GB2387632A

GB2387632A - Connector for connecting a flexible hose to a tap

Info

Publication number: GB2387632A
Application number: GB0306722A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Miller
Original assignee: CAMP LAWRENCE JAMES
Current assignee: CAMP LAWRENCE JAMES
Priority date: 2002-03-26
Filing date: 2003-03-24
Publication date: 2003-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-24
Also published as: GB0306722D0; GB2387632B; GB0207122D0

Abstract

In a method of connecting a flexible hose (2) to a tap of an ablutionary appliance, a connector comprising a central hollow cylindrical member (11) engaging an internal end of the hose is provided. The cylindrical member has an annular protrusion (22), a nut (15) rotatably retained by the protrusion and having an internal thread extending distally of the hose (2), the internal thread arranged for engagement with an external thread (7) of a tap inlet (8). The cylindrical member (11) has a distal portion (19) which extends distally of the annular protrusion (22), an annular sealing member (23), such as an o-ring, being carried by the distal portion (19) of the cylindrical member, at a distance from the annular protrusion (22). The nut (15) is screwed on to the inlet (8) so that the sealing member (23) seals the gap between the inlet and the cylindrical member (11). A connector according to the invention has a further sealing member (23) arranged on the annular protrusion (22).

Description

! CONNECTOR AND HOSE

This invention relates to a connector for connecting a flexible hose to a tap for an ablutionary appliance, a hose incorporating the connector, and a method of connecting 5 a supply pipe to a tap.

The invention is particularly suitable for short flexible hoses which are very often used to connect water supply pipes to taps in baths, sinks and the like. The use of a flexible hose is advantageous where the connection to the tap is in an inconvenient location 10 such as underneath the end of a bath.

A known form of connector for this purpose is shown in cross section in Figure 1. The connector comprises a central, hollow, cylindrical member 1 engaging by means of annular barbs with an end of the flexible hose 2 and terminating in an annular flange 3 15 on which a resilient washer 4 is located. A nut 5 is retained by the flange so as to rotate with respect to the cylindrical member 1, and extends beyond the cylindrical member and keeps the washer 4 in place. The nut has an internal thread 6, which engages an external thread 7 of an inlet 8 of the tap so that when the nut is screwed on to the tap, the end of the inlet engages the washer in a sealing manner. The nut 5 has a polygonal 20 outer surface and has to be tightened with a spanner specially adapted for use in the confined space.

Sometimes taps are produced with mix-machined inlets that do not screw into the nut entirely straight. In this case, the seal with the washer is ineffective, because the end of 25 the inlet is raised from the washer at one side, and leaks can occur.

With the aim of improving the seal, even allowing for such imperfections in the tap inlet, the present invention provides a connector for connecting a flexible hose to a tap of an ablutionary appliance, the connector comprising a central hollow cylindrical 30 member having means for engaging an end of the hose, and having an annular protrusion arranged to be located distally of the end of the hose, a nut rotatably retained by the protrusion and having an internal thread extending distally thereof, the internal thread arranged for engagement with an external thread of a tap inlet, wherein the

cylindrical member has a distal portion which extends distally of the annular protrusion, spaced from the internal thread of the nut, a first annular sealing member being arranged on the annular protrusion and retained by the nut, and a second annular sealing member being canted by the distal portion of the cylindrical member.

Preferably, the first annular sealing member is an O-ring seal of substantially circular cross-section, so that part of the O-ring seal is deformed by the end of the tap inlet to surround the inlet, giving a better seal than that provided by a flat washer.

Alternatively, however, the first annular sealing member may be a flat washer. The 10 second sealing member is also preferably a substantially circular cross-section O-ring and conveniently, the distal portion of the cylindrical member has a groove for retaining the second sealing member.

In a preferred embodiment, the nut has at least one finger-engageable protrusion on its 15 outer surface so that it can be tightened without requiring a special spanner.

The present invention also provides a flexible hose comprising a connector as defined above. In a preferred embodiment, a proximal end of the hose is fitted with a connector of known type, such as push-fit or olive connector, for connecting the hose to a supply 20 pipe.

. The invention further provides a method of connecting a flexible hose to a tap of an ablutionary appliance, comprising the steps of providing a connector comprising a central hollow cylindrical member engaging an internal end of the hose, and having an 25 annular protrusion, a nut rotatably retained by the protrusion and having an internal thread extending distally of the hose, the internal thread arranged for engagement with an external thread of a tap inlet, wherein the cylindrical member has a distal portion which extends distally of the annular protrusion, an annular sealing member being carried by the distal portion of the cylindrical member, at a distance from the annular 30 protrusion, and screwing the nut on to the inlet so that the sealing member seals the gap between the inlet and the cylindrical member.

The method may further involve the use of a connector as defined above, having an additional sealing member seated on the annular protrusion and retained by the nut.

Thus the inventive method provides sealing inside the tap inlet instead of, or in addition to, sealing at the end thereof The screwing step preferably takes place manually without the use of a tool, the nut having at least one finger-engageable protrusion on its outer surface so that it can be tightened without requiring a special spanner.

10 In order that the invention may be more readily understood, particular embodiments will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure l is a crosssectional view of the prior art connector already discussed; and

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a connector according to the invention; and Figure 3 is an elevational view of a cylindrical member of an alternative connector according to the invention.

In Figure 2, reference numerals corresponding to those of Figure l designate identical components. A cylindrical member l l has a proximal (i.e. upstream) portion identical to that of the known connector, but also has a distal (i.e. downstream) portion l9 which, on connection, extends into the tap inlet 8. Distal portion l 9 is provided with an 25 annular groove 20 in which a first O-ring seal 2 l is arranged.

Instead of a flange, the cylindrical member l l has an annular protrusion 22, which tapers distally. On its flat, proximal side the protrusion retains the inwardly projecting flange of a nut is. The distally tapering side of the protrusion 22 provides a seating 30 surface for a second Oring seal 23, which is wedged between the cylindrical member l l and the nut l 5.

_ _..... _.

The nut 15 has a number (e.g. two or four) of radially extending fingerengageable protrusions 24 so that it can be tightened without recourse to a special tap spanner.

In use, the distal portion 19 of the cylindrical member 11 is inserted into the tap inlet 8 5 and the nut 15 is then manually screwed to the inlet and tightened. The second O-ring seal 23 is pressed by the inlet end and deformed such that even if the tap inlet 8 has an untrue thread or an inlet aperture not exactly perpendicular to the axis of the inlet, a seal is still formed between the inlet and the cylindrical member, the outer part of the O-ring surrounding the inlet aperture. At the same time the first O-ring seal 21 backs 10 up the first seal furler up the inlet.

The connector may be provided with a polygonally crimped collar 25 of known type protecting the end of wire braiding 26 of the hose and providing an engagement surface by which the hose may optionally be gripped by a tool.

The flexible hose to which the connector of the invention is attached at a distal end, has a further connector of known type at its proximal (upstream) end for connection to a supply pipe. This further connector may comprise a push-fit connector with a plurality of flexible tongues arranged to grip a pipe end as the connector is placed thereover.

20 Alternatively, it may be an olive connector in which a metallic olive is compressed around the pipe end by tightening a nut. This proximal connector is not provided with a screw thread for engagement of the pipe, which does not have a corresponding thread thereon. 25 Figure 3 shows an alternative cylindrical member 31 carrying a flat washer 32 instead of the second O-ring seal 23.

In an alternative embodiment of the inventive method, neither second Oring seal 23 nor washer 32 is included.

an All forms of the verb "to comprise" in this specification mean "to consist of or include".

Claims

1. A connector for connecting a flexible hose to a tap of an ablutionary appliance, the connector comprising a central hollow cylindrical member having means for 5 engaging an end of the hose, and having an annular protrusion arranged to be located distally of the end of the hose, a nut rotatably retained by the protrusion and having an internal thread extending distally thereof, the internal thread arranged for engagement with an external thread of a tap inlet, wherein the cylindrical member has a distal portion which extends distally of the annular protrusion, spaced from the internal 10 thread of the nut, a first annular sealing member being arranged on the annular protrusion and retained by the nut, and a second annular sealing member being carried by the distal portion of the cylindrical member.

2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the first annular sealing member is 15 an O-ring seal of substantially circular cross-section.

3. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the first annular sealing member is a flat washer.

20

4. A connector according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the second sealing member is a substantially circular cross-section O-ring.

5. A connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the distal portion of the cylindrical member has a groove for retaining the second sealing member.

6. A connector according to any preceding claim, wherein the nut has at least one finger-engageable protrusion on its outer surface.

7. A connector substantially as describer herein with reference to Figure 2 or 30 Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

S. A flexible hose comprising a connector according to any preceding claim.

9. A method of connecting a flexible hose to a tap of an ablutionary appliance, comprising the steps of providing a connector comprising a central hollow cylindrical member engaging an internal end of the hose, and having an annular protrusion, a nut rotatably retained by the protrusion and having an internal thread extending distally of 5 the hose, the internal thread arranged for engagement with an external thread of a tap inlet, wherein the cylindrical member has a distal portion which extends distally of the annular protrusion, an annular sealing member being carried by the distal portion of the cylindrical member, at a distance from the annular protrusion, and screwing the nut on to the inlet so that the sealing member seals the gap between the inlet and the 10 cylindrical member.

lO. A method according to claim 9, wherein the connector is a connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

15 l 1. A method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the screwing step takes place manually without the use of a tool, the nut having at least one finger-engageable protrusion on its outer surface.