Pipes and tubular conduits – With closures and plugs
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-04
2003-01-21
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3679)
Pipes and tubular conduits
With closures and plugs
C138S089400, C138S090000, C285S312000, C285S901000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06508274
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed towards a plug for a circular article. More particularly, the present invention is directed towards a dust plug for a fluid conduit system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known in the fitting/coupling art to use dust plugs with fluid conduit systems, e.g. hoses, threaded pipes, that have been provided with a coupling. The dust plug is inserted into the end of the system, mating with the coupling, to prevent any loss of material from the system and to prevent the introduction of foreign material into the system. A conventional dust plug for a cam and groove fitting is illustrated in FIG.
5
. The plug
100
has a central body
110
with a hollow center
112
. One end of the plug
114
has a tapered end
116
to facilitate insertion of the dust plug
100
into the hose. Along the length of the central body
110
is a groove
118
that cooperates with a lever arm of a cam and groove coupling. The other end of the dust plug
100
has a tab
120
. The tab
120
has an aperture
122
for inserting a chain. Typically, a chain is inserted into the tab
120
in order to mate the plug
100
with the system so that the plug
100
is not lost when not inserted into a coupling. However, since the tab
120
is the only portion of the plug
100
that is graspable once the plug
100
is inserted into a coupling, operators have tended to use the tab
120
as the removal means for the plug
100
, either by directly pulling on the tab
120
or pulling the chain threaded through the tab
120
.
The dust plug
100
is inserted into a coupling so that the end
114
is inserted into the fluid conduit system while only the tab removal means
120
extends outside of the coupling and hose end. The hollow center
112
communicates with the interior of the system and any material that may flow through the system. To remove the dust plug
100
from the hose, after releasing the lever arm of the cam and groove fitting, the operator typically pulls any chain mounted through the aperture
122
.
However, this dust plug
100
has several design limitations. Because the axial end
114
is a tapered ring of metal, the end
114
of the dust plug may become easily damaged by dropping the dust plug
100
. Since the hollow center
112
of the dust plug
100
communicates with the interior of the fluid conduit system and any material within the system, any dirt or any other foreign objects that enter into the hollow center
112
may enter the system and potentially contaminate the material flowing through the system. The shape of the dust plug
100
makes it difficult and time-consuming for an operator to clean out the hollow center
112
of the dust plug
100
each time the dust plug
100
is inserted into a coupling. Also, the configuration of the removal means
120
is susceptible to being damaged and broken off if the dust plug
100
is dropped or if the operator pulls too hard on any chain threaded through the aperture
122
. Once the removal means
120
is broken off, removal of the dust plug
100
becomes extremely difficult for the operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed towards a dust plug for insertion into a fitting that overcomes or eliminates the disadvantages of the conventional dust plug. The dust plug is comprised of an insertion end, removal means, and a hollow central body located between the insertion end and the removal means. The plug is characterized by the insertion end being formed as a solid flat end.
Another aspect of the inventive dust plug is that the removal means is formed as a continuous lip about the end of the hollow central body.
In another aspect of the invention, the removal means has a diameter greater than the outer diameter of the hollow central body.
In another aspect of the invention, the plug is further characterized by the plug comprising an intermediate area adjacent the removal means and the hollow central body. The intermediate area may have a diameter less than the outer diameter of the hollow central body. The intermediate area may also be provided with at least one tab formed therein so that a chain may be attached to the plug.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3451583 (1969-06-01), Lee, II
patent: 4105135 (1978-08-01), Bradshaw et al.
patent: 4342337 (1982-08-01), Underwood
patent: 4706836 (1987-11-01), Greck
patent: 4872710 (1989-10-01), Konecny et al.
patent: 4948179 (1990-08-01), Kulikowski et al.
patent: 5224515 (1993-07-01), Foster et al.
patent: 5320460 (1994-06-01), Murakami et al.
patent: 5479961 (1996-01-01), DeMarsh et al.
patent: 5538297 (1996-07-01), McNaughton et al.
patent: 5622211 (1997-04-01), Martin et al.
patent: 6027143 (2000-02-01), Berg et al.
Collins Giovanna M.
Krawczyk Nancy T.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
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