be disposed about the first and second pipe segments, the inner surface defining a cavity and a central coupling axis, the inner surface extending between the first lateral side and the second lateral side so as to be bisected by the medial axis and define an increasing depth of the cavity from the lateral side to the medial axis, the inner surface defining a profile between one of the lateral sides and the medial axis having;

a sidewall portion;

a backwall portion; and

a transition portion between the sidewall portion and the backwall portion, the transition portion defining a negative slope in the direction from the one lateral side to the medial axis, the transition portion includes a first radiused portion, a second radiused portion with a straight line segment extending between the first and second radiused portions, the straight line segment defining the negative slope.

3. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the transition portion defines a notch along the inner surface of the housing.

4. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the first radiused portion has a center of curvature disposed on one side of the straight line, the second radiused portion having a center of curvature disposed on the other side of the straight line.

5. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the first radiused portion defines a first cavity depth of the housing and the second radiused portion defines a second cavity depth less than the first cavity depth.

6. The coupling of claim 5, wherein the backwall portion defines a third cavity depth being greater than the second cavity depth.

7. The coupling of claim 6, wherein the backwall portion defines a third cavity depth being less than at least the first cavity depth.

8. The coupling of claim 5, wherein the backwall portion defines a third cavity depth being equal to the second cavity depth.

9. The coupling of claim 2, wherein the backwall portion is substantially linear extending substantially parallel to the central coupling axis.

10. The coupling of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises:

a first lateral side for receiving a first pipe segment;

a second lateral side for receiving a second pipe segment, the second lateral side being spaced from the first lateral side to define a medial axis of the housing; and

an inner surface defining a cavity for engaging the gasket and extends between the first lateral side and the second lateral side so as to define an inner diameter profile which decreases for at least a portion between at least one of the lateral sides and the medial axis.

11. A gasket for forming a seal in a pipe coupling, the gasket comprising:

a body having first lateral side, a second lateral side spaced from the first lateral side so as to define a medial axis there between, the body further including an exterior surface and an inner surface to define a thickness of the body, the exterior and inner surfaces extending between the first and second lateral surfaces so as to be bisected by the medial axis, the inner surface defining a central leg extending along the medial axis, the inner surface further defining a sealing lip between the lateral side and the central leg, the inner surface further defining a transition portion between the sealing lip and the central leg such that the body thickness decreases in a direction from the lateral side to the central leg.

12. The gasket of claim 11, wherein the gasket is disposed in a housing, the housing comprises:

a first lateral side for receiving a first pipe segment;

a second lateral side for receiving a second pipe segment, the second lateral side being spaced from the first lateral side to define a medial axis of the housing; and

an inner surface defining a cavity for engaging a gasket seal disposed about the first and second pipe segments, the inner surface extending between the first lateral side and the second lateral side so as to define an inner diameter profile which decreases for at least a portion in a direction from one of the lateral sides to the medial axis.

13. A gasket for forming a seal in a pipe coupling, the gasket comprising:

a first lateral side;

a second lateral side spaced from the first lateral side so as to define a medial axis there between;

an exterior surface and an inner surface, the exterior and inner surfaces extending between the first and second lateral surfaces so as to be bisected by the medial axis, the inner surface defining a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip, the first and second sealing lips being disposed about the medial axis, the inner surface including a transition portion extending in the direction from the sealing lip towards the medial axis and the peripheral wall so as to define a positive slope.

15. The coupling of claim 13, wherein the inner surface of the housing defines a medial diameter less than the point of contact diameter.

19. The gasket of claim 15, wherein the central portion is substantially arcuate.

14. A coupling comprising:

a housing having a first lateral side for receiving a first pipe segment;

a second lateral side for receiving a second pipe segment, the second lateral side being spaced from the first lateral side to define a medial axis of the housing; and

an inner surface defining a cavity, the inner surface extending between the first lateral side and the second lateral side so as to define an inner diameter profile of the coupling, the inner diameter of the coupling decreasing for a portion of the profile in a direction toward the medial axis between at least one of the lateral sides and the medial axis to define a point of contact diameter, the inner surface defining a medial diameter no greater than the point of contact diameter; and

a gasket disposed in the cavity having a diameter greater than the point of contact diameter, the gasket including;

a first lateral side and a second lateral side spaced from the first lateral side so as to define a medial axis there between;

an exterior surface and an inner surface, the exterior and inner surfaces extending between the first and second lateral surfaces so as to be bisected by the medial axis, the inner surface defining a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip, the first and second sealing lips being disposed about the medial axis, the inner surface including a transition portion extending in the direction from the sealing lip towards the medial axis and the peripheral wall so as to define a positive slope.

16. A gasket for forming a seal in a pipe coupling, the gasket comprising:

a first lateral side;

a second lateral side spaced from the first lateral side so as to define a medial axis therebetween;

a peripheral surface and an inner surface, the peripheral and inner surfaces extending between the first and second lateral surfaces so as to be bisected by the medial axis, the inner surface defining a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip, the first and second sealing lips being disposed about the medial axis, the inner surface including a transition portion extending in the direction from one of the first and second sealing lips towards the medial axis and the peripheral wall so as to define a positive slope, the peripheral surface defining a profile having a pair of radiused end portions disposed about the medial axis with a central portion extending between the two radiused end portions, the radiused end portions defining the maximum diameter of the gasket.

17. The gasket of claim 16, wherein the inner surface defines a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip, the first and second sealing lips being disposed about the medial axis, the inner surface including a transition portion extending in the direction from one of the first and second sealing lips towards the medial axis and the peripheral wall so as to define a positive slope.

18. The gasket of claim 16, wherein the central portion is linear extending substantially perpendicular to the medial axis.

20. A gasket for forming a seal in a pipe coupling comprising:

an annular body having first lateral side and a second lateral side spaced from the first lateral side so as to define a medial axis therebetween; and

a peripheral surface extending between the first and second lateral surfaces so as to be bisected by the medial axis, the peripheral surface defining a profile having a pair of end portions disposed about the medial axis with a central portion extending between the two end portions such that the diameter of the body varies symmetrically from the first lateral side to the second lateral side, the central portion being radially inward of the pair of end portions, the end portions defining the maximum diameter of the body.

21. The gasket of claim 20, wherein the end portions are radiused.

22. The gasket of claim 21, wherein the end portions include a linear segment extending parallel to the central portion. a peripheral surface extending between the first and second lateral surfaces so as to be bisected by the medial axis

23. The gasket of claim 20, wherein the central portion is arcuate.

24. The gasket of claim 20, further comprising an inner surface having central leg extending along the central axis.

25. A coupling comprising:

a gasket; and

a housing having;

a first lateral side for receiving a first pipe segment;

a second lateral side for receiving a second pipe segment, the second lateral side being spaced from the first lateral side to define a medial axis of the housing; and

an inner surface defining a cavity for engaging the gasket and extends between the first lateral side and the second lateral side so as to define an inner diameter profile which decreases for at least a portion between at least one of the lateral sides and the medial axis, the inner surface including

a sidewall portion;

a backwall portion; and

a transition portion between the sidewall portion and the backwall portion, the transition portion defining a negative slope in the direction from the one lateral side to the medial axis, the transition portion includes a first radiused portion, a second radiused portion with a straight line segment extending between the first and second radiused portions, the straight line segment defining the negative slope, the first radiused portion having a center of curvature disposed on one side of the straight line, the second radiused portion having a center of curvature disposed on the other side of the straight line, the first radiused portion defining a first cavity depth of the housing and the second radiused portion defining a second cavity depth less than the first cavity depth, the backwall portion defining a third cavity depth being equal to the second cavity depth.

26. The coupling of claim 25, wherein the gasket comprises:

a first lateral side and a second lateral side spaced from the first lateral side so as to define a medial axis therebetween; and

an exterior surface and an inner surface, the exterior and inner surfaces extending between the first and second lateral surfaces so as to be bisected by the medial axis, the inner surface defining a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip, the first and second sealing lips being disposed about the medial axis, the inner surface including a transition portion extending in the direction from the sealing lip towards the medial axis and the peripheral wall so as to define a positive slope, the exterior surface defining a profile including a pair of enlarged end portions disposed about the medial axis with a central portion disposed therebetween, the central portion being radially inward of the enlarged end portions to engage the backwall portion of the housing.

27. The coupling of claim 26, wherein the gasket includes a central leg.

28. The coupling of claim 25, wherein the gasket comprises:

an annular body having first lateral side and a second lateral side spaced from the first lateral side so as to define a medial axis therebetween; and

a peripheral surface extending between the first and second lateral surfaces so as to be bisected by the medial axis, the peripheral surface defining a profile having a pair of end portions disposed about the medial axis with a central portion extending between the two end portions such that the diameter of the body varies symmetrically from the first lateral side to the second lateral side, the central portion being radially inward of the pair of end portions, the end portions defining the maximum diameter of the body.

29. A method of sealing a pipe joint comprises

radially compressing a tapered inner surface of a housing component on a gasket disposed within a cavity defined by the inner surface, the gasket having a medial axis, a flex point, and a linear segment between the flex point and the medial axis, the linear segment defining a positive slope in the direction toward the medial axis;

and

locating a notch defined by the tapered surface between the medial axis and the flex point a lower point such that the compressing moves a lateral portion of the gasket against a sidewall of the housing.