Protector for the ends of an elongate member
AssigneeBewi Energy AS
InventorGeir Skjevik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A protective cap (1) is proposed for an end of an elongate member (6), such as a male connecting end of a pipe or tube. The cap (1) comprises a sheath of flexible, resilient (i.e. elastic) material (2) to cover part of the outer surface of the member (6) at an end of the member. The protective cap (1) can be applied to the end of the member by unfurling at least part of the sheath 3 from a gathered configuration, such as a rolled-up configuration. The protective cap (1) includes resilient ridges (8) extending inwardly from an insert member (2), and/or a chip at least partly within the cap.
Claims20
A protective cap for covering an outer surface of an elongate member, the protective cap comprising:
- a rigid base portion having an end section and a tubular wall upstanding from the end section to define a cavity;
- an insert portion of flexible, resilient material, inserted into the cavity, an inner surface of the insert portion being for receiving and contacting an end of the elongate member, the inner surface of the insert portion having one or more first ridges;
- and
- whereby, when the end of the elongate member is received within the insert portion the first ridges grip a portion of the outer surface of the elongate member,
- the cap defining a central axis surrounded by each of the base portion and the insert position, wherein the first ridges are circular, and
- wherein the insert portion comprises an end portion contacting the end section of the base portion, and a plurality of legs connecting the end portion and the one or more first ridges, wherein one or more second ridges are upstanding from an inner surface of the legs.
A method for positioning a protective cap on an outer surface of an elongate member, the protective cap comprising:
- a rigid base portion having an end section and a tubular wall upstanding from the end section to define a cavity;
- an insert portion of flexible, resilient material, inserted into the cavity, an inner surface of the insert portion being for receiving and contacting an end of the elongate member, the inner surface of the insert portion having one or more first ridges;
- and
- whereby, when the end of the elongate member is received within the insert portion the first ridges grip a portion of the outer surface of the elongate member,
- the cap defining a central axis surrounded by each of the base portion and the insert portion, wherein the first ridges are circular,
- wherein the insert portion comprises an end portion contacting the end section of the base portion, and a plurality of legs connecting the end portion and the one or more first ridges, wherein one or more second ridges are upstanding from an inner surface of the legs,
- and the method comprising:
- inserting an end of the elongate member into the insert portion, so that an inner surface of the insert portion contacts the outer surface of the elongate member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.