Corrugated plastic pipe connector

• US 5,094,482 A
• Filed: 02/14/1990
• Issued: 03/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Adaptaflex Limited
• Original Assignee: John Petty, Sandy Mcneil
• Inventors: Petty, John, McNeil, Sandy
• Primary Examiner(s): Arola, Dave W.
• Application Number:
  US07/480,184
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 285/319, 285/903, 285/92, 285/260, 285/423, 285/320
• US Class Current: 285/319
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/4407 by flexible movement of undercut portions of the articles
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 25/0045 of the quick-acting type
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0985 the flexible hook extending radially inwardly from an outer part and engaging a bead, recess or the like on an inner part F16L37/0982 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/903 Corrugated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/921 Snap-fit

Abstract

A liquid tight connector for affixing, in a liquid tight manner, to a conduit having a ridge located adjacent to its end, wherein the conduit extends into a bore (5) and abuts against a sealing surface (6) and is held in liquid tight engagement therewith. A locking member (9) projects into the bore (5) and locks on to the ridge of the conduit.

Claims

1. A reusable one-piece liquid-tight plastic connector for affixing in a liquid-tight manner to a conduit having a ridge adjacent a conduit end portion, the connector comprising:

a body including a body wall and a bore, open at a first end communicating with said bore for receiving therein the conduit end portion;

sealing means, disposed in said bore remote from said first end, for sealing in a liquid-tight manner against the conduit end, the conduit end portion having been pushed through said first end into said bore;

an axially extending resilient locking finger having a base attached to the body wall intermediate said first end and said sealing means, and having a free end with an end projection disposed within said body, said end projection extending into said bore, said base being located between said free end and said first end of said bore;

a body wall region whereat said base of said finger is attached being thinner in cross section than other portions of said body, said thinning contributing to the resiliency of said finger, wherein the body wall region of thinner cross section extends from the base of said finger to the first end;

the end projection of said finger resiliently engaging the ridge on the conduit end portion so as to retain the conduit end against said sealing means to form a liquid-tight seal, locking the conduit end portion within the connector; and

a force attempting to withdraw the conduit from the connector causing the end projection of said finger to more firmly and deeply resiliently engage and retain said ridge such that a greater withdrawal force results in a firmer and deeper engagement with said ridge such that the conduit end portion is locked within the connector.

2. A reusable one-piece liquid-tight plastic connector for affixing in a liquid-tight manner to a conduit having a ridge adjacent a conduit end portion, the connector comprising:

a body including a body wall and a bore, open at a first end communicating with said bore for receiving therein the conduit end portion;

sealing means, disposed in said bore remote from said first end, for sealing in a liquid-tight manner against the conduit end, the conduit end portion having been pushed through said first end into said bore;

an axially extending resilient locking finger having a base attached to the body wall intermediate said first end and said sealing means, and having a free end with an end projection disposed within said body, said end projection extending into said bore, said base being located between said free end and said first end of said bore;

the end projection of said finger resiliently engaging the ridge on the conduit end portion so as to retain the conduit end against said sealing means to form a liquid-tight seal, locking the conduit end portion within the connector; and

a body wall region at which the base of the finger is attached, the region being thinner in cross section than other portions of said body, said thinning contributing to the resiliency of said finger to cause the end projection to pivot inwardly and more firmly engage the conduit when a withdrawal force is applied to the conduit.

3. A reusable one-piece liquid-tight plastic connector for affixing in a liquid-tight manner to a conduit having a ridge adjacent a conduit end portion, the connector comprising:

a body including a body wall and a bore, open at a first end communicating with said bore for receiving therein the conduit end portion;

sealing means, disposed in said bore remote from said first end, for sealing in a liquid-tight manner against the conduit end, the conduit end portion having been pushed through said first end into said bore;

an axially extending resilient locking finger having a base attached to the body wall intermediate said first end and said sealing means, and having a free end with an end projection disposed within said body, said end projection extending into said bore, said base being located between said free end and said first end of said bore;

a body wall region whereat said base of said finger is attached being thinner in cross section than other portions of said body, said thinning contributing to the resiliency of said finger;

the end projection of said finger resiliently engaging the ridge on the conduit end portion so as to retain the conduit end against sealing means to form a liquid-tight seal, locking the conduit end portion within the connector; and

a force attempting to withdraw the conduit from the connector causing the end projection of said finger to more firmly and deeply resiliently engage and retain said ridge such that a greater withdrawal force results in a firmer and deeper engagement with said ridge such that the conduit end portion is locked within the connector.

4. The connector of claim 3, wherein the finger has an axially directed length and a circumferentially directed width, said width being longer than said length.

5. A reusable one-piece plastic connector for affixing to a conduit having a ridge adjacent a conduit end portion, the connector comprising:

a body including a body wall and a bore, open at a first end communicating with said bore for receiving therein the conduit end portion;

an axially extending resilient locking finger having a base attached to the body wall spaced apart from said first end, and having a free end with an end projection disposed within said body, said end projection extending into said bore, said base being located between said free end and said first end of said bore;

a body wall region whereat said base of said finger is attached being thinner in cross section than other portions of said body, said thinning contributing to the resiliency of said finger, wherein the body wall region of thinner cross section extends from the base of said finger to the first end;

the end projection of said finger resiliently engaging the ridge on the conduit end portion so as to retain the conduit within the connector; and

a force attempting to withdraw the conduit from the connector causing the end projection of said finger to more firmly and deeply resiliently engage and retain said ridge such that a greater withdrawal force results in a firmer and deeper engagement with said ridge such that the conduit end portion is locked within the connector.

6. A reusable one-piece plastic connector for affixing to a conduit having a ridge adjacent a conduit end portion, the connector comprising:

a body including a body wall and a bore, open at a first end communicating with said bore for receiving therein the conduit end portion;

an axially extending resilient locking finger having a base attached to the body wall spaced apart from said first end, and having a free end with an end projection disposed within said body, said end projection extending into said bore, said base being located between said free end and said first end of said bore;

the end projection of said finger resiliently engaging the ridge on the conduit end portion so as to retain the conduit within the connector; and

a body wall region at which the base of the finger is attached, the region being thinner in cross section than other portions of said body, said thinning contributing to the resiliency of said finger to cause the end projection to pivot inwardly and more firmly engage the conduit when a withdrawal force is applied to the conduit.

7. A reusable one-piece plastic connector for affixing to a conduit having a ridge adjacent a conduit end portion, the connector comprising:

a body including a body wall and a bore, open at a first end communicating with said bore for receiving therein the conduit end portion;

an axially extending resilient locking finger having a base attached to the body wall spaced apart from said first end, and having a free end with an end projection disposed within said body, said end projection extending into said bore, said base being located between said free end and said first end of said bore;

a body wall region whereat said base of said finger is attached being thinner in cross section than other portions of said body, said thinning contributing to the resiliency of said finger;

the end projection of said finger resiliently engaging the ridge on the conduit end portion so as to retain the conduit within the connector; and

a force attempting to withdraw the conduit from the connector causing the end projection of said finger to more firmly and deeply resiliently engage and retain said ridge such that a greater withdrawal force results in a firmer and deeper engagement with said ridge such that the conduit end portion is locked within the connector.

8. The connector of claim 7, wherein the finger has an axially directed length and a circumferentially directed width, said width being longer than said length.