Flexible joint for connecting two pipes

• US 4,856,822 A
• Filed: 07/14/1987
• Issued: 08/15/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Birch F. Parker
• Original Assignee: Birch F. Parker
• Inventors: Parker, Birch F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arola, Dave W.
• Application Number:
  US07/097,966
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 285/144, 285/264, 285/62, 285/268, 285/424, 285/94
• US Class Current: 285/62
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/1811 with means permitting relative movement, e.g. compensation of thermal expansion or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/02 Universal joints, i.e. with mechanical connection allowing angular movement or adjustment of the axes of the parts in any direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/04 with partly spherical engaging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/0861 Arrangements of joints with one another and with pipes or hoses

Abstract

A hollow flexible joint (10) for connecting two pipes (6, 8) in an engine exhaust system, which includes two or more tubular coupling members (12, 14) adapted for connection between the pipes (6, 8), the tubular members (12, 14) each being sealingly and pivotally engaged with another tubular member (12, 14), and two of the tubular members (12, 14) being engageable with a respective adjacent end of each of the pipes (6, 8). The joint includes three or more pairs of part-spherical mated sealing surfaces (11a, 11b, 11c), and can remain gas-tight even when one of the pipes (6, 8) articulates universally relative to the other.

Claims

1. In a vehicle, an improved hollow flexible joint connected between the ends of two tubular exhaust pipes and permitting relative angulation therebetween, which includes:

a first tubular coupling member having a part-spherical end providing an external mating surface;

a second tubular coupling member having a part-spherical end providing an internal mating surface, the internal mating surface being of the same effective radius as said external mating surface, the said mating surfaces being adapted both to mate and pivot one relative to the other;

a plurality of resilient finger-like extensions projecting from said second tubular coupling member around part of the part-spherical end of the first coupling member,

a force-transmitting pad located by each finger-like extension against the part-spherical end of the first tubular coupling member,

said extensions each having a section which exerts by way of said pad a force externally on the part-spherical end of the first tubular coupling member in a direction to urge said mating surfaces into sealing engagement,

the remainder of the extensions being spaced outwardly from the part-spherical end of the first tubular coupling member;

an extension part on each of the finger-like extensions;

and means to urge each extension part inwardly towards the first tubular coupling member to increase the force urging the said mating surfaces into sealing engagement.

2. In a vehicle, an improved hollow flexible joint connected between the ends of two tubular exhaust pipes and permitting relative angulation therebetween, comprising:

a first axially-extending tubular coupling member having a bulbous end providing an external mating surface;

a second axially-extending tubular coupling member having a cup-like end providing an internal mating surface, the said internal mating surface being pivotally and sealingly engaged with said external mating surface;

a plurality of resilient fingers extended axially from the second tubular coupling member, and spaced around part of the bulbous end of the first tubular coupling member;

an extension part on each of the fingers, each said extension part being alongside but radially spaced from a part of the first tubular coupling member;

a pad located between and engaging a finger and an exposed part of the bulbous end of the first coupling member spaced from the external mating surface; and

means to vary the spacing between each said extension part and the first tubular coupling member to vary the force applied to the said exposed part of the first tubular coupling member and hence between said mating surfaces, said force having an axially-directed component transmitted to said exposed part by way of the pad.

3. In a vehicle, an improved hollow flexible joint connected between the ends of two tubular exhaust pipes and permitting relative angulation therebetween, comprising:

a first tubular coupling member with an enlarged end of part-spherical shape;

a complementary tubular coupling member also having an enlarged end of part-spherical shape and connected to said first tubular coupling member by the coupling of said ends, with at least part of the first

coupling member being within the complementary coupling member, the first tubular coupling member being movable within said complementary tubular coupling member until said ends are sealingly and pivotally engaged;

extensions from said complementary tubular coupling member extending alongside but externally of and spaced from the enlarged end of the first coupling member;

a plurality of pads releasably located against an exposed surface of the enlarged end of the first tubular coupling member, each respective pad being so located by a respective one of the said extensions, each said pad being slidable upon and relative to said exposed surface as the first tubular coupling member moves further within the complementary tubular coupling member;

an extension part for each of said extensions, said extension parts extending alongside but externally of and spaced from the first coupling member; and

means to draw in the extension parts towards the first tubular coupling member to exert increased pressure on each respective extension to increase the sealing engagement between the said ends, and to cause the pads to follow movement of the first tubular member into the complementary tubular coupling member during take-up of wear.

4. In a vehicle, an improved hollow flexible joint connected between the ends of two tubular exhaust pipes and permitting relative angulation therebetween comprising:

two terminal tubular coupling members, each having at one end an enlarged portion and at the other end a non-enlarged portion, the said non-enlarged portions being sealingly engaged with the respective ends of the two tubular exhaust pipes, the enlarged portion of one of the two terminal coupling members including an external mating surface and the enlarged portion of the other of the two terminal coupling members including an internal mating surface;

two intermediate tubular coupling members, each having at each end an enlarged portion, the enlarged portion at one of said ends including an internal mating surface and the enlarged portion at the other of the said ends including an external mating surface;

wherein the external mating surface of the said one of the two terminal coupling members sealingly and pivotally mates with the internal mating surface of one of the two intermediate tubular coupling members to form a first pair of mating surfaces, and the internal mating surface of the other of the two terminal tubular coupling members sealingly and pivotally mates with the external mating surface of the other of the two intermediate coupling members to form a second pair of mating surfaces;

and wherein the external mating surface of the said one of the two intermediate coupling members is sealingly and pivotally engaged with the internal mating surface of the said other of the two intermediate coupling members to form a third pair of mating surfaces;

means to urge each of the respective pairs of mating surfaces into sealing engagement, said means including resilient finger-like extensions from each coupling member including an internal mating surface;

a pressure pad between each of said extensions and an outwardly curving segment of the enlarged portion including an external mating surface, the respective extension applying pressure by way of the pressure pad;

means to adjust the pressure applied by way of the pressure pad;

abutment means carried by that coupling member of a pair having the external mating surface, the abutment means being located between two adjacent finger-like extensions to limit relative rotational pivoting of said pair of mating surfaces;

wherein said first, second, and third pairs of mating surfaces are in non-rectilinear array, movement of the ends of said two tubular exhaust pipes closer together increasing the non-rectilinearity, continued movement of said ends when the abutment of one of said pairs is engaged causing pivoting and/or rotational movement in another of said pairs without destroying the gas-tightness of the joint.