Connection for a thermoplastic pipe, assembly and method

A flexible pipe connection system comprising:

• a pipe having a wall including an inner surface defining an inner diameter of the pipe, an open end through which the inner diameter is accessed, and a thermoplastic outer jacket exposed on an outer surface of the pipe adjacent the open end;
• and a connection for connecting to the open end of the pipe, the connection including a coupling and an insert, the coupling including an inner wall surface, an outer wall surface and a wall thickness between the inner wall surface and the outer wall surface, an electrical conductor supported by the wall thickness and extending about a circumference of the coupling, a pair of contacts exposed on the outer wall surface and electrically in contact with the electrical conductor for connecting an electrical power source to the electrical conductor and the insert including an outer tubular surface and having a rigidity greater than that of the coupling, the system including the insert installed within the inner diameter to support the pipe and the coupling installed over the pipe with the electrical conductor overlapping the thermoplastic outer jacket and the inner wall surface fused to the thermoplastic outer jacket by thermoplastic melting of the thermoplastic outer jacket by the electrical conductor.

A method for connecting a first pipe to a second pipe, the first pipe and the second pipe each having a wall including an inner surface defining an inner diameter, an open end through which the inner diameter is accessed, and a thermoplastic outer jacket exposed on an outer surface of the wall adjacent the open end, the method comprising:

• inserting an end of the first pipe into a coupling formed as a tube and including an inner wall surface defining an inner diameter, an outer wall surface, an electrical conductor supported by the coupling and extending about a circumference of the coupling, a pair of contacts exposed on the outer wall surface and electrically in contact with the electrical conductor for connecting an electrical power source to the electrical conductor, positioning the coupling with the electrical conductor overlapping the thermoplastic outer jacket of the coupling, generating an electrical current through the electrical conductor to melt the thermoplastic outer jacket and to fuse the first pipe to the coupling, inserting an end of the second pipe into the coupling and positioning the coupling with the electrical conductor overlapping the thermoplastic outer jacket of the coupling, and generating an electrical current through the electrical conductor to melt the thermoplastic outer jacket and to fuse the second pipe to the coupling.