Pipe joints or couplings – Serial,relatively movable portions – Linked ball and socket portions
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-21
2001-08-14
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Pipe joints or couplings
Serial,relatively movable portions
Linked ball and socket portions
C285S145300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273476
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an extensible flexible joint and provides a novel mechanism for reliably achieving an extension flexibility action of an extensible flexible joint using a spherical surface, which is superior in durability, and moreover which adequately prevents a bending force from occurring even if a pressure is exerted on the bent portion under a condition when the joint is used.
BACKGROUND ART
Methods for coupling conduits to each other by providing them with a large flexibility have been proposed so far and they are practically used. To secure the flexibility, it is advantageous to use a spherical portion so as to obtain a relatively large flexibility. That is, tubes having ends on which hollow spherical portions are formed so as to be fitted to each other inside and outside are used. The hollow spherical portions are fitted and coupled to each other, a holding portion body is provided to the outside spherical portion, and the inside spherical portion is rotatably held between the outside spherical portion and the holding portion body.
Moreover, by using a set of above flexible joints and slidably coupling the tubes at the joints to each other, an extensible portion between tubes is formed between the above described flexible portions on both sides to obtain not only flexibility but also extensibility. In this case, it is possible to provide flexibility and extensibility to conduits connected to both ends of the joint mechanism while they are parallel.
The above conventional flexible joint and flexible extensible joint have an advantage that a large flexibility and extensibility are obtained. However, because these joints flexibly extend or contract while securing an accurate sealing condition by a sealing material between the above flexible portion and extensible portion, the accuracy of the sealing condition is proportional to the tightness of the sealing material and a considerable frictional resistance is inevitably produced when the joint actually flexibly extends or contracts. Therefore there is a disadvantage that actual flexible extension or contraction is not smoothly performed due to the frictional resistance of the sealing material.
In the case of the conventional joints described above, it is essential to securely and tightly seal the sealing material in order to tightly couple those portion bodies. Therefore, such coupling cannot be sufficiently obtained or leakage may occur when the coupling is inaccurate. Moreover, the sufficiently tightened sealing material has a disadvantage that it is aged or deformed and adequate durability is hardly obtained.
When the above extensible flexible joint is used as a bent tube, the joint is extended due to the pressure of the fluid circulating through the tube. Moreover, when the joint is led from a fixed portion
28
and connected so as to form a bent conduit
26
as shown in
FIG. 7
, an unnecessary bending force is produced in a conduit portion body
27
as shown by imaginary lines and a deformed portion
27
is formed on the conduit or the conduit is cracked or broken.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention achieves stable flexible and extending actions and a high durability as a result of continuous study on how to solve the above problems of conventional joints, using a specific sealing material, forming an adequate stopper portion, and simply and accurately establishing preferable conditions as an extensible flexible joint. Hollow spherical portions formed at the ends of both opposed tubes are fitted to each other inside and outside and coupled to each other so that they can be mutually bent, a packing in which a recessed portion is formed from the side in section is provided between the open end of the hollow spherical portion fitted outside and the outside face of the hollow spherical portion fitted inside, a lip portion formed at least on one side of the recessed portion is joined to the open end face of the hollow spherical portion fitted outside, and a holding member provided to the open end of the hollow spherical portion fitted outside is joined to the packing.
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Ikeda Shintaro
Noda Yuji
Sugiyama Yoshihiko
Bochna David E.
Browne Lynne H.
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
The Victaulic Company of Japan Limited
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