Flexible joint assembly
AssigneeVictaulic Company
InventorsChristopher Albright, Damian Daigle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible joint is used to accommodate dynamic movement such as settlement, seismic and thermal movements. A portion of an outer surface of a ring is surrounded by a sleeve. A coupling attaches the sleeve to the ring. The sleeve is slidably movable on a section of the portion of the outer surface of the ring. The portion of the outer surface comprises first and second grooves, a partial spherical segment, a first frustoconical segment positioned adjacent the partial spherical segment and a second frustoconical segment positioned adjacent the partial spherical segment. The outer surfaces of the first and second frustoconical segments taper away from the partial spherical segment.
Claims20
A flexible joint, said flexible joint comprising:
- a first ring surrounding a first longitudinal axis and having an outer surface and first and second ends oppositely disposed, said first end of said first ring attachable to an end of a center spool;
- a second ring surrounding a second longitudinal axis and having an outer surface and first and second ends oppositely disposed;
- a sleeve surrounding at least a portion of said outer surface of said first ring and at least a portion of said outer surface of said second ring, said sleeve having an inner surface slidably engageable with a section of said portion of said outer surface of said first ring and a section of said portion of said outer surface of said second ring, said portion of said outer surface of said first ring including said second end of said first ring and said portion of said outer surface of said second ring including said second end of said second ring;
- a first coupling configured to attach said sleeve to said first ring;
- and
- a second coupling configured to attach said sleeve to said second ring;
- wherein
- said portion of said outer surface of said first ring and said portion of said outer surface of said second ring each comprise:
- a partial spherical segment having a longitudinal midpoint,
- a first frustoconical segment positioned adjacent a first end of said partial spherical segment, an outer surface of said first frustoconical segment tapering away from said partial spherical segment at a first angle, and
- a second frustoconical segment positioned adjacent a second end of said partial spherical segment, an outer surface of said second frustoconical segment tapering away from said partial spherical segment at a second angle, and
- a first groove and a second groove spaced axially apart along said longitudinal axis, said first groove positioned on a first side of said longitudinal midpoint of said partial spherical segment, said second groove positioned on a second side of said longitudinal midpoint of said partial spherical segment opposite said first side, said first groove receiving a first seal and said second groove receiving a second seal, each groove of said first and second grooves having an inner wall and an outer wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.