Pipe connector

• US 9,145,907 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hsiutao Liang
• Original Assignee: Hsiutao Liang
• Inventors: Liang, Hsiutao
• Primary Examiner(s): SKROUPA, JOSHUA A
• Application Number:
  US13/596,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20140062081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 403/49, 403169-172, 403/174, 403/176, 403/178, 403/205, 403/403, 248/62, 248/65, 248/230.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 5/06 Consoles; Brackets E04G3/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 7/14 for clamping the members independently
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/67 Rigid angle couplings
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/0486 forming an abutting connection of at least one tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/349 Coplanar

Abstract

A pipe connector incorporates a main body, a first gripper and a second gripper; wherein the first gripper is installed on one end of the main body and the second gripper installed on the other end of the main body; and the first gripper and second gripper face different directions. The present invention can be used in conjunction with additional pipe connectors so as to increase the number of pipe combinations.

Claims

1. A pipe connector for connecting two pipes, comprising:

a flat plate main body with a first opening at one longitudinal end and a second opening at the opposite longitudinal end;

a first gripper formed on the one longitudinal end of the main body;

a second gripper formed on the opposite longitudinal end of the main body,

wherein the main body, the first gripper, and the second gripper are formed from a single monolithic structure,

a longitudinal axis of the first gripper is positioned in a direction different from a longitudinal axis of the second gripper,

each of the first and second grippers is shaped so as to conformingly surround an outer surface of a corresponding pipe inserted therethrough, and

each of the first gripper and the second gripper extends from the main body and has a lug formed on an outer end thereof, the first gripper lug and the second gripper lug each having an opening positionally aligned with the first and second openings, respectively, on the main body so as to each receive and fixedly position a fastener therebetween.

2. The pipe connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of the first gripper intersects the longitudinal axis of the second gripper and forms an acute, obtuse or right angle therebetween.

3. The pipe connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first gripper is arc-shaped.

4. The pipe connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second gripper is arc-shaped.

5. The pipe connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first gripper is polygonal-shaped.

6. The pipe connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second gripper is polygonal-shaped.

7. The pipe connector as claimed in claim 1, where in the main body is L-shaped along a plane of the flat plate main body.

8. The pipe connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first gripper and second gripper are formed on opposite ends of the L-shaped main body.

9. The pipe connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first gripper is formed curling upward from one end of the L-shaped main body.

10. The pipe connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second gripper is formed curling upward from one end of the L-shaped main body.