AU764088B2 - A pipe connection assembly - Google Patents

Description

S&F Ref: 493421

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

0 0* 0* 0 Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Caroma Industries Limited 10 Market Street Brisbane Queensland 4000 Australia Craig Reginald Boschen Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 A Pipe Connection Assembly ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [33] Country [31] Applic. No(s) AU PP8422 [32] Application Date 01 Feb 1999 The following statement is a full description, of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- IP Australia Documents recp i v l 1 8 JAN 2000 Batch No: 5815c -1- A PIPE CONNECTION ASSEMBLY FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a pipe connection assembly for connecting the outlet of a pair of sinks or bowls (hereinafter referred to as double bowls) to a single sewerage outlet. Double bowls are commonly used in kitchens and laundries, typically with one bowl containing a washing liquid and the other a rinsing liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hitherto, the outlets of double bowls have been connected to sewerage using what is known as "standard" or "extended" pipe connecting assemblies, depending on the spacing between the outlets.

:i In standard spacing installations, the centres of the outlets are less than about 390 mm apart, and a top inlet of a T-piece is sealingly connected to a first bowl outlet by an O-ring compressed into sealing engagement with the T-piece by a screw on o compression cap. The T-piece also has a side inlet and a bottom outlet. A right angle connector tube also having a top inlet is attached to the second bowl outlet by similar means. The horizontal portion of the connector tube has a plain end which is trimmed to suit the spacing between the bowl outlets and then joined to the T-piece side outlet with a rubber washer sold under the trade name KINGCO which is compressed into gripping and sealing engagement with the connector tube by a screw on compression cap.

In extended spacing installations, the centres of the outlets are more than about 390 mm apart and up to, for example, about 602 mm apart. A right angled connector having a KINGCO washer at one end and an O-ring at the other is provided adjacent the second bowl outlet and a plain piece of tubing with KINGCO washers on either end is cut to size and installed between the outlet of the right angled connector and the inlet of the T-piece.

A disadvantage of the above arrangement is the friction between the KINGCO washer and the compression cap makes it difficult to tighten and fully compress the KINGCO washer, particularly in areas of poor access such as beneath double bowls.

This can result in leaking connections.

It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate the above disadvantage.

[I:\DayLib\LIBD]00443.doc:DMB:KXT Summary of the Invention Accordingly, the present invention provides a pipe connection assembly adapted for connecting each outlet of double bowls to a sewerage outlet, the assembly including a T-piece having a top inlet, a side inlet and a bottom outlet and an angled extension pipe having a top inlet and a side outlet, wherein the T-piece side inlet is adapted for substantially sealed connection to the extension pipe side outlet and includes an inner first annular recess within the side inlet adapted to receive the side outlet of the extension pipe and a peripheral second annular recess adapted to receive a complimentary annular pushon seal disposed around the extension pipe side outlet.

The above described arrangement is suitable for standard spacing installations.

For an extended spacing installations, a straight extension pipe is also provided having a side inlet adapted to push on and engage the side outlet of the angled extension pipe side outlet and a side outlet adapted to push on and engage the T-piece side inlet.

•Brief Description of the Drawings 5. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: ooooe Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a first embodiment of the connection assembly according to the invention connecting the outlets of double bowls having standard spacing; Fig. 2 is a partial cross sectional enlarged side view of the push on connector shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side view of the first embodiment of the pipe connecting assembly according to the invention connecting the outlets of double bowls having extended spacing; S 25 Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side view of the second embodiment of the connection assembly according to the invention connecting the outlets of double bowls having standard spacing; Fig. 5 is diagrammatic side view of the second embodiment of the pipe connecting assembly according to the invention connecting the outlets of double bowls having extended spacing; Fig. 6A is a partial cross sectional enlarged side view of the angled extension pipe push-on connector shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6B is a partial cross sectional enlarged side view of the straight extension pipe push-on connector shown in Fig. [R:\LIBTT]03294.doc:hxa\klp: KEH -3- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a pipe connection assembly 10 adapted for connecting each threaded outlet 12 of double bowls 13 to a sewerage outlet 14. In Fig.

1, the bowls 13 are shown in a standard spacing installation, in which the distance between centres 16 of each of the outlets 12 is less than about 390 mm.

The assembly 10 includes a T-piece 18 and an angled extension pipe 20. The T-piece has a top inlet 22, a side inlet 24 and a threaded bottom outlet 26. The top inlet 22 includes a flange 23 for retaining an O-ring 25. As is well known in the art, a screw on compression cap 27 is provided to theadably engage the outlet 12 and compress the O-ring 25 into sealing engagement with the (left hand side) outlet 12 and top inlet 22. A KINGCO washer 29 is provided on the sewerage outlet 14 and compressed into gripping and sealing engagement with the bottom outlet 26 by a screw on compression cap 31.

The T-piece 18 also includes a spigot 28 for connection to the outlet line of a dishwasher (not shown) which is well known in the art.

S: The angled extension pipe 20 slopes downwardly from a top inlet 30 to a lower side outlet 32. The top inlet 30 is connected to the (right hand side) outlet 12 in a similar manner to that described with reference to the top inlet 22.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the side outlet 24 of the T-piece 18 includes a first ee o annular recess 34 and a second annular recess 36. The first recess 34 is adapted to receive and locate the end of the side outlet 32 of the angled extension pipe 20. The °#o.oi second recess 36 is outwardly displaced from the first recess 34 and is adapted to receive the outer flange of a push-on seal 40 of generally U-shaped cross section. The inner flange of the seal 40 is compressed into sealing engagement between the external 25 periphery of the angled extension pipe 20 and the internal periphery of the outlet 24.

The purpose of the seal is to maintain a substantially fluid type connection between the outlet 24 and the extension pipe The interior surface of the outlet 24 also includes a series of internal longitudinal protuberances 42 which frictionally engage the exterior of the angled extension pipe 20 to facilitate retention of the extension pipe 20 relative to the T-piece 18.

To install the assembly 10, the T-piece 18 and the extension pipe 20 are positioned by hand adjacent their respective outlets 12. The side outlet 32 of the extension pipe 20 is then trimmed to length with a hand saw or the like. The T-piece 18 is then connected to the outlet 12 by the compression cap 27 and the extension pipe is pushed into frictional engagement with the side outlet 24. The seal 40 is then [I:\DayLib\L1BD]00443.doc:DMB:KXT pushed into the position shown in Fig. 3 to complete the connection. The top inlet of the angled extension pipe is then connected to its outlet 12 and the bottom outlet 26 of the T-piece is connected to sewerage outlet 14 by the compression caps 27 and 31 respectively.

Fig. 3 shows the pipe connection assembly 10 connecting the outlets 12 of the double bowls 13 when their centres 16 are at an extended spacing of more than about 390 mm and up to about 602 mm. The O-rings, KINGCO washer and compression caps are not shown in Fig. 3. In this extended spacing installation, the assembly also includes a straight extension pipe 44 having a plain downstream end 46, similar to the end 32 of the extension pipe 20, and an upstream end 48, similar to the side inlet 24 of the T-piece 18. As with the installation of the standard spacing installation, the components are generally positioned in their installed configuration and then one of the angled extension pipe 20 or the straight extension pipe 44 are trimmed to length before being connected in the manner previously described.

Figs. 4 to 6B show a second embodiment of a pipe connecting assembly Fig's. 4 and 6A show the assembly 50 in a standard spacing installation. Fig's. 6 and °o6B show the assembly 50 in an extended spacing installation. Like reference numerals to those used in describing the first embodiment will be used to denote like features **.with respect to the second embodiment.

20 The second embodiment of the pipe connecting assembly 50 is similar to the first embodiment except it uses a different type of push-on seal 52. As best shown in Figs. 6A and 6B, the side outlet 24 of the T-piece 18 and the upstream end 48 of the straight extension pipe 44 both include an outwardly then inwardly flared end 54 of approximately V-shaped cross-section. The proximal and distal inner surfaces 56 and 58 of the flared end 54 serve to locate the seal 52 which has a matching outer profile.

S°The inner profile of the seal 52 includes two sealing surfaces 60 which are adapted to be compressed into gripping and sealing relationship with the outer surface of the end 32 of the angled extension pipe (see Fig. 6A) or the downstream end 46 of the straight extension pipe 44 (see Fig. 6B). The seal 52 also has an inwardly tapered inner surface 62 to facilitate ease of insertion of the pipe 20 or 44 into the seal 52.

In a further embodiment (not shown), the T-piece 18 shown in Figs 4 to 6B also includes the internal protuberances 42 shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

The pipe connecting assemblies described possess many advantages over those of the prior art. Firstly, the pipe connecting assemblies are adapted for use in both standard and extended installations with the addition of only a single extra component, namely of the straight extension pipe thereby reducing component inventory and manufacturing costs. Secondly, the use of push-on seals allows the assemblies to be [I:\DayLib\LBD]00443.doc:MMB:KXT installed quickly and using only hand tools. Thirdly, the angled extension pipe also finds application in connecting the flushing outlet of a cistern to the water inlet of a pan in toilet installations for the disabled in which the pan is spaced further outward from the cistern when compared to normal cistern installations. This also reduces component inventory.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

[I:\DayLib\LIBD]00443.doc:DMB:KXT

Claims (13)

1. A pipe connection assembly adapted for connecting each outlet of double bowls to a sewerage outlet, the assembly including a T-piece having a top inlet, a side inlet and a bottom outlet and an angled extension pipe having a top inlet and a side outlet, wherein the T-piece side inlet is adapted for substantially sealed connection to the extension pipe side outlet and includes an inner first annular recess within the side inlet adapted to receive the side outlet of the extension pipe and a peripheral second annular recess adapted to receive a complimentary annular push-on seal disposed around the extension pipe side outlet.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angled extension pipe outlet has a plain cylindrical end.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein a straight extension pipe is also provided having a side inlet adapted to push-on and engage the side outlet of the i" angled extension pipe and a side outlet adapted to be received by the T-piece side inlet.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the side outlet of the straight extension pipe has a plain cylindrical end.

The assembly as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the plain cylindrical end of the side inlet of the angled extension pipe is adapted to be received within a complimentary first recess provided in the straight extension pipe inlet.

6. The assembly as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the interior of the T-piece side inlet includes a plurality of longitudinal protuberances adapted to frictionally engage the exterior of the angled or straight extension pipe side outlet.

7. The assembly as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the **interior of the straight extension pipe side inlet includes a plurality of longitudinal protuberances adapted to frictionally engage the exterior of the angled extension pipe side outlet.

8. The assembly as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the straight extension pipe inlet includes a second annular recess adapted to receive a complimentary push-on seal disposed around the angled extension pipe side outlet.

9. The assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second annular recess of the T-piece side inlet is a substantially V-shaped annular recess adapted to retain the push-on seal having a complimentary exterior profile.

The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second annular recesses of the side inlets are substantially V-shaped annular recesses adapted to retain push-on seals having a complimentary exterior profile. [R:\LIBTT]03294.doc:hxap: KEH

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein each push-on seal includes two sealing surfaces adapted to be compressed into gripping and sealing engagement with the plain cylindrical end of the angled or straight extension pipes.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein each push-on seal has an inwardly tapered leading inner surface.

13. A pipe connection assembly substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. Dated 17 June, 2003 Caroma Industries Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON o*o *•oo [R:\LIBTT]03294.doc: hxa\klp: KEH