Flangeless coupler fused inside opposing ends of conduits
AssigneeRonald V. Andronaco
InventorsRonald V. Andronaco, Theodore Scofield
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flangeless conduit coupler for joining the ends of two conduits together includes a metallic element and a polymeric element. The metallic element includes a hollow cylindrical element having a plurality of perforations established therethrough. The polymeric element is overmolded at the metallic element so that the metallic element is encapsulated by the polymeric element with the polymeric element present within the perforations of the metallic element. The coupler is disposed in flared ends of opposing conduits and is fused therein to join the conduits and seal the conduit joint. The coupler has an inside diameter that corresponds with the inside diameter of the conduits remote from the flared ends.
Claims15
A conduit joint that joins opposing ends of two conduits together, the conduit joint comprising:
- a first conduit having a first end and a first flared end region, wherein the first flared end region is flared so that an inside diameter of the first flared end region is greater than an inside diameter of the first conduit remote from the first flared end region;
- a second conduit having a second end and a second flared end region, wherein the second flared end region is flared so that an inside diameter of the second flared end region is greater than an inside diameter of the second conduit remote from the second flared end region;
- a coupler that is received in the first flared end region of the first conduit and the second flared end region of the second conduit;
- wherein the coupler comprises a metallic element and a polymeric element overmolded at the metallic element, and wherein the metallic element comprises a hollow cylindrical element having a plurality of perforations established therethrough, and wherein the polymeric element is overmolded at the metallic element so that the metallic element is encapsulated by the polymeric element with the polymeric element present within the perforations of the metallic element;
- and
- wherein, with the coupler received in the first flared end region of the first conduit and in the second flared end region of the second conduit, the coupler is fused to inner surfaces of the first and second flared end regions of the first and second conduits.
A method of joining opposed ends of two conduits together, the method comprising:
- providing a first conduit having a first end and a first flared end region;
- providing a second conduit having a second end and a second flared end region;
- providing a coupler, wherein the coupler comprises a metallic element and a polymeric element overmolded at the metallic element, and wherein the metallic element comprises a hollow cylindrical element having a plurality of perforations established therethrough, and wherein the polymeric element is overmolded at the metallic element so that the metallic element is encapsulated by the polymeric element with the polymeric element present within the perforations of the metallic element;
- inserting a first part of the coupler into the first flared end region of the first conduit and inserting a second part of the coupler into the second flared end region of the second conduit;
- and
- fusing the coupler to inner surfaces of the first and second flared end regions of the first and second conduits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.