Pipe coupling assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a coupling assembly for connecting pipes, and more particularly, to a coupling assembly for connecting pipes that can reduce resistance to fluid flowing through pipes even when connecting pipes with different diameters, can be installed in a pre-assembled state using fastening members, and is not deformed during the fastening process, allowing for stable fixation even after fastening.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] [Technical field] The present invention relates to a coupling assembly for connecting pipes, and more particularly, to a coupling assembly for connecting pipes, which can reduce resistance to fluid flowing through pipes even when connecting pipes having different diameters, can be installed in a pre-assembled state using a fastening member, and can be stably fixed even after fastening because it does not deform during the fastening process.

[0002] [Background technology] In general, in order to connect pipes arranged continuously in an axial direction, the pipes are connected to each other using a coupling.

[0003] Such couplings include a number of interconnectable segments arranged around the pipe, and the segments are placed at the ends of the pipes and then fastened together using separate fastening members to connect continuous pipes.

[0004] At this time, fastening grooves are formed in the circumferential direction on both ends of the pipe, and a part of the coupling is inserted into the fastening groove and fastened in such a state. This is to support the pipes through the coupling so that they do not separate even when a force is applied in a direction that causes the gap between adjacent pipes to separate due to the pressure of the fluid inside the pipes.

[0005] At the same time, the inside of such a coupling is provided with a sealing part made of a synthetic resin material such as rubber to improve watertightness, and such a sealing part is formed with a tang part that limits the insertion length of the pipe so that the end of the pipe is located at the center of the coupling when the pipe is inserted axially into the inside of the coupling. As disclosed in Patent Document 1, such a tang part is formed continuously around the inner circumferential surface of the sealing part so as to effectively support the end of the pipe when it is inserted.

[0006] Such a coupling can also be used to connect pipes having different diameters. That is, the above-mentioned coupling can be used to connect a pipe having a first diameter to a pipe having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, but when a tongue portion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the sealing portion as described above, the tongue portion needs to be extended from the inner peripheral surface of the sealing portion so that its inner diameter is smaller than the second diameter so that the insertion length of the pipe having the second diameter can be limited.

[0007] However, in this configuration, the fluid flowing inside the pipe having the second diameter experiences small resistance from the tongue portion, but the fluid flowing inside the pipe having the first diameter experiences relatively larger resistance from the tongue portion, which causes a problem that the fluid does not flow smoothly.

[0008] In addition, in the case of conventional couplings, the segments are formed with an arch-shaped surface that is inserted into the fastening groove, and the fastening groove is formed by partially recessing the outer periphery of the pipe, and the segments are fastened in such a state that the arch-shaped surface of the segment is disposed so as to seat in the fastening groove. In order to stably fix the segments, the radius of curvature of the arch-shaped surface is formed to be the same as the radius of the outer periphery of the fastening groove.

[0009] However, due to a structural feature in which the radius of the outer circumferential surface of the pipe is larger than the radius of the outer circumferential surface of the fastening groove, each segment is placed at the top of the fastening groove and moved downward in the radial direction of the pipe to seat the arch-shaped surface of the segment in the fastening groove, and then the segments are fastened to each other using fastening members. However, when arranging and fastening the segments in this manner, the segments must be fastened by the fastening members while maintaining the arrangement of the multiple segments, making it difficult for a worker to work alone, which reduces work efficiency.

[0010] To improve this, Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which the radius of curvature of the arched surface of the segment is formed to be larger than the radius of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe, thereby improving workability. That is, since the radius of curvature of the arched surface of the segment is formed to be larger than the radius of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe, such a segment can be moved in the axial direction of the pipe in a state where it is pre-assembled with a fastening member, and thus the pre-assembled segment can be moved via the outer peripheral surface of the pipe to the position where the fastening groove is formed.

[0011] However, as mentioned above, the radius of the outer peripheral surface of the fastening groove is smaller than the radius of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe. Therefore, in order to seat the arched surface of such a segment on the outer peripheral surface of the fastening groove, Patent Document 1 describes a segment that can deform when the fastening member is tightened so that the radius of curvature of such an arched surface matches the radius of the outer peripheral surface of the fastening groove.

[0012] Couplings used at construction sites are generally made of cast iron. In order to realize the complex shape of the coupling and to keep manufacturing costs low, they are produced through casting processing using cast iron.

[0013] However, if cast iron segments are fastened in the state in which they are formed in the structure as described in Patent Document 1, there is a problem that the segments may crack and break during deformation due to the characteristics of cast iron material with a high carbon content, and therefore there is a limitation in that it cannot be applied in actual field.

[0014] Therefore, there is an urgent need to solve the above problems. [Prior art document] [Patent documents] [Patent Document 1] Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2007-0012723 (published on January 26, 2007) [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be solved by the invention] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a coupling assembly for connecting pipes, which can reduce the resistance experienced by a fluid flowing inside the pipes even when connecting pipes having different diameters.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a coupling assembly for connecting pipes that can be installed in a provisionally assembled state using fastening members and that does not deform during the fastening process, allowing for stable fixation even after fastening.

[0016] [Means for solving the problem] A coupling assembly according to the present invention for connecting pipes arranged continuously in an axial direction, the coupling assembly being for connecting a first pipe having a first diameter and a second pipe having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, includes two or more couplers arranged opposite each other, and a watertight member provided inside the couplers and maintaining watertightness while closely contacting outer circumferential surfaces of the first pipe and the second pipe when the couplers are fastened, the couplers are formed with locking portions which are inserted into fastening grooves formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the first pipe and the second pipe, respectively, and the watertight member is formed with a base portion closely contacted and supported on an inner circumferential surface of the coupler, a protrusion protruding from the base portion toward an end of the pipe, and a contact portion extending from both ends of the base portion to closely contact the outer circumferential surfaces of each of the pipes, and a plurality of the protrusions are arranged spaced apart from each other along the periphery of the inner circumferential surface of the base portion.

[0017] In this case, the protrusion may be provided with a reinforcing member that limits deformation of the protrusion to prevent an end of the second pipe from going beyond the center of the coupler while applying pressure to the protrusion when the second pipe is inserted.

[0018] In this case, the contact portion may include a first contact portion that is in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the first pipe and a second contact portion that is in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of the second pipe, and the reinforcing member may be formed at a position adjacent to the second contact portion.

[0019] In this case, the contact portion has a contact surface that is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the pipe, the contact surface including a first contact surface that is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the first pipe and a second contact surface that is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the second pipe, and the length of the first contact surface may be longer than the length of the second contact surface.

[0020] In this case, a support surface may be extended from the first contact surface to support the protrusion so as to prevent the protrusion from being deformed when the second pipe is inserted in a state in which the first pipe is inserted.

[0021] In this case, the diameter of the reinforcing member may be smaller than the first diameter of the first pipe. In this case, the diameter of the reinforcing member may be greater than the second diameter of the second pipe.

[0022] In this case, the reinforcing members may be formed in a plurality of pieces corresponding to the plurality of protrusions, and the circumferential length of each of the reinforcing members may be longer than the circumferential length of the protrusion.

[0023] In this case, in order to connect the first pipe and the second pipe, a fastening member is provided for pre-assembling a plurality of couplers in a state in which the two or more couplers are arranged opposite each other, and interference prevention grooves may be formed on both sides of the locking portion to prevent interference between the locking portion and the pipes so that the outer circumferential surface of the pipe can pass between the pre-assembled couplers.

[0024] In this case, the locking portion may have an arched surface facing an outer circumferential surface of the fastening groove, and the interference prevention groove may have a first extension surface extending radially outward from the arched surface.

[0025] In this case, the interference prevention groove may have a second extension surface that is downwardly extended from the first extension surface and has a curvature that is disposed concentrically with the arch surface. In this case, the interference prevention groove may be formed with an auxiliary support surface that supports a side surface of the watertight member so as to prevent the side surface of the watertight member from protruding outward through the interference prevention groove when water pressure is applied inside the coupler.

[0026] In this case, the auxiliary support surface may be formed to have a connecting surface connecting one position on the first extension surface and another position on the second extension surface, and a cross section of a closed curve shape formed by the first extension surface and the second extension surface.

[0027] In this case, the position where the arch surface and the first extension surface contact each other may be formed within a range of more than 0° and less than or equal to 24° based on the bottom surface of the coupler. In this case, the position where the arch surface and the first extension surface contact each other may be formed within a range of 12° or more and 20° or less based on the bottom surface of the coupler.

[0028] [Effects of the invention] According to the coupling assembly for connecting pipes of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, since the protrusion formed on the watertight member is divided into a plurality of parts, the resistance that the fluid flowing inside the pipe receives can be minimized, which has an advantage that the flow of the fluid is smooth.

[0029] In addition, two or more couplers can be temporarily assembled with fastening members and then installed on the pipe, which has the advantage of improving workability. In addition, since the coupler is configured to be seated in the fastening groove formed in the pipe without being deformed during the fastening process, stable fixation after fastening is possible, and there is also the advantage that the required water pressure for on-site application can be fully satisfied. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before a coupling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is fastened. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a coupling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is fastened. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a watertight member according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an overall perspective view and (b) is a partial perspective view. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an interference prevention groove of a coupling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state before a coupling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is fastened. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a performance graph showing the correlation between the allowable water pressure and the formation position of the first extension surface of the coupling assembly according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts not related to the description are omitted in the drawings, and the same reference numerals are used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0032] In this specification, the terms "comprise" or "have" are intended to describe the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the presence or additional possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before a coupling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is fastened, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state after the coupling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is fastened, FIG. 3 is a view showing a watertight member according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) being an overall perspective view and (b) being a partial perspective view, FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an interference prevention groove of a coupling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state before the coupling assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is fastened, and FIG. 6 is a performance graph showing the correlation of allowable water pressure depending on the formation position of the first extension surface of the coupling assembly according to the present invention.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, the coupling assembly according to the present invention is for connecting pipes 10 arranged continuously along an axial direction, and is a coupling assembly for connecting a first pipe 11 having a first diameter D1 and a second pipe 12 having a second diameter D3 smaller than the first diameter D1.

[0035] Such a coupling assembly includes two or more couplers 100 arranged opposite to each other, and a watertight member 30 that is provided inside the coupler 100 and maintains watertightness while closely contacting the outer circumferential surfaces of the first pipe 11 and the second pipe 12 when the coupler 100 is fastened. The coupler 100 is formed with locking portions 110 that are inserted into fastening grooves 11a, 12a formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the first pipe 11 and the second pipe 12, respectively. The watertight member 30 is formed with a base portion 31 that is closely supported on the inner circumferential surface of the coupler 100, a protrusion 33 that protrudes from the base portion 31 toward the end of the pipe 10, and contact portions 32 that are extended from both ends of the base portion 31 so as to closely contact the outer circumferential surfaces of the respective pipes 10. The base portion 31 has a plurality of protrusions 33 arranged at a distance from each other on its inner circumferential surface.

[0036] At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, the coupler 100 is provided with a base portion 120 to which the locking portion 110 is extended, and the base portion 120 is provided with a rear support surface 121 that supports the rear of the watertight member 30 and a side support surface 122 that supports the side of the watertight member 30, and the side support surface 122 may include a first side support surface 122a formed on the first pipe 11 side and a second side support surface 122b formed on the second pipe 12 side.

[0037] As described above, when forming the protrusion 33 on the inner surface of the watertight member 30, the protrusion 33 needs to be extended from the inner surface of the watertight member 30 so that its inner diameter is smaller than the second diameter D3, so that the insertion length of the second pipe 12 having the second diameter D3 can be limited.

[0038] However, in this configuration, the fluid flowing inside the second pipe 12 having the second diameter D3 experiences small resistance from the protrusion 33, but the fluid flowing inside the first pipe 11 having the first diameter D1 experiences relatively larger resistance from such protrusion 33, which may prevent the fluid from flowing smoothly. Therefore, the base portion 31 is configured so that multiple protrusions 33 are spaced apart from each other along the inner surface of the base portion 31.

[0039] When the protrusion 33 is divided into a plurality of pieces in this manner, the resistance that the fluid flowing inside the pipe 10 experiences is reduced, thereby making the flow of the fluid smoother. At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, the protrusion 33 may be provided with a reinforcing member 33a that limits deformation of the protrusion 33 to prevent the end of the second pipe 12 from going beyond the center of the coupler 100 while applying pressure to the protrusion 33 when the second pipe 12 is inserted.

[0040] That is, the protrusion 33 is formed to extend radially inward from the inner peripheral surface of the base portion 31, but the radial extension length of the protrusion 33 must be long since it must support the end of the second pipe 12, which has a smaller diameter than the first pipe 11. In this case, if a reinforcing member 33a is provided to limit deformation of the protrusion 33 when the second pipe 12 is inserted, the second pipe 12 can be effectively supported and the end of the second pipe 12 can be positioned at the center of the coupler 100.

[0041] In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, the contact portion 32 includes a first contact portion 32a that is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the first pipe 11 and a second contact portion 32b that is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the second pipe 12, and the above-mentioned reinforcing member 33a can be formed at a position adjacent to the second contact portion 32b.

[0042] This is because the second contact portion 32b is formed longer radially inward than the first contact portion 32a so as to be in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the second pipe 12 having a smaller diameter, and therefore a space wider than that between the base portion 31 and the second contact portion 32b is formed between the base portion 31 and the second contact portion 32b, and the reinforcing member 33a is formed in this space. By forming the reinforcing member 33a in the space between the base portion 31 and the second contact portion 32b in this manner, it is possible to prevent mutual interference between the second contact portion 32b and the reinforcing member 33a even when the second pipe 12 is inserted, as shown in FIG.

[0043] In addition, when such a reinforcing member 33a is formed on the second contact portion 32b side, when the end of the second pipe 12 presses the protrusion 33 by inserting the second pipe 12 and exceeds the center of the coupler 100, the reinforcing member 33a pulls the protrusion 33, thereby restricting deformation of the protrusion 33 and effectively supporting the end of the second pipe 12.

[0044] At this time, a contact surface 34 that is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 10 is formed on the contact portion 32, and such contact surface 34 includes a first contact surface 34a that is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the first pipe 11 and a second contact surface 34b that is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the second pipe 12, and the length L1 of the first contact surface 34a can be formed longer than the length L2 of the second contact surface 34b. By forming the second contact surface 34b longer than the first contact surface 34a in this manner, stable watertightness can be ensured.

[0045] Furthermore, if the length of the first contact surface 34a is formed sufficiently long, the first contact portion 32a supports the side of the protrusion 33 when the first pipe 11 is inserted, thereby preventing the protrusion 33 from being pushed and deformed by the end of the second pipe 12 when the second pipe 12 is inserted, and for this purpose, the first contact portion 32a may be provided with a support surface 34c extended from the first contact surface 34a.

[0046] 2, the diameter D2 of the reinforcing member 33a may be smaller than the first diameter D1 of the first pipe 11. In other words, when configured in this manner, the inner circumferential surface of the reinforcing member 33a is provided radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the first pipe 11, and the reinforcing member 33a effectively supports the protrusion 33 when the first pipe 11 is inserted, thereby preventing the first pipe 11 from exceeding the center of the coupler 100.

[0047] 2, the diameter D2 of the reinforcing member 33a may be larger than the second diameter D3 of the second pipe 12 and may be spaced apart from the second pipe 12. That is, when configured in this manner, the inner circumferential surface of the second pipe 12 is disposed radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the reinforcing member 33a, thereby effectively preventing interference between the reinforcing member 33a and the second pipe 12 when the second pipe 12 is inserted.

[0048] In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, the reinforcing members 33a are formed in multiple pieces to correspond to the multiple protrusions 33, and the circumferential length of each reinforcing member 33a may be formed to be longer than the circumferential length of the protrusions 33.

[0049] That is, as described above, the diameter D2 of the reinforcing member 33a is formed larger than the second diameter D3 of the second pipe 12, and is therefore unrelated to the flow of fluid flowing inside the second pipe 12. In this state, if the circumferential length of the reinforcing member 33a is formed to be longer than the circumferential length of the protrusion 33, the reinforcing member 33a can more effectively support the protrusion 33.

[0050] At this time, in order to connect the first pipe 11 and the second pipe 12, a fastening member 20 is provided for pre-assembling a plurality of couplers 100 in a state in which two or more couplers 100 are arranged opposite each other, and an interference prevention groove 112 may be formed on both sides of the locking portion 110 to prevent interference between the locking portion 110 and the pipe 10 so that the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10 can pass through between the pre-assembled couplers 100.

[0051] That is, in order to connect pipes 10 arranged continuously along the axial direction, two or more couplers 100 are arranged opposite each other, and the couplers 100 are configured to connect the pipes 10 in a state in which the fastening members 20 are pre-assembled.

[0052] At this time, the coupler 100 is formed with a locking portion 110 to be inserted into the fastening grooves 11a, 12a formed in each pipe 10, and the inner diameter of the locking portion 110 is formed to a size corresponding to the outer diameter of the fastening grooves 11a, 12a.

[0053] That is, when the distance from the center of the pipe 10 to the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 10 is ro and the distance from the center of the pipe 10 to the outer peripheral surfaces of the fastening grooves 11a and 12a is rg, the inner diameter of the locking portion 110 is formed to a size corresponding to the outer diameter of the fastening grooves 11a and 12a so that the locking portion 110 closely contacts the outer peripheral surfaces of the fastening grooves 11a and 12a. In this case, the inner diameter of the locking portion 110 may be formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the fastening grooves 11a and 12a. This is because the locking portion 110 closely contacts the radially outer side of the fastening grooves 11a and 12a. It is preferable that the size difference between the inner diameter of the locking portion 110 and the outer diameter of the fastening grooves 11a and 12a is formed only to the extent that the locking portion 110 can closely contact the outer peripheral surfaces of the fastening grooves 11a and 12a.

[0054] In this configuration, the locking portion 110 is in close contact with the outer circumferential surfaces of the fastening grooves 11a and 12a, thereby ensuring structural stability. However, while structural stability can be ensured when the locking portion 110 is configured to fit tightly against the outer peripheral surfaces of the fastening grooves 11a, 12a, this can cause a problem in that when multiple couplers 100 are pre-assembled with the fastening members 20 and inserted along the axial direction onto the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 10, the locking portion 110 may catch on the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 10, preventing the pre-assembled multiple couplers 100 from being inserted.

[0055] 4 and 5, in order to solve this problem, anti-interference grooves 112 are formed on both sides of the locking portion 110. These anti-interference grooves 112 form a gap between the pre-assembled couplers 100 so that the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10 can pass through.

[0056] In other words, not only does the locking portion 110 adhere closely to the outer peripheral surfaces of the fastening grooves 11a, 12a, ensuring structural stability, but also, since anti-interference grooves 112 are formed on both sides of the locking portion 110, the coupler 100 can be installed by penetrating the pipe 10 in the axial direction in a pre-assembled state, thereby improving workability.

[0057] As described above, the coupler 100 is formed with the first locking portion 110a to be inserted into the fastening groove 11a formed in the first pipe 11, the second locking portion 110b to be inserted into the fastening groove 12a formed in the second pipe 12, and the base portion 120 to connect the first locking portion 110a and the second locking portion 110b. In addition, the watertight member 30 having elasticity is provided inside the space formed by the base portion 120 and the locking portion 110 to prevent the fluid flowing inside the pipe 10 from leaking.

[0058] 5, the coupler 100 is formed with a fastening portion 130 through which the fastening member 20 penetrates, and the fastening portion 130 formed on the opposing couplers 100 is simultaneously penetrated by the fastening member 20 before fastening. When the couplers 100 are arranged in a fixed position, the worker checks whether the couplers 100 are normally fastened by translating the opposing couplers 100 toward the inside in the radial direction of the pipe 10 so that the bottom surfaces 131 formed on the fastening portions 130 come into contact with each other before fastening using the fastening member 20. At this time, the couplers 100 are formed so that the bottom surfaces 131 formed on the fastening portions 130 come into contact with each other without any additional deformation.

[0059] When the continuously arranged pipes 10 and the provisionally assembled couplers 100 are set in place, a fastening force is applied using the fastening member 20. When the fastening force is applied, the couplers 100 arranged opposite each other move in parallel in the radial direction of the pipes 10, and when the fastening parts 130 formed on the couplers 100 come into contact, the couplers 100 do not move any further, and in this state, a certain level of fastening torque is applied to the fastening member 20. At this time, the inner diameter of the locking part 110 is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the fastening grooves 11a, 12a so that the locking part 110 can be in close contact with the outer circumferential surfaces of the fastening grooves 11a, 12a, so that the coupler 100 is not deformed in the process of the fastening parts 130 formed on the couplers 100 coming into contact.

[0060] In addition, as described above, when the coupler 100 moves parallel to the radially inward direction of the pipe 10, the locking portions 110 formed on the coupler 100 are inserted into the fastening grooves 11a, 12a, and thereafter support the pipe 10 so that it does not move apart in the axial direction due to the fluid pressure inside the pipe 10.

[0061] At this time, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the locking portion 110 is formed with an arch surface 111 facing the outer peripheral surfaces of the fastening grooves 11a, 12a, and the above-mentioned interference prevention groove 112 may be formed with a first extension surface 112a extending radially outward from the arch surface 111, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0062] That is, since the first extension surface 112a extends radially outward from the arch surface 111, it becomes easy to ensure a gap between the engaging portion 110 and the outer circumferential surface of the pipe . In addition, the interference prevention groove 112 may be formed with a second extension surface 112b that is downwardly extended from the first extension surface 112a and has a curvature that is arranged concentrically with the arch surface 111.

[0063] In other words, with the first extension surface 112a extended radially outward, the second extension surface 112b is further extended from the first extension surface 112a, and a gap is secured between the engaging portion 110 and the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 10 by the amount of the first extension surface 112a and the second extension surface 112b.

[0064] At this time, the second extension surface 112b is formed to have a curvature concentric with the arch surface 111, as shown in Fig. 4. When the second extension surface 112b is formed to have a curvature concentric with the arch surface 111, the second extension surface 112b can be arranged concentric with the outer circumferential surface 11a of the fastening grooves 11a, 12a formed in the pipe 10 and the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10, and when the second extension surface 112b is positioned radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10, an operator can easily check with the naked eye whether the locking portion 110 is stably in close contact with the outer circumferential surfaces of the fastening grooves 11a, 12a through the arrangement state of the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10 and the second extension surface 112b.

[0065] In addition, the first extension surface 112a is preferably formed to a length that allows the second extension surface 112b to be positioned radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10. At this time, the anti-interference groove 112 may be formed with an auxiliary support surface 126 for supporting the contact portion 32, as shown in FIG. 4, so as to prevent the contact portion 32 of the above-mentioned watertight member 30 from protruding to the outside through the anti-interference groove 112 when water pressure is applied inside the coupler 100.

[0066] That is, when a pressure of 100 bar or more is applied inside the coupler 100, the contact portion 32 of the watertight member 30 may protrude to the outside through the anti-interference groove 112 formed by the first extension surface 112a and the second extension surface 112b and may be damaged. However, as described above, when the auxiliary support surface 126 that supports the contact portion 32 of the watertight member 30 is formed in the anti-interference groove 112, the contact portion 32 is prevented from protruding, so that the watertight member 30 is not damaged and fluid leakage can be stably prevented.

[0067] Such an auxiliary support surface 126 may be configured to have a connecting surface 112c connecting one position on the first extension surface 112a to another position on the second extension surface 112b, and a cross section having a closed curve shape formed by the first extension surface 112a and the second extension surface 112b.

[0068] That is, the above-mentioned auxiliary support surface 126 has a cross section in the shape of a closed curve formed by the connecting surface 112c, the first extension surface 112a and the second extension surface 112b, so that when water pressure is applied, the auxiliary support surface 126 supports the contact portion 32, thereby effectively preventing the watertight member 30 from protruding to the outside through the interference prevention groove 112.

[0069] Such a connecting surface 112c connects one position on the first extension surface 112a to another position on the second extension surface 112b, i.e., as shown in FIG. 4, it may be configured to start from one end of the first extension surface 112a and connect to one position on the second extension surface 112b.

[0070] In particular, the connecting surface 112c connects one position on the second extension surface 112b, and when a position between one end of the second extension surface 112b and the other end of the second extension surface 112b is connected, the second extension surface 112b is formed continuous with the connecting surface 112c as shown in FIG. 4. With this configuration, as described above, an operator can easily check with the naked eye whether the locking portion 110 is stably and tightly attached to the outer circumferential surface of the fastening grooves 11a, 12a through the arrangement of the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10 and the second extension surface 112b.

[0071] Alternatively, it may be configured to start from one end of the first extension surface 112a and connect to the other end of the second extension surface 112b, or to start from any position on the first extension surface 112a and connect to the other end of the second extension surface 112b. By forming the auxiliary support surface 126 in this manner, a certain area of ​​the interference prevention groove 112 is closed to support the contact portion 32 of the watertight member 30.

[0072] In addition, it is preferable that the auxiliary support surface 126 is extended radially outward from the connecting surface 112c so as not to interfere with the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10 when the coupler 100 is pre-assembled and the pipe 10 is fastened.

[0073] At this time, the arch surface 111 of the locking part 110 and the outer circumferential surface of the fastening grooves 11a and 12a are separated from each other in the portion where the first extension surface 112a is formed, so that the locking part 110 cannot support the pipe 10 in this portion. This means that the water pressure that the coupler 100 can support is reduced due to the formation of the first extension surface 112a. Therefore, it is preferable that the first extension surface 112a is formed within a range that satisfies the allowable water pressure after the coupler 100 is fastened. The position where the first extension surface 112a is formed determines whether the coupler 100 can be easily inserted into the pipe 10 in the axial direction when the coupler 100 is installed on the pipe 10 in a provisionally assembled state, and also determines whether the coupler 100 can effectively support the pipe 10 when a force is applied in a direction that separates the interval between the adjacent pipes 10 due to the pressure of the internal fluid of the pipe 10. Therefore, the position where the first extension surface 112a is formed must be carefully determined.

[0074] If the angle formed from the position where the first extension surface 112a is formed, i.e., the angle formed from the bottom surface 131 of the coupler 100 to the position where the arch surface 111 and the first extension surface 112a meet, is defined as α, it can be seen that the smaller the angle at which the first extension surface 112a is formed, the higher the allowable water pressure, as shown in Figure 6. In other words, the position where the first extension surface 112a is formed and the allowable water pressure are inversely proportional to each other.

[0075] In addition, as the angle of the first extension surface 112a increases, the allowable water pressure decreases. If this angle exceeds 24°, the allowable water pressure decreases rapidly, so it is preferable that this angle be formed at 24° or less.

[0076] In addition, a typical standard related to the 10-pipe coupler 100 is the American UL (Underwriters Laboratories) standard, which stipulates that the 10-pipe coupler 100 must be able to withstand water pressure that is five times the operating water pressure.

[0077] In other words, since the water pressure used in buildings is generally around 21 bar, according to UL standards, it must be able to withstand a minimum water pressure of 105 bar. Accordingly, when checking the allowable water pressure of the coupler 100 while changing the angle of the first extension surface 112a, as shown in FIG. 6, if the angle of the first extension surface 112a exceeds 20°, in order for the allowable water pressure of the coupler 100 to satisfy the American UL standard, it is more preferable that the first extension surface 112a be formed at a position where α is 20° or less.

[0078] At this time, the lower the angle at which the first extension surface 112a is formed, the higher the allowable water pressure, but the lower the angle at which the first extension surface 112a is formed, the more difficult it becomes to install the coupler 100 in a pre-assembled state on the pipe 10. Therefore, the first extension surface 112a needs to be formed at the minimum position at which the coupler 100 can be installed on the pipe 10 in a pre-assembled state, or at least at a position higher than such a position.

[0079] The process for deriving the minimum value of α is as follows. First, when the coupler 100 is moved downward above the outer peripheral surface 10a of the pipe 10, the radius of curvature of the arch surface 111 of the locking portion 110 is formed smaller than the radius of curvature ro of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 10, so that the locking portion 110 surrounds only a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 10 and does not move downward any further, and the height of the coupler 100 is fixed in this position.

[0080] In other words, when the height of the coupler 100 is fixed in this manner, other parts of the pipe 10 located vertically below both ends of the coupler 100 mean parts that are not inserted into the coupler 100 because the radius of curvature ro of the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10 is larger.

[0081] Therefore, it is necessary to form an anti-interference groove 112 so that the other part of the pipe 10 that is not inserted inside the coupler 100 can be inserted inside the coupler 100, and the angle formed by a line extended from the center of the pipe 10 to one end of the coupler 100, whose height is fixed, and a horizontal line passing through the center of the pipe 10 becomes the minimum value of α, and the minimum value of α derived through this process is 12°.

[0082] In other words, the angle α is preferably formed within a range between 12° and 20°. As described above, a watertight member 30 for preventing fluid leakage is provided between the pipe 10 and the coupler 100, and inside the coupler 100, a rear support surface 121 for supporting and fixing the base portion 31 of the watertight member 30 and a side support surface 122 for supporting and fixing the contact portion 32 of the watertight member 30 are formed.

[0083] That is, when the coupler 100 is assembled using the fastening member 20 with the watertight member 30 disposed between the pipe 10 and the coupler 100, the watertight member 30 is pressed by the coupler 100 to pressurize the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10. In this manner, the watertight member 30 is pressed to prevent fluid leakage. If the watertight member 30 is elastically deformed while being appropriately pressurized according to the design specifications, fluid leakage can be effectively prevented. However, if the watertight member 30 is deformed by a pressure exceeding the design specifications during the process of pressurization, such excessive deformation may cause a problem of fluid leakage from the portion where the watertight member 30 and the pipe 10 come into contact.

[0084] Therefore, in the event that deformation of the watertight member 30 occurs due to a pressure force exceeding the design specifications while the watertight member 30 is being pressed by the coupler 100, deformation allowance grooves 125 are formed extending radially outward from both ends of the rear support surface 121 so that the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 10 is not further pressurized even if the watertight member 30 is pressed by the coupler 100.

[0085] In other words, when a pressure matching the design specifications is applied to the watertight member 30, the watertight member 30 elastically deforms and pressurizes the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 10. However, if a pressure exceeding the design specifications is applied to the watertight member 30, the watertight member 30 is configured to deform radially outward along the deformation allowance groove 125 but not pressurize the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 10 any further, thereby solving the problem of fluid leakage due to excessive deformation of the watertight member 30.

[0086] In addition, during the process of assembling the coupler 100, frictional force acts between the rear support surface 121 and the outer circumferential surface of the watertight member 30. In particular, large frictional force acts on the rear support surface 121 formed adjacent to both ends of the coupler 100. As a result, the watertight member 30 is pressed in the assembling direction of the coupler 100 due to the frictional force, and excessive deformation of the watertight member 30 occurs, which may cause fluid leakage. However, as described above, when the deformation allowance grooves 125 are formed extending radially outward from both ends of the rear support surface 121, both ends of the rear support surface 121 are separated from the outer circumferential surface of the watertight member 30, so that the problem of excessive deformation of the watertight member 30 due to frictional force can be solved.

[0087] At this time, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, reinforcing portions 124 may be formed on both ends of an outer circumferential surface 123 of the base portion 120 of the coupler 100, and may be extended radially outward. As described above, when the deformation-tolerating groove 125 extending radially outward from the rear support surface 121 is formed, the thickness of the base portion 120 of the coupler 100 is reduced, which may cause durability problems. To prevent this, a reinforcing portion 124 is formed on the outer peripheral surface 123 of the base portion 120 of the coupler 100 so as to extend radially outward.

[0088] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described, the concept of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment presented in this specification, and a person skilled in the art who understands the concept of the present invention can easily propose other embodiments by adding, changing, deleting, or adding components within the scope of the same concept, which are also included in the concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. 1. A coupling assembly for connecting pipes arranged consecutively along an axial direction, the coupling assembly being for connecting a first pipe having a first diameter to a second pipe having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the coupling assembly comprising: The coupling assembly comprises: Two or more couplers arranged opposite each other; and a watertight member provided inside the coupler and adapted to maintain watertightness by being in close contact with outer circumferential surfaces of the first pipe and the second pipe when the coupler is fastened; Including, The coupler is provided with locking portions to be inserted into fastening grooves formed on outer circumferential surfaces of the first pipe and the second pipe, respectively; The watertight member includes a base portion that is tightly supported on the inner circumferential surface of the coupler, a protruding portion that protrudes from the base portion toward the end of the pipe, and a contact portion that is extended from both ends of the base portion so as to be tightly attached to the outer circumferential surface of each of the pipes. A plurality of the protrusions are formed on an inner circumferential surface of the base portion, the protrusions being spaced apart from one another and arranged in an annular shape along the periphery, the protrusion is provided with a reinforcing member for restricting deformation of the protrusion so as to prevent an end of the second pipe from going beyond the center of the coupler while pressing the protrusion when the second pipe is inserted; the reinforcing member is a part of the protrusion and is formed to rise from the base portion, The reinforcing member is formed in an annular shape and is provided on the second pipe side, the reinforcing member faces an end of the first pipe via the protruding portion and is not in contact with an end of the second pipe; the reinforcing member connects the base portion and the protrusion, a portion of the contact portion that is extended from an end of the base portion on the second pipe side is defined as a side portion, and the reinforcing member is spaced from an inner surface of the side portion, A fluid inlet space is provided between the reinforcing member and the side portion, a fluid is introduced into the fluid inlet space, and a fluid pressure is applied to the reinforcing member and the side portion; A fastening member is provided for pre-assembling the couplers in a state where the two or more couplers are disposed opposite each other in order to connect the first pipe and the second pipe, An interference prevention groove is formed on both sides of the locking portion to prevent interference between the locking portion and the pipe so that an outer circumferential surface of the pipe can be inserted between the temporarily assembled couplers, The locking portion has an arched surface facing an outer circumferential surface of the fastening groove, and the interference prevention groove has a first extension surface extending radially outward from the arched surface, The interference prevention groove is formed by extending downward from the first extension surface, and a second extension surface having a curvature arranged concentrically with the arch surface is formed. The coupling assembly, wherein the second extension surface is concentrically disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the pipe and is positioned radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the pipe.

2. The contact portion includes a first contact portion that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the first pipe and a second contact portion that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the second pipe, The coupling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing member is formed at a position adjacent to the second contact portion.

3. The contact portion has a contact surface that is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the pipe, the contact surface including a first contact surface that is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the first pipe and a second contact surface that is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the second pipe; The coupling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first contact surface is longer than the second contact surface.

4. 4. The coupling assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first contact surface has an extended support surface for supporting the protrusion so as to prevent the protrusion from being deformed when the second pipe is inserted while the first pipe is inserted.

5. The reinforcing member is formed in a plurality of pieces corresponding to the plurality of protrusions, 2. The coupling assembly according to claim 1, wherein a circumferential length of each of said reinforcing members is longer than a circumferential length of each of said protrusions.

6. 2. The coupling assembly according to claim 1, wherein the interference prevention groove is formed with an auxiliary support surface that supports a side surface of the watertight member so as to prevent the side surface of the watertight member from protruding outward through the interference prevention groove when water pressure is applied inside the coupler.

7. 7. The coupling assembly according to claim 6, wherein the auxiliary support surface has a connecting surface connecting any one position on the first extension surface and another position on the second extension surface, and a cross section of a closed curve shape formed by the first extension surface and the second extension surface.

8. 2. The coupling assembly according to claim 1, wherein the position where the arch surface and the first extension surface meet is in a range of more than 0° and less than 24° with respect to a bottom surface of the coupler.

9. 9. The coupling assembly according to claim 8, wherein the position where the arch surface and the first extension surface meet is in the range of 12° or more and 20° or less with respect to the bottom surface of the coupler.

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