Arrangement for connecting two tubular elements

• US 6,102,448 A
• Filed: 02/11/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aeroquip-Vickers International GmbH
• Original Assignee: Aeroquip-Vickers International GmbH
• Inventors: Fixemer, Andreas, Mucke, Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hewitt, James M
• Application Number:
  US09/022,200
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 285/921, 285/330, 285/419, 285/373, 285/910, 285/918, 277/626
• US Class Current: 285/330
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/113 the male part having lugs on its periphery penetrating into the corresponding slots provided in the female part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/921 Snap-fit

Abstract

An arrangement for connecting two pipe ends comprising a respective closure part around each of the pipe ends. The closure parts are connected together in a bayonet-type connection. One closure part includes an annular surface with a first part parallel to a sealing device placed between the pipe ends and with a second part inclined with respect to the sealing device. The latter part draws the closure parts and the pipe ends together as the closure parts are rotated relatively toward each other and as the one closure part is guided along the inclined portion of the annular surface. A respective sealing surface is provided on each of the pipe end parts. The sealing surfaces are brought axially toward each other by movement together of the closure parts. A sealing device is clamped between the sealing surfaces on the pipe ends, when they are brought together by rotating the closure parts, for providing a pressure-tight closure of the pipes at the sealing surfaces, in that rotation of the closure parts to the locked position draws the sealing surfaces against the sealing device, while rotation of the closure to the unlocked position before the closure parts are separated moves the sealing surfaces off sealing against the sealing device, whereby the sealing device is clamped only in the axial direction.

Claims

1. An arrangement for connecting first and second pipe ends of a first and second pipe, respectively, the arrangement comprising:

a first pipe having a first end and having a first sealing surface on the first pipe;

a second pipe having a second end and having a second sealing surface on the second pipe wherein the pipe ends are movable toward each other in an axial direction to move the sealing surfaces toward each other;

a first and a second closure part respectively at the first and the second pipe ends, the first and second closure parts being adapted to engage one another, and once engaged, the first and second closure parts have a first relative axial position;

the closure parts being so shaped, where they engage one another that when they are rotated in one direction, they are moved from the first axial position with respect to each other to reach a second locked position at a second relative axial position closer to each other, the first and second closure parts also defining between them a bayonet-type closure;

an annular sealing device disposed between the first and second sealing surfaces, the sealing device being shaped so that when the sealing device is positioned between the first and second sealing surfaces while the first and second closure parts are in the second locked position, the sealing device is clamped between the first and second sealing surfaces for providing a sealed closure of the pipe ends at the sealing surfaces, the bayonet connection of the closure parts being adapted to enable the sealing surfaces to be moved in the axial direction with respect to one another until the closure parts are moved into the second locked position, and the closure parts further enabling the sealing surfaces to be spaced apart sufficiently so as not to be sealed tightly against the sealing device when the closure parts are in the first position, and the closure parts being thereafter further movable with respect to one another by relative rotation thereof for moving the sealing surfaces into sealing engagement with the sealing device and for clamping the sealing device only in the axial direction.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the closure parts are so sized and shaped that a movement in the axial direction of the closure parts from the locked to an unlocked position is greater than a movement in the axial direction for relieving loading on the sealing device upon moving the pipe ends apart.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the closure parts together define an internal space and the sealing device is arranged to be within the internal space.

4. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein each of the first and second closure parts is arranged rotatably on a respective one of the first and second pipe ends.

5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein each of the first and second closure parts comprises a plurality of partial elements which are joined together to define the respective one of the first and second closure parts around the respective one of the first and second pipe ends.

6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the partial elements of each one of the first and second closure parts include latching elements for latching the partial elements of each of the first and second closure parts together to define respective first and second closure parts.

7. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the first closure part comprises a sleeve and the second closure part has a plug-in section extending toward the first closure part, the plug-in section being insertable into the sleeve of the first closure part when the closure parts are brought together to the locked position.

8. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising the first pipe having a first pipe end region at the first end with the first sealing surface thereon and the second pipe having a second pipe end region at the second end with the second sealing surface thereon, wherein the first and second sealing surfaces are defined on and are part of a respective one of the first and second pipe end regions.

9. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein each of the first and second pipe end regions has an end facing an end of the first and second pipe end regions, one of the first and second pipe end regions including a widened section and the other of the first and second pipe end regions being shaped for fitting into the widened section when the pipe end sections are brought together, the sealing surfaces being so placed as to not interfere with fitting of the other of the first and second pipe end into the widened section of the one of the first second pipe end.

10. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein each of the first and second pipe end regions has an end facing an end of the first and second pipe end regions, one of the first and second pipe end regions including a widened section and the other of the first and second pipe end regions being shaped for fitting into the widened section when the pipe end regions are brought together, the sealing surfaces being so placed as to not interfere with fitting of the other of the first and second pipe end into the widened section of the one of the first and second pipe end.

11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein the first pipe end region has a first flange, the second pipe end region has a second flange and the first and second flanges respectively have the the first and second sealing surfaces thereon.

12. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the first pipe end has a first flange, the second pipe end has a second flange and the first and second flanges respectively have the first and second sealing surfaces thereon;

the first closure part being shaped to receive the second flange and the second closure part being shaped to receive the first flange, each of the first and second flanges has a respective annular surface which faces away from the sealing surface of the other of the first and second flanges and which bears against the respective closure part of the other of the first and second pipe ends, when the closure parts are brought together to the locked position such that the closure parts urge the flanges toward each other.

13. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein one of the first and second closure parts includes a circumferential surface and has an annular surface along the circumferential surface by which the other of the first and second closure parts may be engaged, the annular surface being shaped for controlling an axial movement of the closure parts relative to each other when the closure parts are engaged, a first annular surface section along a lengthwise direction of the annular surface extending generally parallel to the sealing surfaces around the one of the first and second closure parts and a second annular surface section along the lengthwise direction of the annular surface extending along the circumferential surface of the one of the first and second closure parts in a manner which is sloped in the axial direction with respect to the first annular surface section;

the other of the first and second closure parts engages the annular surface; and

a rotated position of the closure parts relative to one another and engagement between the closure parts determines an axial position of the closure parts with respect to each other in attaining the locked position and to attain an unlocked position thereof.

14. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sealing device is an annular element having a profile such that the annular element is axially compressible between the sealing surfaces without significant radial stretching thereof.

15. The arrangement of claim 14, wherein the sealing device has a profile including sealing beads which extend radially inwardly and are inclined outwardly, the beads being shaped and of such length as to define a free space between the beads and the beads are deflectable into the free space upon contact with the sealing surfaces.

16. The arrangement of claim 14, wherein the sealing device has a profile including beads thereon, first beads extend radially for supporting the sealing device and second sealing beads extend axially, the first and second beads projecting so as to define free spaces between neighboring beads including free spaces between one of the second beads and the adjacent first bead into which the first and second beads are deflectable upon the second beads contacting the sealing surfaces.

17. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the closure parts are plastic material parts.

18. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the closure parts are aluminum die castings.

19. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein one of the first and second closure parts includes a circumferential surface and has an annular surface along the circumferential surface by which the other of the first and second closure parts may be engaged, the annular surface being shaped for controlling an axial movement of the closure parts relative to each other when the closure parts are engaged, a first section along a lengthwise direction of the annular surface extending generally parallel to the sealing surfaces and around the one of the first and second closure parts and a second section of the annular surface extending along the circumferential surface of the one of the first and second closure parts in a manner which is sloped in the axial direction with respect to the first section;

the other of the first and second closure parts engages the annular surface; and

a rotated position of the closure parts relative to one another and engagement between the closure parts determines an axial position of the closure parts with respect to each other in attaining the locked position and to attain an unlocked position thereof.