Pipe coupling with pipe connection rings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12410874-B2
Application number	US-202117508574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2021
Priority date	Dec 14, 2016
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A pipe connection ring can include a plurality of segments and a plurality of deformable links. Each of the plurality of links can connect adjacent segments of the plurality of segments, the segments and links alternating about a circumference of the pipe connection ring, each pair of the adjacent segments and a corresponding link of the plurality of links connecting the adjacent segments and together with the adjacent segments defining a relief between the adjacent segments, each of the plurality of links configured to allow movement of the adjacent segments upon deformation of the link connecting the adjacent segments. The pipe connection ring can define a first axial end surface, a second axial end surface distal from the first axial end surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface distal from the inner surface.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A pipe connection ring comprising:
a plurality of segments; and
a plurality of deformable links, each of the plurality of links connecting adjacent segments of the plurality of segments, the segments and links alternating about a circumference of the pipe connection ring, each pair of the adjacent segments and a corresponding link of the plurality of links connecting the adjacent segments and together with the adjacent segments defining a relief between the adjacent segments, each of the plurality of links configured to allow movement of the adjacent segments upon deformation of the link connecting the adjacent segments;
wherein the pipe connection ring defines a first axial end surface, a second axial end surface distal from the first axial end surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface distal from the inner surface;
wherein an axial ring thickness of each of the plurality of segments of the pipe connection ring remains constant before and after compression of the pipe connection ring,
wherein the plurality of segments have a constant radial ring thickness, and
wherein at least one of a first end and a second end of one of the plurality of segments is angled by a slant angle with respect to a tangent line defined by a circumferential axis of the pipe connection ring.

2. The pipe connection ring of claim 1 , wherein the pipe connection ring is a closed ring.

3. The pipe connection ring of claim 1 , wherein each of the inner surface and the outer surface define a radius, the radius of the outer surface being greater than the radius of the inner surface.

4. The pipe connection ring of claim 1 , wherein each of the inner surface, the outer surface, and surfaces of the relief are orthogonal to each of the first axial end surface and the second axial end surface.

5. The pipe connection ring of claim 1 , wherein the relief defines a relief angle between a pair of surfaces defining the relief, the relief angle measuring greater than zero degrees.

6. The pipe connection ring of claim 1 , wherein each link of the plurality of links comprises a pair of legs joined by a hairpin bend, a first leg of the pair of legs joined to a first segment of a corresponding pair of adjacent segments and a second leg of the pair of legs joined to a second segment of the pair of adjacent segments.

7. A pipe connection ring comprising:
a plurality of segments; and
a plurality of deformable links, each of the plurality of links connecting adjacent segments of the plurality of segments, the segments and links alternating about a circumference of the pipe connection ring, each pair of the adjacent segments and a corresponding link of the plurality of links connecting the adjacent segments and together with the adjacent segments defining a relief between the adjacent segments, each of the plurality of links configured to allow movement of the adjacent segments upon deformation of the link connecting the adjacent segments;
wherein the pipe connection ring defines a first axial end surface, a second axial end surface distal from the first axial end surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface distal from the inner surface;
wherein an axial ring thickness of each of the plurality of segments of the pipe connection ring remains constant before and after compression of the pipe connection ring,
wherein the plurality of segments have a constant radial ring thickness, and
wherein a first segment of a first pair of adjacent segments is of a different size than a second segment of the first pair of adjacent segments.

8. The pipe connection ring of claim 7 , wherein a spacing angle defined by the first pair of adjacent segments measures less than or equal to approximately 22.5 degrees.

9. A pipe connection ring, comprising:
a plurality of segments; and
a plurality of deformable links, each of the plurality of links connecting adjacent segments of the plurality of segments, the segments and links alternating about a circumference of the pipe connection ring, each pair of the adjacent segments and a corresponding link of the plurality of links connecting the adjacent segments and together with the adjacent segments defining a relief between the adjacent segments, each of the plurality of links configured to allow movement of the adjacent segments upon deformation of the link connecting the adjacent segments;
wherein the pipe connection ring defines a first axial end surface, a second axial end surface distal from the first axial end surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface distal from the inner surface; and
wherein an axial ring thickness of each of the plurality of segments of the pipe connection ring remains constant before and after compression of the pipe connection ring,
wherein during compression of the pipe connection ring a first segment of a first pair of adjacent segments rotates with respect to a second segment of the first pair of adjacent segments.

10. A pipe coupling comprising:
a coupling segment defining an inner surface defining a first ring groove proximate to a first axial end of the coupling segment, the inner surface of the coupling segment comprising a transition portion on each side of the first ring groove, the first ring groove defining a groove bottom surface positioned radially outward from each of the transition portions; and
the pipe connection ring of claim 1 disposed within the first ring groove.

11. The pipe coupling of claim 10 , wherein the pipe connection ring is a closed ring.

12. The pipe coupling of claim 10 ,
wherein the inner surface of the coupling segment further defines a second ring groove proximate to a second axial end of each of the coupling segment, the inner surface of the coupling segment comprising a transition portion on each side of the second ring groove, the second ring groove defining a groove bottom surface positioned radially outward from each of the transition portions proximate to the second ring groove, the pipe coupling further comprising a second pipe connection ring disposed within the second ring groove, the second pipe connection ring comprising: a plurality of segments; and
a plurality of deformable links, each of the plurality of links of the second pipe connection ring connecting adjacent segments of the plurality of segments of the second pipe connection ring, the segments and links of the second pipe connection ring alternating about a circumference of the second pipe connection ring, each pair of the adjacent segments and a link of the plurality of links of the second pipe connection ring connecting the adjacent segments and together with the adjacent segments defining a relief between the adjacent segments of the second pipe connection ring, each of the plurality of links of the second pipe connection ring configured to allow movement of the adjacent segments of the second pipe connection ring upon deformation of the link connecting the adjacent segments of the second pipe connection ring;
wherein the second pipe connection ring defines a first axial end surface, a second axial end surface distal from the first axial end surface of the second pipe connection ring, an inner surface, and an outer surface distal from the inner surface of the second pipe connection ring.

13. A pipe system comprising: a first pipe element;
a second pipe element; and
the pipe coupling of claim 10 , the pipe coupling connecting an end of the second pipe element to an end of the first pipe element.

14. A pipe connection ring comprising:
a plurality of segments; and
a plurality of deformable links, each of the plurality of links connecting adjacent segments of the plu

Assignees

• Asc Eng Solutions Llc

Inventors

• Ohnemus Gregory Nicholas Stagliano
• Chen Patrick Chien
• Scott Stephen Eric
• Mcnamara Matthew William
• Thornley Ii Michael T

Classifications

• F16L21/08

  with additional locking means (F16L21/06 takes precedence; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00) · CPC title

• F16L21/005

  made of elastic material, e.g. partly or completely surrounded by clamping devices (comprising packing adapted to sealing by fluid pressure F16L17/04) · CPC title

• F16L21/065

  tightened by tangentially-arranged threaded pins · CPC title

• F16L17/04 Primary

  with longitudinally split or divided sleeve · CPC title