GB2120341A

GB2120341A - A deformable tubular connector

Info

Publication number: GB2120341A
Application number: GB08308468A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Giorgio Ravotti
Original assignee: Gilardini SpA
Current assignee: Marelli Europe SpA
Priority date: 1982-05-12
Filing date: 1983-03-28
Publication date: 1983-11-30
Also published as: DE8226854U1; ES267628Y; BE896397A; FI831101L; CH654091A5; DK140783D0; NL8301317A; PT76482A; SE8301712L; IT8253273V0; SE8301712D0; GB8308468D0; ES267628U; DK140783A; PT7748Y; NO831070L; FI831101A0

Abstract

A deformable tubular connector for connecting together two sections of a fluid duct, an intermediate part of which is defined by a tubular element (4) formed as a bellows constituted by a corrugated metal tube in such a way as to define a plurality of annular ribs (5) having a substantially U-shape section and being plastically deformable to and from a closely compressed configuration. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A deformable tubular connector The present invention relates to a deformable tubular connector for connecting together two sections of a fluid duct.

Although usable in any technical field for connecting together the ends of two ducts located substantially facing one another at a relatively short distance from one another and lying in positions varying within a determined range both in the direction of the axis of one of the said ducts and transversely of this axis, and about an axis perpendicular to the said axis, the connector of the present invention finds particularly advantageous utility in all those situations in which the lack of space available and/or the rigidity of the supports of the ducts themselves does not allow these latter to be moved to adjust their relative position before connection.

A particularly advantageous field of use of the connector of the present invention, to which the following description will make special reference without by this any loss of generality, is that of the connection of gas boilers both of the wall mounted type and the floor standing type to the gas supply network and to the mains water system and/or the hot water.

Gas boilers mentioned above, and in particular those used for heating domestic dwellings, are generally provided on their rear wall, which is adapted to be located facing an outside wall of the building, with five terminals, three of which are respectively provided for the supply of gas, mains water and heating water, and two are provided for the output of the hot mains water and the hot heating water. These five terminals are normally arranged alongside one another on the same level at a given distance from one another and should be, in theory, perfectly aligned with the corresponding number of terminals supported by the said wall.Unfortunately, this does not normally occur so that the fitters, upon assembly of the said boilers, are constrained in order to connect the said corresponding terminals together, to perform complicated operations the difficulty of which is increased by the relatively small space (normally in the region of 6 centimetres) existing between the said rear wall of the boiler and the house wall.

The object of the present invention is that of providing a connector suitable to allow the passage of both liquids and gaseous fluids, which will allow the above described difficulties to be overcome with ease and simplicity.

The said object is achieved by the present invention in that it relates to a deformable tubular connector for connecting together the two sections of a fluid duct, the said connector including a first and a second tubular end element, and a tubular intermediate section rigidly connected to the two tubular end elements, characterised by the fact that the said intermediate tubular section includes a tubular element formed as a bellows and constituted by a corrugated metal tube in such a way as to define, along any generatrix, a series of ribs having a substantially U-shaped section, which is plastically deformable to and from a closely compressed configuration.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate a nonlimitative embodiment thereof in which: Figure 1 illustrates in axial section, and in a "closely compressed" operative position, a connector formed according to the principles of the present invention; and Figures 2 and 3 are two side views of the connector of Figure 1 illustrated in two other different operative positions.

In Figure 1 there is illustrated a tubular connector, generally indicated with the reference numeral 1 , which can be interposed between two sections (not illustrated) of a duct (not illustrated) to permit the flow of a liquid or gaseous fluid sealed therein.

The tubular connector 1 includes two tubular end elements 2 and 3 joined together by an intermediate tubular section constituted by a corrugated metal tube 4 in the form of a bellows defining a series of contiguous ribs 5 of annular form.

As illustrated, in particular in Figure 1, the tubular element 2 has a substantially cylindrical form and is provided at its end opposite that connected to the associated end of the tube 4, with an outer annular flange 6. The tubular element 2 is slidable and rotatable within an axial through hole 7 in a bottom wall 8 of a cup-shaped body 9. This latter has a side wall 10 provided internally with screw threads 11 which can cooperate with the outer threads (not illustrated) of one of the said sections of the duct (not illustrated).

The tubular element 2 can slide axially with respect to the cup-shape body 9 between a normal working position illustrated in the drawing, in which the flange 6 is disposed in contact with the inner surface of the wall 8, and a connection position (not illustrated) in which the flange 6 is disposed slightly inside the open end of the cupshaped body 9 to define, with the side wall 8 thereof, a seat for a sealing washer 12. The cupshape body 9 has on its outside an annular rib 13 having a hexagonal peripheral form to permit the body 9 to be engaged by a spanner (not illustrated).

The tubular element 3 is of substantially cylindrical form and has on its outside, close to the free end, a screw thread 14 delimited towards the tube 4 by an annular rib 15 having a hexagonal outer form. As illustrated in Figure 1, each rib 5 has, in section, a substantially U-shape form concave towards the interior, and is defined by two substantially flat annular walls 1 6 facing one another the outer peripheries of which are joined by a curved wall 17. The inner periphery of each wall 16 is likewise connected to the inner periphery of the adjacent wall 1 6 of the contiguous rib 5 by means of a curved wall 18 similar to the wall 17, but which is outwardly concave.

The tube 4 is made of relatively soft sheet metal which can be plastically deformed and is such as to permit, together with the particular design of the ribs 5, both the length and configuration of the connector 1 to be varied in such a way that it can be adapted to the most varied relative positions of the end sections (not illustrated) of the said sections of duct (not illustrated) to be connected. In particular, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the length of the connector 1 can easily be varied from the minimum value shown in Figure 1, in which the ribs 5 are closely "stacked" together and the maximum value of Figure 2, in which the ribs 5 are disposed in substantially spaced positions.

Moreover, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the ribs 5 can be spaced apart on only one side giving the connector 1 a curved configuration. In particular, it is possible to arrange the two tubular end elements 2 and 3 at 90C with respect to one another. Obviously, by suitably deforming the tube 4 it is possible to give the connector 1 different configurations from those illustrated, such as to permit the connecting together of two separate sections of duct (not illustrated) whatever the relative positions of their end sections.

With reference to the connector 1 it is suitable to note that consequent on the use of metal material for forming the tube 4, on the presence on this latter of the ribs 5 which significantly increase the tube's resistance to internal pressure, and on the perfect seal against any type of fluid, both liquid and gas, obtainable by connecting by means of soldering the ends of the tube 4 to the tubular end elements 2 and 3, the self same type of connector 1 can be used both on a duct for conveying gas and on a duct conveying water.

Naturally the principle of the invention remaining the same, there are numerous variations which could possibly be introduced to the connector 1 described without by this departingfrom the scope of the present invention.

For example, the tubular end elements 2 and 3 could be replaced with other tubular elements (not illustrated) of different form; similarly the annular ribs 5 could be replaced by a single helical rib.

Finally, the ribs 5 do not necessarily have to be provided over the whole length of the tube 4, but could extend only over a given portion thereof.

Claims

1. A deformable tubular connector for connecting together two sections of a duct for fluid, the said connector including first and second tubular end sections, and a tubular intermediate section connected to the said two tubular end sections, characterised by the fact that the said tubular intermediate section comprises a tubular element in the form of a bellows and constituted by a corrugated metal tube defining, along any generatrix, a series of ribs having substantially U-shape section, which is plastically deformable to and from a closely compressed configuration.

2. A connector according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said ribs are of annular form.

3. A connector according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised by the fact that each said rib has in section a substantially inwardly concave U-shape form and is defined by two substantially flat annular walls facing one another, the outer peripheries of which are joined by means of a curved wall.

4. A connector according to Claim 3 characterised by the fact that each said annular wall is joined along its inner periphery to the inner periphery of the adjacent annular wall of the contiguous rib by means of a further, outwardly concave curved wall.

5. A connector according to any preceding Claim, characterised by the fact that the said first tubular element is slidably mounted in a hole formed in a bottom of an internally threaded cupshape body,

6. A deformable tubular connector substantially as described with reference to the Figures of the attached drawings.