Flanged tube apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9228683-B2
Application number	US-201314138091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2013
Priority date	Dec 22, 2013
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

An improved flanged tube assembly with insert-reinforced tube flanges to prevent tube flange deformation and leakage when subjected to high compressive forces as well as sustained high-temperature procedures. The flange inserts are configured to form the flange portion of a flanged tube, or configured to provide structural support to the portions of the flange integral to the associated tube. The inserts may be metallic or polymer based and formed with various structural features to create a mechanical lock between the insert and the material used to make the tube/flange assembly. The inserts can be incorporated into the tube flanges so as to provide the desired support without being exposed to any fluids and/or gases that may flow through the reinforced tube/flange assemblies.

First claim

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A tri-clamp assembly comprising:
a first tube having a first radially extended flanged end, wherein the first tube and first flanged end define a first lumen, wherein the first lumen has a defined diameter;
a first flange insert secured in or about the first flanged end, wherein the first flange insert has a first tube receiving portion, wherein material used to form the first tube is overmolded over the first tube receiving portion, and wherein the material is superposed about the first tube receiving to create mechanically locked registration surfaces between the first tube and the first flange insert;
a second tube having a second radially extended flanged end, wherein the second tube and second flanged end define a second lumen, wherein the second lumen has a defined diameter;
a second flange insert secured in or about the second flange end, wherein the second flange insert has a second tube receiving portion, wherein material used to form the second tube is overmolded over the second tube receiving portion, and wherein the material is superposed about the second tube receiving portion to create mechanically locked registration surfaces between the second tube and the second flange insert; and,
a clamp subassembly comprising a first clamp segment and a second clamp segment, wherein each segment has a first end and a second end, wherein the first ends are secured together in a hinged configuration to permit the segments to rotate about a hinge pin, wherein the second ends have corresponding clamp locking segments configured to permit the second ends to be secured together, wherein the flanges of the first tube and the second tube are registered and secured together by securing the second ends of the first and second clamp segments.

2. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second flange inserts is metallic or polymer-based and comprises a substantially circular body being generally planar or frustoconical in cross-section, wherein the circular body has a substantially annular, axially extending perimeter shoulder, wherein a portion of the circular body is at least one of the first or second tube receiving portions that further defines a central insert bore, wherein the bore can have any regular or irregular geometric shape.

3. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 2 wherein the central insert bore has a diameter greater than, or equal to, the diameter of at least one of the first and second lumens.

4. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 2 wherein the central bore has a diameter greater than the diameter of at least one of the first and second lumens, and wherein the material used to form at least one of the first and second tubes is overmolded over the portion of the circular body defining the central bore, wherein the material is present on a top surface and on a bottom surface of the circular body as well as superposed about, and in registration with, the portion defining the central bore, wherein the material above and below the circular body is connected together by the material superposed about, and in registration with, the portion defining the central bore, and wherein the overmolded material defines part of the first and/or second lumens.

5. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 4 wherein the material used to form at least one of the first and second tubes is overmolded over at least a portion of a radially outer, substantially annular edge of the perimeter shoulder.

6. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 4 wherein the overmolded material is configured to form a tri-clamp gasket registration surface.

7. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 6 wherein the overmolded material is further configured to define a substantially annular gasket-receiving channel.

8. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 7 further comprising a tri-clamp gasket having a substantially planar gasket body with portions defining a perimeter rim, wherein the rim extends axially away from the gasket body in both axial directions, and wherein the rim registers against the gasket-receiving channel and the gasket body registers against the gasket registration surface.

9. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 6 wherein the overmolded material in combination with portions of at least one of the first and second tube flanged ends define a substantially annular gasket-receiving channel.

10. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 9 further comprising a tri-clamp gasket having a substantially planar gasket body with portions defining a perimeter rim, wherein the rim extends axially away from the gasket body in both axial directions, and wherein the rim registers against the gasket-receiving channel and the gasket body registers against the gasket registration surface.

11. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 2 wherein at least one of the first and second flange inserts further comprises at least one secondary bore formed in the circular body between the central insert bore and the perimeter shoulder.

12. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 11 wherein the material used to form at least one of the first and second tubes is overmolded over the portion of the circular body defining the central bore and present in the at least one secondary bore, wherein the material is on a top surface and on a bottom surface of the circular body as well as superposed about, and in registration with, the portion defining the central bore, wherein the material above and below the circular body is connected together by the material in the at least one secondary bore and the material superposed about, and in registration with, the portion defining the central bore, and wherein the overmolded material defines part of the first and/or second lumens.

13. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 2 wherein the circular body of at least one of the first and second flange inserts has portions defining at least one geometrically irregular cutout configured to disrupt the generally continuous shape of the central bore.

14. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 13 wherein the material used to form at least one of the first and second tubes is overmolded over the portions of the circular body defining the central bore and the geometrically irregular cutout, wherein the material is present on a top surface and on a bottom surface of the circular body as well as superposed about, and in registration with, the portion defining the central bore and the portion defining the at least one irregular cutout, wherein the material above and below the circular body is connected together by the material superposed about, and in registration with, the portion defining the central bore and the portion defining the irregular cutout, and wherein the overmolded material defines part of the first and/or second lumens.

15. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 2 wherein the circular body of at least one of the first and second flange inserts has portions defining at least one axially extended post extending from a bottom surface of the circular body.

16. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 15 wherein the at least one axially extended post may have any regular or irregular geometric shape in cross-section.

17. The tri-clamp assembly of claim 16 wherein the material used to form at least one of the first and second tubes is overmolded over the portions of the circular body defining the central bore and the at least one post wherein the material is present on a top surface and on a bottom surface of the circular body as well as superposed about, and in registration with, the portion defining the central bore and the at least one pos

Assignees

• Lin Zhenwu
• Saint Gobain Performance Plast

Inventors

• Lin Zhenwu

Classifications

• B01D46/0002

  Casings; Housings; Frame constructions · CPC title

• B01D46/0012

  In-line filters · CPC title

• B01D29/016

  with corrugated, folded or wound filtering elements · CPC title

• B01D2253/206

  Ion exchange resins · CPC title

• B01D46/521

  using folded, pleated material · CPC title