Pipe connectors

A pipe connector (10) comprising:

• a sleeve (50) which is:
• moveable between:
• an installed position in which it surrounds and overlaps the ends of a first (20) and a second pipe (30);
• and a retracted position in which it surrounds and overlaps just one of the ends of the first (20) and second pipes (30);
• and which has;
• first (60) and second (64) retaining device grooves formed on its inner surface that axially align, when in the installed position, with respective complementary retaining device grooves (62, 66) formed on an outer surface of each of the first pipe end (20) and the second pipe end (30);
• first (52) and second (54) pressure seal pockets located between the first (60) and second (64) retaining device grooves for receiving seals (28, 38) that form respective pressure seals between the interior of the sleeve (50) and the exterior of
• the first (20) and second (30) pipe ends when the sleeve (50) is in the installed position,
• the pipe connector (10) additionally comprising:
• elongate retaining devices (56, 58) slideably insertable into channels formed when the retaining device grooves (60, 64) of the sleeve and the retaining device grooves (62, 66) of the pipe ends (20, 30) are aligned, the pipe connector (10) being characterised by:
• the distance (76) between the first retaining device groove (62) and the first pressure seal (28) is greater than the distance (78) between the second retaining device (58) and the second pressure seal (38), which creates an asymmetric arrangement, such that;
• an axial distance between the free end of the first pipe end (20) and the retaining device groove (60) of the first pipe end being different to an axial distance between the free end of the second pipe end (30) and the retaining device groove (64) of the second pipe end.