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US 2016/0305584 A1Published application
Apparatus and related methods for pipe coupling
OwnerDaniel William C. Delmerinventor
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OwnerDaniel William C. Delmerinventor
Estimating the term…
Apparatus and methods for joining similar pieces of plastic pipe includes using the shape memory of the pipe pieces to slightly deform a “female” end to permit insertion therein of a non-deformed male end. The deformation is sufficient to permit the insertion but not so large as to preclude the substantially complete “recovery” of the female end's shape and size, using the “shape memory” of the pipe material. Embodiments include, without limitation, single-walled (or mono-walled) pipe, pipe formed from multiple material layers, corrugated pipe, flat-walled pipe, and others. Preferred tools and apparatus are disclosed for stretching the female end and maintaining the desired stretch during transportation and storage, for sealing the joint (via adhesive/sealant, flange gasket, O-ring, or the like), and for further protecting the resulting joint.
Apparatus for joining a plurality of pieces of pipe, including a first piece of pipe fabricated with a cross-sectional sidewall pattern along its length that is similar in size and shape to the cross-sectional sidewall pattern of a second piece of pipe, said first piece having a first female end that is temporarily deformed for receiving a non-deformed end of said second piece of pipe, said temporary deformation being both sufficiently large to permit the insertion of said non-deformed end of said second piece of pipe but also sufficiently small to ensure that the material memory of said first end returns said first end toward its original non-deformed configuration with sufficient compressive force to grip said second end and prevent its inadvertent removal from engagement with said first end.
A method of assembling a plurality of pipe pieces together, including the steps of:
A coupling system for coupling like-shaped and like-sized pipe segments to each other, including a female end of a first pipe and a male end of a second segment, at least one of said female and said male ends being temporarily deformed within its elastic limits to permit insertion of said male end into said female end, said temporarily deformed end returning toward its original configuration following insertion of said male end into said female end, said female and male ends configured so that hoop stresses are generated by the material memory of said deformed end to maintain desired engagement between said pipe segments.
A pipe joint comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.