Recreation vehicle waste pipe sealing unit

A coupling device, for engaging with a waste pipe, comprising:

• a main body having a second end for insertion into an opening of the waste pipe and an opposed first end, and the main body having an exterior surface;
• a flange being supported by the main body between the first end and the second end of the main body;
• a single movable member, having a collar, being freely slidable axially along the exterior surface of the main body between the first and the second end of the main body;
• and
• a single sealing sleeve supported by the main body, a second end of the sealing sleeve being directly affixed to the main body adjacent the second end thereof while a first end of the sealing sleeve being directly connected to the collar of the movable member, and the movable member being located between the first end of the main body and the sealing sleeve;
• wherein an exterior diameter of an intermediate region of the sealing sleeve, in a relaxed unbiased state, is greater than an exterior diameter of the first end of the sealing sleeve and an exterior diameter of the second end of the sealing sleeve;
• whereby when the movable member is moved along the main body in a first direction toward the first end of the main body, a minimum dimension of the sealing sleeve is achieved to facilitate insertion of the second end of the main body into the waste pipe and, when the movable member is moved in an opposite second direction along the main body toward the second end of the main body, a maximum dimension of the sealing sleeve is achieved to facilitate formation of a seal with an inner surface of the waste pipe.

A method of engaging a coupling device to a waste pipe, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a main body with a second end which is sized for insertion into an opening of the waste pipe and the main body having an opposed first end and an exterior surface;
• only providing the main body with a single movable member which is freely slidable axially along the exterior surface of the main body between the first and the second end of the main body;
• only supporting a single sealing sleeve on the main body with the sealing sleeve, in a normal unbiased state, having an intermediate section with a transverse dimension which is greater than a transverse dimension of both a first end thereof and a second end thereof;
• directly affixing a second end of the sealing sleeve to the main body, adjacent the second end thereof, and directly affixing a first end of the sealing sleeve to the movable member with the movable member being located between the first end of the main body end the sealing sleeve;
• and
• moving the movable member along the main body in a first direction toward the first end of the main body, to minimize a dimension of the sealing sleeve and facilitate insertion of the second end of the main body into the waste pipe;
• end
• moving the movable member in an opposite second direction along the main body toward the second end of the main body so as maximize the dimension of the sealing sleeve and facilitate formation of a seal with an inner surface of the waste pipe.