Rolling cuff flexible bellows
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorDonald R. Lambert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible connector apparatus used to join two stiff non-deformable members, such as piping. The apparatus is provided with one or more flexible sections or assemblies each utilizing a bellows of a rolling cuff type connected between two ridge members, with the bellows being supported by a back-up ring, such that only the curved end sections of the bellows are unsupported. Thus, the bellows can be considered as being of a tube-shaped configuration and thus have high pressure resistance. The components of the flexible apparatus are sealed or welded one to another such that it is fluid tight.
Claims20
A flexible connector apparatus for interconnecting substantially rigid members and having at least one flexible assembly, and connector means connected to said flexible assembly adapted for connection with associated rigid members;
- said flexible assembly comprising:
- a single flexible element having a torus-shaped cross-section defining a space therein and having a pair of spaced substantially flat end sections, a longitudinally extending substantially flat body section, and a pair of curved sections each interconnecting said body section with one of said end sections;
- a pair of spaced members fixedly secured to said spaced substantially flat end sections of said flexible element;
- and
- a back-up member positioned in contact with said substantially flat body section of said flexible element, said back-up member having a longitudinally extending length greater than said flat body section of said flexible element.
In a connector apparatus for interconnecting substantially rigid members and having at least one flexible assembly adapted to be connected to said members;
- the improvement comprising a flexible connector assembly composed of:
- a single flexible element having a torus-shaped cross-section defining a space therein and having a pair of spaced adjacent substantially flat end sections, a longitudinally extending substantially flat body section, and a pair of curved sections each interconnecting said body section with one of said pair of end sections, said end sections being adapted to be secured to associated rigid members;
- and
- a back-up member positioned in contact with and extending at least along said substantially flat body section of said flexible element;
- whereby only said curved sections of said flexible element undergo unsupported expansion or contraction upon movement of associated rigid members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.