Hygienic coupling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12007046-B2
Application number	US-202117322927-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2021
Priority date	May 19, 2020
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A conduit clamping and sealing system includes: a bearing element including: a back segment with an external back thread for attaching to a device or fastening to a box or enclosure; a middle segment for receiving a conduit and guiding and/or aligning a hygienic sleeve system; and a front segment for receiving a seal, and a front nut for sealing a connection between the conduit and the bearing element and fastening the hygienic sleeve system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hygienic coupling system comprising a conduit clamping and sealing system and a hygienic sleeve system, wherein:
the conduit clamping and sealing system comprises:
a bearing element comprising:
a back segment with an external back thread for attachment to a device or fastening to a box or enclosure;
a middle segment configured to receive a conduit and to guide and/or align the hygienic sleeve system; and
a front segment for configured to receive a seal; and

a front nut to seal a connection between the conduit and the bearing element and to fastening the hygienic sleeve system; and

the hygienic sleeve system, comprising:
a back gasket;
a front gasket; and
a hygienic cap configured to cover a surface of the bearing element,
wherein the back gasket, the hygienic cap, and the front gasket form a sleeve unit with seamless transitions and with pre-defined gasket compression, wherein the sleeve unit encloses the conduit clamping and sealing system.

2. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the middle segment of the conduit clamping and sealing system comprises a vertical portion configured such that the back gasket part abuts externally at a back side and the conduit abuts internally at the front side.

3. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the front segment comprises an external thread and the hygienic cap comprises a corresponding inner thread in a hygienic cap middle portion.

4. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , wherein a horizontal portion of the middle segment comprises a notch configured to receive the back gasket externally.

5. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the bearing element comprises a friction lip.

6. The hygienic coupling system of claim 5 , wherein the hygienic cap comprises a second friction lip, wherein the second friction lip corresponds to the friction lip.

7. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the back gasket is configured to seal a transition from the device, box, or enclosure to the back segment of the bearing element.

8. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the front gasket is configured to seal a transition from the front segment of the bearing element to the conduit.

9. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , further comprising: an insert part configured to extend along and inside of the conduit and having a U-shaped back end enclosing a circumferential corner at an opening of the conduit, wherein the U-shaped back end of the insert part abuts against a vertical portion of the middle segment.

10. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , further comprising: a seal, the seal having a flat portion protruding into an inner horizontal portion of the middle segment, horizontal being a direction parallel to a rotation axis of the bearing element, and a shoulder abutting at a slanted edge at a transition from the horizontal portion to the front segment.

11. The hygienic coupling system of claim 10 , wherein the front segment further comprises an internal thread, wherein the front nut comprises a corresponding external thread, and wherein the front nut is configured to press the insert part against a vertical portion of the middle segment, vertical being a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, and the seal against the slanted edge at the transition from the horizontal portion to the front segment when the front nut is screwed into the internal thread of the front segment.

12. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the front nut comprises a flat surface front end portion.

13. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the horizontal portion of the middle segment of the bearing element is flat.

14. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the hygienic cap comprises an inner thread in a hygienic cap front portion and the front gasket comprises a corresponding external thread.

15. The hygienic coupling system of claim 1 , wherein the back gasket and front gasket comprise an involute compression surface.

16. A hygienic coupling system comprising a conduit clamping and sealing system and a hygienic sleeve system, wherein:
the conduit clamping and sealing system comprises:
a bearing element comprising:
a back segment with an external back thread for attachment to a device or fastening to a box or enclosure;
a middle segment configured to receive a conduit and to guide and/or align the hygienic sleeve system; and
a front segment for configured to receive a seal; and

a front nut to seal a connection between the conduit and the bearing element and to fastening the hygienic sleeve system; and

the hygienic sleeve system, comprising:
a back gasket;
a front gasket; and
a hygienic cap configured to cover a surface of the bearing element,
wherein the back gasket, the hygienic cap, and the front gasket form a sleeve unit with seamless transitions and with pre-defined gasket compression, and
wherein the hygienic cap comprises an inner thread in a hygienic cap front portion and the front gasket comprises a corresponding external thread.

17. A hygienic coupling system comprising a conduit clamping and sealing system and a hygienic sleeve system, wherein:
the conduit clamping and sealing system comprises:
a bearing element comprising:
a friction lip;
a back segment with an external back thread for attachment to a device or fastening to a box or enclosure;
a middle segment configured to receive a conduit and to guide and/or align the hygienic sleeve system; and
a front segment for configured to receive a seal; and

a front nut to seal a connection between the conduit and the bearing element and to fastening the hygienic sleeve system; and

the hygienic sleeve system, comprising:
a back gasket;
a front gasket; and
a hygienic cap configured to cover a surface of the bearing element, wherein the back gasket, the hygienic cap, and the front gasket form a sleeve unit with seamless transitions and with pre-defined gasket compression, wherein the hygienic cap comprises a second friction lip, and wherein the second friction lip corresponds to the friction lip.

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Buck Meirion
• Francos Angel
• Chahal Harvinder Singh
• Uriol Luis

Classifications

• F16L2201/80

  Dust covers · CPC title

• F16L33/224

  a clamping ring being arranged between the threaded member and the connecting member · CPC title

• F16L2201/44

  sterile · CPC title

• F16L19/0231

  with specially adapted means for positioning the threaded member behind the collar · CPC title

• F16L19/0218

  comprising only sealing rings · CPC title