Anticorrosion sleeve

An anticorrosion sleeve comprising:

• a resin sleeve having a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion on the inner circumference thereof and a transition therebetween that defines, when viewed in cross-section, a step, the resin sleeve further comprising a circular groove recessed into the inner circumference of the small-diameter portion such that the groove is defined by opposing side walls spaced apart from one another, wherein the circular groove is positioned on an upper end of the small-diameter portion proximate the step;
• and
• a metal sleeve to be tightly received in the resin sleeve so that the metal sleeve expands the resin sleeve in diameter when the metal sleeve is inserted into the resin sleeve, the metal sleeve comprising an engagement end portion, an intermediate portion, and a tapered end portion having an outer diameter that gradually decreases toward the intermediate portion;
• wherein the engagement end portion of the metal sleeve comprises a projected ring portion on the outer circumference thereof;
• and
• wherein the projected ring portion is received in the circular groove to connect the metal sleeve to the resin sleeve in a partially assembled state with the tapered end portion exposed from the resin sleeve;
• wherein the metal sleeve and resin sleeve, connected in the partially assembled position, are insertable into an opening in a pipe before the metal sleeve is further pushed into the resin sleeve to expand the resin sleeve in diameter.

A method comprising:

• providing a resin sleeve having a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion on its inner circumference thereof and a transition therebetween that defines, when viewed in cross-section, a step, the resin sleeve including a circular groove recessed into the inner circumference of the small-diameter portion such that the groove is defined by opposing side walls spaced apart from one another, wherein the circular groove is positioned on an upper end of the small-diameter portion proximate the step;
• providing a metal sleeve that expands the resin sleeve in diameter when the metal sleeve is fully inserted into the resin sleeve, the metal sleeve having a lower engagement end portion and an upper end portion, the metal sleeve having a projected ring on the outer circumference of the lower engagement end portion;
• inserting the metal sleeve into the resin sleeve to a partially assembled position where the projected ring of the metal sleeve is received in the circular groove of the resin sleeve with the tapered end portion exposed from the resin sleeve and the metal sleeve is ready to expand the resin sleeve;
• inserting the partially assembled metal sleeve and resin sleeve into an opening in a pipe;
• and
• expanding the resin sleeve until the small-diameter portion is tightly engaged with the opening by further inserting the metal sleeve into the resin sleeve to a position where the upper end portion is expanding the large-diameter portion of the resin sleeve, the lower engagement end portion is expanding the small-diameter portion, and the projected ring disengages with the circular groove of the resin sleeve.

An anticorrosion sleeve for a saddle valve having a water passage ring comprising:

• a resin sleeve having a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion;
• and
• a metal sleeve to be tightly received in the resin sleeve so that the metal sleeve expands the resin sleeve in diameter when the metal sleeve is inserted into the resin sleeve, the metal sleeve comprising an engagement end portion, an intermediate portion, and a tapered end portion having an outer diameter that gradually decreases toward the intermediate portion, the tapered end portion being capable of expanding the large-diameter portion of the resin sleeve into engagement with a water passage ring of the saddle valve;
• wherein the intermediate portion of the metal sleeve is passed through the large-diameter portion of the resin sleeve to be ready to expand the small-diameter portion of the resin sleeve in diameter before further pushing the metal sleeve into the resin sleeve, and wherein the tapered end portion of the metal sleeve is ready to be tightly engaged with the large-diameter portion in a manner such that the metal sleeve expands the large-diameter portion in diameter;
• and
• wherein the metal sleeve comprises a projected ring portion on a lower end of the outer circumference of the engagement end portion, wherein the resin sleeve comprises a circular groove on an upper end of the inner circumference of the small-diameter portion;
• wherein the metal sleeve is connected to the resin sleeve with the projected ring portion engaged with the circular groove as a partially assembled position with the tapered end portion exposed from the resin sleeve;
• wherein the metal sleeve and resin sleeve, connected in the partially assembled position, are insertable into an opening in a pipe.