Pipe joints or couplings – End to side or plate – Sput
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-25
2001-07-24
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3729)
Pipe joints or couplings
End to side or plate
Sput
C285S204000, C220S586000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264247
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to water connector assemblies. More specifically, the invention relates to full flow water connector assemblies that are useful with double diaphragm tanks, and whose installation does not damage the diaphragm through which the connector assembly is installed.
2. Related Art
Various arrangements are known in the art for fluid connectors, pipe joints, and couplings, including those applicable to tanks having an inner diaphragm of a flexible or an elastomeric material.
Holtsclaw (U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,663) discloses a flexible liner 42 inserted into a storage tank 19 and a clamp assembly for securing the liner 42 to the tank. The clamping assembly includes a rigid base plate 2, an elastomeric base support 4, an elastomeric clamp plate 8, and a rigid clamp plate 6. A mounting plate 16 attached to the surface of the tank 19 supports pipes 12 and 14 which extend through aligned holes through the base plate 2, base support 4, clamp plate 8, and clamp plate 6. See columns 2-4 and FIG. 2.
Frank et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,464) discloses an air and water impervious flexible bag or diaphragm 5 mounted in a tank 1 which is closed by a head 4. The head 4 is provided with an opening 11 bordered by an annular, downwardly extending flange 12. The diaphragm 5 has a neck formed with an enlarged bead that is sealed between a V-shaped recess formed in the flange 12 and an annular groove formed in the upper surface of an adapter 19. The adapter 19 is also provided with a central bore 27, and a disc 28 is located at the upper end of the bore 27 and is provided with a series of holes 29. A water line 30 is threaded within the lower end of the bore 27. The adapter is clamped in place by a circumferential clamping ring 23.
Purvis (U.S. Pat. No. 1,939,611) discloses a storage and dispensing apparatus for carbon dioxide having a bag 13 clamped to a container wall by a fitting 14 and a nut 15. See page 1.
Mitchell et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,367) discloses a hydraulic brake system bleeder having a bladder 13 wrapped around a ring 44 and compressed between a flange 42 and an inner tank wall. See column 2 and FIG. 1.
Mackal et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,731) discloses an inflation manifold valve and flange assembly having a sidewall separated into a plurality of prongs and bent radially outwardly. See columns 3 and 4 and FIGS. 2-7.
Sirosh (U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,188) discloses a fluid impermeable liner 94 disposed inside a shell 84, and an end boss 104 disposed in the adjacent openings 88 and 98 of the shell 84 and the liner 94, respectively. The boss 104 includes a generally cylindrical neck portion 112 which fits in the opening 88, and an annular collar or flange portion 116 extending radially outwardly from the lower end of the neck portion 112. The portion of the liner 94 that surrounds the opening 98 is formed into a dual-lip arrangement which includes an upper lip segment 124 and a lower lip segment 128 which extends from the underside of the upper lip segment 124 radially inwardly under the lower surface of the flange portion 116, and then upwardly into hollow along the inner walls 118 of the flange portion 116. See columns 4-5 and FIG. 4.
Zahid (U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,458) discloses a bladder assembly 18 connected to the shell 11 of a pressure vessel by a mounting stem assembly 22. The mounting stem 22 includes a generally cylindrical body portion 23 having an external thread 24. A radially extending stop flange 25 is formed on the outer surface of the stem 22 spaced from the innermost end 26 of the stem. A compression flange 27 is formed at the innermost end of the stem 22, the spaced flanges 25 and 27 defining an outwardly facing annular groove 28 between them into which the annular lip 30 of the bladder assembly 18 is inserted. See columns 2-3 and FIG. 2.
Martin et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 2,266,611) discloses a pipe connection for the shell 2 of a hot water tank. The connection comprises a fitting 1 secured to the opening 7 of the shell 2 by a weld 3. The fitting has a cylindrical skirt 6 which extends through an opening in a packing washer 10. A metal washer 11 is placed over the packing washer 10. The projection 6 is flared out at the end to engage the flange 12 and cause the washer 11 to uniformly compress against the tank wall. See columns 1-2 and FIGS. 2, 3, and 5.
Mazur et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,590) discloses a tank 48 having a water impermeable liner or diaphragm 27 and a non-metallic fitting 20 at the aligned openings of the tank 48 and the liner 27. The fitting 20 comprises three components: an internal fitting 46, a grommet 26, and a snap retainer 23. The internal fitting 46 has a central body portion 22 and a flange 28. The grommet 26 is U-shaped with a central opening through which the central body portion 22 of internal fitting 22 is inserted and an annular groove for receiving the lip at the opening of the liner 27. The grommet 26 is held against the inner wall of the tank 48 by the flange 28 of the internal fitting 22. The snap retainer 23 fits over the central body portion 22 on the exterior of the tank 48.
Kamack (U.S. Pat. No. 2,005,087) shows a fitting for a tank.
Ipcinski (U.S. Pat. 5,216,316) shows a material held in place between two domed structures.
However, during installation of certain couplings through bladders or diaphragms made of flexible materials, excessive compression of the diaphragm material accelerates the process by which the material cracks and causes early failure of the diaphragm. It is not believed that known systems have dealt with the problem of preventing application of excessive pressure during installation of couplings. It is to solve this problem that the present invention is directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a full flow water connector assembly for providing water flow across a diaphragm, while safely maintaining the seal separating the two sides of the diaphragm. The assembly has a connector element and a first retainer and a second retainer, compressing a diaphragm gasket, or seal, material between them. The connector has a seal portion extending through an opening through the diaphragm, the seal portion having a plurality of axially extending members extending beyond a plurality of transverse stop surfaces, located intermediate the locator members, and a transverse support member located a predetermined distance below the transverse stop surfaces, on the other side of the diaphragm. The second retainer surrounds the seal portion and rests against the transverse support member; the diaphragm seal material rests on the second retainer and the first retainer presses the diaphragm seal material into the second retainer and against the outer surface of the seal portion. The respective locator members extend through mating openings in the first retainer, and are locked so as to secure the first retainer and maintain the desired predetermined pressure on the diaphragm gasket, which defines the opening through the diaphragm. Significantly, a maximum pressure that the first retainer may exert against the diaphragm gasket is limited by the extent of travel permitted the first retainer, i.e., when the first retainer contacts the transverse stop surfaces; the stop surfaces are at a predetermined distance above the transverse support member on the connector.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a full flow water connector assembly having a connector with a circumferential support flange, and locator prongs that are separated by notches, the notch stop surfaces being a specified distance above the circumferential flange; a second retainer rests upon the flange. The end of the connector including the prongs extends through the gasket opening in the diaphragm, and the locator prongs protrude through respective slots in a diffuser/retainer member, or first retainer. The locator prongs are then swaged so as to press the diffuser/retainer member against the diaphragm gasket, holding the connector assembly together and thus forming a seal
Joerg Wolf
Lombari Robert
Snel Fred
Bochna David E.
Browne Lynne H.
Flexcon Industries, Inc.
Magidoff Barry G.
Sutton Paul J.
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