Spherical seat flexible O-ring coupling
First Claim
1. A flexible, fluid-conveying coupling for coupling a tubular fluid-conveying part to a further fluid-conveying part in a fluid-conveying system, comprising a sleeve, a tubular flange adapted to be fixed to said tubular fluid-conveying part and extending into said sleeve such that said sleeve circumferentially surrounds a portion of said flange with sufficient clearance to allow radial displacement of said flange relative to said sleeve, an elastically deformable seal ring carried by said flange and deformed between the inner periphery of said sleeve and said flange to establish a seal between said flange and said sleeve, said flange being formed with means for confining said seal ring against axial displacement relative to said flange, and means defining first and second bearing seats lying in seating engagement with one another and located axially beyond said sleeve, said first bearing seat having a diameter larger than the inner diameter of said sleeve thereby preventing said first bearing seat from entering said sleeve, said first bearing seat being operatively connected to said flange and said second bearing seat being operatively connected to said sleeve, said bearing seats providing for universal articulation of said flange relative to said sleeve about a center that lies at least in close proximity to a plane normally intersecting the longitudinal axis of said flange and passing through a pre-selected region of said flange, said pre-selected region lying within said sleeve and having an outer diameter that is at least approximately equal to the outside diameter of any other portion of said flange lying within said sleeve.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Flexible fluid couplings incorporating spherical seats which permit the interconnected pipe section to move axially and/or articulate relative to each other. O-ring seals in the coupling are protected against pressure induced extrusion. The center of articulation is located in a plane which passes close to the O-ring seals.
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Citations
9 Claims
- 1. A flexible, fluid-conveying coupling for coupling a tubular fluid-conveying part to a further fluid-conveying part in a fluid-conveying system, comprising a sleeve, a tubular flange adapted to be fixed to said tubular fluid-conveying part and extending into said sleeve such that said sleeve circumferentially surrounds a portion of said flange with sufficient clearance to allow radial displacement of said flange relative to said sleeve, an elastically deformable seal ring carried by said flange and deformed between the inner periphery of said sleeve and said flange to establish a seal between said flange and said sleeve, said flange being formed with means for confining said seal ring against axial displacement relative to said flange, and means defining first and second bearing seats lying in seating engagement with one another and located axially beyond said sleeve, said first bearing seat having a diameter larger than the inner diameter of said sleeve thereby preventing said first bearing seat from entering said sleeve, said first bearing seat being operatively connected to said flange and said second bearing seat being operatively connected to said sleeve, said bearing seats providing for universal articulation of said flange relative to said sleeve about a center that lies at least in close proximity to a plane normally intersecting the longitudinal axis of said flange and passing through a pre-selected region of said flange, said pre-selected region lying within said sleeve and having an outer diameter that is at least approximately equal to the outside diameter of any other portion of said flange lying within said sleeve.
- 8. A flexible fluid-conveying coupling for coupling a tubular fluid-conveying part to a further fluid-conveying part in a fluid conveying system comprising a sleeve, a tubular flange adapted to be fixed to said tubular fluid conveying part and slidably extending into said sleeve such that said sleeve circumferentially surrounds a portion of said flange, an elastically deformable seal ring carried by said flange and deformed between said flange and the inner periphery of said sleeve to establish a seal between said flange and said sleeve, a tubular member formed separately of said flange and being free of fixation to said flange, and a further member mounted on said sleeve and having a first bearing seat which is contained in a spherical envelope, and said tubular member circumferentially surrounding said flange and having a second bearing seat which is contained in a spherical envelope and which interfittingly engages said first bearing seat when said flange is disposed in a pre-selected position in said sleeve to provide for articulation of said flange relative to said sleeve, said flange being formed with a formation which engages one end of said tubular member when said flange is disposed in said pre-selected position, said second bearing seat being disposed at the other end of said tubular member, said tubular member being held captive between said formation and said first bearing seat when said flange is disposed in said pre-selected position, said tubular member having an intermediate portion extending axially between said one end and said second bearing seat at said other end such that said one end and said second seat are axially remote from one another, said flange engaging said tubular member only at said one end thereof and said first and second bearing seats being disposed axially beyond the confines of said sleeve, said second bearing seat having a diameter larger than the inner diameter of said sleeve thereby preventing said second bearing seat from entering said sleeve and said tubular member being radially spaced from the assembly of said flange and said fluid conveying part at least in the region of said second bearing seat.
Specification